Yes or No? Tranny fluid change............

Loyd · Nov 21, 2007

Just fishing for opinions, I have a 98' sport 4x4, auto trans, 211000 miles.
trans works great, but the fluid is starting to get a little amber tint to it. I want to change the fluid and filter. I've only had the XJ for about 6000 miles. Problem is......I've heard conflicting stories. "If its burnt and you change the juice, it could be the end of the tranny!" Its stock except for the bumpers i built for it. I do ocassionaly pull a trailer with a couple fourwheelers but nothing extremely heavy. What do ya'll think?

big black xj · Nov 21, 2007

i have heard that about sending the tranny south as well.
I thought it was a load of crap untill i HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME! 3 TIMES!
That being said, everytime it happened, the fluid looked more like engine oil instead of tranny fluid. I guess its safe to say that they were gonna go out soon anyway??????
The AW4 is almost bullet proof and if i were you, i would go ahead and change it.

BTW, all 3 tranny's that went out were in F.O.R.D.S.

ParadiseXJ · Nov 21, 2007

If it's anything but red, you should change it. Just a drain & fill. You may want to pull the pan and change the filter, or not.

I've heard the story that flushing the tranny is bad, but as yet still a rumor to me.

Drain & fill and see what happens.

beakie · Nov 21, 2007

I have changed my fluid and filter twice since putting 90k on it (bought it with 168k) never caused a problem. even put synthetic first time, before I read how it can be a problem. changed back to regular, and changed the fluid alone once in between each filter change.
if anything I would new fluid would help get a few more k's out of a hurtin tranny.

redneck · Nov 22, 2007

I have 147xxx on my Cherokee and the fluid looked like motor oil. I took it in and had the fluid "exchanged". DO NOT let them put any cleaner type fluids threw the tranny, which is what breaks the tarnish up and screws with the tranny. With the fluid exchange, they take the cooler line off the radiator and put a machine in line with it. It just takes the tranny fluid being pumped out of and replaces it with new while the engine is running. I’ve gone 2000 miles so far with no ill effects. Also make sure that they only use Dexron III fluid, no synthetics either.

My .02,
Aaron

Bainer · Nov 22, 2007

Burnt the fluid in my AW4 with 220000 miles on it to the color of coffee because of a crimped cooler line. I changed the line and the filter did a few partials till the color returned to red and it still runs like a champ.

CherokeeXJ1996 · Nov 22, 2007

Hello Loyd and others,

my mistake

Ron - :05of5:

1985xjlaredo · Nov 22, 2007

big black xj said:
i have heard that about sending the tranny south as well.
I thought it was a load of crap untill i HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME! 3 TIMES!
That being said, everytime it happened, the fluid looked more like engine oil instead of tranny fluid. I guess its safe to say that they were gonna go out soon anyway??????
The AW4 is almost bullet proof and if i were you, i would go ahead and change it.

BTW, all 3 tranny's that went out were in F.O.R.D.S.

We had a "class" just on this. Fords cannot take a fluid change after 100,000 miles. But I did my AW4 at 219,000 and at 250,000 with no ill effects. I actually shifter quicker when I did it.

waxer · Nov 22, 2007

1985xjlaredo said:
We had a "class" just on this. Fords cannot take a fluid change after 100,000 miles. But I did my AW4 at 219,000 and at 250,000 with no ill effects. I actually shifter quicker when I did it.

Did the instructor of your "class" state why Fords can't take that? That info would be very helpful and insightful.

I've always heard the same myth about changing out fluid on an old tranny, but I have never seen ill effects from it. Some factual data on it would be very nice.

Yes or No? Tranny fluid change............

Loyd

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big black xj

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ParadiseXJ

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beakie

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redneck

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Bainer

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CherokeeXJ1996

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1985xjlaredo

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