Im about to pull my engine for a rebuild, and while Im at it I thought about getting the tranny rebuilt. The tranny works fine now, just dont want to pull it in the near future for a catastrophic failure. I was curious if there were any performance upgrades or known failure points that could be beefed up on this tranny? I will install a trans cooler as a performance upgrade. Not necessarily performance just longevity. Thanks in advance.

Tranny cooler is one of the biggest things you can do.

Give the flexplate bolts a good snugging with some red loctite.

Maybe a fluid/filter change.

i have a 2000 with the AW4 and just had to replace my torque converter at 136K miles. also adding an external tranny cooler is recommended, i have a B&M. the AW4s are know for generating a lot of heat and heat is the enemy of a tranny.

I agree with the tranny cooler. When all said and done...a tranny cooler is probably the best thing you can do to help. I had issues with mine running too hot on the highway....didn't help how I drive sometimes. But I narrowed it down to it getting too hot. So added a small tranny cooler. Picked it up free at the shop I work at. It's a Hyundai tranny cooler. To my suprise it works great. No more super hot tranny. And like I said its rather small. Most after market coolers are bigger. But works for me. Get it rebuilt...then buy a tranny cooler. You'll be fine. And your tranny wilm be very happy.

Do any XJ's come stock with tranny coolers?

The towing package has it for sure, but it is inadequate. I will be doing a 19 plate stacked plate cooler and external filter in the future and will do a writeup if anyone is interested.

^ Id be interested in reading that write up. What type of filter are you gonna go with?

I will be using the same filter as we use for oil.

So just like a remote filter kit? Any ideas on where you are gonna mount it?

Might be astupid question but would you need to replace the filter inside the transmission still?

Will likely mount it near the alternator. There is no reason to change the in pan filter as it is. It's just a screen. I will likely replace everything from the trans forward.

There is a shift kit out there for it but that takes almost a trans rebuild to install right.But like others have said if it works good just get a trans cooler and your good to go.

Yup. It's not a Chevy, Ford, or Dodge trans. You're good to go.

cant go wrong w/ using a synthetic fluid, runs cooler , lasts longer, less heat build up. w/ a cooler too.

If your building a high horse 4L you could always take it to a Toyota supra shop and have them do their magic.

good quality B&M stacked plate cooler

Wix or Magnefine 5/16 inline magnetic filter will catch any metal dust that would block up a valve or solenoid

temp gauge sender fitting, older AW4s had a fitting in the body, newer ones don't and have to be plumbed, you could do this at the same time as you're setting up the cooler fittings

there's a shift kit for the toyota transmission, also works on the AW4, pretty simple but if the trans is out you can just take it to a shop and have them do it, won't cost much