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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
1996 Cherokee XJ. All stock drivetrain 4.0/AW4/NP242
Im having a randomly occurring issue with my jeep today. This only happened twice driving around town. From a stop it will barely accelerate forward. Almost like I'm doing a brake stand or the transmission is slipping, but once I take it out of D and down into 1-2 it moves forward no problem. Once the transmission was placed back in D I continued my drive with no issues. The only similarity between both occurances was that I had just come to a stop and attempted to make a turn onto a side street.
Other than that it drives normal for an old jeep. Let me know if I can provide any other info that might help.
This forum has saved my butt multiple times with issues I can't diagnose so thank you in advance!
The first question you'll usually get is about the quality and level of your ATF.
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The good news is, with what you did shifting 'manually' up through the gears (usually done with TCM disconnected) , that you distinguish mechanical from electrical causes (roughly).
I will say that the symptoms you saw are exactly the same as you'd get with the TCM unplugged. Barely goes in D, works fine in 1-2... Have you ever cleaned the Neutral Safety Switch (NSS)?
No power to the trans computer (check fuse in the fuse panel), bad #1 solenoid (the set of 3 is around $70 on amazon), or damaged wiring to the transmission.
You can check the solenoid resistance at the connector under the hood, against the firewall on the passenger side
Ok guys I did some testing.
-Trans Fluid is good
- I cleaned the NSS a couple years ago when my reverse lights wouldn't turn on. Now that I'm typing this I checked and they're off again. So I'm going to clean that again and see if that fixes the light problem and maybe the trans problem in general.
- I tested the resistance at the TCM connection by the trans dip stick and got 9.3k Ohms at each solenoid
- I opened up the dash panel and the TCM looks good. I don't see any corrosion there.
I'll report back when I have some free time to climb under the jeep again and take off the NSS .
Yeah I thought that was weird too, but thats the reading I got on two different multimeters.
MY BAD.... I tested the male plug to get those readings. When I tested the correct (female) plug i got 12.7 on E, 12.6 on F, and then 39 ohms on G. Im assuming this means G is the bad solenoid?
Last edited by Dylanf133; Sep 16, 2022 at 06:02 PM.
Reason: Testing was done incorrectly
Yeah I thought that was weird too, but thats the reading I got on two different multimeters.
MY BAD.... I tested the male plug to get those readings. When I tested the correct (female) plug i got 12.7 on E, 12.6 on F, and then 39 ohms on G. Im assuming this means G is the bad solenoid?
Yup. G is solenoid 1 which is needs to engage to give you first gear. If that solenoid is bad, you'll start out in 4th gear instead of 1st.
Inspect the wiring to the pan before tearing into it, btw. Doing the solenoids isn't hard, just a bit messy since you have to drop the transmission pan.
My two standard bits of advice for this. First, the filter is just a metal screen that can be flushed out with some brake cleaner. Second, do not over-tighten the pan screws. 7 ft*lbs or moderately snug with a ratchet (ignore the manuals that say 15!). Go too tight and you'll deform the edge of the pan and create leaks or worse rip the aluminum threads out of the trans.
Bonus advice: After you get the pan off, go grab lunch and let if drip a while before you stick your head under there. Less oil on the face that way. :}
More bonus advice, splitting the trans dipstick tube can be a real , if it won't split, it'll have to come out with the pan. If it has to come out with the pan, you may need it on a lift for the space. Mine was difficult to split even with the pan off.
More bonus advice, splitting the trans dipstick tube can be a real , if it won't split, it'll have to come out with the pan. If it has to come out with the pan, you may need it on a lift for the space. Mine was difficult to split even with the pan off.
I must agree that removing the pan and dipstick tube together is usually much easier, it drops straight down & out on a 2" lift
Random No Go AW4/Drivetrain Issue
, if it won't split, it'll have to come out with the pan. If it has to come out with the pan, you may need it on a lift for the space. Mine was difficult to split even with the pan off.
