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Advice on transmission

P

potentshadow

NAXJA Forum User
Location
FL
Hey all, first time post here but have lurked a little while. I bought a 98 Jeep Cherokee and I wanted to put a little work into it. Before I did anything though I wanted to drop the Transmission pan and take a look at what is going on. I pulled the pan and I am a little concerned. I do not know if the transmission has ever been serviced. I found some metal fragments on both of the magnets. I have some pictures below, just look for advice. Does this look like I need a rebuild or just put some fluid in and new pan gasket and call it a day?


https://ibb.co/bPTby1Y
https://ibb.co/Sn2j4mB
https://ibb.co/Hqy3549
 
potentshadow said:
Hey all, first time post here but have lurked a little while. I bought a 98 Jeep Cherokee and I wanted to put a little work into it. Before I did anything though I wanted to drop the Transmission pan and take a look at what is going on. I pulled the pan and I am a little concerned. I do not know if the transmission has ever been serviced. I found some metal fragments on both of the magnets. I have some pictures below, just look for advice. Does this look like I need a rebuild or just put some fluid in and new pan gasket and call it a day?


https://ibb.co/bPTby1Y
https://ibb.co/Sn2j4mB
https://ibb.co/Hqy3549
Click to expand...

Was there some sort of problem that prompted pulling the pan? I wouldn't worry about that little bit of metal if it was working fine.
 
When you button it back up, don't over tighten the pan screws. You'll just deform the edge of the pan or worse rip out the aluminum threads. They only get 7 ft*lbs which isn't much more than moderately snug with a rachet.
 
lawsoncl said:
When you button it back up, don't over tighten the pan screws. You'll just deform the edge of the pan or worse rip out the aluminum threads. They only get 7 ft*lbs which isn't much more than moderately snug with a rachet.
Click to expand...


Ah I appreciate the advice thank you! No actually the jeep seemed to be running and shifting perfectly fine. It was just my way of seeing if I was going to dump a bunch of money into it right away or if I was just going to throw money into something that already had a failing transmission. it only has 158K on it and freshly rebuilt 4.0


That kind of metal would blow up the 46re I have in my 98 1500. However after some research the AW4 is not a mopar transmission so maybe it has more leniency?
 
The AW4 is a Toyota trans and fairly robust. Most problems encountered are sensor or solenoid issues, which are easy and relatively cheap to fix. Just feed it the right fluid Dexron, not ATF+4 (since it's not a mopar trans).
 
The first pic isn't to concerning, but pics 2 and 3 would bother me with where the material came from?
 
Hell, I keep an extra around. Beware though, 98 is the transition year between the one with an input shaft sensor and one without. Triple check which one you have, the difference has caused many a headache for people on this site!
 
Thanks guys some really solid advice here.


@RCP Phx yea man I was like.. oh crap. This has to be a bearing or something. I have fully rebuilt a 46re which was not to bad with instructions online. Do you know of any good detailed rebuild videos on youtube I can take a look at and see if this is something I can rebuild if I have to?


@Unclewolverine Thanks I would never have found that out lol! Off the top of your head do you know where I would look to find that?


I got like 6 gallons of Dex/Merx IV (or VI I cannot remember which) because I wanted to do a full flush. Wish me luck hopefully it does not explode on me lol.
 
potentshadow said:
@RCP Phx yea man I was like.. oh crap. This has to be a bearing or something. I have fully rebuilt a 46re which was not to bad with instructions online. Do you know of any good detailed rebuild videos on youtube I can take a look at and see if this is something I can rebuild if I have to?
Click to expand...

See post #11 in my build thread.
 
The AW-4 is good for +300,000 miles if not abused thru lack of regular fluid changes. Some debris on the magnet is common.

Be sure to use the specified and widely available Dexron-III/Mercon in your AW-4. Dexron IV or VI for that matter, are not made for use in the AW-4. GM specifically recommends against using Dexron VI in non-GM made vehicles that used Dexron III as original equipment.
 
Driver side halfway up the bell housing there will be a sensor if yours has it. It won't be if you don't. To further confuse things you can modify the newer trans to use in the older system but not vice versa. Tim's right though, it takes a large amount of abuse to hurt these. Put the pan back, skip the gasket, seal it with Right Stuff silicone, fill it with dex 3, adjust the throttle valve cable and drive the crap out of it.
 
Tim_MN said:
The AW-4 is good for +300,000 miles if not abused thru lack of regular fluid changes. Some debris on the magnet is common.

Be sure to use the specified and widely available Dexron-III/Mercon in your AW-4. Dexron IV or VI for that matter, are not made for use in the AW-4. GM specifically recommends against using Dexron VI in non-GM made vehicles that used Dexron III as original equipment.
Click to expand...

Dex III in transfer case also, or is there a preferred synthetic that's appropriate?
 
NOTNSUV said:
Dex III in transfer case also, or is there a preferred synthetic that's appropriate?
Click to expand...

Transfer case doesn't matter, a lot of people run like 5w-20 engine oil.
 
NOTNSUV said:
Dex III in transfer case also, or is there a preferred synthetic that's appropriate?
Click to expand...

From Novak.......
The standard 231 weighs about 70 lbs. HD 231's can weigh up to 80 lbs. Fluid capacity of the 231 is from 1.5 up to 2 quarts. ATF is the factory recommended fluid, however many individuals have chosen to run a straight 30 weight oil or 5W30 in a mineral or synthetic. Our experiences with these and those reported to us by our customers indicate positive results in noise reduction and wear resistance.
 
Tim_MN said:
The AW-4 is good for +300,000 miles if not abused thru lack of regular fluid changes. Some debris on the magnet is common.

Be sure to use the specified and widely available Dexron-III/Mercon in your AW-4. Dexron IV or VI for that matter, are not made for use in the AW-4. GM specifically recommends against using Dexron VI in non-GM made vehicles that used Dexron III as original equipment.
Click to expand...

Tim_MN,
Any experience with the Full Synthetic Dextron -III in the AW4s? Another discussion on another board. I have run ATF +4 in an AW4. Still, I converted back to Deron-III/Mercon. I think from previous thread, you saw issues in not all AW4s but high enough percentage to avoid ATF +4 in the AW4.
I was told long ago not to use Synthetic trans fluid in some of the transmission from say 20 years ago.
 
75SV1 said:
Tim_MN,
Any experience with the Full Synthetic Dextron -III in the AW4s? Another discussion on another board. I have run ATF +4 in an AW4. Still, I converted back to Deron-III/Mercon. I think from previous thread, you saw issues in not all AW4s but high enough percentage to avoid ATF +4 in the AW4.
I was told long ago not to use Synthetic trans fluid in some of the transmission from say 20 years ago.
Click to expand...

I've been using Amsoil universal Atf for 20yrs yrs now on my 2000XJ.
 
RCP Phx said:
From Novak.......
The standard 231 weighs about 70 lbs. HD 231's can weigh up to 80 lbs. Fluid capacity of the 231 is from 1.5 up to 2 quarts. ATF is the factory recommended fluid, however many individuals have chosen to run a straight 30 weight oil or 5W30 in a mineral or synthetic. Our experiences with these and those reported to us by our customers indicate positive results in noise reduction and wear resistance.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I have no problem running manufacturer recommended fluids, Dex III in this case.
 
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