Mystery plastic part
 

I found this small plastic part in the bottom of the drain pan after changing my transmission fluid. All I did was drain the pan and then disconnect the cooler return line to flush fluid through the system, so nothing else was opened up. All I can think of is it might be part of the plastic bit that holds the hard metal transmission cooler line into the fitting on the side of the transmission. But that is just more of a clip than it is a bushing, if memory serves correct.

Any ideas? The plastic piece is about 3/8" in diameter.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...8a7a4d11a7.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...953a125169.jpg

By the way, here's a picture of the clip and connector thingy I was talking about. I left the metal connector screwed into the transmission and only pulled the hard line with the plastic clip around it out.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...3f3fc70f3c.jpg

Did you remove the actual pan on the transmission or just drained into another catch pan. If it was the latter, can the plastic piece fit through the drain hole?
The only thing I could find if it came out from the drain pan is the spacer on the manual valve shaft.
Do you have any difficulty with the shifter moving it from park to any of the other choices?

I think that sits down inside the adapter and is what the very end of the tube slide into. I'll bet one of those lines feels looser in the fitting.

I did not drop the pan. I highly doubt the plastic piece would fit through the drain plug opening, though the thought did occur to me. It shifts normally.

I bet you're right. It's not leaking, but I'll crawl under there this week and pop that line off and check.

Looks to me like the fitting where the trans filter pushes into the valve body.

The verdict is in, and you are the winner! I ended up ordering a couple of those adapters, since I broke the white plastic clip. Lo and behold, inside the adapter is that same piece of plastic that keeps the flange on the end of the line from going in too far and stabilizes things to avoid metal-to-metal contact. The piece is made of black plastic in the case of the new part, but it's the same thing otherwise.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...2bf8408e60.jpg

While I am not intimately familiar with the insides of the AW4, I have only had the pan off to replace the filter and clean the magnets. I thought the part you were showing us (adapter) was only screwed into the outside of the tranny. How did that round ring get inside the pan?

Drain pain, not transmission pan.

Got a story for you little off topic but hell with it as funny as hell about finding a plastic piece in transmission pan on a vehicle I had while changing fluid/filter. Dropped pan as no drain plug and while dumping the fluid out as a plastic piece kind of shaped like a mushroom fell from pan. Of course I go in panic mode looking up in the transmission trying to figure out where it came from and this was during the dial up slow internet speed days so searching on net was useless. After a couple hours with flashlight looking around gave up and went to the dealership. The transmission tech came out and saw what I had and started laughing! he said someone brings one in about every month and said it's a plug the use during production and it get knocked down into the pan when the install the dip stick tube and stay there until the maintence is down on transmission...Man I was worried to death when I saw it!

AHHHHH my bad...Thanks for the clarification

You said you found your new one within the new connector correct?
 

did you have to order a specific part number for this case as both times i have recently ordered these fittings and plastic connector the soacer has not been included and they are incredibly easy to lose yet hard to find a replacement

This is one of Chrysler's worst connections
 

This is one of Chrysler's worst connections - it WILL leak I recommend Replacing it with a Parker #' 68HB-6-MI14 per this thread: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/tra...d-help-264320/