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NP242 install question

Lawsonmahoney

NAXJA Forum User
Location
New Hampshire
After installing a lift on my 1988 XJ, instead of buy a new SYE, I got another NP242 from a ‘98 with the SYE already installed from another forum member.

I’ve installed the case, bolted up the shafts, changed the fluid. Put it in gear... nothing. It doesn’t click like it’s going into gear when I try to go from neutral to either reverse or drive. Under power it’s like the TC is in neutral. When I try to put it in park it makes a light grinding noise so I’m leaving it in neutral.

I shifted the selector on the TC manually by hand to get it into what I believe is 2WD. Tried again with the same result. I then, from the cab, tried shifting into everything from part time to full time to neutral to lo. Nothing. I cannot for the life of me make it move.

Any thoughts? The videos and write ups I saw didn’t make putting the TC back in to be a big deal. Just slide it in after you’ve lined it up with the bolt holes and you’re good. Or so I thought.
 
Did you change the input shaft gear? Yours is a 21 spline. the '98 is a 23 spline!
 
That isn’t something I changed. From what I’d read, retrofitting the case was limited to the speedo cable and 4wd selector light.

Everything fitted together smoothly. No forcing at all. So that’s a bit of a surprise. And an obvious bummer.
 
Oh it will bolt together! It wouldn't if you tried to stick a 21 spline case on a 23 spline shaft!
 
Be aware of the fact that your '88 input gear will not work in a '98 case.
 
Thanks for the help RCP. Why won’t my 88 work? BleepingJeep did a video where he did the swap for a 231. He had to use the front of the old case because of bearing size but other than that everything bolted up Ok.
 
Novak conversions no longer sells the 21 spline with the late model cut. Does anybody have any idea where you can get an input shaft that you can use to make a late model 242 work with a early model 21 spline trans. All I can think of is either swapping the whole trans with a late model one or just trying to get rid of this late model TC and starting over.
What about swapping the planetary gears from my old TC and using the input shaft from that as well? I’m assuming that’s just not possible..?
 
While swapping the planetaries "is" possible, not without a machine shop!
 
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