42RLE transmission suddenly won’t shift

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Glad you could get your trans cooler lines out without pulling the radiator, Leeann; I could not on my 2005. Kind of glad I did have to pull the radiator, though; I found some damage on the bottom of it. Guessing something heavy flew in under the bumper and bashed in the radiator. Knowing my luck, it would **** out at the worst possible moment, if I don’t replace it…..
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daves06lrenegade

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There is a guy in YouTube called "Precision Transmission" that does top notch rebuilds located in Tx if you are looking to properly rebuild trannys
 
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Got the reman transmission installed. It came with a new torque converter and 1 year unlimited miles warranty. I’m waiting on a new radiator, but after that’s installed my plan is to start it up, get the transmission fluid level right, then take it to my local dealer for quick learn process.

I’ve Been reading a lot about the 42RLE transmission cooling system and decided to run with only the external oil cooler, and not splicing a line through the built in transmission cooler in the radiator. Running the transmission oil through the radiator will heat the oil up faster but the general consensus is that the oil should stay below 175 for optimum transmission life. Since the radiator Runs at 195 to 200° that’s too hot. I’m guessing that’s why Chrysler started using the external coolers with the 42RLE
 
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Today the Liberty is back on the road with a rebuilt transmission. I’ve been driving it around my neighborhood and it seems to shift great. Going to drive it to my local dealership next week to get the quick learn done to reset the transmission control module. So far no leaks from new lines and transmission cooler. I like that the new cooler’s extra cooling tubes are above the front bumper, directly in the air stream.
 

Rough

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Is that trans cooler an oem replacement or aftermarket?
 
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My local dealer has been backed up, so I have not been able to do the quick learn on my new transmission, but I’ve been driving it around my neighborhood to make sure the transmission fluid level is right with the new larger transmission oil cooler. My first observation is that the shifting is really nice and smooth, but I’ve been keeping RPM’s under 2500 with very light throttle. The shift points do seem different than before, so I’m guessing that’s just the computer applying it’s old shift logic to the new components. Quick learn happens next week, so I’ll get to test it under heavy load then.
 
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The Transmission cooler is aftermarket. Got it from Partsgeek. About $40. It fit well with only a little bending of the mounting feet, so it would align with the nuts in the radiator. I also got oil lines from Partsgeek, but had to return them, because the swedged ends of the lines would not go all the way into the fittings on both the transmission and the cooler. I ended up getting a set of Doorman oil cooler lines from O’Reilly and they fit just fine. About $130 for those. Significant cost savings over the OEM mopar parts on both items, and my local dealer couldn’t get these parts for a month.
 

Rough

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Do the Dorman lines have a flexible sleeve/shield located where the lines run under the radiator? Reason I ask is that mine did and after about three years the lines rusted and began to leak underneath the shield as it collected and retained moisture.
 
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It has a piece of that aluminized fiberglass heat shielding on each line. The OEM lines had foam rubber but I live in the South, so having salt spray accumulate in that area is not a concern for me.
 
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Got my Jeep back from the dealer today and I can confirm the quick learn procedure got the shifting straight back to normal. Without it, gear shifts were at a higher RPM and torque converter lockup didn’t occur consistently.
 
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lfhoward

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Visit this thread and take the 42RLE transmission poll:


Thanks!
 
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lfhoward, I added my experience to the pole. My failure mode was a broken planetary gearset. It just let go with no warning. I had a Dodge Intrepid once that used the A606 transmission, which was an earlier front-wheel-drive version of what later became the rear-wheel-drive 42RLE transmission. That car also failed it's planetary gear set without warning at about 150,000 miles. I wonder if Chrysler improved the planetary gears over the years, or if the same gear set just migrated into the new transmission designs. I wonder if there are any oiling improvements that could be made to better protect the planetary gearset. I know racing transmissions are often fitted with external oil pumps and spray jets that squirt oil directly on the gears vs reliance on just splash lubrication.......

Now that I have about 500 miles on my rebuilt transmission, and some more experience with model year variations from roaming around junk yards for parts, I'll add a few more observations.

-regarding removal/replacement of speed sensors. There is no way to remove them on a 2005 with a 42RLE transmission, without removing the front driveshaft. Thought I must be losing my mind, when others said it could be done easily, but then I looked at other Liberty models, and a 2002 and a 2003 I looked at have much more room around the driveshaft and transmission for access to the speed sensors. At least on those models, you could change the speed sensors without removing anything. I know 2003 was also a year that the transmission changed from the 45RFE to the 42RLE, so it's possible that a late 2003 or 2004 has similar good access to the speed sensors with either transmission, but at least beginning in 2005, the clearance just isn't there anymore. It doesn't look like 2006 or 2007 models are any different than 2005, but that would be the last of the KJ body style, before the KK Liberty's came out. Oddly enough, 2005 Libertys had either a flat hood (similar to the Jeep Wrangler) or the usual Liberty hood with the "bumps" to accent the headlights. I don't know if any other differences extended to "under the hood" sheet metal or parts, but my 2005 is a Limited with the "bumps" on the hood.

-The early 45RFE transmission used flared pipe/nut fittings for the transmission cooler lines, while the 42RLE used O-ring/C clip retainer style fittings. While the C clips are simple enough to remove with a small screwdriver or pick, you have to be able to see them to remove them. On my 2005, the oil cooler fittings are only accessible by feel. You can remove the oil cooler bolts and lift or lower it about 1/2" or so (more if you don't mind bending the oil cooler lines), but I quickly discovered they were nearly impossible to remove, without removing the radiator. This allowed me to raise the cooler high enough to see the fittings through the front grille. The 2002-2004 model Liberty's have a different bumper with larger openings below the bumper than 2005-2007 Liberty's. Perhaps it would be easier to access oil cooler fittings on the earlier model bumper, but if a special tool existed to remove or expand the C clip, just by sliding it into position by feel, that would greatly simplify removal. On spring lock fittings (like where the nylon fuel line from the body connects to the metal fuel rail on the engine), there are several tools that make disconnection very easy, just by feel.
 

tommudd

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For clarification
The " Flat hoods " were the Renegade models
all other models were like Liberty's should be with the eye brows / humps whatever you want to call the raised areas
and there are no differences between any models regarding running gears
Just in front of the windshield , i.e. hood , grill other body only parts
 

Leeann

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I have a 2005 Renegade and I removed and installed new speed sensors AFTER I installed the replacement trans and drove it around the yard. I didn’t remove the front driveshaft again.
 

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