Torque Converter or whole transmission?

[dewski]

I am thinking about whether I should try and replace the torque converter in my tranmission or just sell the car as is. Mechanic says its going to need a whole new transmission just based on the symptoms. He didn't drive it. I am leaning towards just the torque converter. Transmission replacement is not an option.

Symptoms:
-Surging at stops once or twice a day. Sometimes it surges so bad it kills the engine.
-Acceleration after a turn takes a second before the power hooks up.
-hesitation on the highway above 65mph.
-general hesistation sometimes while driving.
-Gets worse the longer I drive.
-Shifts seems smooth for the most part.

I did a auto to manual transmission swap on a ZJ years ago. I think I could probably manage a torque converter change with some help. Its the only thing I could afford to try but am not interested if others think the transmission is done as well. 220K miles on it.

 

[turblediesel]

Try adding some ATF4. Some, like my selec-trac, came with a dipstick that's too long, contacts the bottom of the pan, and gives false readings. So try an extra quart and see if that helps. The CRDs are prone to torque converter problems usually shuddering.

 

[LibertyTC]

What year is your Jeep? How many miles on transmission?
I agree on adding more ATF+4, I'd try half a quart first then a good test drive, and if it needs more and some more.
Try finding a red bottle of LubGard Red additive as well, great product.

Have you serviced the transmission with new ATF+4 fluid and a filter? This should be done every 50-60k miles.

If problem still exists, Have a transmission shop check for pending or stored codes. They can also view clutch volume index & command valve body solenoids.

The 42RLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION can be sloppy & hesitate to shift back into 1st gear at stops etc. It's not the brightest on the block.
There was a firmware update for the 42RLE which helped as well.

 

[dewski]

What year is your Jeep? How many miles on transmission?
I agree on adding more ATF+4, I'd try half a quart first then a good test drive, and if it needs more and some more.
Try finding a red bottle of LubGard Red additive as well, great product.

Have you serviced the transmission with new ATF+4 fluid and a filter? This should be done every 50-60k miles.

If problem still exists, Have a transmission shop check for pending or stored codes. They can also view clutch volume index & command valve body solenoids.

The 42RLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION can be sloppy & hesitate to shift back into 1st gear at stops etc. It's not the brightest on the block.
There was a firmware update for the 42RLE which helped as well.

I took it to a shop and he said he really discouraged cracking it open. He said that if its really doing what I told him its doing, when they do a fluid change, it usually needs to be pushed out of the bay because they never run again. The guy didn't want to take my money so I suppose I should listen. Its a 2002 with 220k miles. I do not know any service history. I believe it had required maintenance. It was owned by a mechanic and everything else about the Jeep is tip top.

 

[turblediesel]

Pulling an automatic is similar to what you've done. Helpfull to have somebody turning the engine, or bumping it over, to get the flexplate bolts off. ATF cooling lines have to come off; might need a special little gadget to release them. Messy.

Which transmission do you have?

 

[dewski]

Pulling an automatic is similar to what you've done. Helpfull to have somebody turning the engine, or bumping it over, to get the flexplate bols off. ATF cooling lines have to come off; might need a special little gadget to release them. Messy.

Which transmission do you have?

I havent verified but I believe the 45RFE. Is there any danger of over filling the transmission fluid? I put in a container of lucas stop slip and its definately improved. Wondering if I can put in a little more?

 

[LibertyTC]

Yes a 2002 KJ will have a 45RFE transmission.
You could try adding a bit more. At 220k miles for longevity, why not consider getting the transmission re-built?

 

[dewski]

Yes a 2002 KJ will have a 45RFE transmission.
You could try adding a bit more. At 220k miles for longevity, why not consider getting the transmission re-built?

I don’t know if I can stomach spending $3-4k on a car worth $500 bucks. I think I’d rather try and just get rid of it if it came to that.

