42RLE, Dead?? Or just a bloody wound?

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Joenavy85

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Ok, so I've been out of the game for over a year. My trans died (maybe) and I needed new wheels asap. So, in the planning of major work to be done on my Infiniti, I'm looking at getting the KJ running again. So for starters I'm dropping in here to figure out the best course of action. So, it all started in November 2018........

On my way home one day I stopped at a light and as I went to accelerate there was nothing, no movement, basically acted like it was in park. I gave it some gas and I could tell it was straining, but right as I was about to let off the gas it went, almost like releasing a trans brake. Really weird. I had done a drain and fill on the trans about 20k prior, so I just started planning another one.

Flash forward about 2 weeks. I was heading up north for the opening weekend of deer season (about a 200 mile drive), and as I accelerated from my last stop before going onto the interstate, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears disappeared and I had a bunch of neutrals. The engine reacted as if the driveshaft dropped out. She coasted smoothly to a stop and wouldn't go back into gear. I shut off the engine, hopped out, looked underneath, and everything was where it should be, no broken parts, no fluid leaking, nothing. So I started her back up and boom, I have first gear again. Accelerate away and sure enough, nothing but 1st gear again. So I figured out that by shuting her off and firing her back up, I could put her in 1st instead of drive and limp all the way back home (about 15 miles).

Weirdest part.....Not a single code popped.

My guess is that the clutch plates for 2nd gear are completely shot. Meaning an overhaul or a "new" transmission. Anybody have any other ideas?
 

Leeann

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Pull the pan. If you've got metal flakes or chunks, time for either a rebuild or a used trans. If just fine metal dust, I'd say the solenoid pack might have failed.

I have my KJ because the 42RLE blew up on my best friend - twice. No reverse, only 2nd gear (limp mode). I had to winch it out of their garage - because it was nose-in - onto a car trailer to bring from MI to MD. I bought a known-good used 42RLE on eBay with a small warranty and fewer miles on it and swapped it out in my back yard. It has been good for over 60,000 miles now (knock on wood). I made my husband (HVAC-R) help me with the trans cooler. He took it off the Jeep and ran the cleaner through it with it up on end, which forced cleaner through the whole thing instead of just the bottom tube. We blew out a ton of metal and filter chunks.

I just replaced the trans cooler lines (rotted) and did a pan and filter drop recently and there was almost nothing on the magnet.
 

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