Transmission issues..
 

Hey everyone im actually new here as of today.. Been looking for some insight. Im not THAT skilled at fixing vehicles but im slowly learning n my father died before he could show me anything.

SO anyways, i just recently did n oil change n changed my thermostat. Its needed an oil change for awhile now. I replaced the thermostat because it was believed to have stopped working right.

Now im having an issue with my transmission. Im not certain when the last owner did anything to this jeep but tran fluid was bone dry or very near.. Anyways when im accelerating n it downshifts something under jeep starts rattling. Ever since i added transmission fluid i can now smell it inside my jeep. I was told a few reasons why.. Possibly. Ill check in the morning but was told to look at color of antifreeze in radiator bc it may be leaking into it.. Or i have a slow leak on the outside.

Either way.. Anywho the underside of my engine does have something wet but not sure where its coming from but it doesnt leak all that much on the ground barely at all but it is like a black oil look to it. Any ideas what i might be lookin at with the transmission issue? And how hard is it to fix if it is leaking?

We might be able to help if we knew the year, engine, and trans.

And try to break down your problems in separate paragraphs, all your problems are jumbled and it's hard to tell what's what. Also, the bottom of your engine being "wet" doesn't help at all if we don't even know what it is. Oil, coolant?

Its a '96 jeep cherokee straight 6 4L. 4wd.

Sorry about jamming it all together.. I just notice it all at once and not sure if its all connected.

Not sure whats under jeep, it looks like oil. But im not 100%

Ever since i put transmission fluid in i can now smell it inside my jeep. ( and i just woke up, havent went out to check radiator to see color of coolant ) ill check that in a bit.

Im not sure if fluid was ever changed as far as transmission, but seeing as how they left it almost bone dry.. I dont know what this now means for me long term.

Fixed the paragraphs and moved to OEM Tech.

If the trans was out of fluid (it doesn't evaporate) and you get a strong smell after adding some, that points to a leak somewhere.
What you need to do is clean everything the best you can and check all the fluids. You may be leaking a few fluids, making it hard to pinpoint what is what and where it's coming from.