Did the Laredo have a transmission cooler as an option/standard? It seems that I have a transmission cooler up front.

If so, what kind of package does this mean I have? Some kind of tow package?

My Hayes says that the transmission needs 4qt (if I remember correctly). I'm wondering if it will need more fluid because of the cooler and how much.


I'm kind of curious because when I checked my fluid yesterday, when the engine was off and cold, the dipstick read proper on the cold side. But after driving around for 30 minutes and checking the dipstick, there was nothing on it. I checked it this morning and the dipstick read proper again on the cold reading side.

It shifts fine, but slips out of reverse sometimes, but I think that is because of the gear lever.

 

it was an option i believe, maybe due to having the tow package.

Either way, you should be checking your tranny fluid level with the transmission at operating temp, on level ground, the gear selector in park/neutral, and the ENGINE ON.

 

Can you take a picture of were your tranny cooler is located?

 

That is where one of the hoses goes into. That thing (pump?) sites behind and between the battery/A/C compressor.

 

I've been searchin' the www and can't find anything.

 

your second pic is of the A/C line going into the dryer from the condenser, which is just behind the tranny cooler...

you probably have part/ or most of the factory tow package.

mine (89 laredo) has the same setup. line from tranny to radiator then to cooler and back to tranny.

 

my 87 has/had that cooler,its part of the tow package,when I changed my leaking lines I eleminated it

 

holy toledo batman! 8.5qt of ATF!? Wow.
Going start fillin' her up tomorrow.

 

you did notice my post where i noted you were not checking the fluid level correct right?

do NOT overfill it. It can be worse than having it not filled enough.

 

There was this whole big thing in the 90's where some fix it shop said you need to run a tranny cooler or you will burn your tranny out (another example is valvoline or one of them oil change places created the 3000 mile oil change-read your owners manual and it says 7500 miles before you need an oil change as do most passenger vehicles). It's a $60 kit today, so it was probably $20 then and easy to do. So every Joe Blow put one on his truck. Honestly, you don't really need it unless your towing alot.
Another possibility is that the tranny cooler in the radiator was leaking and someone used an auxillary cooler to fix the problem, it's actually very common to do that.
Whether you have a regular factory tow package (there are variations due to options beyond this), that's easy, XJ's got heavier shocks with a tow package and a brake controller, a stock RV 7 prong adapter for the trailer. Do you have those? i don't know what your trying to get at figuring out if you have a factory tow package, honestly most, if not all, of the factory parts making up the tow package would have worn out and been replaced by now. The only difference would be the Upcountry tow package which gave an extra inch of lift over stock, 3.73 gears and flipped the rear shocks.

 

.........and for those Joe Blows out there............by all means don't put on 33" tires, lift it, install a custom bumper, grill guard or do anything else to it either. See how cool that tranny stays when you're crawlin'/muddin' (mall crawlin' doesn't count). LOL

 

djb383, You sound jealous of my add ons. Could be yours for $1500, it's for sale a s we speak. But back to the point here, my 96 does not have a tranny cooler other than the one on the radiator, but does have a tranny temp sensor and the last time I went out mudding and log climbing (first time since I installed the sensor) I ran it for 9 solid hours (about 3/4 tank of gas) pretty good (not beating on it, but sure as heck not babying it) and the tranny only got to about 205 which is plenty cool enough to not be burning anything. tranny coolers are only necessary when pulling heavy loads (and a cherokee will have brake issues from something heavy enough to stress the tranny long before the tranny burns). Little known fact, AW4 is a Toyota tranny and is bullet proof like the 4.0.


to the OP, you will notice if you had anything special other than the tranny cooler, but i would bet it was added because the original tranny cooler in the radiator started leaking and it's a cheaper fix than a new radiator. You would definitely notice if you didn't have enough tranny fluid in the system, but check it N after running 15 minutes or so (long enough to make sure it's warmed up) with the engine running and see where it's at. An extra 4 quarts for a tranny cooler sounds like a bit much, but i bet it takes 5.5 to 6 quarts to fill it from empty.
If you check the tranny with the engine off, your not getting an accurate reading, as the fluid has all drained back to the pan. that is why it reads good when cold with engine off. Buy a few quarts and see. Also if you have been running it that low, I would add a quart of Lucas to it to bring it back to life, but follow the directions and X2 on making sure not to overfill it, that will blow every gasket on it, make it so the fluid doesn't circulate and fry it faster than no fluid at all.

 

It has the hitch plus 7 prong trailer adapter in the back plus the brake controller.

Going to maybe get to adding the fluid in today. Been studying for math :-(.
But as I even stated, I checked both warm and cold. Warm was nothing on the dipstick. The dipstick does have 2 sides to read. 1 side says something like "warm - idle" and the other side says something like "cold."
Im thinking that their is a decent amount of fluid in there, just not enough to make up for the transmission coooler.


I might start towing with the Jeep often. I have a small lawn business and pulling the trailer with bogs down my S10 that is rated for 2,000lbs. Im sure I am very near its maximum payload and can really bog my 2.8L V6 down.

 

Yeah but you said your cold check was with the engine off. That is not how you check tranny fluid, ever. To my knowledge, and I may be wrong or missing one, but there is no vehicle I have seen that uses that method to check tranny fluid. Always running. A non running check is like not checking at all!!!!!! I would bet there is only maybe 2 quarts in it if that's what it reads. Just checked mine cold, not running, it's way above the full warm marks.

A little review of the science of it real quick. When the vehicle is stopped and the engine is not running, all of the tranny fluid flows back to it's lowest point (the pan), when it is running, even in P or N, the pump on the front of the tranny is turning and circulating fluid and all that is left in the pan is the stuff that is returning and waiting to be recirculated. that is what you dip stick sets into. the reason you have 2 marks, hot and cold ranges, is because as tranny fluid warms up it expands, unlike some other fluids such as oil that thin out. note that I said it expands, that means there is more of it, or it should always read higher on the stick, when its warmed up. the fact that you see fluid when it's off and cold means nothing, the fact that after it warms up, you see nothing on the dip stick is alarming. you are in need of tranny fluid immediately and should start adding it now. One quart, give it a minute, see where it is, if it's on the stick your close, once you get it to the bottom of the stick add it by the half a quart and continually check it as you add each half so you don't overfill it.

Sounds like you have a tow package then, or somebody added it. the only tow package that changed anything was the upcountry and a buddy of mine pointed out it also changed the suspension part thickness. look and see if your front sway bay is thicker than all the other stuff there.

I cannot say i would recommend towing with that tranny until after you see what happens when you add fluid. I am gonna guess that all of your seals are going to leak from being dry and hot for too long. That's where the Lucas treatment might save you, follow the directions on the bottle (add when tranny is warm), Lucas contains a stop leak you'll need.

 

that's what i've been trying to tell him