TJ trans question

Aug 09, 2003 5 Replies
E
3 months ago I bought a 97 TJ which now has 63k on it. It's great except for one thing - the trans is "hard" to shift. I can "feel" the gears engaging on almost every shift (I push the clutch to the floor). When first starting out in the morning it's really stiff. A couple times now I've missed 2nd and once that happens I can't get it into
2nd even if I try to rev the engine. It's either go to 3rd and let it lag or slow down to a near stop before I can get it in 2nd. Once it warms up it's better, but it seems like it takes a very deliberate effort to shift all the time. Downshifting almost always requires a blip of the gas to get it to slip in gear. It's also impossible to get reverse without grinding, even if I double clutch. So, my question is - is that normal for a 97 TJ trans, or am I looking at upcoming trans repairs? Or is my clutch not fully engaging? Any ideas? Thanks,

-Ed


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J

Strange! I had a '93 and a '99 Wrangler and neither one had any 2nd gear problems. But I did have some occasional grinding going into reverse. From what I understand, my '03 has a totally different transmission and reverse is now synchronized. BUT, this transmission makes all kinds of weird clunking noises which have been described as "normal". Chalk it all up to Chrysler's clunky engineering.

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E

Thanks Dave, makes me feel better to know I'm not looking at an expensive trans repair. Can I switch to a synthetic at this point (63k) without any other problems, like developing leaks? Anything else I need to change besides the fluid?

-Ed

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M

NV3550 does not have a syncro'd reverse, AFAIK. Been using this one since MY

2000.

The clunkyness and noise when idling in neutral are to be expected (note I did not say "normal").

  • * * Matt Macchiarolo
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