OK, being an older guy I've heard this dilema a thousand times....the cliche:

**If it's never been changed and the vehicle has over 100k, don't change it or the tranmission will go out.**

Everyone I've talked to has different opinions. Even transmission guys I've talked to gave different opinions...some say it's BS, some say leave that old fluid in there. What do you think?

I've not decided if I'm going to change mine in the Cherokee I just bought with 143k miles on the clock. It looks a bit on the darkish side and I've always been a fan of frequent trans oil changes.....after buying a few trannies over the years at $2000+ each. Fluid is a HELLUV a lot cheaper than a transmission.

What do you think?

 

i guess the idea is that the old fluid losses its detergent qualities after so long and gunk builds up, then when you put in the new fluid all that gunk gets freed up and clogs your tiny valves in the valve body.
sound right?

that being said i always change mine, cant stand the idea of it being in there not lubricating right.
When i bought my last truck (w/ 700r4) the fluid was almost black. i changed just the pan gasket and filter (so what maybe half the fluid?) versus a complete flush, also threw in a bottle of lucus atf additive. i only had the truck for about 6 months but i never had any tranny issues.

 

eh I would at least replace the filter and whatever fluid you loose doin that...probably would not power flush it though

 

I would drain the pan and refill. This will change about 1/2 of the fluid. Keep and eye on it and repeat sometime in the future.

My '96 Sport has had the fluid changed 5 or 6 times in about 160K miles. I had to drop the pan to change a solenoid, and it was very clean inside.

The '96 SE had 133K or so on it when I bought it. The PO said he had the trans/transfer case and diffs changed about 30K ago, but the trans fluid looked darker than in my Sport, so I drained and refilled. The trans is working fine.

 

Just don't flush it. If your transmission can't handle new fluid then it was already on the way out.

Engine off, remove the tranny cooler supply line, put it in a bucket.
Pull out the dipstick and put a funnel in the tranny filler tube.
Have a buddy start your engine and start pouring new fluid in that funnel until the fluid going into the bucket turns a nice clear pink. Shut your engine off, reconnect the line, and add fluid until it shows on the safe zone of the dipstick. Start it up to operating temp, shift through the gears, put it back into park and top it off again.

 

Ive never heard of doing it that way, but i like it! gotta hate dropping those pans.
though, if its been a while, i think id change that filter.

 

Strongly agree. Curious, what do you hate about dropping the pan?

Anyone know the recommended replacement interval for the AW4 filter?

 

Well "Alpine" you have a 1999 model year, my 96 has the transmission pan with the dipstick tube attached to it. There is also the exaust pipe crossing under the pan, so removing the pan completely is almost impossible. The dipstick tube is a 2 piece unit that is susposed to come apart, but after 70,000 or more miles the tube seems to weld itself together. I tried applying heat to the joint and it still did not come apart. You can not remove the pan with the tube attached, so this leaves only @4 inches of drop to get your hands in with a 1/4 drive ratchet to remove the filter. What a pain in the #$$#. I opted to go with the exchange method thru the dipstick. So far with 150,000 and pulling a 3000lb camper twice a year, I have not experienced any slipping or shifting problems. Sometime after the 96 model year Chrysler changed the pan design and it's easier to drop the pan and change the filter.

 

For a quick change u can remove the drain plug and let the 2-3 qurts come out . Refil to proper level. Do this a couple of times over a few weeks and u should have a pretty good mix of new fluid to old. That is if you don't want to drop the pan and check/change the filter.
Walmart had Gallon jugs of Dex/Merc III for 11.99 each.

 

when I got my jeep it would run at 2500 rpms at 65 until I had my tranny serviced. after I had it serviced it runs at 2100 rpms at 65 and seems like it found the 4th gear finnaly. I did the service at 160k and I dont think the PO changed or serviced anything, it had a stock oil filter and taking the drain plug out felt like it had never been taken out before.

 

Thanks for the input.....I'm in the change it camp too.

 

I wasn't aware that sleeve changed because I did it on a '95 and it was the same case as my '99. Take a Can O'Air, like the ones used for cleaning keyboards, turn it upside down, and at point blank blast the upper part of the tube where the sleeve runs into the other. The rapid decompression of fluorocarbons in that can o' air will cool and shrink the metal and then you can wiggle it out. Have a friend hold the upper part rigid with pliers so that you can twist the lower part of the tube. If you need to you can even heat the outside sleeve first. I struggled with mine the first time I did it but once that initial seal is broken you can get it to free up then on. To keep it from rusting and dust entering the sleeve, I wrapped high temp cloth tape around the sleeve seam.

 

"Take a Can O'Air, like the ones used for cleaning keyboards, turn it upside down, and at point blank blast the upper part of the tube where the sleeve runs into the other. The rapid decompression of fluorocarbons in that can o' air will cool and shrink the metal and then you can wiggle it out."

Another cool trick, thanks.

filter and fluid flush are on my to-do list as well.
as i am a new jeep owner i have never dropped the pan before but i just ran out and took a look at mine (88) and was pleased to find a drain plug.
drain plug makes all the difference, as far as my dislike of dropping the pan, makes the job a lot cleaner.

i cant understand why all auto manufactures don't put a drain plug on there trannys.
Another point for jeep!

 

truer words have never been spoken!!!

 

If you have the 99 2wd, your pan is very accessable and well worth dropping, cleaning out, and changing the filter.
It will take about 4 Quarts of fluid.
When you buy the filter & gasket kit, the gasket is folded up in the box. Take out the gasket and lay it flat on a clean smooth surface with a clean phone book or something on top of it for a while to flatten and make installation easy with only a few dabs of silicone in the corners to hold it in place. A sealer will make future changes a pain.
The case is Aluminum and easy to strip so don't over tighten the bolts, after a few days of driving check to see if they are snug.

I would stay away from any power flushes also.