Towing/Trans Temp

Is there any way to monitor the transmission temperature on the AW4? Also.. I will be towing a 4x8 trailer pretty often with a dirtbike on it.. so it's not a lot of weight, maybe 600lbs tops. Should I leave it in OD? At what weight, would it be a better idea to leave it in 3rd?

temp gauge
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=964375&highlight=transmission+temp+gauge

transmission cooler
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=964063&highlight=transmission+temperature+gauge

Any advice on the overdrive thing?

I don't have a temp gauge at all. I have crappy OEM cluster with only idiot lights..

should be able to use OD on flat roads and 3 on hills.

if your going to be towing, you should have an auxillary trans cooler and it would be nice to install a tranny temp gauge.

does your xj have the stock tire size or are you running larger than stock size tires? if you have larger than stock tires, than i would use 3 unless you have regeared.

Stock Tires

My '87 XJ has a three row transcooler on it. But it did not have a hitch on it or trailer wiring.. It was some kind of govt. or company vehicle, it has had a light bar on it at one time.. Is this little trans cooler worth a crap? I assume it it is factory.

I do not see why you cannot just attach a 600 lb trailer to your XJ and keep going. Why do you have to worry about additional transmission cooler;...(well an additional cooler cannot hurt) why 3rd gear on hills? why not 'D' all the time? Carry 3 or more adults in the XJ and you have more than 600 lbs already. How many of you drive in 3rd when you have passengers in the XJ? What is the differrence between putting 600 lbs inside the XJ and dragging it behind you? After all, the stock XJ with the AW4 is rated to tow 5,000 lbs. Am I correct?

techno1154 said:

I do not see why you cannot just attach a 600 lb trailer to your XJ and keep going. Why do you have to worry about additional transmission cooler;...(well an additional cooler cannot hurt) why 3rd gear on hills? why not 'D' all the time? Carry 3 or more adults in the XJ and you have more than 600 lbs already. How many of you drive in 3rd when you have passengers in the XJ? What is the differrence between putting 600 lbs inside the XJ and dragging it behind you? After all, the stock XJ with the AW4 is rated to tow 5,000 lbs. Am I correct?

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You are correct. However, I like to give my xj every opportunity to last as long as possible. Mine already has 160k and as you may be aware, tranny fluid breaks down faster for every degree hotter it is run. Beyond normal operating temp of around 180 for most conditions, fluid life begins to shorten. So, either running in drive in the hills, or getting a good tranny cooler, is some nice insurance against replacing the trans.

98stocker said:

You are correct. However, I like to give my xj every opportunity to last as long as possible. Mine already has 160k and as you may be aware, tranny fluid breaks down faster for every degree hotter it is run. Beyond normal operating temp of around 180 for most conditions, fluid life begins to shorten. So, either running in drive in the hills, or getting a good tranny cooler, is some nice insurance against replacing the trans.

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Thank you. I have added a stacked plate cooler for cooling the oil in the AW4 and I do not tow and have never towed. The AW4 run hot. Keeping it cool should be a proirity to any owner who want long trouble free service from their XJ. I think did mention an additional cooler would not hurt. I should have said an additional cooler will help.

The stacked plate cooler in front the AC condensor has lowered the oil temperature of the AW4 but increased it in 4.0 each by a few degrees. At first I thought it was because I do not run a mechanical fan. However, there are other people have noticed this on other forums that still have the mechanical fan.

Yes, by all means install an external cooler for the AW4. It would help. However, I would insist that 600 pounds of trailer is not enough to worry about. Go, pull your trailer. Install a cooler when it is convinent for you;...unless you think your AW4 is questionable.