Dreamin

Well we made it a month without any more issues. Yesterday was our warmest day so far since we brought home the Jeep hitting 51 degrees out and my wife called to say she had a cloud behind her again. I ran out but saw nothing immediate but parked the Jeep due to time and we finished the route in the Expedition. Ran back and the transmission level was OK for cold but low for hot and due to it sitting I was not going to add any just in case. Oil was exactly where it always is when I check it so I know it was trans fluid.

Get back home and she is 1 quart low on Trans fluid again.

So Jeep has been doing great till the temps outside warmed up, then fluid leak again. I'm down to 2 thoughts something is wrong causing the trans to run hot, or I have a front seal that leaks when it gets warm/hot.

Last time we had this issue which started this thread, was when the shop bypassed the small factory auxiliary and it would dump 2 quarts a trip, shop plumbed the cooler back in line and it stopped till the temp outside reached in the 50's. I'm thinking the transmission is possible over heating which makes me wonder if there is something with the radiator cooler, or worse, the transmission itself. I could just add a larger auxiliary cooler replacing the small factory one but feel like that would be a bandaid.

Just need some help and pointers from the Jeep wizards! Would love to get Transmission temps as well so I have to figure out where and how to add a gauge.

Side note, I understand why these were used for Rural mail carriers! They have great 4x4 capabilities and are light. Trying to use our Expedition yesterday, you could just feel the added weight of the beast getting in the way for the stop and go driving required so we have wrote off replacing it with an Expedition and the RHD Land Cruiser we had looked at before finding this Jeep. Plus my wife and I really like these older Cherokees after finally owning one and driving one!

gat

I would install a larger aftermarket transmission cooler anyhow. It will help to keep the temperature lower in stop and go driving.
For ****s and giggles try using an high heat self adhering tape around the dip stick tube for the transmission where it mates to the pan since that is a common point for leakage.
When you drop the pan don't undo the dipstick tube from the pan. Instead, unscrew the dipstick tube from the block and drop that with the pan. Replace the filter/screen since you are in there. You can buy a "kit" with the new filter and an actual gasket. Don't use a liquid gasket.
Clean with paper towels, then spray brake cleaner, then re-clean with paper towels the area at the bottom where the transmission and motor mate. This will help to identify the location of leaks.
Also, at this point consider buying an oil additive with an ultra-violet dye with the glasses. That will seriously help to identify the location of a leak or leaks.

gat

https://www.flex-a-lite.com/transmission-cooler-engine-oil-cooler/transmission-coolers.html
These are pretty top of the line and made in U.S.A.

dzywicki

I had a problem on my '99 where the trans would leak like crazy when it warmed up. I'd get billows of white smoke. I checked everything and could not find the leak. It was dripping from the bellhousing "drain" hole. It was the front seal. Once I dropped the trans, I replaced all the other seals I could. that front seal was the only one that was brittle and crumbling. It had a small piece missing at the top. When the trans was cold it was fine, but when the fluid warmed and expanded, it would leak through the seal. If that is your problem, you should see it dripping from the bell housing.
If you haven't already done so, you're going to need to clean everything, then look for the leak after it's driven. If it's not leaking externally, then it could be leaking into the transfer case. There has to be a trail somewhere if you're losing that much fluid.

Dreamin

Gat, Looked at my local store and think I have today and maybe tomorrow "If she doesn't work" I will have to grab what they have in stock at the store which is Hayden. Looking like a 9 1/2"H x 11" wide Rapid-Cool 23 Row Radiator styled cooler. Going to hold off on the gasket and filter till I find a replacement pan. Previous owner just dropped the pan and did a change before we bought it and already put in for vacation time while my wife is on a trip with class mates last week of May with plans of replacing the pan and the Valve cover gasket. May do the Valve cover sooner since she asked if I could pull the front seat and build her a mail tray instead. Either way, have really only come across the $155 replacement pan from Morris 4x4 Center.

The underside of this thing is filthy and have spent lots of time trying to clean her up. Nothing breaks through the grime! LOL Well I did borrow my wive's steam cleaner but after a n hours had a 2" by 4" patch cleaned. LOL Ship has sprayed Break cleaner under there many times but not cutting the mess.

Will definitively her the heat tape and dye kit since I think that is the point where it is leaking out since the leak seams to be hitting the Exhaust directly under there! Dye should tell me if the leak is there, or worse, the front seal since I do not have the skills to drop the trans and replace them myself.

As far as the smoke, Wife says it is dark smoke, not a white smoke. Always thought White smoke was Antifreeze.

arto_wa

Sorry about your troubles with the XJ.

