Tranny? Torque Converter? Both?

New to the site, I searched some but didn't find anything. I have a 93 xj with the HO 4.0. When I bought it a few weeks ago, it would shift funny coming out of first going into second the first time of the day. Like you pull out of the driveway and it would keep revving up in first and not shifting to second. You let up on the gas and it would shift into second. Guy up the road said it had been doing this for some time now. BTW it has right at 200k miles on it. Bought it for 300 thinking I would have to throw a tranny in it someday. Well today the GF was leaving from school and started having problems. I went there to check it out and when you shift into reverse or drive, it will go really slow or not move at all. Pretty much its just slipping ALOT. lol So I was thinking, (IM not good at auto transmissions at all) that if it was slipping couldnt it be the Torque Converter or the Transmission? Could it be possible its just the TC?

I talked to the local junk yard that I get parts from sometime and they have a Tranny on the shelf for $225 plus my core. Comes with 30 day warranty, so at least you can get it in and make sure it at least is working. I didn't think to ask them if it came with a TC though. Do junkyard trannies normally come with a TC? What do people usually do when they swap a junk yard tranny in? Use old TC? Buy new TC? Have TC rebuilt? Ive bought motors from junk yards and bought parts vehicles to swap motors but I really haven't messed with trannies at all and never really thought about it.

Since I was having problems before with the tranny, I will probaly just throw a junkyard one in but I wasn't sure what to do about the TC. Its late and Im tired, so sorry if any of that is confusing.

my experience is that it's about 50/50 that you will get a torque converter with the trans at the boneyard. I find the they will usually say that it will come with it if you call and ask, but if you walk in and tell them you need a transmission, they rarely include it without asking.

if you decide to pick up the trans, count the output shaft splines before you rip everything apart and verify 23 splines. The earlier (87-90, IIRC) had 21 spline shafts. I'd also recommend new input and output shaft seals before you install it and check carefully that the flexplate does not have any small cracks forming around the ring of bolts holding it to the crankshaft (not because of your problem, but MUCH easier to fix it now vice after you button everything back up)

OK the tranny is out of a 94 I believe and mine is a 93 so they should be the same, but I will deff double check. I'll see if I can get a hold of them today and ask about that TC as well. I didn't even think about the shaft seals, that should have been a no brainier. I saw that thread on the cracked flex plate while I was searching. I also found that I'm gonna want to replace those torx head bolts too. Thats no problem since I sell bulk hardware at work. lol Anything else before I throw it in? I know odviously fluid and filter. Thanks

Can you get the torque convertor flushed at a tranny shop? Especially if you ended up using your old one with the bad trans.

Be sure to flush the trans lines, and the cooler.

ill look into flushing the TC. Yea i forgot about flushing the lines and cooler. Thanks. There isn't a how to on tranny removal and installation is there? I could make up one if you guys think it would be useful. Just a thought.

Just be sure to have an E12 inverted torx socket, universal joint, and a long extension for the top 2 bolts.

Don't let the engine tip back too far or it will break the temp sender.

The wiring for the trans is on the passenger side by the firewall.

Don't forget to unplug the Crank sensor, and the O2 Sensor.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but others will chime in.

Before you waste time and money, search here for threads on the TCM, Transmission Control Module, it is electronic, and the tranny has electric solenoids that depend on the TCM signal, voltage, and good grounds. Also the TPS may be going bad, Throttle Possition Sensor as it controls engine speed, and tells the TCM through the ECM when to shift. Your problem may not be the tranny at all.

Ecomike said:

Before you waste time and money, search here for threads on the TCM, Transmission Control Module, it is electronic, and the tranny has electric solenoids that depend on the TCM signal, voltage, and good grounds. Also the TPS may be going bad, Throttle Possition Sensor as it controls engine speed, and tells the TCM through the ECM when to shift. Your problem may not be the tranny at all.

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Hmm ok Ill look into that first. I understand how you say the TCM tells the tranny when to shift. But right now thats not really the problem. Right now I can go out there, start it up, put it in drive, push the pedal 3/4 the way to the floor and it will not move for a while then It may start to creep forward but you can tell its just slippin the whole time. same goes for reverse. If you kind of feather the throttle you can get it to kinda bite a little and move very slowly. Like its just barely gripping a little bit. If it was the TCM wouldn't it still move fine, just would shift wrong? You can put it in Park, Reverse, Neutral, or Drive and have no noticeable load difference on the engine at all.

It does sure sound like the clutches are fried. Does your fluid smell burned?

Dex lll ????

Might try a fluid change (drain pan only - Dex lll) and see if it changes problem.

-As above- check condition of old fluid.
-As above Do check electrics, etc. Before changing trans.

neel2008 said:

Hmm ok Ill look into that first. I understand how you say the TCM tells the tranny when to shift. But right now thats not really the problem. Right now I can go out there, start it up, put it in drive, push the pedal 3/4 the way to the floor and it will not move for a while then It may start to creep forward but you can tell its just slippin the whole time. same goes for reverse. If you kind of feather the throttle you can get it to kinda bite a little and move very slowly. Like its just barely gripping a little bit. If it was the TCM wouldn't it still move fine, just would shift wrong? You can put it in Park, Reverse, Neutral, or Drive and have no noticeable load difference on the engine at all.

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I take it you have checked the fluid level, made sure it is not low on fluid?

Might try dropping the pan, drain and replace the fluid with Dex III. Note that this only gets about 1/3 of the old fluid out, but if the tranny starts engaging after a partial fluid change, do it again. IT might have the wrong fluid in it (THis has happened before, when idiots put in Chrysler fluid instead of Dex III! Takes a good three changes to get most of the old stuff out, as the torque converter holds a lot and has no drain.