My tranny dipstick never had any fluid reading on it. I have tried idling in neutral and everything. I added a quart one day cause it was slipping and it showed up for a day or so then went away. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Get it up to the proper level.

 

But if Ive topped it off before and it read it for a day or two and then went away, wouldnt that probably mean its leaking somewhere or something?

 

Sounds to me like you solved your own problem. Step one. Find leak. Step two. Stop leak. Step three. Fill tranny. Step four. Drive without worries

 

You must isolate and fix the leak. Low fluid level is hard on a transmission. So is too much fluid, so go slow when adding fluid as a little goes a long way on the dipstick. Should be done with a HOT engine with a fully exercised transmission on LEVEL ground.

 

If you've added as much as you say, the leak should be very obvious.

Poke your noggin underneath that Jeep and have a look-see.

 

Check the t-case. Pull the check plug and stand back. Odds are the seals between the two are bad and the fluid is going from the trans to the t-case.

 

Good idea. Rare, but it happens.

 

Ok thanks for the help. I've looked under it before and never seen a leak from there but I'll check again and go over it better

 

Do what Jbsjunk says to do also.

 

How long have you owned this Jeep?

Do you know the maintenance history?

Was the transmission and/or torque converter ever changed.
Does it have an external transmission oil cooler.
Was the radiator ever changed.
was the transmission fluid changed or flushed.

All these maintenance items would require topping off the transmission fluid. If not done properly, or at all, would result in low transmission fluid level.

Basics:

With the Jeep on level ground, engine not running, and after sitting long enough for the engine to cool down, pull the transmission dipstick and check the oil level - it should be at or above the full mark on the dipstick. Start the engine and check the fluid level again while the engine idles, the fluid level should have dropped to the very bottom of the dipstick (fluid must be showing on the dipstick). If you don't observe this oil level action the transmission fluid level is too low. Stop. Add enough transmission fluid so it shows on the very bottom of the dipstick with a cold idling engine. Then drive the vehicle approximately 15 miles to heat up the transmission fluid. With the Jeep on level ground, foot on brake, cycle the transmission through all gears, ending in Park. Then check the fluid level on the dipstick, it should be near the top of the Hot range on the dipstick. If not, slowly (a little at a time) add transmission fuid to get to the Hot range.

A word about transmission fluid transfering to the TC: The transmission to TC adaptor has a weep hole in the bottom of it that will allow transmission fluid leaking past the transmission rear seal to drain out. For transmission fluid to transfer to the TC, the transmission rear seal and the TC input shaft seal would have to be leaking, and the weep hole plugged. Very rare indeed.

FYI: The AW4 oil pump is vented. There is a vent hose from the transmission to a breather valve (similar to the front axle breather valve (near the brake booster) located near the transmission dipstick tube. This breather valve should be periodically removed and cleaned.

 

Not saying you didn't but transmission fluid should be checked with a warm engine.....i usually go for a 20 mins drive before i check.

GL.

 

Yes. The instructions are almost always on the dipstick regarding warm or cold and in what shifter position.

 

I've checked it hot and cold by using the dipstick instructions. When I bought it all the PO had some records in the car of service but nothing included tranny.

 

So how many quarts total have you put in?