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[eddscott]

Hello,

First post and a desperate plea for help!

I've always wanted a Jeep and decided I needed something big enough to cart all my RC Rallycross gear to the track etc and as a bit of toy to mod and have fun with

Its a black 1999 (V) 4L with 66K.  Complete impulse buy and interior and exterior its bloomin lovely but I think I've got big probs!  

Bought it on Sunday and drove it back to West Wales from Monmouth.  All seemed fine but I did think it was taking a while to change.  Now though its slipping royally and having checked the oil its dark and smells.  Not good at all.

Its got a fair amount of history and the lad I bought it from gave me a receipt for a full service which it says includes oils and filters.  

Am I supposed to check the levels with the engine running?  Checked it this morning switched off but warmed and theres nothing on the dipstick.

I need to get it home from work (1.5 miles) so was thinking of getting some Castrol Dexron and put that in before getting it home.  From there only thing I can think to do is change the filter and put new dexron in and see what happens.  

Am I right in thinking my only hope is that the wrong fluid was put in at the last service?

I've only had it a few days and absolutely love it but I fear the 'box is knackered.

[Mike Pavelin]

The fluid level should be checked with the transmission hot, in Park or Neutral and the engine running.

Dark burnt smelling fluid is BAD I'm afraid, and the AW4 transmission is generally very reliable. I would suggest checking the oil level right (Dexron II is correct) and if it is, bearing in mind it has been changed recently, take it straight to an auto transmission specialist and get them to check it out because if you spend a load of time messing about with it you'll have less chance of going back to the seller.

[eddscott]

OK. Just run it up to temp, put it in N and the dipstick is bone dry!

Theres no patches under the Jeep and theres no patches on my drive so god knows where its gone.

Theres a motor factors opposite me so am going to buy 2 L of dexron and see what happens.  

Theres a written receipt in the history that states full service with all fluids and filters changed in Dec 07.  Even if the box was dead surely there would be a bit of fluid in there?

maybe its just really low.  Haven't noticed any leaks.  If its just low and isn't dead would that Lucas Stop Slip make any difference - seen it advertised.

[Mike Pavelin]

If it had chucked the oil out the underneath of the Jeep would be covered. Get the level right and see if it works properly. If it does, drain it and change the oil and filter, although this won't get all of the burnt oil out, you'd have to get a transmission shop to flush the whole system to clean out the torque converter, cooler and lines to do a proper job.

[eddscott]

Well I put 2L of Dexron II and drove it home.  

I don't know much about auto boxes but I assume when the jeep moves forward its in 1st.  It changes again at about 1500 (15-20mph) then again at about 2500 or about 30mph. Not sure when 4th should come in as I didn't want to push it.  It didn't lurch on the way home.

I checked the level once home (engine running and box in P) and its only just over the hole at the very bottom of the dipstick - its not even by the "Add" words.

I read that the AW4 box should take about 4L.  If thats the case and I put another 1L in that means 3L have gone a drift somewhere?

How can that be if it was supposed to be serviced in December?  

Could the wrong fluid been used and its burnt off?  Only reason for asking is that the stick smells like gear oil rather than ATF fluid - unless thats what ATF fluid smells like in a duff 'box.  

I'll top it up tomorrow and test again. If the 'box has failed would adding the fluid make any difference?

[Dave69]

if it changes gear then the box is working, adding to the limit of 4ltrs of oil and then see what happens. i would then run it car for a while then dump all the oil out and change the filter. the gear boxes are pretty robust but they dont like the wrong oil put in them.
 sounds like the muppet put some gear oil in thinking it was like a normal gearbox, this being slightly thicker would cause some problems with oil flow. you might be lucky and not have any damage only time will tell. I blew a hose and lost the oil from mine and drove for over 10 miles and had no problems with the gearbox after it was fixed and topped back up

[Mike Pavelin]

The 4L is just the amount of oil you'll get out during an oil change and doesn't include the capacity of the torque converter, cooler and lines, so 2L isn't really that much.

[td marmo]

question for Mike is not posible to completely drain the toque converter without removeing it from the engine

[Mike Pavelin]

No, not as far as I'm aware. I think some older types of automatic used to have drain plugs in the converter accessible through the bellhousing but I've never come across one.
Nowadays if a total clearout is required the system is usually flushed via the cooler lines with a special machine.

[wazza]

hmmm. from what ive been told you can't actually flush an auto box!!

all that the specialists do is drain it, fill it, an run it.  they just keep repeating this proces (many many times) or its a compleate strip down!

i look after alot of big fork trucks using auto boxes an often ive seen oil coolers split in the radiator an just fill the box with water, in the proces ive spoken to alot of specialists an the answers the same everytime, "drain it or strip it, it can't be flushed"

radiators an coolers can be flushed with special machines but like the dodgy outfit near us, they just put the pressure washer through it, so be careful who you go to.

are you sure it takes dextron 2 it uses? ive got it down as dextron 3. im sure it would be fine eitherway.

[eddscott]

Thanks for all your help guys.

I'm going to top it up Friday. Run it over the weekend and see what its like.

If its OK, I'll either change it myself or take it to a local 4X4 place. Would rather me do it as I know whats been done.  Is there something I can get to catch the pan and oil?  Don't want to make a mess on the driveway!

Where can I get the filer and new gasket from? Jeep directly?

Thanks again, was mega brassed off the morning but theres a bit of hope yet

[Mike Pavelin]

The oil pan doesn't have a gasket. You need a decent quality RTV sealant. You could get a filter from Jeep or call Lighthouse Jeep and try them.

[eddscott]

Ran the jeep over the weekend without a problem.  Seems to change. Thanks again for the help.

I need a few parts so am getting everything together and doing a blitz job one weekend.  

Spent Saturday getting the drivers seat going again so I now have leg room! The speakers don't work in the drivers door (Infinity system) but couldn't work out why. Not a big issue.

[Dave69]

pull the two wire off the speakers and then check with a multimeter for a voltage when the radio is switched on. or check for for a short to the body this normally stops them from working or the speaker might be shot

[tim_aka_tim]

Put an ohmeter across the speaker terminals, it should read 4 ohms. No reading = buggered speaker coil.

[Mike Pavelin]

Remember, there may be a remote amplifier under the rear seat.

[eddscott]

Yes, theres a little amp under the rear bench.  I kind of assumed that the colour of the wires coming from the amp would match the colour of the wires to the speakers but there was no continuity.

Neither speakers work - tweeter or mid in the door.  

I didn't think to check the mid speaker itself - it was disconnected though when I got the card off.

[Mike Pavelin]

Is it still fitted with the original radio?

[eddscott]

Yes.  Not too bunched as although its a cassette, I tend to listen to R2 anyway.

The working speakers don't sound to healthy to be honest so I'm wondering if the sounds been cranked up in the past and killed one of the outputs on the amp (guessing)

Once I get the other snags fixed and I stop worrying that the 'box is about to fail I'll have a look at getting something a bit more modern.