sthon

This is what it looks like, although it will be bolted to the bellhousing.

jon71203

thanks a ton sthon

jon71203

realize i'm being super needy, but do you have a pic of the tube attached to the bell housing? just getting a sense of where and how to go about adding a tube.

Couch

Just my .02 cents but if you have the factory trans cooler ( in the radiator ) you are actually heating the fluid to 210-220, what ever temp your engine runs at. I have by passed the factory cooler and using an aux cooler. Performed the change today. Im looking to install a temp gauge next ( on the exit tube as close to the trans as possible ) to monitor the temps. I will post the outcome.

jon71203

hey couch,
any chance you could share how you did the bypass?
i've done quite a bit of work on my 97 XJ, but only with the help of everyone on cherokeeforum. thanks, hope thats fixed the problem for you.

as for my temps, my temp guage never gets above 220, but i'm definitely still blowing smoke

jon71203

its definitely tranny fluid from the breathing tube....

so is a trans cooler my answer?

if so, anyone know of a write up or how to on adding an aux cooler?

Couch

All I did was eliminate the trans cooler in the radiator. All you need ( depending on your setup ) Is a barb fitting and a few hose clamps. I disconnected the in and out of the cooler in the radiator and connected them together. I would not do this if you dont have an aux cooler. I placed my aux cooler in front of the radiator in front of the mechanical fan. $4.00 for the parts at Home Depot.

jon71203

I don't have an aux cooler. thats what i was asking about.
how to install one.
thanks

Franks93Cherokee

Ok when I bought this Jeep a few months back it was blowing out transmission fluid like crazy from the over flow vent in the bell housing. One Atlas transmission guy told me it was a blockage and was going to cost me $1,200.00 so here is how this thing works people. If this transmission is over filled it will do this even if it is one quart over full. And that one quart could take you a month to get it all out the over flow. It only comes out when it's good and hot if you recall transmission fluid expands so keep checking your fluid level. Check it cold in the morning on a level surface and then check it when it's good and hot and from this point what you need to know is that dip stick is never going to show you when it's over full. The excess goes into the tork converter and comes out when it's hot. If you had a flush and fill you have a good chance it is over full.

jon71203

so can you drain some of the fluid if you think its over filled?
and if so, how?

jon71203

is it possible the smoke could be from brake fluid leaking onto the exhaust?

Franks93Cherokee

I didn't drain anything I just drove it out. I had to hit the car wash a few times to clean things up and then it just reached a point it didn't do it anymore. But if you read back on my other post this was a long story. When I first noticed it I thought it had blown a seal out. I called a transmission shop I have used many times and he was straight up with me that it had a vent in the bellhousing and that if someone had over filled it that it would run out of this vent and blow back on the cat. And he said I needed to be sure it had not been over filled. The thing about ran me nuts I was sure it was going to go out at any day. And in the process of checking the fluid I had to learn how this transmission works. There were times I thought a few miles down the road was enough to warm it up and check the fluid level. It would show that it was low and I would put more in it. And it would just keep blowing out. Well then I decided I needed to check it when it was cold and it showed it was full on the cold side of the stick. A few miles up the road I check it again and found it said it was low on the hot side. So I drove it for about an hour and checked it and it said it was full on the hot side. All you can drain is what is in the pan. Whats in the converter is there until it blows it out and then what the converter does not blow out is the perfect level. I have been checking mine everyday now for a month with no leaks and no loss in fluid level. So just keep a check and let it blow it out until it stops then you fluid level is correct. I have a feeling these transmissions must be hard to cap off with the right fluid level when they are cold and in some shop getting a flush and fill done. I was about to start replacing things and rebuilding and just decided to drive it until I knew for sure I'm glad I waited things out. If you read up on this it's a very common problem with this Jeep. Google it and it's all over the net. But not all automatic transmissions have this over flow vent in the bellhousing like these do. Some have it on top and others on the side at the top. But these have the ability to be over full and show full on the stick instead of over full like most do. Just a flaw in the thing somewhere I guess.

Franks93Cherokee

No it's transmission fluid for sure. But it will stop blowing it out.

Radi

The easy way is with a suction pump and small hose down the dipstick tube. Plastic tubing for aquarium air pumps fits just right.

Couch

Mine is up for sale if you want to buy it.