This entire thread just continues to solidify my long standing hatred of all things Chrysler because they can't build an automatic transmission. Its been a truth that seems to have been mostly accurate for most, if not all of my 38 years.
This entire thread just continues to solidify my long standing hatred of all things Chrysler because they can't build an automatic transmission. Its been a truth that seems to have been mostly accurate for most, if not all of my 38 years.
In reply to TGMF :
I don't think think a $300 cars failures are a good indictment of an entire brand.
In reply to dculberson :
Yeah... while the problems with this Jeep have certainly been annoying, I always remember that I've got FAR less into it (money AND time) than I did in the accursed Patriot- and that despite its issues it is actually mostly drivable around town when I need to do so with it. For the ~$600 or so I have in it so far, I can't complain too badly.
So far, my theory about the TC (or the computer, I realize) is holding up- before heading home yesterday I unplugged the computer (I've just never put the center console back in, as the TCM resides under it...) and have had zero issues with it while going forward so far. It will still occasionally have issues with going into Reverse, but so far none going forward with the transmission in 'dumb' automatic mode whereas the last time I drove it with the TCM plugged in half the times I'd come to a stop it would grind at least lightly (and the conditions this morning were almost identical to yesterday morning).
So, for the time being I'm going to assume that it's either something with the torque converter, the TCM, or the wiring in the transmission itself. At the moment I'm leaning toward the TCM- it hasn't been changed between the two transmissions, and I would think it less likely that the TC would be having issues (not impossible of course). It also helps that the TCM is by far the easiest thing for me to replace to test this theory out, so the next time I'm at a junkyard I'm going to grab another one to swap in.
In reply to Ashyukun :
Knowing nothing about Jeeps, and about the same regarding automatic transmissions, it sounds like the TC lockup clutch may not be unlocking. Is that a thing on this variant of Jeep?
In reply to Pete Gossett :
It's possible- but it's also weird if that is what's happening given with the TCM unplugged it shouldn't be locking up at ALL since the TCM supposedly controls the OD and lockup solenoids.
When I got back from the Challenge after being gone for 3 days, I found a rather large pool of transmission fluid under the Jeep when I went to move it out of the way to pull the Rampage into the garage. At this point, I'm really at a loss for what the problem is. I do need to try and check the rear diff out and resolve any issues with it so that I can hopefully eliminate any problems with it from the equation. It's really far too tempting to just find another '96-98 GC that is in good shape and pull EVERYTHING behind the engine and swap it over to mine. Or better yet, if it's not too difficult, convert it to a manual transmission...
Since there was a '96 Grand Cherokee sitting near the older Dodges I was looking over in Knoxville Saturday, I grabbed the TCM from it (and the vehicle information display, since mine might be wonky too) so I can see if it might be a problem with the TCM (unlikely since it still screws up when it's unplugged- but can't hurt).
Once the Rampage is drivable consistently, I plan to dive back into figuring out what the deal is with this thing and get it resolved before it gets too much colder and difficult to work on it. First order will be checking out the rear diff and seeing what its deal is- and probably finally getting the stripped lug nut off so I can check the brakes on that side and see if there's something wrong there. Also going to totally unplug the transmission from the harnesses- I wouldn't think with the TCM unplugged that it would be doing anything, but can't hurt to make sure...
After not doing anything on this for quite a while, I'm hoping to try and make a bit of progress on it in the coming weeks.
The Rampage is pretty much solid for the time being it seems, so after doing some picking up/organizing in the garage I plan to pull the Jeep in so I can check a few things and see if I can get any closer to figuring out what the deal is with its transmission.
First off will be checking out the rear diff to make sure everything is in order with it. Next up will be trying to see if I can tell where the trans fluid was leaking from- and why. Finally, I'll be seeing what difference (if any) it makes to hook up the TCM I grabbed from another '96. If that doesn't do any good, I plan to unhook the transmission electrical connectors at the transmission instead of just unhooking the TCM.
