Jeep AW-4 ATF questions

[NovaMan]

I recently bought a 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport with about 148,000 miles. The transmission behaves fine, but the fluid in it is brown. It doesn't smell burnt, and it doesn't have any junk in it, so I think the trans is probably OK and it has the ATF+4 in it that loses its color after a while.

I did a drain and fill today. I removed what looks like about a half gallon of fluid, and put a little more than 2qts of Coastal DexMerc in. The stick says it's not full. Am I underestimating the amount I drained that much, or do I need to drive it for a few miles before I get a good reading?

Also, if everything seems OK after I've done a few drain and fills with the Coastal, I'd like to replace the Coastal with MaxLife. Should I do an AutoRx cleaning in between? When should I put in a new filter?

 

[caravanmike]

when i drain my aw4 i get 3-3.5 quarts out. when i drop the pan and change the filter i get 4 Quarts.

if your fluid is only rootbeer color and not burnt then i don't believe auto rx is needed. the aw-4 handles brown fluid very well and should not be a problem, as long as it is replaced with multiple drain and fills or a fluid exchange.

max life is perfeclty acceptable fluid

i use valvoline blue bottle merc/dex

mike

 

[caravanmike]

i forgot the aw-4 doesn't have a filter, it has a screen. i would not change mine if i had to do it over. it was perfectly clean at 160,000 miles and the factory pan sealant is a very good seal. the only time i would mess with dropping an aw-4 pan is for a solenoid. other transmissions are different stories. mike

 

[Eddie]

I remember that Chrysler stated that a brownish color does not mean bad fluid. I believe that the issue was with the colorant decomposing. Maybe someone will confirm this. I probably would do a couple of plug drains and refills just to ease my mind.

 

[NovaMan]

Yeah, there was a TSB about the color in the ATF+4 decomposing. They probably used a cheaper dye or something, and found out it was cheaper for a reason.

Should I do an AutoRx treatment between the Coastal and MaxLife, or skip it since the fluid looks clean and the trans shifts fine?

 

[-Clayton-]

I don't think the aw4 came with ATF+4.

 

[MNgopher]

It didn't. It originally specified a Dexron fluid. Mysteriously a few years ago, Chrysler did an about face from its previous advise not to use the Chysler ATF fluid and indicated that ATF+4 was ok for use in the Cherokee with the AW-4.

My choice for my '88 Cherokee is to continue with a Dex/Mercon fluid.

 

[Toto]

Originally Posted By: NovaMan
I recently bought a 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport with about 148,000 miles. The transmission behaves fine, but the fluid in it is brown. It doesn't smell burnt, and it doesn't have any junk in it, so I think the trans is probably OK and it has the ATF+4 in it that loses its color after a while.

I did a drain and fill today. I removed what looks like about a half gallon of fluid, and put a little more than 2qts of Coastal DexMerc in. The stick says it's not full. Am I underestimating the amount I drained that much, or do I need to drive it for a few miles before I get a good reading?

Also, if everything seems OK after I've done a few drain and fills with the Coastal, I'd like to replace the Coastal with MaxLife. Should I do an AutoRx cleaning in between? When should I put in a new filter?


You are doing fine I would continue a drain and refill every three months for one year, skip the RX treartment, then continue with every six months or one year drain and refills according to your mileage, I use a small clear painters bucket from ace hardware that holds four quarts [it is marked with quarts and liters] so I know exactly how much fluid drained out, if you want more fluid to drain out jack up the front end, my AW4 takes 2.5 qts or 3.5 when the front is jacked up,I use the Napa Dex/Merc, do not put a filter on it, it has a screen that needs no replacement, good luck! I have had no trouble with that transmission.

 

[NovaMan]

Cool. I'll just keep doing drain and fills for a while.