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04 LJ 42rle trans fluid puked out the dipstick tube doing 75 down the highway

REWSTER

BACON!
NAXJA Member
Location
bourbonnais IL
42rl or 42rle trans. I think there are two different ones.

Anyway, I'm cruising down the highway today and it looks like the trans puked a bunch of fluid out the dipstick. A big cloud of smoke from hitting the engine, and while it was happening it seemed like it was down shifting or trying to at least. I pulled off to the side saw where it was coming from and limped it to the next exit. It was able to shift and run all the way to about 50 but it didn't want to go any further than that and I didn't want to push it. Got it to work, right off that exit, and just went to check the level. Well I'm a dumbass and left my lights on so my battery is dead. But cold not running the fluid is clean,red and above the full hot line, but that is not running.

The cooler lines look ok bit I'm kinda leaning towards a plugged line or cooler. What are your thoughts?
 
I bypassed the cooler... no fluid out of the dipstick. But it didn't want to shift out of first. I thought I mentioned this in the first post. but after I re read it, it appears I didn't. For as long as I've owned this jeep it had some quirks with the trans for a while I just thought it was under geared. But for the last several months I've noticed it getting worse, it woldnt really hold on to a steady speed. I had to hold the pedal down and run at almost 4k on the tach.just to do 75.

Any one have any thoughts on this Trans. I remember my old 02 WJ with the same trans having issues too.
 
I bypassed the cooler... no fluid out of the dipstick. But it didn't want to shift out of first. I thought I mentioned this in the first post. but after I re read it, it appears I didn't. For as long as I've owned this jeep it had some quirks with the trans for a while I just thought it was under geared. But for the last several months I've noticed it getting worse, it woldnt really hold on to a steady speed. I had to hold the pedal down and run at almost 4k on the tach.just to do 75.

Any one have any thoughts on this Trans. I remember my old 02 WJ with the same trans having issues too.
Have you tried to shift it manually? Does it throw any codes? I know you said you fixed the fluid out the dip stick but every time I had that
Happen on a turbo 350, 700r4 etc it ended up being a bad front pump.
 
that snap you sent last night. was the fluid as nasty as it looked? all brown and such?

the trans is kind of goofy I think, but mine only has 81k on it and no real issues...yet.

did you change the filter too?

mac 'tranny talk' gyvr
 
It was more brown than red. But no metal flakes in the fluid. Bottom of the pan has some gunk. I haven't put anything back together yet but my plan is fresh fluid and filter. Luckily I already have about 5 quarts of +4 so if I need to drop it again it's not a big deal.
 
I'd probably change it a couple of times.

mac 'it looked bad' gyvr
 
So you are running Dex 4????
 
Changed the filter and fluid. Took it for a couple drives and it appears to be stuck in 2nd gear. Through the magic of the internet that means it's in limp mode,that explains the cel that won t go off now (was not on before the fluid problem). Now I can't remember what happened first the down shifting or the fluid spitting out. So I'm going to do some more research I saw a couple post about TCM problems and solenoid pack problems both high dollar fixes. I'll be back with more info since I know the LJ guys are multiplying here.
 
Changed the filter and fluid. Took it for a couple drives and it appears to be stuck in 2nd gear. Through the magic of the internet that means it's in limp mode,that explains the cel that won t go off now (was not on before the fluid problem). Now I can't remember what happened first the down shifting or the fluid spitting out. So I'm going to do some more research I saw a couple post about TCM problems and solenoid pack problems both high dollar fixes. I'll be back with more info since I know the LJ guys are multiplying here.

Any idea what code it is setting? Figure that out first.
 
Yeah. Got my brother over here with a scanner. It had a couple. P0733 p0743 p0218 p1790 and p0944.

After clearing them and a quick drive. It slips going into 3rd. And the p1790 and p0944 came back.
 
Try disconnecting the battery for a a few hours.

Is the fluid full after warming up?

Do you have a trans shop you trust nearby that can plug in and drive it?

mac 'inquiring minds' gyvr
 
With those 2 codes I'm gonna say it doesn't look good. To verify, you are setting fluid level in nuetral? I looked both of those codes up on identifix and most where either fluid level related or trans died.
 
put input and output speed sensors in just to make sure it wasn't something cheap and stupid. it wasn't.

anyway here is a list from wikipeda of vehicles that use the same trans for later.

42RLE
2005–2010 Chrysler 300
2006–2010 Dodge Charger
2004–2011 Dodge Dakota
2004-2009 Dodge Durango
2005-2008 Dodge Magnum
2007–2011 Dodge Nitro
2003–2013 Jeep Liberty
2003–2011 Jeep Wrangler
2009 Dodge Challenger V6
2003-2012 Dodge Ram
 
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