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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
If the transmission is slipping, too late, the damage is done. A fluid change will not fix the problem, it will just take money out of your pocket. I don't change the fluid unless it is looking kind of funky and smells bad, and I will only change it if the tranny is shifting normal. But think about it, what amkes the fluid burn and smell bad? Slipping and heat. If the transmission cooling system is in good working order and the trans is not abused, the fluid should never burn up. An aux cooler is the best thing you could do for your transmission to make it live longer. If you ever burn up your tranny and have it replaced, never reuse the factory cooler that is located in the radiator. Install an aftermarket unit and bypass the crappy original. You can never get all of the junk out of the original cooler and wiil just pump that junk into your new high priced transmission.
My XJ has almost 200K on it and I have replaced the filter and fluid twice. Once when I bought the Jeep with 120k and then again just a few weeks ago. Both times I did it I pulled the tranny cooler line from the radiator as someone mentioned above and turned the Jeep on and let it pump out all it was going to then shut it off. I then pulled the pan and replaced the filter, clean the magnets(which were pretty much clean anyway) and put it all back together. Both times I used Castrol synthetic transmission fluid and she still runs great.
If the transmission is slipping, too late, the damage is done. A fluid change will not fix the problem, it will just take money out of your pocket. I don't change the fluid unless it is looking kind of funky and smells bad, and I will only change it if the tranny is shifting normal. But think about it, what amkes the fluid burn and smell bad? Slipping and heat. If the transmission cooling system is in good working order and the trans is not abused, the fluid should never burn up. An aux cooler is the best thing you could do for your transmission to make it live longer. If you ever burn up your tranny and have it replaced, never reuse the factory cooler that is located in the radiator. Install an aftermarket unit and bypass the crappy original. You can never get all of the junk out of the original cooler and wiil just pump that junk into your new high priced transmission.
Not a very good idea. Think about this... you're crawling along on a trail at 5-10 mph. Your aux cooler is all you have hooked to your tranny. No good amount of air is flowing through it at those slow speeds. Heat=cooked tranny. The factory cooler is vital in slow speed cooling. If the aux cooler isn't getting air, the factory cooler transfers some of the heat to the engine coolant. If you think your factory unit is clogged, then clean it out, but don't bypass it.
Typically the aux cooler would be mounted where there is good air flow from the fan. I still would not trust the factory in tank cooler once it has been clogged, no matter how many times it was flushed. But thats just me.
Just to ask, sorry for the dumb question.. But could you get the fluid out of the torque converter by cranking the engine on and off?? I thought I had heard that in the before?
My XJ has almost 200K on it and I have replaced the filter and fluid twice. Once when I bought the Jeep with 120k and then again just a few weeks ago. Both times I did it I pulled the tranny cooler line from the radiator as someone mentioned above and turned the Jeep on and let it pump out all it was going to then shut it off. I then pulled the pan and replaced the filter, clean the magnets(which were pretty much clean anyway) and put it all back together. Both times I used Castrol synthetic transmission fluid and she still runs great.
So I have to flush it all out first before putting ny of the new fluid in? I heard about pouring a gallon of the new stuff, the pump out a gallon of the old stuff after draining.
So I have to flush it all out first before putting ny of the new fluid in? I heard about pouring a gallon of the new stuff, the pump out a gallon of the old stuff after draining.
You can either use the drain plug to drain the transmission then fill it back up. You can also disconnect the cooler lines and let it pump out the fluid while you add fluid. Don't worry about changing the filter. It's just a screen that doesn't do much.
My fluid was black and gross @ 154k when I got it. Did ~6 drain and fills over 2 years at each oil change and it runs better and shifts smoother. The fluid is meant to be changed.
You can either use the drain plug to drain the transmission then fill it back up. You can also disconnect the cooler lines and let it pump out the fluid while you add fluid. Don't worry about changing the filter. It's just a screen that doesn't do much.
I don't have to change the filter? The fluid it has looks as black as tar though. Don't want to think how the filter might be
I don't have to change the filter? The fluid it has looks as black as tar though. Don't want to think how the filter might be
It doesn't do a lot of filtering. It's just a screen to keep the big stuff out of the valve body. Just drain and fill the transmission and you should be fine.
Year: 1998 Classic (I'll get it running soon....) and 02 Grand
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Originally Posted by cherkee ed
i have a 99' sport with 165k on it. my transmission looked like used oil while i was draining it today and now i want to change the filter also. after i put new fluid in i took it to a shop to change the filter and the owner told me he wouldn't touch it because going from old dirty thick fluid to brand new thin transmission fluid might cause problems with my transmission. too much of a liability for him.
Hogwash. That's an old wives tale.
Originally Posted by firstime00XJ
I had a transmission guru tell me that a flush is dangerous for most transmissions because of the amount of pressure put through the transmission/valve body and that a flush could cause premature failure.
Yep.
Originally Posted by Willys55
Now here is my 2 cents: If it has never been flushed and has over 100,000 miles DONT BOTHER. (Flushing with a machine)
Don't ever (flush with a machine)!
Originally Posted by greengoblin
i flushed mine my self all you need to do is disconect your return line from the cooler and add a peace of hose in a 5 gal bucket and put a funnel in the dipstick tube and start your rig and fill as fast as you can till the fluid is coming out is bright and fresh shut it off and hook you tranny line back up and recheck your fluid level as long as your not changing the filter this will work other wise then you need to drop the pan and change the filter and readd more fluid this way it uses the tranny pump instead of fluid being pushed into the pump and destroying anything
This works.
Originally Posted by Bustedback
If the transmission is slipping, too late, the damage is done. A fluid change will not fix the problem, it will just take money out of your pocket.
Not true. I have over 30,000 miles on mine since I did the flush method described by greengoblin.
My trans was slipping so badly I didn't think I'd make it home. Fluid looked like old engine oil, and smelled burnt. There was no question, this trans was shot!
So I tried the flush, and I'm about due for another one. Many of those 30,000 miles have been towing heavy loads. My commute is 60+ miles, and includes mountains and stop & go city traffic.
Not one problem since I did the flush. I'm now at 257k miles.
[QUOTE="BlueRidgeMark;3163330"] Hogwash. That's an old wives tale. [QUOTE]
Not true. My dads work had the fluid changed on a Chevy Express. It didn't make it out of the parking lot after the change. It dislodged crap and jammed up the valve body. However I think you should always change the fluid when it needs it.
03-28-2010, 10:11 PM
