• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

2000 xj classic 2wd auto transmission and fluid

phxZ31

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Phoenix AZ
I am confused...
My Cherokee owners manual says that my 4.0L with auto takes Dexron / Mercon II ATF. Then, the very next paragraph says use only ATF 3+ fluid to prevent damage to seals and internals. So which one is it?
To further confuse me, I asked a guy who claimed to be a technician at a Jeep dealership, and he said the auto transmission in a 4.0L Cherokeeis actually a Toyota transmission, so use whatever Auto zone recommends for a Toyota truck??

Can anybody straighten this out for me so I don't mess things up by using the wrong fluid? Also, how do I find out exactly which transmission is in my 2000 2wd Cherokee classic?
 
The tech is right, it's an Aisin-Warner AW4, but, IIRC a slightly modified form from what was used in a number of Toyota vehicles. I wouldn't blindly take his fluid suggestion, though.
 
the wide consesnus in the jeep community is to stick with the Dexron/Merc III even though Jeep changed their fluid recommendation to 4. These transmissions just operate best with the Dexron/MercIII fluid.
 
Dexron/Merc III
 
Dex/Merc, or swap to a real transmission :spin1:

Anyone who says it's a Toyota transmission is wrong. Aisin Warner built the box for both Toyota and Jeep (with some differences as requested by each OEM) as Jeff noted. Hell, they did the same for the manuals, the transmission Jeep calls the AX15 is also known as the R150/R151/R155F (all slightly different internally, but based on the same design) in the Toyota trucks, as well as being very closely related to the GM MA5 and Isuzu AR5.

The AX4/AX5 are similarly related to a bunch of transmissions Toyota used behind their 4-bangers, too. W and G series, iirc.
 
Wiki on Aisin transmissions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Aisin_transmissions

ANY transmission that left a Chrysler factory with ATF +X must always have ATF +X put in it.

TSB 21-010-06, GROUP: Transmission, DATE: April 14, 2006 the AW4 transmission was EXCLUDED from using ATF +4. TSB 21-014-07, GROUP: Transmission,DATE: October 16, 2007 changed it and the AW4 was Ok'd for ATF +4.

Some have changed over to ATF +4 and reported NO problems. Some have changed over to ATF +4 and have had problems they believe are related to the change.

ADVANTAGES to ATF +4 would be a higher service life than Dex, more resistance to heat, and possibly better mileage.

Caveat emptor.
 
Regardless of the bulletin from Chrysler a while back stating ATF+4 is the recommended fluid for the AW4, I recommend sticking with Dex/Merc III compatible fluid.

The manufacturer of the transmission (Asin Warner) didn't issue that bulletin stating ATF+4 is okay to us, CHRYSLER did. And I highly doubt that they did extensive field testing of AW4 transmissions with ATF+4 before they took the liberty to recommend this fluid.

Yes, some people with the AW4 can get away with using ATF+4 with no issues. But not everybody. There are just way too many threads of people that have had issues tied directly to ATF+4. Slippage is the most common symptom.

However, there are no threads of people that can blame Dex/Merc fluid. Dex/Merc has given fantastic service life to the AW4 transmissions, when changed out at a reasonable interval.

So if you want to roll the dice and try ATF+4, ask yourself this question. Do you feel lucky?
 
Regardless of the bulletin from Chrysler a while back stating ATF+4 is the recommended fluid for the AW4, I recommend sticking with Dex/Merc III compatible fluid.

Yes, some people with the AW4 can get away with using ATF+4 with no issues. But not everybody. There are just way too many threads of people that have had issues tied directly to ATF+4. Slippage is the most common symptom.

However, there are no threads of people that can blame Dex/Merc fluid.

And the manufacturer of the transmission didn't issue that bulletin stating ATF+4 is okay to us, CHRYSLER did.

So if you want to roll the dice and try ATF+4, ask yourself this question. Do you feel lucky?

"Do ya punk?" One of my favorite Clint Eastwood lines.
 
"Do ya punk?" One of my favorite Clint Eastwood lines.

Yea Cruiser, I borrowed that from Clint the Squint.....love that guy.

He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, it was powerful and was based on common sense, something this country seems to be sorely lacking nowadays! :cheers:
 
Back
Top