So, I've had my $500 '91 XJ for about six months - 4.0, AW4, 231. Shortly after I got it, the tranny started acting up. When first starting out, I had to rev the engine to 2000 - 2500 rpm's for 5 - 15 seconds before the tranny would "catch" this only happened in drive - reverse was always fine. If I wasn't careful, it was like a neutral drop. Once the tranny caught, it would drive and shift fine until I shut it off, then it was the same thing all over again. This went on with no change for a few months - before you ask, yes I checked the fluid levels and condition - both were fine. I and even did a fluid and filter change and included a quart of Lucas - no difference.

Last night I stopped at a buddy's house for a couple hours when I got back in the jeep to leave, it would not move in reverse. It was like it was in reverse and drive at the same time. It would not rev above 1500 rpm's. When I shifted into neutral, it was in drive and it drove just fine - no warmup needed.

So, any ideas?

 

Sound like you have a bad trans. Lots of time when you change the fluid on a high mileage trans it does more harm than good. Once you change it that was the straw that broke the camels back!!! Sorry to tell ya...

 

NSS, Neutral Safety Switch maybe.

 

NSS wont make the trans slip. It just lets it know when its ok to start the motor and not in gear!!

 

Neither will a simple fluid change, a tranny flush well I can see that.

 

If you put the lever in netreul and it went in drive check your linkage

 

NSS is just an electronic part. It keeps it from starting in the wrong gear! If he has to rev it up and it feels like a neutral drop then the trans is slipping!

 

it could be simple shift solenoids. they're cheap.

 

I rebuilt the NSS, and adjusted the shift cable. I went so far as to shift the jeep from under while a buddy held the brake - same thing. The tranny never felt like it was "slipping" just like it wasn't in gear - and now, "drive" is as solid as can be.

. . . and yes I trapped on the starter 3 times with the handle of a hammer

What puts the tranny in "drive" and then keeps it there? it's like that mechanism is "stuck" - would that be a solenoid?

 

If the tranny was "slipping" then it would continue to slip as you drove wouldn't it? This was just doing it when you first started out. Plus a slip would cause burnt fluid, and the fluid never looked or smelled burnt.

 

a trans can slip in just 1st, trans fluid is a high detergent oil a change is almost comparetable to a flush. nobody wants to hit you over the head so here it is you tranny is junk.

 

maybe tcu or shift solenoid? Worst case scenario aw4's are cheap in the yard. Like 150-200 cheap.

 

yea, I have heard of trans working fine and when someone did their normal maitence it started to slip after changing the fluid. I am an amsoil dealer, and our company has done many tests with lucus oils and that stuff is just... just... well my dog can crap a better pile

 

Except... I live on an island... in the Caribbean... which sounds really cool, until you need parts from a junkyard...

I accept that the tranny is toast, but I'm puzzled at what would make it stick in "drive". Plus now the "slipping" is gone completely.

Thanks for all the help guys!