If NONE OF THAT does any good... I'm at a bit of a loss. I could get yet another transmission and try swapping it in, or get a new trans AND transfer case or even the whole driveline behind the engine. But honestly, if I don't start making progress on this soon, I may just have to end up throwing the towel in and seeing about selling it and getting something that I can actually make work. I'm unlikely to find something quite as cheap as this was, but if I have to get another transmission or worse more of the drivetrain it will rapidly get up to the point where I could just buy something with a few minor problems I can easily fix.
So, got the Jeep into the garage to try (yet again) to try and figure out what its issue is. First order of business was to pull the cover on the rear diff and check it out.
The good: it had the right amount of fluid, and on the whole it looked pretty clean- BUT.... it had a LOT of silver in it... (don't know how well it shows up in the picture)
Now, this could just be normal wear on the gears- if the fluid hasn't been changed in a LONG time I suppose it's not impossible- I don't know.
Honestly... at this point, I'm leaning toward putting everything back together as best I can, tossing the original transmission into the back, and seeing if I can get roughly what I have in it back out and looking at getting something else 4wd down the line (as we won't likely need it until spring now). Since it does run and drive, just with some caveats, I would think that getting about what I have in it back out shouldn't be impossible, and it would give me an open slot in my stable to pick up the cheap Rampage(s) nearby to use to improve the Challenge car. And then I can pick up something else (that's not a Jeep!) in the spring for the 4wd needs (leaning toward a Blazer, since I've worked on them before).
So...
Bad News: I could not find the right gasket for the rear end ANYWHERE locally and had to order (what I hope is) it from Amazon and won’t have it until tomorrow (and able to install it Saturday since we’ll be out of town from tonight until Saturday morning)
Good News: because it appears that it has the rarest, biggest rear end they put on the things, a Dana 44 with 3.73 gears, which should help get a bit more out of it if/when I sell it.
Just use some grey RTV on the rear diff cover, no need for a gasket.
The rear diff is probably the D44A. The ZJ's came with the D44A or the D35.
Gasket was supposed to arrive Friday or Saturday but didn’t, so I just used used RTV to put it back together. Had taken the original battery to the parts store and had them charge it to no effect but since I don’t trust that the guy who took it actually put it on the charger (not maliciously, just don’t think he’s very competent...) put it on my charger overnight to only slightly better effect. So guess I will have to sell it with the nicer battery in it (or see if any of the smaller ones I have will work).
Parked it out on the street this morning and used our fancy new DSLR to take some nice pictures of it so I can get it it listed for sale. Would LOVE to have it sold by the end of the week so if I go by to look at the Rampages for sale near Cinci I could actually buy them if I could negotiate the price down.
So, after having it up for sale for a while and dropping the price, finally sold the Jeep today so it's now out of my hair. Probably made a few bucks (literally) more than what I had in it monetarily, of course completely discounting my time.
Now I can try and find something reasonably reliable that hopefully doesn't need anything drivetrain-wise to drive over the winter...
May I suggest another Jeep. 
93EXCivic said:May I suggest another Jeep.
Heh. I've been doing all my CL searches with "-Jeep" in them...
Ashyukun (Robert) said:So, after having it up for sale for a while and dropping the price, finally sold the Jeep today so it's now out of my hair. Probably made a few bucks (literally) more than what I had in it monetarily, of course completely discounting my time.
Does that include the rings you found?
In reply to eastsideTim :
Heh, no- those all turned out to be costume jewelry and got put in the pile to be sold at the next yard sale fundraiser we have for SWMBO's non-profit. Was interesting though when I took them in and had them tested, I'd never seen that done before and thought how it was done was pretty cool- the tester measured the conductivity of the ring.
TGMF said:This entire thread just continues to solidify my long standing hatred of all things Chrysler because they can't build an automatic transmission. Its been a truth that seems to have been mostly accurate for most, if not all of my 38 years.
Why the Grand Cherokee (4.0 versions) didn't get the AW4 is a mystery to me.
You'll need to log in to post.