 

[Jeeper-Creeper]

I suggest doing what LibertyTC said. I had the same issues like you. Mine started right after I had it serviced due to a leak in the pan.
-The surging at stops, In turns felt like slipping before engaging, Hesitation, Felt like no power going up hill. And the fluid level read fine on the dip stick.
I took it to a local transmission shop who told me the torque-converter was bad. They also say If they do the work and while they have it down it best to do a rebuild. They quoted me $3200. Forget That...
The jeep was parked for around 6 months before my Dad who is a mechanic came out to visit. He took the jeep for a spin around the block came back and said I'm low of fluid. I told him he was wrong that the dip stick read fine. We had kinda a argument over it. He went to the part store pick up two quarts of ATF+4 and a bottle of Lube guard, Pored it in and immediately drove good. I was wrong and he was right once again. What happened was when they replaced the pan the aftermarket pan must have been deeper and this caused the misreading.

So again I'd do what LibertyTC said. Add more ATF and a bottle of Lube-Guard. It can't hurt at this point...

 

[turblediesel]

Could also be the internal spin-on filter came loose, (...rfe), or the old and new filter seal mistake. Also a little seal on the screen filter tube that has to be installed right.

There's an upgraded transmission oil pump CRD owners add while they're upgrading the shuddering torque converter. And a trans-go kit. I only had a little shudder so I've only done oil and filter changes. Found some manufacturing chips in the pan and the magnet had jumped its' perch.

 

[dewski]

I suggest doing what LibertyTC said. I had the same issues like you. Mine started right after I had it serviced due to a leak in the pan.
-The surging at stops, In turns felt like slipping before engaging, Hesitation, Felt like no power going up hill. And the fluid level read fine on the dip stick.
I took it to a local transmission shop who told me the torque-converter was bad. They also say If they do the work and while they have it down it best to do a rebuild. They quoted me $3200. Forget That...
The jeep was parked for around 6 months before my Dad who is a mechanic came out to visit. He took the jeep for a spin around the block came back and said I'm low of fluid. I told him he was wrong that the dip stick read fine. We had kinda a argument over it. He went to the part store pick up two quarts of ATF+4 and a bottle of Lube guard, Pored it in and immediately drove good. I was wrong and he was right once again. What happened was when they replaced the pan the aftermarket pan must have been deeper and this caused the misreading.

So again I'd do what LibertyTC said. Add more ATF and a bottle of Lube-Guard. It can't hurt at this point..

Thats awesome. I hope I have the same situation. The first sympton was the slipping in the turns. It would make sense that it is low and the turns causing it to slosh to one side. I will fill it up and see. Thanks!

 

[dewski]

Thats awesome. I hope I have the same situation. The first sympton was the slipping in the turns. It would make sense that it is low and the turns causing it to slosh to one side. I will fill it up and see. Thanks!

So I put in 1qt and it felt a little better. I did a second quart today. Feels even better. Can I overfill this thing?

 

[turblediesel]

It's possible, and bad, to overfill. You should be OK. I don't know what the difference is in quarts between dipstick marks but you could probably add another half quart or more and be fine. Since what you added brought it into proper functionality I'd say you're at the low fill level of the imaginary dipstick.

I rebuilt a Ford c4 transmission a long time ago and couldn't find good capacity specs so I started low and got halfway around the block before I had to add a lot. Just didn't want to drop the pan to let any extra out.

 

[Jeeper-Creeper]

So I put in 1qt and it felt a little better. I did a second quart today. Feels even better. Can I overfill this thing?

Overfilling is bad. However when you added more fluid your symptoms got better not worst. If it were overfilled i would assume that you would have other issues, like overheating, foaming, not changing gears properly, and even fluid leaking or even leaking out the vent tube. It seems like your on the right track. But I'm no expert.. Mine reads way high to where it freak's me out. When my Dad did mine he told me that my dipstick was like Me, USELESS. He is a mechanic by trade and carries all shorts of tools with him. He had a dipstick that was cable and the temperature of the transmission at the time of reading was key. I diffidently don't want to steer you in the wrong direction. However all the symptoms you are experiencing are identical to what i was. My fluid level showed it being way overfilled but in reality it was low. I also suggest just like LibertyTC said and adding some Lubegard 60902.