BruceB

1996 Cherokee Classic 2wd 219000 miles…daily driver, mostly stock, never off road…



Background information:

Transmission was replaced with a unit from another 1996 with 101000 miles about a year ago.

The transmission was serviced, probably by changing out fluids and new shaft seals. Unknown what ATF was used.

Have driven 20000 miles with replacement transmission.

TPS and throttle body was removed cleaned and reinstalled about 6 months ago.

Kickdown cable was adjusted 1 week ago.

Changed Transmission fluid (remove drain from pan) and refilled with Valvoline MaxLife Multi-Vehicle ATF 2 weeks ago.

Problem: After a few days after the ATF change a strange symptom started with the transmission.

On a cold start, basically the first start of the day, the transmission hangs onto first gear. It will finally shift if I take it to 3000 rpm and then remove my foot of the accelerator or at 2000 rpm it will shift after a ¼ of a mile or so. I adjusted the Kick down cable as described on this site and did not solve this issue. The transmission does not repeat this problem at all until an overnight cold start.

Should I do another fluid change?

Should I switch to a non-synthetic Dec/Merc lll?

Any advice and direction are always appreciated…

IJM

Given what I know about the AW-4 fluid requirements and that this just started when you changed the fluid to something other than Dex/Merc III, I'd say yes.

Rambler65

Only use Dexron III (Dex/Merc) in these transmissions. The problem with a Multi-Vehicle universal fluid is that it's not really right for any particular application.

BruceB

just an fyi if anybody is looking....I searched for Valvoline DEX/MERC Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) 1 GA and found most part stores and Amazon has it for the $30 range ...Found it on Walmart for $16.82 gallon....ordered 2.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Valvoline...6&gclsrc=3p.ds

Ralph77

I knew crusier54 would like that.
IIRC he is always telling people to use the cheap stuff from Walmart.
LOL.
Use the Napa DexIII/Merc, which I am pretty sure is rebranded Valvoline, cause with my discount comes out to about the same price.
But been awhile since I have bought some and with the way the economy is going who knows these days.

BruceB

As you can see, I have ordered the non synthetic atf to start changing out the synthetic. It seemed pretty obvious that the synthetic change caused this, but I really wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something else. In the original transmission I ran the synthetic for over 100000 miles, that transmission went just at 200000 miles. Thanks for the responses, they are always appreciated. Will update after I exchange the atf fluids when I receive them and do the drains and refills....sometime next week hopefully.

have a great day!

BruceB

I ended up doing 3 drain and refills and used 9 quarts total. Drove 15 miles between drains. Readjusted the kick down cable.
Jeep still hangs on to first gear when cold. If I take it up to 3000 rpm and take my foot off the accelerator it will shift. After that it acts like it should from every stop.
Nothing I can't live with, but it does have my attention and curiosity.

awg

One of mine did this, (until someone smashed into it at 40mph)

If you hold very light throttle upon first drive, it will kick up to 2nd gear prior to 3000rpm, after about 30-60secs

okay if you live on a flat road, and there is no other car behind you

imo, this is likely a valve body fault

BruceB

Thank you....I appreciate your reply..

Jim Malcolm

I had good luck with Auto-RX I don't know, 20 yrs ago, with a same issue with another vehicle.

BruceB

shoot, at this point the only thing going down the tube is DEX/MERC III Non synthetic...lol

Jim Malcolm

Dexron VI is fine as well, but I hear ya...

BruceB

is there any other suggestions?

BruceB

Hello all.... I did an additional 2 drain and fill on the transmission and changed out the TPS.....no change in the transmission holding on to first gear ONLY on the first drive of the day. Once it shifts or I get it to shift, it is fine the rest of the day. I thinking it isn't the shift solenoids as it shifts fine after the first drive or could it be? If it is a valve body fault what is entailed to fix that? Is it something that Auto-RX or a different additive would take care of and if so what recommendations are there for product or not to use these products. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

BruceB

Update: Had the Jeep looked at by a reputable transmission shop. Apparently the transmission was hanging on 1st gear and then jumping into 3rd skipping second gear. With 4th gear locked out the vehicle would not shift into 2nd only first and third. Once the trans was allowed to shift into 4th gear, then all shifting would be fine from then on. The TCU was sending the signals out to shift correctly and the solenoids were all working correctly according to the scanner they used. So AWG was likely correct with a valve body fault diagnoses. The transmission is going to be rebuilt completely in a few weeks and until them I will still have to deal with the first cold start of the day issue.
Thank you to the people that responded to this post....