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Trans filter change

9

98xjeepy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Lewisburg,WV
My 98 xj has 235k on it. As far as I know this has never or not within 100k been done. I have been told not to mess with it that it will cause more damage then it will help. Any truth to this of will I be fine to change it out. I searched and couldn't find any threads about this. Thanks in advance.
 
The thing I've seen warnings against is the whole transmission flush, which some experts say can stir up stuff that's best left unstirred. Dropping the pan and filter and refilling won't really flush it, but will result in a partial freshening of fluid, generally a good thing. If your fluid is nice and pink and the transmission is working well, you may well find that the filter is clean enough to go another few million miles, but it shouldn't hurt to do it unless you strip the pan bolts or break something doing the job.
 
It's not so much a filter, but rather just a mesh screen that really doesn't plug up any way. Just do a fluid change with Dexron-III (not ATF4 as its not a Chrysler made tranny). That will get about 1/3 of the totla capacity changed. Then do another change in a few months.
 
^^ What Matthew Currie said.

The thing about tranny fluid, though- it does everything. It lubes the gears, it's hydraulic fluid, it cools, it carries away small particles to the filter. If it's old and nasty it's not doing any of those jobs too well. I take the view that any tranny that doesn't react well to a flush was on its last legs already. Too many people decide to do a flush only when the trans starts acting up, thinking it'll fix it. Too late.
 
JJacobs said:
^^ What Matthew Currie said.

The thing about tranny fluid, though- it does everything. It lubes the gears, it's hydraulic fluid, it cools, it carries away small particles to the filter. If it's old and nasty it's not doing any of those jobs too well. I take the view that any tranny that doesn't react well to a flush was on its last legs already. Too many people decide to do a flush only when the trans starts acting up, thinking it'll fix it. Too late.
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I agree.

Changing it 3-4 quarts at a time by dropping the pan will eventually get most of the old out.

I like the "poor man's DIY flush" as it gets more of the old fluid out all at once.
 
98xjeepy said:
I have been told not to mess with it that it will cause more damage then it will help.
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Rubbish............ Flush it regular and the damn thing will last a long time! Try leaving your motor oil in for that long..............:gee:
 
I'd drop the pan then do a few "poor man's flush" cycles afterwards. I like to drop the pan because then I can see any sludge, shavings, metal chunks etc in the bottom and know what I'm in for, and get them all out instead of stirring them up. Can also clean the magnets off.

I know it's just a mesh screen, but it comes with the gasket so I figure might as well replace it while I'm in there. Never will put RTV on an AW-4 pan, getting the original pan off was enough to convince me of that :smsoap:
 
Matthew Currie said:
The thing I've seen warnings against is the whole transmission flush, which some experts say can stir up stuff that's best left unstirred. Dropping the pan and filter and refilling won't really flush it, but will result in a partial freshening of fluid, generally a good thing. If your fluid is nice and pink and the transmission is working well, you may well find that the filter is clean enough to go another few million miles, but it shouldn't hurt to do it unless you strip the pan bolts or break something doing the job.
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x2

I got a tranny filter for like $10 and still haven't changed out the fluid. Haha! But it's in pretty good shape, I'm sure. The tranny fluid that leaks is real clean! :laugh:

edit: '90 RENIX 4.0 w/ 178k mi.
 
I have changed out the fluid on every high milage vehicle I have owned. That myth comes from people who have a badly working transmission that fails after a flush and filter change.

Look at it this way: After you drop the pan and clean the sludge out, then bolt it back up; what is getting pushed around that could cause the failure? Nothing, you cleaned all that out. Now you are just swapping old fluid that does it's job poorly for new fluid. Your transmission can always benifit from a good servicing if the fluid is brown and burnt.
 
With 100k or more on the fluid, it is no longer providing proper lubrication to your transmission.

I would drain the fluid from the pan (3-4 quarts), fill to proper level on dipstick when tranny is hot and exercised, drive for a few weeks, then repeat until fluid stays a nice red color. Use DEX/MERC III compatible fluid, not ATF+4.

Dropping the pan and cleaning it/replacing/cleaning screen filter can be considered if you're ambitious.
 
ColoradoRaptor said:
birchlakeXJ said:
not ATF+4.
:bs::bs::bs::bs: I have been running it for 4 years and my AW4 loves it!!!! Chrysler recommends it, Quit giving BIASED/BAD information!!!
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Pretty sure of yourself aren't you? Kind of thought that this was a FORUM where multiple opinions are encouraged/tolerated????

BTW, with all of the previous threads on this, it is pretty clear that I am not the only one that won't run ATF+4 in their AW4.
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Last edited:
ColoradoRaptor said:
birchlakeXJ said:
not ATF+4.
:bs::bs::bs::bs: I have been running it for 4 years and my AW4 loves it!!!! Chrysler recommends it, Quit giving BIASED/BAD information!!!
Click to expand...
SPOBI yourself. Go read the original manuals and you'll see that Dextron/Mercon is recommended. People have had ATF+4 wreck their AW-4s, some get away with it. I don't know of anyone who has had Dextron/Mercon wreck their AW-4 though. You running around telling people to use it is like the people saying they are doing "just fine" on a dana 35 with 37s on it.

Also, why all the exclamation points? :spin1: I've never seen anyone use so many aside from you and one other guy on here whose screenname I forget.
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Click to expand...
 
http://www.nordiques.com/pieces/images/cataloguepdf/applicationhuiletrans.pdf

http://www.allpar.com/fix/trans.html
There is an important exception for Jeep owners. As Danny noted, "The Jeep AW-4 (Aisin-Warner) transmission should use Dexron III." Greg, a DCX tech, wrote that the AW4/AX4 transmission was used on 6-cylinder Jeep Cherokees through the end of production, and on the first six-cylinder 1993 Grand Cherokees (built in 1992 and 1993), but on the Grand Cherokee it was phased out midway through the 1993 model year. This transmission requires Dexron, while the 42RE / A500SE which replaced the Aisin-Warner transmission midway in the 1993 model year needs ATF+4.
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