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I need help with aw4 transmission

95sport

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Tyrone,pa
Ok, I have a 95 with the aw4 .If i get on the throttle when going down the road to speed up and get on it a little It will Jump to about 3-4 rpms that is the only time it will do it.I was told by a tranny shp to replace the fuel filter so i replaced it helped out a little bit. when it dose this it dose not slip it just takes off when i go to gradually build speed . I cant figure it out is it a sensor I dont wanna put a tranny in and it not be the problem . If I take it easy will not do it at all.

Thanks alot for your time
95sport
 
So it's downshifting with just a little throttle input? The TPS sensor is a common issue with erratic shifting. They do eventually wear out.
 
95sport said:
Ok, I have a 95 with the aw4 .If i get on the throttle when going down the road to speed up and get on it a little It will Jump to about 3-4 rpms that is the only time it will do it. ...

I think you may just be unused to the normal operation. Like all auto transmissions, when you're travelling in high gear and you increase pressure on the gas pedal, the transmission downshifts to give you more power. With the AW4 transmission that comes on our XJs, I think it's fair to say that it is quicker to downshift than other vehicles you may be used to, especially well-powered passenger cars. I know I sometimes have trouble trying to maintain speed going up a hill without having it downshift and rev the engine, or trying to speed up slightly on a straight-away without the downshift.

It's a little irritating, because sometimes the downshift is just momentary and it shifts right back up in a few seconds, if you just hold the gas pedal (or let off in surprise at the revving). But it's just a characteristic of the car, and only means that it is not optimized for highway driving - it's optimized for all terrain including off road. You just have to learn those points where it has a little trouble and avoid them - either let it lose a little speed and mosey along, or really step on the gas to gain the needed speed in a lower gear and then let off.
 
and when it dose this it jerks when it is in higher rpms when it down shifts. I have been driving this for 3 years straight with nothing like this
 
So it's a new symptom. I would still suggest the TPS as the first thing to check. Do you have a multimeter, preferrably analog but digital is still helpful, to check that its value is changing smoothly?
 
I have 5spd gears (3.07) in my XJ as it was originally the Pukegoat. It takes (literally) a small incline and mine is out of O/D.....

Sounds like your is TPS related though. Check, adjust and replace as neccessary.....
 
Hmmm.. Interesting thread. My '99 has been downshifting ALOT lately also. Its been getting more annoying since it downshifts at the most retarded times. Speeding up from 30 to 45 at a nice pace and it jumps to 2nd and the RPMs hit ~4000 for no reason. Or needing a little extra goose in a 45 zone to pass and it downshifts into the upper RPMS where the 4.0 is a tad "weak". About 1 inch of gas pedal and it downshifts? Bah. Plenty of torque at low RPMS for the way I usually drive. Confirms my TPS theory. Will order and replace. yay. !!!1
 
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