Tranny fluid question
#1
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Tranny fluid question
Hey guys. I went to look at a Cherokee this morning and I’m really interested in picking it up. The only major concern I had with it was that when I checked the tranny fluid after taking it for a drive, there was no fluid touching the stick. There was plenty of fluid when cold. Are there any simple checks I can do to see why the fluid would be so low when it was hot? This thing is a 96 that only has 91k miles on it and I’d hate to burn up a transmission with so few miles on it. Thanks.
#2
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Hey guys. I went to look at a Cherokee this morning and I’m really interested in picking it up. The only major concern I had with it was that when I checked the tranny fluid after taking it for a drive, there was no fluid touching the stick. There was plenty of fluid when cold. Are there any simple checks I can do to see why the fluid would be so low when it was hot? This thing is a 96 that only has 91k miles on it and I’d hate to burn up a transmission with so few miles on it. Thanks.
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#3
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0
I did check it when it was hot after I drove it. I put it in park and left it running. That’s when I noticed it was low. Maybe I should have put it in neutral. I even ran my fingers over it and they were dry. It was weird.
#4
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I'll ask this, when you checked it cold, did it seem black/brownish, or smell burnt? Or did it look pinkish red?
Nothing on the stick may not be weird after it heated up, heat probably made it clean as a whistle with no fluid touching it. May just need a top off.
IF you end up buying it, I would do a drain and fill anyways, just for peace of mind, and then any leaks will show up as fresh(ish) pink fluid on the driveway.
Last edited by Rogue4x4; 10-28-2017 at 12:34 PM.
#6
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
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The fluid was nice and pink with no burnt smell.
It does have a leak, but I couldn’t tell while I was there if it was the valve cover gasket, RMS or the tranny. It may be a combo of all of it.
It does have a leak, but I couldn’t tell while I was there if it was the valve cover gasket, RMS or the tranny. It may be a combo of all of it.
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#8
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Start at the VC gasket, move to the OFA, then down to the RMS. Most of the time it's the former, not the latter.
These engines sit on an incline, so any leaks drip down right to where the RMS is.
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#14
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Thanks guys. I’ll have to let you know what I find out if I end up getting this one. The seller is now unsure if he wants to sell the Jeep. Oh well, we shall see.
#15
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
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