Traveller

I've recently bought a 2000 Grand Cherokee with automatic gearbox but the owners manual is in Portuguese so I can't understand a word of it.

Can I assume I check the auto gearbox oil level with the engine running and hot like most other auto gearbox cars please?

dave1123

Yes. Just make sure you check the level in NEUTRAL because it will read high in PARK.

Traveller

Thanks Dave.

dave1123

Be sure you use ATF+4 if you have to add any.

Traveller

Not sure if it's available here in Portugal but ATF Dextron III is........ is that OK to use?

Willys55

Read the type printed on the dip stick itself, should be ATF-4, can't mix the fluid types as the trans will develop shifting problems, slipping

Willys55

But you live there?

dave1123

From his sentence structure, I'll assume English is his native language.

Some people will tell you Dex 3 will work, however being as how these transmissions are finicky, I wouldn't use anything but ATF+4. You CAN get away with using Dex 3 in the transfer case.

Traveller

I'm a Brit who left the UK about 14 years ago & emigrated to South Africa (where I'd been running a safari business since 1980 (& long range commuting)) & then re-emigrated to Portugal 18 months ago when I retired from the field........ Hence the name Traveller with the correct English, English spelling!. LOL.

I also speak Afrikaans, Zulu & Ki-Swahili fairly fluently & several other African languages less fluently but Portuguese is a swine of a language to learn & harder than all the languages I speak combined........ and it's a lot harder to read than speak.

I'll try to get some ATF-4 but have to say I haven't seen any here.

dave1123

Okay, Brit! My wife and I traveled to London in the 80s and if it hadn't been for the cabbies, we'd probably be still there, lost! I loved England and have studied the war years extensively. I'm still in love with the Spitfire. I even convinced my wife to go over to Dunkirk and to see what is left of the Atlantic Wall. We ran out of time, or I would have gone to Normandy.

I also know it's damned hard to get parts for Jeeps in Europe or service for that matter. I've posted with guys in Norway, Ireland, and Russia. There seems to be a lot of graft involved, if and when you can get the parts.

I'm not a chemist, but I know there is a Dextron 4 out there, but I don't know if it's the same as Mopar ATF+4. If it is, it should say so on the bottle.

If you are interested I might be able to find an Owners Manual in my local scrap yard. PM me and we'll discuss it.

Traveller

Thanks Dave. I'll PM you just now.

I'm also a war history fan and had my first flying lessons out of Biggin Hill - I was also lucky enough many years ago (late 70s) to blag ride a ride in the Lancaster bomber that is part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain_Memorial_Flight
We can get spares here for my GC and my old Cherokee and what we can't get locally, I can usually get online but small things things like ATF-4 seem to be sometimes hard to locate and even harder to ask for in this bizarre language! LOL

dave1123

We had an air show several years ago here in upstate NY and a Lancaster showed up. Just the sound of it sent chills down my spine! I used to love the B17 but the Lanc blew me away! After all, our P51 Mustang was a lot better with the Rolls-Merlin in it!

Maybe you can order a couple of cases from the States and become the local supplier!

Traveller

It's incredible to sit in one and take off especially just blows you away but it's noisy as hell and feels like you're sitting in a giant drum with half the world banging on the outside but I'll never forget that flight! - I'd have loved to get behind the controls but that was out of the question and probably for good reason - I was always the worst flier in the entire universe!

The P51 was a real stunner of an aircraft but the only time I've seen one was at the Biggin Hill air shows and even then, never close up.

The EUSSR are a real PITA where import licences, company registrations are concerned and VAT at 23% is a nucking fightmare so I'm not interested in buying to trade but I'm sure I'll be able to track some down somewhere in the EU and I'll just get what I need to keep me going for a year or two.

dave1123

You should try Italy where they build them. It's a Fiat plant I think.