How to go about changing AW-4 tranny fluid
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 667
Likes: 50
From: napoleon ohio
Year: 98, 00, 01 and another 01
Model: Cherokee
Engine: both 01 jeeps have viper coil pack
The drain pan bolt I believe is a 14 mm. It will drain almost 4 quarts. Refill, drive 200 miles or so and drain again. If necessary do a third time. Then check color till it suits you. If you do the transfer, it takes a little over a quart. Remember to loosen the fill plug first to ensure you can add fluid. Then remove the drain plug
Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 150
Likes: 21
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Hello all, I'm wanting to know the best way to go about changing my transmission fluid and/or filter. I've a 98 XJ with the AW-4 transmission. I've had said XJ for almost 2 years and she has a little over 198k on the odometer. I'm not sure if the PO ever had the fluid changed, but my guess is probably yes he did. The transmission works and shifts perfectly so far as I can tell, but I've put nearly 30k on her since I bought her in 2012 so I figure it's time. My main concern is what I have read already about seals leaking and debris being loosened and then floating around in the tranny after the fluid is changed. So to change fluid or not to change fluid, that is the question.
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Drain it through the drain plug, then drop the pan, clean the magnets, and swap the filter, then refill. This gets about 40% of the fluid swapped. Be sure to refill with the correct fluid, my 2000 takes ATF +4. Everyone on this thread is telling you Dexron/Mercon III, but I would only add what your owners manual tells you. At any rate, do that, then drain (without pulling the pan again) 2 or 3 more times to get most of the fluid swapped. I would caution doing a trans flush at a shop with an older transmission, I used to work in a shop and on older cars they a lot of times did not react well if they had not been flushed with a machine regularly.
Use what you want in yours, but I'm telling you, and many others here will also, there can be issues with the ATF+4.
Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 150
Likes: 21
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 7,965
Likes: 964
From: Lost in the wilds of Virginia
Year: 1998 Classic (I'll get it running soon....) and 02 Grand
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
The manufacturer of the AW4, Asin-Warner, has never called for anything but Dex/Merc.
At some point, and for who knows what stupid reason, Chrysler decided to start recommending ATF4. Then they started having problems. Premature wear, slipping transmissions.
Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 150
Likes: 21
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Good to know, I will maybe have to do some fluid flushing myself when I get back home...
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