I would suggest 20 - 30 year old Jeep Cherokee (or any other brand for that matter) with more or less unknown history & service records, is going to need a complete & detailed inspection by someone who is familiar with older Cherokees.

Repair everything needed and only after that start using it for daily driver since repairing and driving it daily will not work so well for most people.

gat

Maybe I missed this. Why do you need to replace the pan?
​​​​​​Also, nothing it thin metal on the underside. You could use sand paper to clean the surfaces. Whatever small amount of metal is sanded with the grime won't be cause for concern. That same though goes with a using a metal scraper. This advice obviously only applies to the thick metal of things, not any plastic, copper, or rubber parts et cetera. Post photographs of what is difficult to clean for better advice.

Dreamin

LOL it is a now 23 year old Jeep with almost 200,000mi so we expected the repairs.

Really hard to find Factory Right Hand Drive anything for postal carriers, especially reasonably priced RHD vehicles when you are just getting started and not 100% sure if it is a job you will like and stick with. Sad part is they expect to to not only buy your own vevehic for Rural Postal carriers, but also have yet another for a backup since you only get paid if you finish the route. Something happens and you cannot finish you do not get paid. Kind of BS if you ask me.

Either way, this Jeep runs strong and everything works, just need to get through the bugs and leaks.

Also need to find the mounting bolts and bushings to get the rear tire swing carrier reainstalled on the rear so she can have a spare!!

gat

Doesn't U.S.P.S. pay a three digit monthly stipend for vehicular maintenance/car payment for rural carriers who provide their own vehicles?
just buy a spare and throw it in the back. That is what I'd do before you get mount. Also, it'd be much easier to find an internal mount at a junk yard, than an external mount. If you use a temporary spare, then you won't loose much space. Obviously an external mount loses no space.

Dreamin

Nope, USPS pays mileage, but small routes barely cover gas let alone Maintenance and car insurance (since we paid cash for the Jeep out of saving).

I ask about the rear mount since the Jeep has been one but the previous owner removed it to replace the bolts and bushing but never redid it. It is the nice bumper mounted swing out, so I would hate to see go to waste. Plus package days, especially around Christmas require every ounce of space.

gat

https://www.moparpartsoverstock.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_assembly=1001238&ukey_make= 1097&ukey_model=15916&modelYear=1996&ukey_category =22705&ukey_driveLine=9359

That should help with part numbers for bushing et cetera.

Dreamin

So Frustrated right now. Been a crazy weekend and finally home after getting parts and a tire for the Jeep patched.

Looks like they plumbed the cooler incorrectly as well. The line from the cooler runs to the front line on the Transmission. From everything I read, the front hose is supposed to go to the Radiator cooler connection, then Radiator cooler, to auxiliary cooler, then back to the rear transmission line. Not to the forward line.

Then come across Investinwaffles post
"I agree, adding an aux trans cooler can help lower the coolant temperature if done properly. The factory set-up is good because it helps heat the fluid up faster when it is very cold outside, but adding a Thermal Bypass is cheap and the proper way to prevent overcooling in cold temps.
I would add the aux cooler before the fluid enters the factory radiator, it will pull some additional heat out of the trans fluid and remove some thermal mass from the radiator."

Hayden instructions also state after the Radiator cooler so....

gat

I wouldn't worry about that. If you are using a larger than factory cooler, then you will have an improvement. That is true wether it is by itself, before or after the oil cooler in the radiator. Unless you have to optimize because you are constantly towing, then it shouldn't matter. The fluid is under pressure so even swapping which line is the inlet and outlet at the oil cooler shouldn't be a big deal.
Definitely either get a full size or a temporary spare and just keep it inside of the vehicle. You can wrap an old blanket around it so that it won't damage packages.

Dreamin

Well doubted myself for a bit but got over it, finished removing old cooler and re-plumbing the hot line to the Radiator. Old cooler needed to be cut out since the front header otherwise would have needed to come out so cut cardboard and placed it between the cooler and condenser then cut the tubes off with my dremel and cut of wheel. Work alarm goes off in 6 hours and 14 minutes so taking a shower and crashing for the night since my wife is off till Wednesday. Will place the new cooler and plumb it tomorrow night.

Thank you for your help and confidence boost. This forum is a life saver. Used to work on all my stuff years ago but lost my nerve with some of the newer stuff. Really like working on this old Jeep. It is a love hate relationship. Love the Jeep, hate finding the parts. LOL

Night everyone.

Dreamin

So far all is well, been waiting till after she had to run the longer route but no idea when she has to cover that route again.

So for now all is well!