AW4 dipstick
 

I have a question. My 2000 XJ trans has developed a whine when you start out from a stop when it's hot. It disappears once you get moving, but it's something new. I pulled the dipstick to check the fluid level and it's right up to the full mark. I did notice it was a bit touchy to get it back in right as it seems to only go in one way, but now it doesn't whine anymore. I inspected the stick and after the Z-bend, it seems to be twisted a bit where it's got the level marks, but doesn't seem to be damaged. Is this normal? It also says to check the level in neutral. Is this right and is this still an AW4? The stick in my WJ with the 42re slips in and out very easily. I'm still learning about XJ's.

Mine also seems to go in one way comfortably in my '00. Always bugged me how the level indicator is on the other side. Cause it only goes in comfortably the one way. Just figured you pull it out and would be able to see the level without turning it over. LOL.
Hot idle, level ground, and in neutral is how I check it.
When cold and not running it reads as if overfilled. But I know about where level is cold, not running, when the fluid level is correct at a hot idle, on level ground, and in neutral.
So I just check it cold and use the "Yeah that looks about right" method.

Okay, thanks. I just thought the tube was kinked or something. The fluid is so clean it's hard to read the level and with only 130K on it, that's nice to know. I was worried the whine came from low fluid, but apparently not. One thing I'm still getting used to is the clutchfan screaming when you first start driving it, but it quiets down after it warms up. My WJ only has an electric fan and I'm not used to the clutchfan yet.

Screaming? I don't even notice mine. Of course you are comparing it to your WJ. Do you have the HD clutch fan in there?

HEY guys. Check out post #23 in the thread below.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/tra...239909/index2/

As far as clutch fans go I have the HD one on mine. The only increase in noise over the oem one I've noticed is when I rev the motor although my hearing is FAR from the best. Now on our '96 Blazer even with my poor hearing it's new clutch fan is LOUD at idle and crawling speed for the first couple minutes.

No, the WJ only has an electric fan. It doesn't run at all until the engine is up to 212*, then cuts in on high until the temp drops to 195, then runs constantly on low until it either heats up again or you shut off the engine. So there's no fan noise at all when you start off in the morning. You can't hear it at all running on low either. In the XJ, when the fluid in the clutchfan is cold, it's coupled tightly and it sounds like a tornado. I seldom hear it after it warms up unless I rev it up.

Mine is right about where the red line ends in the picture posted when stone cold.
That makes me feel better about my "Yeah that looks about right" method. LOL.

Until I found that video on YouTube did not even know that my fan clutch was not operating as well as it should be.
Funny thing is the cooling system ran exactly as it should. While I don't spend much time in traffic jams I have let my Jeep idle in the driveway for various reasons for long periods of time.
But I replaced it anyway. Was toying with the idea of using the HD fan clutch but talking to my buddy he said you don't have any cooling problems and you don't tow.
Good chance the HD fan clutch will be noisier and they is chance the MPG might suffer. So I just went with a SD one.

As far as the XJ having an HD clutch, IDK because It's new to me, but used when I bought it. EZEARL, that link you posted with the pics of the dipstick shows me my stick is the same and not twisted like I thought. Good on you. And yes, some transmissions run the pump in neutral and some don't. A case in point, the old GM Powerglide used to whine terribly in park because the pump was running, pressurizing the converter.

When I bought my '96(98K) it was early winter so no AC was on but letting it sit at idle it never showed hot(no gauges then). First noticed a problem when pulling a 5mi 9% grade mountain at a 50mph speed limit. Red light came on. Replaced the clutch fan and all was good. But during hot weather I never could leave it sit and idle with or without the AC on. Never over heated but ran above 210(w/gauges then) more than it should. In 2016 I completely redid the cooling system. Now I can leave it sit at an idle with no issues at all. After my experience and after reading others here I believe if the oem cooling system is operating at 100% your good to go.

IDK if all XJ's do, but my 2000 has a separate electric fan as well as the clutchfan and if I sit and idle long enough, it comes on and cools it down, then cuts off.

It's working as it should then. I believe all XJ's came with both. I do know that at some point how the auxiliary fan operates with the AC on changed. My '96 one comes on every time the compressor does. Yours only comes on under a certain condition which right now I can't recall. Just found this in reference to the 2000 XJ:
An electric radiator cooling fan is used with certain models/engines. It is controlled by the powertrain control module (PCM) through the radiator fan relay. Not Equipped With A/C: The relay is energized when coolant temperature is above 103 °C (217 °F) . It will then de-energize when coolant temperature drops to 98 °C (208 °F) . Refer to Cooling Systems for additional information. Equipped With A/C: In addition to using coolant temperatures to control cooling fan operation, a two-gang A/C high-pressure switch is also used to control cooling fan operation. When equipped with this high-pressure switch, the cooling fan will not operate each time the A/C clutch is engaged.

Okay, my A/C compressor has been removed and an idler pulley put in it's place. Since I'm not about to spend the money to completely redo the system because it's been open way too long, I'm going to remove all the hoses and maybe even the condenser, although to protects the radiator. That shouldn't effect my cooling any.

Sounds like a good plan. Besides the A/C condenser in front of the clutch fan and radiator I also have a transmission cooler there. No problems at all.

On my dipstick is says " Check idling in neutral max level when hot".