HELP! 97 TJ Transmission Problem!

Hello everyone:

I was offroading today in a mud pit. After having a lot of fun, I was driving around in the mud pit, and suddely my transmission went into neutral, and I was unable to shift into any gears. No bang, boom, nothing. I didn't hit anything. I didnt' feel anything. Just suddenly I looked at my RPMs and then were way up and found out I was in Neutral. Unable to move in any gear (automatic transmission), and yes I tried moving the transfer case in and out of 4x4 etc., I was towed away from the mud and was able to take a look. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. We tried it again and it started moving, but was accomponied by a loud wining sound. The Jeep drives but if I rev the engine, the sound got louder (this sound does NOT occur in park, even if I rev it). So I went onto pavement, and got to around 15/20 MPH, which was at way higher RPMs than normal, and them my transmission slipped back into neutral and the noise went away. So then I put it into park and back into D a couple of times, and pulled the E brake and let it back down (sounds unrelated I know but that seemed to influence it) and then I'd hear the noise again and it'd move but slip along. What's going on? Currently I can't drive my Jeep and I'm gonna have to tow it somewhere, but I'd like an idea or something. Maybe my fluid is low? I checked the fluid and its the right color but I haven't checked the level yet. Maybe this is unrelated to the offroading and the transmission had a problem waiting to happen anyways? Please help.

Thanks, Mik

97 TJ 68,000 Miles Auto Tranny
Reply to
97tjMike
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I'd check the level first, if it's OK you'll need to tow it to a shop.

Reply to
XS11E

I'll do that ASAP. Also I didnt mention, its been sitting now for a while and no leaks anywhere.

Reply to
97tjMike

If it doesn't move in any gear, it is probably something wrong in the transmission pump. Usually, but not always, if a seal or clutch goes bad you will only lose 1 or 2 gears. Most transmissions have 2 or 3 pressure ports at the side of the case. If you know someone that has the service repair manual for your trans, you can get the pressure specs and hook a gauge to the ports. If the pressures at all the ports are low, then the pump has failed. If only one of them is low, then a seal on one of the pistons has let go, or possibly there is a valve stuck in the valve body. Whatever you do, do not try to drive it anymore!!! If the pressure is low from the pump, trying to move it will only damage the band(s) and clutches. If the pump is in fact bad, you can just have the pump serviced.

Before you do that though, I would drain the fluid and see if there is any sign of clutch facing material in the pan. If the fluid is full of crud, then it's probably rebuild time.

Several transmissions have had service problems with the pumps caused from the rotors or vanes in the pump cracking, or even sticking. Could also be a seal in the pump.

Like I said though, it is imparitive that you do NOT try to move it any more under its own power until you find the problem. It could save you a complete rebuild.

Chris

Reply to
c

I've read otherwhere on these forums that changing fluid on a dying transmission can be the nail in the coffin. should I ask a shop before doing anything?

Reply to
97tjMike

Yours doesn't go anywhere. It sounds as if it's already had one nail in the coffin. If you have a decent place to work on it, you won't harm anything by dropping the pan to see what kind of crud has collected in the sump. You are probably going to have it towed to a transmission shop anyway. There is a slight chance that your problem is a clogged filter, and that changing it will make everything right.

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

Well I did end up dropping the pan, only to find muddy transmission fluid.....apparently mud found its way in and I'm really mad at myself for mud bogging. But anyways I'm gonna try cleaning it out with brake parts cleaner, and flushing it a couple of times. And of course a new filter. Hopefully that's all it needs, but I can't imagine the pump enjoyed having mud run through it.

Reply to
97tjMike

I would also recommend pulling the cooler lines and flushing them out. Hopefully the filter stopped the crud from going in to the internals of the trans, but I would flush everything just as a precaution.

That med would clog the filter up real fast, so that would explain why your trans did what it did.

If it fixes the problem, I would change the fluid and filter one more time after you run it for a few days because most likely there will still be some crud in the nooks and crannies.

Good luck.

Chris

Reply to
c

I've never heard that, often the filter is clogged, and that's only way you may find that out. Then again many times I've pulled the pan and parts would fall out, making it not worth re-filling, and custom would have it towed to their favorite transmission repair shop. God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O mailto: snipped-for-privacy@aol.com

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Reply to
L.W. (Bill) Hughes III

I hope it works but, if everything is OK mud shouldn't have been able to get in there, just how deep in the mud were you?

Reply to
XS11E

Well I was under the impression that I was ok to go up to the air intake. I didn't get quite that high, but apparently high enough to get to the transmission vent tube?

Reply to
97tjMike

On the autos the transmission dipstick tube is the vent tube.

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

Reply to
RoyJ

ok so I changed the fluid and then it drove, but it wasn't perfect, so i went to the shop and got a transmission flush (100% fluid exchange, or so they said). Now it drives but its a little hard to accelerate from a stop and sometimes it wont shift until 3000 RPM. I think my next step is to bring it in. Suggestions?

Reply to
97tjMike

Those transmission flushes really don't exchange all the fluid, but most of the places that do them claim they do. There is always fluid in the torque convertor that doesn't get replaced, but obviously it is better than not doing it at all.

Anyway, when you say hard to accelerate, what exactly do you mean? If you mean that the engine revs up then the transmission engages, then you probably have clutches that have been damaged, a piston seal with dirt preventing it from sealing, or a valve stuck in the valve body.

It is very possible that a piece of dirt got stuck in one of the valve body bores and that there could be a valve sticking. It really doesn't take much dirt to stick a valve in a bore. This would explain a possible reason for the high shift point.

If you are 100% SURE the transmission isn't slipping, then I would try driving it for a while and then doing one more flush. The second option would be to have a good transmission shop pull the valve body and take it apart and clean it. The valve body controls the transmission, including when it shifts, how much pressure is applied to the clutches, and a lot more. One stuck valve in there can wreak havoc on the whole transmission.

Chris

Reply to
c

Well I talked to a trusted guy at a shop and he mentioned the valve and possiblly one other thing (some electrical sensor I think). He said that the clutch may be receiving incorrect information from the gas pedal as to how much pressure it needs to do its job. When I start from a stop (sometimes) It'll kind've buck back at me and then finally catch, and I'll (again only sometime) feel a rumble and it'll go, feels like the clutch is sticking. Anyways he told me that I can bring it down there and he'll throw it on his machine and drive it a bit to figure out the problem w/o charging me, so that's my next step tomorrow morning. Thanks for everyone's help.

Reply to
97tjMike

Some also have a stooopid button vent under the torque converter.

He also should clean the connection on the TPS because it also controls the shift points and can get dirty.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail > On the autos the transmission dipstick tube is the vent tube.
Reply to
Mike Romain

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