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AW4 filter change pictures

Did you check the fluid level? 4 quarts may not have been enough to refill it and without hydraulic pressure the transmission will not engage.
 
Just did this over the weekend. The last person in there used a crapload of RTV on the pan instead of just using a gasket...I think I probably spent 30-45 mins fighting to get the pan off. Eventually pried the beast apart and bent the flange on the pan pretty good. Luckily, it bent right back into place with some well placed channel locks. Shifting seems about the same as before, but now it's not overfilled and I know the service is done. The magnets and filter weren't all that dirty, but someone was obviously in there previously and the Jeep only has 56k miles on it (bought it at 46k).

I'll check the fluid in a couple weeks to see how dirty it is and do some drain/fills as needed to get it nice and clean.

Thanks for the writeup!
 
HELP!!!

Great write up on the filter/fluid change.

I just did this procedure on my '96 XJ last week, but now I'm having problems!

After replacing the filter and pan gasket, adding four quarts of Dexron III, and pumping more old fluid out through the tranny cooler return line until I saw new fluid, I can't get the transmission to engage. The shifter moves through each gear but nothing happens, the jeep goes no where. I've been searching the forums but have yet to find anyone with my specific problem. Any suggestions?

First, make sure you are checking the level with it warmed up to operating temp. Cycle the shifter thru all the gear. You are also check this in Park with the engine running, correct? If not, you will be very low on fluid. If all of this is done correctly then....

You could run into the problem on higher mileage transmissions. Dirty (but not burnt) fluid is not always bad. As a tranny wears over the year, a lot of the friction material becomes suspended in the fluid (hence making it dirty looking). What can happen is that you flush all the old fluid out and along with it, this material. Now all the clearances on the bands are too large to clamp correctly and move the vehicle. Sometimes clean fluid is not always better for a high mileage transmission.

I have talked to a number of people over the years who have had fluid flushed done, only to kill the transmission a few hundred miles later. Replacing what is in the pan but not flushing everything out of the converter/tranny is actually better for high mileage ones. It allows the new fluid to mix with the old and continue to work like before.

I hope your problem is just being low on fluid. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. UPDATE: I added another quart (5 total) and the XJ is moving again (although sluggish). Stick still measuring way low, but I don't know if thats just because I havent really warmed the tranny up.Circumstances don't allow me to drive far at all right now, but I'll post another update when I get to road test it.

Hopefully you're right about it being low fluid. I can only hope. Ive just seen where other guys have added a quart or two and then had it show up super high on the stick the next day. We'll see...
 
One side of my dipstick is for the cold level and the other side is the hot side. I've got a '93 btw.
 
Another UPDATE: Just drove up the hill, about 30 minutes.
Tranny seems to be doing its job, though its still not registering anywhere above the ADD line. Up to 5.5 quarts now.

Think i'm going to drain the fluid and fill 'er up again because the fluid doesn't smell new at all.
 
HELP!!!



After replacing the filter and pan gasket, adding four quarts of Dexron III, and pumping more old fluid out through the tranny cooler return line until I saw new fluid, I can't get the transmission to engage.

To much out not enough in!!!!!! Fill it!!
 
To much out not enough in!!!!!! Fill it!!
X2. Let it sit for about five or ten minutes before checking the level (and check with it warmed up and in the proper gear on a level surface after shifting through all the gears a few times while the moon is 3 days past full, etc etc); after pouring fluid down the dipstick tube (why exactly did they decide this was a good idea for all automatic transmissions?) the inside of the tube is so covered in fluid that you won't get a good reading at all till it drains down a bit.
 
I could be wrong but I was fairly sure you had to have the engine running and in park when you check it. This pumps fluid thru out the tranny and gives you the correct reading.

If you read it with the engine off, more drains back into the pan and makes it "look like" it's full or over filled. I don't have my owners manual in front of me but every time I go to check the level, I pull it out and double check.

Edit: BTW, total system capacity is 8.5-9 quarts. If you pumped fluid out of the tranny line until new fluid was coming out BUT you were NOT adding the same amount back into it at the same time, you could easily be down a couple quarts than a normal filter/pan drop (approx. 4 quarts to fill). Start adding .5 quarts at a time until you get it back up to capacity.
 
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I'm glad this thread is helping people out.

Thanks for the pics. Very clear!:wave1: Greetings from Holland

You're Welcome for the pics, and Greetings from Canada!
Something my grandfather used to say... ..."if you ain't Dutch, you ain't much!"

Great write up. I like how you hold those pan bolts...just don't sneeze or cough...

Haha, thanks!
Using that 'method' to hold stuff while working under the Jeep is one way to keep me from getting too big of a beer belly...
 
For the record, fill capacity for the AW4 is 8 liters, or 8.45 qts. !

HELP!!!

Great write up on the filter/fluid change.

I just did this procedure on my '96 XJ last week, but now I'm having problems!

After replacing the filter and pan gasket, adding four quarts of Dexron III, and pumping more old fluid out through the tranny cooler return line until I saw new fluid, I can't get the transmission to engage. The shifter moves through each gear but nothing happens, the jeep goes no where. I've been searching the forums but have yet to find anyone with my specific problem. Any suggestions?

Theres your problem.
 
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The "fill capacity" of 8.25 qts is for a completely dry transmission with no fluid in the torque converter. With a simple pan drain you will have about 4-5 qts to fill it up. Using the poor man's flush method as ryno did there is no way to gauge what to fill it up with unless you measure the amount that has come out.
 
In case anyone else reads this and has the "trans stopped working" problem...
You want to let the engine idle for a while - like 10 minutes past engine operating temperature, at least. With your foot on the brake and car stationary, run the gear selector through its positions pausing a few seconds at each along the way. Return to park. Now check your level, and keep adding until you are just slightly above the "full cold" mark.
DO NOT move the Jeep while you have a low fluid condition.
DO NOT drive it a long time in an over-full condition, either.
Not enough fluid equals not enough clamping force on the clutches & bands in the trans. Slippage and wear occurs.
Too much fluid can result in foaming, which I personally haven't seen but it is to be avoided regardless.
That being said - it isn't rocket science getting the goldilocks amount of trans fluid in there.

Once you've gotten it to slightly-above-max-cold on the stick, take it for a nice 30 minute drive and re-check. You are now looking for "max hot". If you have to add any fluid, remember it is cold fluid, so you may want to shoot for just slightly below "max hot".

Remember: you DO want the correct amount of fluid in the Jeep, which is NOT the space shuttle.
 
Make sure the jeep is level when you do that, too. Nothing like a bit of a slope in the driveway to result in a bad level reading.
 
Fantastic! Thanks for the pictures! I've done a filter before but was not sure the best way to approach the fill tube and what sort of can of worms it could be!

Thanks for the write up and pics!
 
great write up definatly appreciated . i have a question , i forgot to put magnets back in pan and i really do not want to drop pan again , what do you think ? i am getting to old lol. i also separated dip stick tubes when i had pan out .it made it easier to put pan back but a real pain to slip top half of tube back in . thanks
 
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