k, I need some real effing advice.....

all started a week ago, with a random slippage of second in my aw4. It feels like it's in neutral. It revs fine, and after some clicking, like a metal on metal creak, it engages then goes fine. It's not every time it goes from first to second, or anything that I can test, it does it randomly, more often than not around a right-turn corner.

Then, my muffler/cat started rattling. I have kicked the cat, and there's no more rattle to it than normal (ie not falling apart in there), but then again, maybe it's been clogged and falling apart the whole time, and that's the sound I've been hearing.

Two days ago, it started running in the 212-215 range, when it constantly ran at 207-208, unless under real stress (heat, standstill). That's when the CEL came on for the first time. The same night it came on, I pressure washed the engine bay (mud was caked on), and the CEL went away.

Yesterday, another symptom: I was driving in city conditions, stop sign after stop sign, and it began to sputter and buck on idle. It would hover around 600rpm and buck violently. Then, from a takeoff, it would slip 2nd consistently. Since yesterday, it has hovered around 800rpm at idle, no bucking.

Also, beginning about four days ago, I hear a chatter, much like a cricket, above 20mph. I thought "oh jeez, this is easy, it's clearly wheel bearing", but I lifted the tires, and spun them, and nothing....

Today, I drained the trans, put in a new filter, and granted, the fluid that came out was as black as old oil, but the new fluid didn't help the slipping at all, which I thought it could. I thought it was just not getting enough fluid to the flywheel or something.

As I was starting it up after the flush, the CEL came back on. I was happy, though, because I thought I could take it into the shop and have them pull a code for me. So I drive it around a bit, get the trans worked in, and come back and let it sit for 4 or so hours. I am all excited, maybe it will be better. So then I go to the Jeep about 1 hour ago, and put my laptop in the passenger side. Dome light turns on, power locks work. I go to the drivers side, put the key in, turn it, and it loses all power:gonnablow. So, unhappy, I get out and begin hand locking. The dome light is out when I lock the drivers side door, and shut it. I open the drivers side rear door, and poof, the light's back on :shocked:. So I get back in the drivers seat, put the key in, and it starts up VERY weak.

All these problems make me want to kill myself. Seriously. I enjoy the whole "break it, rebuild it" idea of my Jeep, but I do NOT enjoy searching for a damned problem, not being able to find it, and then put into a situation where I cannot get to work because I can't fix my damn car.

I beg of someone, advice....I have heard anything from trans to TCU to o2 sensor to cat to t-stat....there has to be something I can try....:banghead:

Start cleaning your grounds, ALL OF THEM, including ones inside the body panels. Might even want to replace the ground wires with new ones.
Remove, wirebrush, clean bolt/nut/whatever, hit with some dielectric grease and reinstall. Get underneath and check the wireing going back to the fuel pump. Look for frayed rotten wire sheathing.

Or it could be bad battery connections. Your battery cables could be "rotten" and the Jeep isn't getting the power it needs. Either at a standstill or at idle. This may be the symptom. I know on my ZJ when the battery cables were bad, you could rev it up and it would run fine, but it would not idle. Basically the cables aren't good enough and the alternator has to work harder to keep a charge to the battery.

I'd try that. For less than $20 for good quality cables it isn't like you are out that much money anyway.


PS. Do your tranny filter AGAIN with your next oil change.

If your tranny is slipping, most likely it is toast. The noise you hear may also be tranny. If the fluid and filter didn't fix it, the clutch packs are gone. Tranny's don't have blow by. If the fluid is dark, it came from the clutch pack material.

Also if the tranny is slipping, it will generate a lot of heat that then gets dumped into the radiator via the tranny cooler. This will cause an engine that runs hot.

thanks, everyone, especially old man. I am taking it in to get it fixed then. I don't care what it costs, it will be much less hassle than finding a new (used) tranny. I'll update when I get it into the shop and done. Thanks again, everyone.

A clogged cat can cause enough pressure to not allow a tranny to shift appropriately & overheat it & kill it. I had it happen to me.

jfiscus said:

A clogged cat can cause enough pressure to not allow a tranny to shift appropriately & overheat it & kill it. I had it happen to me.

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I would like to see how this is true. The tranny/TCU knows nothing about the exhaust system on the vehicle. It does not use engine vacuum. Its feedback comes from the TPS and the Throttle Valve cable as well as a speed sensor on the tranny output shaft.

Sounds like a mechanic was BS'ing you.

hey old_man, about the clutch packs, the aw4 has clutch packs instead of bands? this is one part of the heep I don't know very much...

took it into AAMCO today, hopefully with their reputation, they'll sort it out. I am heepless for a week or so

sharpie1k said:

took it into AAMCO today, hopefully with their reputation, they'll sort it out. I am heepless for a week or so

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You should get a second opinion. Dont trust AAMCo

Ray H said:

You should get a second opinion. Dont trust AAMCo

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hmm..... I was going to go somewhere else, but then realized they have a warranty on their work.

They have a warranty but its been my experience that they do unnecessary rebuilds.
I took my wifes TJ to them when it started slipping and shifting slow after a mud hole. I told them to do a simple flush on it. They took it into their shop and 5 minutes later told me it was trashed and needed a complete rebuild to the tune of $1700 and they would do me a favor and go ahead and start on it for me. I got the keys back from them and went down the street to the Jeep dealer. I payed a hundred and something for a flush and its been running strong since. That was around four years and 50000 miles ago.
Thats just my experience. Maybe other stores arent dishonest but they will never get my business

Aamco is a rip off business and has a bad reputation in alot of cases, kinda like midas with their overkill and $300 brake jobs. I don't replace a tranny till all options are exhausted. We did my wifes Olds last year or the year before, had a jasper put in by the local garage. It did take 3 days for them build one, they were out of stock at the rebuild facility in philly, but by day 4 it was delivered and installed, runs better than when it was new, I think they changed the shift points and milage went up about 3mpg. I've had good results with jasper so far, 2 engines and one auto tranny. Good luck.