Transmission oil change

Today I Changed the oil in my '00. I pulled the plug out of the bottom of the pan and losened all of the bolts on the pan, blah blah, blah. When I tried to remove the pan the dipstick tube would not come apart. I squirted WD-40 on the joint and let it sit, I tried to wiggle it to free it loose, I tried twisting it. Finaly I went to the top of the motor and took out the bolt that holds the tube to the block. OK to make a long story short, After I got Tranny fluid in my hair soaked in my clothes the tube came apart. What do I do to not let this happen again? Never sieze? Any suggestions?

Vaseline.

Why'd you pull the pan? The AW4 uses a metal screen, and it is not necessary to pull the pan if the fluid itself is in good shape.

If you want better filtration, plumb a remote filter (spin-on type adapter) into the cooler return line and change that each time. Make sure the filter hangs open end up and that you fill the new one manually before you put it on...

5-90

Why would you not want to inspect the screen and pan for debris? The remote filter is a great idea but then I would get lazy and not inspect the pan. I would drop the engine pan evry time I changed oil if it was not so difficult. You can tell a lot about the condition of the 'inerds' of the vehicle by doing that.

On my 93', I find removing the dip-stick before attempting to separate the tube. Makes it a lot easier for me. The 1st time I replaced the filter, the dip stick got all mangled as I attempted to separate the tube.

Sean -
Another convenience of the external filter is the ability to add an "inspection prefilter" which is also finer than the OEMR sump screen.

I agree with you on the idea of inspecting everything, but if the fluid passes muster I log the change and only drop the pan every three or four fluid changes, or after a major trip or tow job (like last Summer when we went to Atlanta & back, and came back with a 2000# weight penalty...)

5-90

Yea, I hate it when you have to bring the mother in law back with you

Sorry could not pass that one up....

I wish I saw this before doing my XJ.

Wasn't my MIL, but close enough by the time it was all done (long story, I'll not go into it now. Take too damn long!)

As far as drain inspections, the screen is relatively coarse. My solution - I drain into a shallow (1/2" deep) pan so it will catch any metal before it gets into my "drain-tainer" so I can catch any problems. I see anything there, I go in. I don't, it waits.

Why buy trouble? I get enough for free...

5-90

I agree with 5-90's approach to auto trans fluid maintenance. Given that the screen is fairly coarse, and will only filter out 'big chunks', doing an inspection of the fluid in a shallow drain pan is just as effective as pulling the actual trans pan.

This is especially true if the trans has been well maintianed since new.

It's just not worth the hassle of dropping the pan unless one of the following conditions exists:

1. trans history is unknown
2. trans is "acting up" and behaving abnormal
3. vehicle was submerged in water/mud

I love the fact that the AW-4 has a pan drain plug. I just wish the torque converter was similarly equipped.

not trying to thread jack but i'll just ask my question here instead of making 2 trans fluid threads,

i bought my "new" jeep about a month ago and the tranny fluid is a slight grey color wich i am not happy with.

Obviously if i change the fluid and screen and put new in, the fluid acts like a detergent and might break apart anything that is still holding the trans together (268k and i seriously doubt its ever been changed before) anybody have any recomendations on what i could do to prolong the existing tranny so i dont have to put my money into a tranny/rebuild just yet? i was thinking maybe if the chrysler atf or a friction modifier might reduce the detergent quality in or rather than regular dexron/mercon

any suggestions

No idea - ATF has so much detergent in it I've used it for hand cleaner! The AW4 is a pretty sturdy slushbox, and simple enough there isn't much to go wrong with it mechanically, so I'd likely not be too worried. Take a 2-stage approach to the issue...

1) Change the fluid and run for about 5K miles.

2) Flush with Berryman's B12 and change the fluid again. Check the previous fluid when changing (of course!)

Considering some of the abuse I've put AW4's to, I'd not really be too worried...

5-90

yeah my old 92 took alot of abuse, but i seem to have only bad luck heh so i just want something to re-assure myself plus that grey looks so nasty when i check it. tomarow i am changing the diff fluids and the transfer case fluid and i will worry about the tranny later on

Once again, I agree with 5-90.

ATF is basically a very low vicosity oil, with among other things, a VERY HIGH DETERGENCY factor.

Putting in new oil into the trans with existing "gray" ATF is not likely to change the behavior of the trans.

I WOULD however, recommend that you do a "transfusion" or equivalent full flush, to get as much of the gray fluid out as you can.

another view. . .

I hate to disagree with 5-90 (I've been on this site for a few years now and I always remember him giving excellent tips and advice) but I have a strong difference in opinion.

Now I always heard the "rumor" that once you let an auto tranny go for many years/miles (or unknown amount :dunno: ) without fluid/filter change, it is NOT a good idea to go ahead and change, but instead just make sure it is at a good level, and LEAVE IT BE.....and it seems to make sense to me...
(the old fluid, which contains much of the worn tranny material in it, helps to add (contain) friction to the fluid mixture=better behaving tranny, whereas if you CHANGE the fluid in a worn out tranny you are removing all the needed material that tranny needs to shift....or so i was told, and hey it makes sense (thats why i change out my tranny fluid frequently enough).

that being said. . .

we have an old Clark forklift at work (probably 25 years old) with an auto 2 speed tranny (hi and low gears in both FWD and rev)
last spring we decided to do a tranny oil change on it...
BAD IDEA
the thing ran terribly afterwords :doh: (ran fine before it!) and within a WEEK the tranny gave up the ghost!:angel:

a lot of $$$ later it got a rebuilt tranny installed!!!
the guy who did it, said we were NUTS for changing the fluid!

lesson learned. i am a believer.

my $.02

CaptTrev

I agree with you on the forklift bit - because I used to work on them and I've seen it happen myself. But, also remember that forklift/material handling equipment is MUCH more badly used than most autos! If it were people, it would be like breaking both legs, giving a few compression fractures in the back, and spraining both shoulders and expectin full-capacity work!

I've also had occasion to poke around inside a couple AW4's (two I bought as a core, and I replaced the unit in my 87 when I lost bellhousing bolts) and I stand by my assessment that they are simple and rugged. I bought my 89 with nearly black fluid in it, and changed it straight away. No problems, and it's been about 60K since we got it (and, it's my wife's DD, so you can guess how I worry about its operating condition...)

I'm not telling you what to do, rather what I'd do if it were mine. Take it at face value.

5-90

CT - It's always amazed me how badly forklifts are treated, and then how surprised the owners are when they finally fail and they don't have any sort of backup....

ATF change

when I bought my 87 last year I changed out everything including ATF. It was greyish brown... very nasty. I did know that it might be a problem. It shifted much smoother and I havent had any problems since. I just couldnt stand looking at that muck. I would note that the filter was clean with very little debree in it. Just my.02.

Ed

5-90

hahaha!

yeah--

its AMAZING how much ABUSE forklifts get (ESPECIALLY where i work!)
(keep in mind they are all operated outside)
you'll get these guys starting these old lifts up on a 36 degree morning....and once they start (if they can GET them started)(no clue how to work a choke--a "choak" to them is what they want to do to the machine when it wont start right away) they securly PLANT their foot on the gas.

when asked what the HELL they were doing....they respond "warming the lift up"

they then proceed (while reving the sh*t out of it) to firmly JAM the machine into gear

when asked "why" they did that?

oh, simple.......cuz it will stall otherwise.


gee....maybe it needs to "warm up" more

anyway...sorry fpr the rant.....but this is some of what i have to deal with at work!

CaptTrev

PS--cant imagine why the trannys go in them!