TylerU

So as I just got this rig:
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php...96-XJ-New-Born

Apart from dirty trany fluid - brownish,
A few days ago, I noticed some minor leak from near the oil pan, gasket, and rear main seal.
I went to a reputable local shop for suggestion.
They told me I can flush the trany fluid, but if I want to fix the leak, I may as well flush it when dropping the oil pan, and replace the gasket.
For the latter, they quote me a $100 something for parts, but a sky high price for labor.

I'm a total newbie to cars, besides a grad student, who can't afford to fix it in shops.
So I'm posting it here, to see if there are folks, with experience, who are kind enough to give me a hand.
I have almost all the sockets, tools, but only a bottle jack. I can pay some labor, but not much...
This is the only, but a big problem that prevents me from wheeling next weekend.

Somebody Help me out.. I will appreciate it tremendously.

PS: Will it cause damage if I just "fix" it by regular refill, and let it leak?

1tonxj

If your transmission is leaking out the front seal you are not fixing it without pulling the transmission ...however if only mildly seeping when hot and your burning the fluid I'd pull the return line and check for flow ...the return line is the rear line on the pass side and the top line on the radiator you should see about a quart in 10 seconds if you only see a trickle or nothing you have a blocked line , which a good bet is the 90 fitting at the lower inlet line on the radiator . A block line will overheat the atf as it keeps it from cycling through the heat exchanger in the raditor and will cause the front seal to devlope a leak which if stopped early it can survive if left can completely blow out leaving you sittoing along side the road ... just unhook the the retirn line a trans and put in bucket start jeep for a couple seconds and see if you have fluid flowing a respectable rate . You can put a transcooler in line on the return line from radiator to trans with simply cutting into the rubber hose and using clamps and a hose barb you can also use this later on to do a running flush into a bucket .

cruiser54

So the trans pan gasket is leaking?

If so, remove the pan, replace the gasket and "filter" and fill with new fluid.

If you're on a really tight budget, you could just drain and refill the trans by using the plug on bottom to drain and the dipstick tube to refill. Make sure you get 4 quarts of Des/Merc trans fluid for each drain and fill. Always fill according to teh dipstick instructions. And put 2 quarts in first and then slowly bring it up to level.

TylerU

Thanks for all the instructions. I went to junkyard and practiced with a few xj. Finally, I know how t do it...

But now, I'm afraid I'll hit the jackpot with a trany failure after I change the fluid... It's got 200k on it...

cruiser54

No need to worry. Go for it.