Tranny fluid question
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 603
Likes: 1
From: Hacienda Heights
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
The cold/not running level can change so I wouldn't bother adding marks, and it doesn't really matter what that level is. The running level is what matters. You could add a cold mark to avoid having to warm it up, that would be a fairly accurate measurement.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 603
Likes: 1
From: Hacienda Heights
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
My understanding of how automatics work is the fluid level needs to be checked at operating temperature and while the fluid is being circulated through the trans by the pump. It's not like engine oil in that it all drains back to the pan. Some stays in the valve body, torque converter, etc. Some transmissions don't engage the pump in park, only neutral (and in gear, of course). The AW4 runs the pump in park as well as neutral. My *assumption* is the manual writers figured all things being equal, it was safer to look under the hood with the trans in park rather than neutral, hence the wording in the FSM. Other automatics used in the XJ needed to be in neutral to run the pump, so if the dipsticks were shared between transmissions, they all said to check it in neutral to cover all the bases.
In other words, all autos can be checked in neutral, but only some can be checked in park.
In other words, all autos can be checked in neutral, but only some can be checked in park.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,543
Likes: 351
From: District of Columbia
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,481
Likes: 18
From: Arizona
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Seriously... There is absolutely no reason they can't be checked cold not running just like a power steering pump reservoir, they have "cold level" mark. Except for maybe a C6 Ford it's not that critical.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 603
Likes: 1
From: Hacienda Heights
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 603
Likes: 1
From: Hacienda Heights
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Curious why you say the C6 is an exception.
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,481
Likes: 18
From: Arizona
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
The C6 was real critical because of something having to do with the capacity it held. They had a problem with expanding in capacity when hot much more than any of the others. So under normal operating conditions everything would be fine. But if you put an extreme load on them like a loaded pickup AND a loaded trailer and it got over 90 outside they would puke fluid out the top because they were now over full. In the desert here we used to have to run them at the add mark because if you didn't, and loaded it, you were in trouble. This used to be common problem with these in the summer out here.