A mechanic Put new transmission fluid in. I drove the car around for a while and checked the fluid, it was like an inch over the fill line. I went back and he sucked some fluid out. At the shop it looked like it was at the right level. Then I drove around today and came home checked the fluid. Its like a centimeter over the fill line. Is this a problem? When I accelerated quickly from a complete stop I felt a hard shift.

 

14mm bolt on drain pan. Loosen it and let some out.

 

I dont wanna touch that thing. Last time I did the bolt stripped and the pan stripped. Had to get it rethreaded.

 

Well, You could also use a siphon/pump to get some out through the dip stick tube.

 

So that means a little overfilled is bad?

 

If it's truly that minimally overfilled it probably won't hurt. But I wouldn't personally leave it that way when it's so easy to get a little out and have it at the proper level.

 

Did you check the fluid level properly?
My '00 is when hot and in neutral.

 

 

Now I am wondering.
Cause I almost positive it says neutral on my dipstick.
But it took forever but found it in my '01 FSM and it does say park.
Now I have to check. LOL.

 

Chrysler uses the same dipstick markings on all their transmissions. The AW4 can be checked either way, but the 42re needs to be in neutral because the converter isn't pressurized in park. Go figure. I checked my XJ both ways and it made no difference. The 42re will drop almost a quart when checked in neutral.

If the transmission is overfilled substantially, the moving geartrain will whip the fluid into a foam and cause weird shifting problems. If the fluid is low, the pump can cavitate and suck in air causing the same weird shifting.

 

So I went and checked. Definitely says to check hot, idling, and in neutral on the dipstick.
My owners manual which matches my '01 FSM says to check in park for a 4.0 and neutral for a 2.5.
And there is a part number on my dipstick which matches the proper part for an AW4 with a 4.0 in my '00 parts catalog,
Also looking at my parts catalog looks like you could not get a AW4 with a 2.5 but it is a 30RH.
And the dipstick part number is a completely different one for the 30RH.
Wonder why the contradicting info?
Here is the funny thing. The only time I do check hot, idling, and in neutral is when I first swap out my tranny fluid every other year like I do.
Once I get the level to where I want from that point on when I do check it I do it cold and not running.
I know where it ends up on the dipstick above the max line so.... LOL.

 

If it's overfilled "slightly" it isn't a problem. If it's vastly overfilled, you may get erratic shifts and it will surely come out of the transmission vent and get over everything. Since the exhaust is right around that area, it will probably get onto the exhaust system and start smoking and it WILL STINK. Transmission fluid burns hot and fast so be careful. There have been vehicles that have caught fire because of this.

To properly check the fluid, take the Jeep on a short drive where you end up going through all gears and the fluid gets up to temp. Bring it back home and put it in Park and leave it running. Measure the level in this state.

 

thanks for the advice. I'm going to have someone suck more out. I don't have a pump at home. To check the fluid level properly, make sure you drive the jeep for 15 miles, because the fluid expands. I think this was my problem before, I didn't drive it long enough so the level looked lower.

 

Yup. My assumption for any conventional auto trans with a torque converter is checking it hot in N is always fine. Any manual that says check it in P likely has a trans pump that runs in P (many only run in N or in gear), so the manufacturer figures having it in park is safer, all things being equal. In other words, I'm not aware of any auto that can't be checked in N.


This is true, and I think the worst scenario for having it overfilled substantially would be something like a long drive through soft sand where you foam and heat up the fluid so it shoots out the dipstick and catches on fire. That's probably what happens when you see those pictures of burned-up Cherokees on the beach.

 

General directions about "vehicles" never override specific instructions from the manufacturer.