Mike815

This is a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0, automatic.

This is probably a bit dumb but I have no experience whatsoever with transmissions, this is the first car I have been servicing myself.

my trans started to slip when making turns as well as every once in a while when I first start it up.
When I check the transmission dipstick with the engine hot, in neutral, after shifting through all gears - the stick was bone dry.
I added Dex 6.
add Half quart. Dry.
add Half quart. Dry.
stopped slipping for a little bit on startup. still dry dipstick
add half quart. dry.
reads with a tiny bit of fluid on the bottom of the stick while in park, but way way below the cold-low mark. (in park, engine hot, shifted through gears)
add half quart. dry.

so now I am +2 quarts into it and still getting a bone dry dipstick while in neutral.

can the fluid level really be that low? with only a little bit of slip when i first start driving. I am nervous about overfilling it....

again this might be the most obvious thread posted, but I dont know so Im asking. thanks for any help.

dave1123

It's supposed to be ATF+4 only! The transmission holds about 9 qts total including the converter, but the pan holds 4. When you drop the pan for a fluid change, you may have to put 5 or more back in depending on how long you let it drain. Are the cooling lines leaking? Is it dripping from the transfer case weep hole on the bottom of the adapter? It could also be leaking from the torque converter shaft seal. You shouldn't be driving it with the dipstick dry! You can burn up the clutches. I'm surprised it even moves!

My opinion? Get that Dextron out of it before you screw it up! Get someone who is familiar with jeeps to look at it.

That's the identical vehicle I've driven for 6 years.

blueseasons

What Dave said and start reading this: http://www.wjjeeps.com AND get yourself a HANES Manual or something similar.

Mike815

I wonder what I was reading that it took dex 6. must have not been paying attention to the proper vehicle.

Its actually been running fine lately other than an occasional hiccup and the level not reading on the dipstick at all. thats why I was wondering how much does it take for the dipstick to be dry until the dipstick reads into the cold low-high, hot low-high ranges. I was thinking that if this is not the proper dipstick id overfill it. or if its running okay how could it be extremely low on fluid like this.

nothing leaking that I can tell.

in any case I put the wrong fluid in. you recommend a full flush and replace from a shop I assume? sounds like this is the easiest path to take.

dave1123

Because I'm assuming you didn't buy this jeep new, the previous owner may have put a larger, deeper fluid pan on it with an extended fluid filter. In this case the original dipstick won't show what's really in the pan, but will read max full on the original marks. This is the only way it could be showing low fluid but acting normal. The idea of a larger pan is to increase fluid capacity in the hopes of keeping it cooler, but in reality an auxiliary trans cooler will do more in that respect.

There is one aftermarket trans pan that I know of that actually works to keep it cooler. It has air tubes welded in it that gets ram air from forward motion and works quite well.

Mike815

I am willing to gamble that its all original. this jeep was neglected terribly for 160k miles. no upgrades, nothing new, every seal on everything I have done has all been original.

I think I might try draining out as much as I can and replacing with the proper fluid while topping it up properly on the dipstick. I always read mixed reviews on flushing a neglected trans. and I'm willing to guess this has never been flushed.
thoughts? or just stop thinking and get it flushed?

blueseasons

I wouldn't take it to a mechanic to get it "flushed". Here is a link to a DIY process for completely changing ALL the transmission fluid, and there are others. https://www.popularmechanics.com/car.../a105/1272521/