I am starting to freak out about this. My jeep has been mudded to hell before I bought it, but I have been slowly giving it the TLC it deserves. 2001 with only 121 K on the clock, engine still runs quiet and smooth. Anyway, the truck had a decent coating of red clay on the engine compartment. I also found it in the radiator, or perhaps it is rust, looked on her and found out funk in the radiator is semi-common.

Anyway flushed the system every weekend for a month or so, per advice from this forum, and got it pretty clear and runs 200 to 210 in stop and go. I was blackish red mud, but luckily there was no oil in there, phew.

Anyway, the trans needs about half a bottle of fluid every 2 months or so, and I can see a bit of fluid leaking, like 1 or 2 droplets, sometimes, never enough to leave a puddle or stain. I assume I need a new gasket on the pan, haven't gotten around to it yet.

Anyway radiator has red gunk in it again, obvious guess is still that there is rust in there. And I put one and one together...

Is there a way for ATF to get into coolant? And If so I assume it is baaaaad, so the truck wouldn't still run in this condition right?

 

Yes tranny fluid is cooled thru radiator along with coolant very possible theres a mixxing of fluids

 

It's possible...the tranny cooler is built into the radiator

 

I would get a new radiator, and flush the Trans, new fluids, new filter.
Oh and check out your water pump while your in there.

 

Thx for the info.

I have changed the waterpump about 3 months ago, but haven't messed with the radiator beyond flushing.

Guess I need a new one now.

Anyway just to check, the most likely way this could be leaking is from the trans cooler, right? I know I am not getting coolant in the trans fluid (thank god) at least as far as I can tell. So this is not as bad as I assumed then? Just a new radiator to fix?

Thanks.

 

New radiator and change trans fluid. Just because you can't tell, doesn't mean it didn't get in there. Water in an auto trans is a recipe for disaster, and having those thing repaired/rebuilt ain't cheap. I'd recommend the "reverse flush" method that has been chronicled here in numerous threads. If if you don't absolutely need it, it's a good deal for your trans and will contribute to its longevity.

 

Cool, looking that up now, thx.

 

The OE factory tranny cooler is inside the radiator, surrounded by motor coolant. If the tranny cooler is leaking inside the rad, it's virtually guaranteed both tranny fluid and motor coolant are contaminated.

 

First post here, and this issue of residue in the radiator is the very reason I signed into this website.

It has been a recurring problem with my daughter's 1996 Cherokee Sport. I have replaced the cooling system soup to nuts repeatedly over the past 12 years, and a few years back plugged off the tranny cooler lines to the radiator and installed a separate cooler for the tranny, made no difference. The last time the dealership got to replace two radiators and two heating cores, one of each which I paid for and the second under warranty, as the whole system fouled again two months after I brought it in.

We have essentially parked it at this point until I get a better idea of whether or not this is common or a fluke. I would consider either a transmission or engine rebuild if I knew this would solve the problem.

The only upside is I can now replace both the water pump and radiator in under two hours, have put on at least three myself and at least that many by others.