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GC Tranny Issues

I have a 2001 GC 45RFE transmission with the 4.7 V8. Had a trans flush in January at the Jeep dealer. Up to March the fluid was ok per Jeep when it was in for other repairs, honestly I didn't check because it never showed any indications of leaking. Beginning of June we headed out of town pulling a small trailer. Half hour out the trans temp light comes on and check engine light. Putting it in neutral and running it turned off the trans temp light but it came on again. We headed home to swap out the truck for my wifes GC and we continued on to NC from FL without the trailer. Upon return I took the truck to Jeep and they said it was 3 quarts low of fluid. Somehow I LOST, 3 quarts of fluid in a couple months without any dripping from the pan or spraying back behind the tailshaft. Hmmm . . . . They cleared the codes, pulled the LEAKING pan, replaced both filters and reinstalled the pan. Everything was fine for awhile. Then the tranny started acting up again, not shifting right and the fan would come on at a light like it was hot. No temp light but it threw a couple codes relating to front pump pressure I was told. Jeep wanted almost 4k for a MOPAR tranny, 3 year 80k warranty. A local tranny shop put one in (MOPAR, same tranny) for 1k less. 2nd day of driving when it was put in gear when cold the tranny would slip like crazy for about

30 seconds untill I assume pressure built up and the torque converter engaged properly. Once warm it shifted OK but honestly my old tranny with its issues shifted quieter & smoother.

Question:

1) Would driving it 3 quarts low cause a problem with the "Front Pump"? 2) What would cause the NEW tranny to slip so much when first engaged? I can rev the engine with the tranny engaged (drive or reverse) and its like slipping a clutch on a stick shift without the truck hardly moving. This only lasts like I said about 20-30 seconds.

Frustrated!

snipped-for-privacy@imagesbyglb.com

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Reply to
GLB
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It surprises me it even moves with more than one pint down. Driving any distance would burn up the clutches and "O" rings quickly. It's like one of the normal things to do in a pre check, for a trip, or what every truck driver signs off everyday. Figure it's a three thousand dollar lesson. God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O mailto: snipped-for-privacy@aol.com

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Reply to
L.W. (Bill) Hughes III

How many miles since your last transmission service? Did you check the tranny fluid yourself between January and March?

Reply to
Matt Macchiarolo

GLB,

Sounds fishy. Like Bill, I have to raise an eyebrow at the 3 qt. figure. Oh well, that's ancient history, right?

Are you _positive_ that it is a brand new unit, and not a factory reman'd unit? When I was looking at options a little over a year ago, the dealer told me I couldn't get a new trans -- all they used were "factory" reman'd units. Hearsay for both of us, I suppose.

Why do I ask? While a lag on shift from P to D or R is not unheard of for this trans, it's far more common to see on a high mileage unit....

20-30 seconds is a _long_ time for that kind of lag, no matter how many miles.....do you get that much delay on every cold or first start of the day? If the problem is lessened by putting the transmission in neutral for a few seconds before shifting to D or R, you're showing signs of a worn or seized front pump bushing...

At any rate, with your symptom and your investment, I'd be heading straight back to the transmission shop......

Jon

Reply to
Jon

Have you checked your fluid level since the install? It may be just low enough to cause the problems you're having, once it warms up the fluid expands...

Reply to
Matt Macchiarolo

I asked that on another group and he refused to answer....

I might have ticked him off by saying I thought the first unit died because he continued to tow after all the idiot lights came on indicating an overheat emergency....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail > Have you checked your fluid level since the install? It may be just low
Reply to
Mike Romain

I guess I made the mistake of trusting my dealer. Never had a problem with them before. I can't get a straight answer as to how much fluid should be in there. I've been told 12 quarts, 15 quarts, 13.3 quarts. I never thought to check the fluid levels after they serviced it because it never showed any signs of leakage and I've been under the truck. The pan wasn't dripping, behind the tailshaft is still dry. It's a mystery as to where the fluid, 3 quarts in about 3 months went to. I don't think it was ever there personally

92,505 routine inspection fluid ok 97,386 trans flush (Jan) 95,932 routine inspection fluid ok 103,243 routine inspection fluid ok 105,079 routine inspection, fluid ok 111,469 Trans problems, filters replaces, fluid changed, codes reset (August) 111.905 more Trans problems & codes set P0868 low line pressure, P0867 line pressure fault, P0740 TCC out of range, P0218 high temp operation. Suggest faulty trans front pump

Right now after it sets for 4 hours, when I start it and put it in gear, I can red line it without it hardly moving. Of course, it won't do that when it's at the tranny shop. 30 seconds later it's off and running fine (almost)

Reply to
GLB

It should be up to the FULL mark on the dipstick!

Have you checked the fluid level????

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile... Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06
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Reply to
Mike Romain

IIRC there's a procedure in the manual for checking it--it's not a matter of just pulling the dipstick and looking. If you follow the procedure it should be between the "add" and "full" marks.

Reply to
J. Clarke

Most of them have the procedure written on the stick. Usually something like 'hot, idle, in park' or neutral.

I have never seen a tranny take it's capacity when being filled up, that is a useless number to my mind because it never all drains out in a change.

Reply to
Mike Romain

Total volume is of little significance to this excercise, as various amounts are held in coolers, lines, torque converters, and fluid passages within the transmission. A filter change uses a couple of quarts on this transmission, while the total capacity several gallons.....

If you haven't been informed yet, the fluid passages are different between park and neutral (hence the manual tells you to run the engine in neutral if it has overheated, right?). Do the test I listed at a known "delay" start, just run it in neutral for 10 seconds or so, then shift into gear. If it makes a marked difference, well then you at least have a stop-gap measure....but either way, I'd park that sucker at the shop's front door and leave it there until it was fixed.

Mike et al - along the same lines, this trans is a "Hot, Neutral" check.

Reply to
Jon

Reply to
philthy

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