Finally flushed my tranny fluid and....

[jeeperguy21]

The fluid is pinkish red again! I had to have my Utah safety and emissions done last month, and they pointed out to me how filthy dirty the tranny fluid was (I'll admit that I would just check the level and not the color.)

I know you can go to almost any oil and lube place and they can do a "transmission service," which mostly involves them just sticking a hose down your tranny dipstick tube and sucking out the fluid, but I decided to get a full maintenance done by Tanner Transmissions in Ogden.

They actually drop the pan, replace the filter, and they say that they can replace 100% of the fluid. It's pretty great considering that I always thought that it was impossible to do it all. Anyway, very pleased with the job they did and how quickly they did it, however the $160 price tag is the only snag to it all. But no more leaks around the oil pan, and it's a service that I probably won't do for another few years.

So the tranny is like new again. Servicing the tranny is just one of those things that wasn't on my high priority list, ya know? So easy to neglect it, but yet such an important part of the vehicle. Now if I could just force myself to regear my axles again, my tranny would really love me...

[XJEEPER]

This service should be performed annually to make your tranny live long and stay happy. I do my own, it's not that big of deal and definitely cheaper than $160! IIRC, more like $30, including ATF, pan gasket and some brake parts cleaner.

Gear lube should be changed annually too, more frequently if you run in water a lot during the year.

[DrMoab]

This service should be performed annually to make your tranny live long and stay happy. I do my own, it's not that big of deal and definitely cheaper than $160! IIRC, more like $30, including ATF, pan gasket and some brake parts cleaner.

Gear lube should be changed annually too, more frequently if you run in water a lot during the year.
Have you serviced it since installing the TNT belly pan?

You my think twice about the once a year thing. Honestly, if someone would pull the pan on mine for$160 it might be worth the money not to have to deal with it.

[robert2008]

I don't pull the pan every year. The maintenance schedule calls for every 30k miles, and you can get away with doing it every 60k if you do just a drain (using the drain plug) at the first 30k miles. Dropping that pan is a pain in the rear, and I've yet to have a gasket not leak and use RTV instead. I do have a LubeLocker in the wings though for the next time I drop it.

[JNickel101]

LubeLocker makes a gasket for the AW4???? Sweet...

[bigalpha]

LubeLocker makes a gasket for the AW4???? Sweet...

Not according to their website.

[guther66]

Huh...That would be nice to have.

[robert2008]

Not according to their website.

I have one sitting in my garage that I ordered from them, but I could have screwed up now that I look at their site. At any rate, the RTV is working much better than the original AutoZone gasket I used.

[bigalpha]

Yeah, the AW4 gasket is a rectangle.

[Royal_Highness]

I drain and fill then shift through the the gears then drain and fill again to replace the fluid in the trans, and torque converter around every nine months. Though maybe I will change the filter this year before Moab...

[XJEEPER]

Have you serviced it since installing the TNT belly pan?

You my think twice about the once a year thing. Honestly, if someone would pull the pan on mine for$160 it might be worth the money not to have to deal with it.

I may not have to contend with the TNT bellypan much longer……

If factory specs are 30K and I average 20K a year, pull a trailer occasionally and having a friend who owns a reputable tranny shop who’s educated me on the enemies of the auto tranny (heat, viscosity breakdown, heat, did I mention heat?), I’ll stick with my annual fluid change as it’s cheap insurance.

Here’s how I do it, anything less is simply diluting the dirty old fluid with new fluid, which is better than no change at all I guess. Oh, and avoid the "power flush" that tranny shops try and sell you. Good shops won't.

Once you've replaced the filter, the pan gasket, and reinstalled the pan, you're ready for the next step.
Fill the transmission to the proper level using the proper type of transmission fluid. Then disconnect the return transmission line (the line in which transmission fluid flows from the transmission cooler back to the transmission), located near the bottom of the radiator.
There's two transmission lines connected in this location, and the bottom line is usually the return line. Once the line has been disconnected, attach a clear piece of tubing to the transmission cooler, the same diameter as the transmission line, approximately 5-6 feet long, using the transmission line clamp to secure it.

Place the unattached end of the clear tube in a plastic, one gallon milk container and place it where it can be seen (like not under the Jeep).

For the next portion of the procedure, make sure that the parking brake is set prior to continuing. Start the engine. The transmission needs to be put into "Drive" so the torque converter fluid is changed as well. Some transmissions will only circulate fluid through the torque converter only in drive. This especially applies to the electronically controlled transmissions.

After approximately 4 to 5 quarts (obviously, if it's more than 4 quarts, you'll have to turn of the engine, and fetch another milk jug) of fluid have been pumped out, you should notice a change in the color of the fluid. It should go from a brownish red color, to a bright pinkish red color. When this happens, all of the old fluid has been replaced with new fluid.
Be careful not to overfill the tranny during this procedure.
When completed, reconnect the transmission return line to the transmission cooler. Check the fluid level as you normally would, and add fluid as required.

[DrMoab]

I may not have to contend with the TNT bellypan much longer……


Do tell???

[XJumpmaster]

LOL Jeff, dibs when you go to sell it! LOL

[Brad M.]

LOL Jeff, dibs when you go to sell it! LOL

2nd in line! :D

[XJEEPER]

Conclusion jumping
http://soundbiteblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/vultures.jpg

[DeadEyeJ]

Having a transmission pump itself dry into a bucket while it in gear and the motor running doesn't sound like a wise idea to me...

Am I missing the vital part of this fluid change - where fresh fluid flows into the tranny as bad fluid fills the bucket?

Jared:patriot:

[XJEEPER]

Having a transmission pump itself dry into a bucket while it in gear and the motor running doesn't sound like a wise idea to me...

Am I missing the vital part of this fluid change - where fresh fluid flows into the tranny as bad fluid fills the bucket?

Jared:patriot:

Speed reader!

The point is, that the AW4 tranny and TC hold 8 quarts. When you only replace the fluid in the pan, you are doing half the job. The time that it takes to fill up the jug is not minutes, but seconds. You start the engine with a full tranny, put it in Drive, fill the jug half full, put it back into Park check the fluid level. Only takes a couple of times to get all the brown-ish fluid out and replace it with fresh pink stuff. Cheap insurance.

[DeadEyeJ]

fill the jug half full

Optimist...