dig4gold

Most noticeable in cruise control, 65MPH or so (highway speeds), and climbing a hill. It shifts down to 3 with a little clunk, but then into 2 . . . hard clunk. Almost jerks you. Once speed is returned, shifts up fairly smoothly. Tranny is the "Select-Trac" and in 2 wheel drive.
No load other than passengers. When I got the Jeep (bout a year ago) the tranny fluid was overfull so I took some out to normal levels. This was noticed and done a while after buying it.
So . . . any ideas?

dave1123

Tes, try adjusting the throttle valve cable. It changes the transmission line pressure to correspond to engine power demands. To do it properly requires dropping the trans pan. The cable has to be adjusted so there is no lack and the trans throttle valve is totally closed when the throttle body valve is at idle. They should move smoothly together with no lag. Someone who is familiar with this can get it close just by adjusting the cable at the throttle body, but that's just a quick fix.

dig4gold

Good to know. Thanks much. I'm taking it to a couple shops yoday to get it "estimated".

dig4gold

OK!!! I did take all the slack out of the TV cable, took it for a test drive on the very road/hills that gave me trouble and it is shifting MUCH better. However . . I do believe a service is way overdue. Curious . . . what should a mechanic do when completeing a service? Certainly fluid, filters . . . but any bands tightened or anything else?

dave1123

I have 250+K miles on my 2000 WJ 4.0 and have serviced the fluid and filter about every 50k miles. I have NEVER adjusted the bands and never had a shifting problem. Only once in that time did I have a governor fault, but a solenoid change and a pressure sensor solved it. The only other thing was a wire broke off the NSS so I lost my reverse lights. It still shifts solidly and on time.

If the pan is being dropped, why not check the TV cable to make sure it's adjusted correctly? Mopar sells a steel and neoprene sandwich pan gasket that you can reuse a number of times and doesn't require sealer. I've used that same gasket 4 times and it still doesn't leak. You can buy it at a dealer or on-line.