NM-XJ

Howdy all, new 1998 XJ owner here. My father decided to purchase a new JK, and I decided to keep the XJ in the family. 99,500 miles on it, and the clutch - for the most part - has been babied.

My concern is this:

Upshifting into syncro'd gears seems more challenging that I remember it used to be, and more challenging than I think it should be. It doesn't grind, but it does "clunk" a little bit and I can feel the gear teeth catch and engage through the shifter. Shifts *as if* the clutch isn't fully disengaged...but I can tell the clutch is fully disengaged via pedal pressure. Problem seems to decrease as trans warms up, and is most noticeable going into 2nd from 1st. Both parents have driven it and don't feel any difference from when they owned it.

With trans in neutral and engine idle, no chirping or squealing with clutch in or out. Would seem to rule out a bad TO or Pilot bearing. Clutch fluid doesn't leak, and would have no cause to have air in system.

Any thoughts? Or am I just going crazy?

Radi

Can you shift to 1'st at a dead stop without issues? Might try a fluid change for starters, could be molasses in there.

pinebarrensjeep

Common with the ax15 . Swapping the fluid to redline MTL will help. But regardless in colder temps 1-2 shift will feel like that until you get some heat in the trans. I double clutch 1-2 until I'm up to temp. Then I can shift normally

salad

Fluid change to Redline MT-90 or MTL if it's cold where you are. Chances are there's some kind of black stinky water in there.

Due to owning a lot of high-mileage gear boxes I always double-clutch to down-shift but for the up I usually just give it some extra time to spin down. AX-15 needs about a second depending on what the oil viscosity is. Actually mine's so bad 1-2 I double clutch it all the time but hey. Saves synchro even if yours are good.

s14unimog

I third that oil change, although I use Amsoil 75w-90 GL4 in my AX-15 and I feel like it helps what you're describing immensely

NM-XJ

Thanks for the replies, all. I'll give it a fluid change and see what happens.

Radi, shifts into 1st from a dead stop just fine.

mentalbreakdown00

4th the oil change

XJwonders

Difficulty shifting into second from first and into reverse is indication of worn brass synchros. Replace gear oil with redline MT90 or MTL. It ll help immensely. Also help prolong the life span of brass parts inside.

salad

AX-15 doesn't have any synchros on reverse dude lol

XJwonders

Really. I was told that difficulty in 1-2 and reverse was indication that the brass parts inside are wearing out

salad

Yeah in other transmissions. Reverse in an AX-15 is an idler gear slammed between some crap near the back of the box.

jdblep

Ditto with the change using MT90, it made a WORLD of difference in shifting!