Hey all

I'm driving a 1996 4.0 RHD jeep cherokee xj auto


I drove for 1.5 hours towing a twin axle 800kg trailer. I then picked up an old series 3 landrover. 1400kg. Total weight 2200kg.

Within 30 min of collecting the truck, doing 50mph up a very slight gradient hill, she started to smoke struggle then lose power.

I pulled over, opened the hood, and transmission oil was gushing out of the transmission oil dip stick.

Then within seconds the ground under the truck was on fire.

I had some water in the car and poured it over the engine and onto the flames below.

What could have caused this?

Now she struggles to move unless in 4wd low.

 

Amazing. Whats your trans fluid level?

 

Before the excitement, mid level, not sure about after but guessing low.

 

An XJ pulling a tandem axle trailer with a SUV on back hour and a half into a tow..... that’s quite the overload and I’m not in the least bit surprised . I’m sure it was nuclear hot . It might of been okay towing a few miles .... and I would not of ever expected 50mph even in the few mile trip .... that’s hard a poor XJ.

 

Did you at least keep OD off?

 

Sounds like a major transmission overheat caused fluid to purge and catch fire when it hit the exhaust manifold/pipe. The transmission is most likely done for. Pull the dipstick and see what color the fluid is and what it smells like

 

after a failed trans in my '96, the first thing I did with the replacement is fit a trans temp gauge in the port (pre-'98)

It shows trans temps go high under trying situations

You have almost certainly cooked your trans, if it doesnt respond to to adding new fluid up to the level

mine did not get hot enough to flow out.

My research indicates fluid temps over 230F will cause the trans seals and clutches to be vulnerable to deteriorate

lots of trans die prematurely over here, as the weather is typically hot

 

I would drain the trans and send a sample off for analysis. If you want to wait for them to tell you never mind, ok. If you don't want to wait, then fill with new and pray very hard. Sounds extremely burnt up.

 

How old was the fluid that was in the trans?
It wears out slowly.
I would drain the fluid using the plug. Refill with Dex/Merc only and see what happens. Purchase 2 gallons to be safe.

Also, adjust your throttle valve cable!!

 

Click bait......
I was ready to see some carnage and sh*t getting burned. HAHAHA....Not the XJ of course... but a fire would be cool to see. Kidding.

Ive never heard of a trans getting so hot it boils the fluid out of the dip stick.... on ANY vehicle. That had to be some major work that XJ was putting in!!

Oh and if it was flying out of the dip stick, it sounds like there was pressure built up... so the vent valve may be clogged as well. If thats the case, that MAY be the reason it boiled over?!?!?!?

Does anyone else think thats a possibility?

 

Had it happen to an instructor in college pulling a trailer. He was giving enough gas that the t/c never locked up. It overheated the oil until started boiling and frothing out the dipstick onto the exhaust and cat.

 

Yup. Pretty common in those situations. Tranny might not have been full in the first place from what the OP says.

 

High temps, boiling oil, entrained foam and pumps of any type cannot pressurize foam. That's the primary reason engine and trans levels have to be per the OEM. Any higher and mechanical movement becomes immersed and churns the oil into foam. Anyway, that was quite a task for a Cherokee. I hope the lubrication properties of the oil prevented any serious damage, though I do think your seals alone need to be replaced and should prompt you to drop the transmission for inspection.

 

I say let's live on the edge and fill it with Dex/Merc and adjust the TV cable.

 

So drained and filled her back up, all gears work as they should. Oddly seems smoother.

I'm going to take her out for an hour or two today. See how she gets on.

While I won't be using her to tow any more, are these any good at towing in the first place?