• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Aw4 broken?

M

Mezzer8

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Virginia Beach
Today was not a good day lol.
I have a 91 jeep cherokee laredo 4x4 4.0 with an AW4

My transmission has been giving me problems lately. A few days ago it would hesitate to go and then it would lurch forward with some gas. It wasnt a jerk like youd get with low tranny fluid, but it felt more like something was holding it back. It felt like when i pressed the gas it was breaking free of something pulling it back.

And today all of a sudden it gave up on me. Someone suggested that it might be the torque converter but im in doubt. Now, when in drive, my transmission makes a loud continuous clanking noise. But if i put it back iento neutral the noise goes away. If i put it in drive and press the gas, the jeep doesn't move at all. Not even the slightest bit. The noise just gets louder and faster. Im guessing my tranny is shot. Any ideas anyone?
 
fluid is dark red and where it should be on the dip stick..:dunno:

doesnt smell burnt or metallic either. Maybe i'll drain the fluid in the morning and have a better look-see..
 
Its an NP231J and my transfer case has been shot for at least 6 months now if that counts at all. I did consider that. But that doesn't seem right. I don't see how the Transfer Case could prevent the car from moving. But then again im way better off diagnosing a motor. Im no expert in auto trannys or transfer cases.

I'm gonna post up a video in the morning though.
 
Video:
View My Video

Note: It wasnt hard at all getting it into park. Though it looks that way in the video. I was holding it there to demonstrate the noise it makes when putting it into park.
 
Last edited:
My transmission fluid is as red as can be.. No metal shavings, nothing. My transmission actually "APPEARS" perfectly fine if i were judging from the fluid alone.
 
My guess - chewed up gears and stretched/broken/chewed up chain in the transfer case. Unless it is actually the transmission.

Pull the fill plug out of the transfer case (you will need a 30mm socket I believe) and take a peek inside with a flashlight. Also stick your finger in and see if you can get to the fluid, if you can't get to the fluid reaching down (or it looks really gross) drain it out using the drain plug at the bottom of the back of the case and take a look. If it's really full of chunks of metal or glittery, there's your problem. Refill the case with ATF if it looks ok, else buy a new transfer case at the junkyard for 100 bucks and stick it in there.
 


tranny dipstick

And i've been trying to get a new transfer case for a while, but i cant find a 23-spline. I need 23-spline and all the ones i come across are 21-spline.

And it was bone dry some months ago and i filled it with atf and some lucas. It's still full, but it aint red at all...
 
Transmission's fine. Flexplate could be screwed up, but it'd have to be completely broken to make that kind of noise. But then it wouldn't start. Sounds like you need to fix that t-case.
 
x2 on the tcase. They'll run for a while "broke" but when the innards get jumbled that's it. Notice how the drive shafts come out of the tcase, so when the tcase gears don't move, your jeep doesn't move. Thats why your tranny can be in gear and your tcase in neutral and you can't move.
 
:shocked: yeah, time for a new TC. I bet that's from the stretched chain from running with no fluid - at speed the chain will be pulled outward by centrifugal* force and has been chewing into the casing because of it.

* alright, centripetal for the purists.
 
JJacobs said:
Wow! Don't worry, that'll buff out. :)
Click to expand...

Im sure it will..:looney:


I actually had a friend offer me their 95 jeep cherokee with trans issues for 200 bucks a month ago.. He's still offering so I think im just gonna pull my tranny and bolt it into that jeep and part out my 91. His transfer case is in tip top shape so i was told. It just wont drive over 35-40 mph..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
High pitch whine coming to a stop
Replies
5
Views
3K
chris420
chris420
J
AW4 Problem shifting first to second when hot
Replies
2
Views
1K
cruiser54
C
R
Bound up torque converter. Aw4 pump replacement
2
Replies
21
Views
3K
RCP Phx
R
U
242 issue
Replies
11
Views
735
Unclewolverine
U
1
AW4 Harsh Engagement
Replies
4
Views
2K
acruz95
A
Back
Top