98 XJ transmission fluid out of dipstick.

[Kennedy3170]

I recently lifted my 98 XJ. It got a 4.5 long arm rough country lift. Sitting on brand new 32x11.5 with 15x8 procomp steel wheels. 3.55 gearing. Today was first time really driving it. Took it down the highway, doing about 65mph and the truck would jump out of overdrive. Drove about 20 miles and as soon as I slow down and get off the highway, trans fluid come out the dipstick. The previous owner did the radiator 3 years ago along with lines to the cooler.

Thoughts on my transmission fluid issue? If this is already a started conversation, can someone get me the link to it?

Few people told me I should add an auxiliary transmission cooler after the stock one.
Was also told I should just run an auxiliary cooler and skip the stock one.
I plan on checking the breather to make sure it's not clogged.
Should I drop the trans pan, change the fluid that comes out, change filter and go from there?
Thinking I should looking into regearing to 4.10s and reprogram the truck for that set up.

The truck isn't going to be strictly woods. I will be using the truck to get to and from work as well, and getting on the highway is the only way.

Thanks in advance.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[lazyxj]

3.55 gear with 32"s could lead to the trans overheating, it's dropping out of OD because the engine is spinning too slow and lugging. You need to regear.
Are you sure the transmission it isn't overfilled?

Add a cooler and keep the stock connection to the radiator, it's needed to help warm the fluid in the winter.
My 2001 XJ has a big trans cooler and it ran hot in the summer when it wasn't plumbed through the radiator and it took forever to warm up in cold weather. I'm sticking with the original Factory's design
If I didn't have a winch in the way, mounting a big cooler, under the radiator, would be my choice.
Add an transmission temperature gauge, so you know what the fluid's temp actually is.
http://gojeep.willyshotrod.com/HowtoAutoCooler.htm

 

[Tim_MN]

Until you re-gear for the 32's, stay out of OD, use 3rd. This will help reduce the strain on the engine and the trans that is generating lots of heat, as is the OverDrive.

Make sure your service manual specified Dexron-III/Mercon transmission fluid is clean, and to the proper lever on the dipstick.

 

[Kennedy3170]

Laxyxj - It wasn't overfilled before this happened. I am definitely going to regear when I have the extra money.
I'm probably going to add a larger cooler after the oem cooler. Few other people said deleting the oem and strickly doing aux is a bad idea.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Jim Malcolm]

I'd put money on a leak in the heater, aka cooler, in the radiator, allowing coolant into the transmission. Drain your fluid immediately. If it looks like a strawberry milkshake, that's your issue. It's practically impossible for a properly filled transmission to overflow due to heat alone; the fluid simply doesn't expand that much.

 

[Kennedy3170]

I'd put money on a leak in the heater, aka cooler, in the radiator, allowing coolant into the transmission. Drain your fluid immediately. If it looks like a strawberry milkshake, that's your issue. It's practically impossible for a properly filled transmission to overflow due to heat alone; the fluid simply doesn't expand that much.

I already checked into that. The fluids aren't mixxing at all. I've had issues with that in other vehicles before. I appreciate the input though.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Tim_MN]

It's practically impossible for a properly filled transmission to overflow due to heat alone; the fluid simply doesn't expand that much.

This is not exactly correct. The AW-4 tends to run a bit hot compared to most, and having one blow some fluid out the vent tube is somewhat common. This most often occurs when the fluid is old/dirty, or when the transmission is worked hard such as towing in OD, or running oversized tires on stock gears.

 

[Kennedy3170]

This is not exactly correct. The AW-4 tends to run a bit hot compared to most, and having one blow some fluid out the vent tube is somewhat common. This most often occurs when the fluid is old/dirty, or when the transmission is worked hard such as towing in OD, or running oversized tires on stock gears.

So regear and maybe drop the pan, change the filter and just the fluid that come from pan drop would be a good idea?

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Tim_MN]

Fresh Dexron-III/Mercon fluid is cheap, fresh transmissions are not.

If you do not know when the filter was last changed, you might want to install a fresh one. Either way, drain and re-fill after a hundred miles or so, three or four times, to make sure all the Dexron-III/Mercon fluid is fresh.

A more appropriate gear ratio is very strongly recommended.

 

[denverd1]

There's not much to the "filter" so I wouldn't worry about dropping the pan. Drain and refill a few times over a few weeks.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[lazyxj]

So regear and maybe drop the pan, change the filter and just the fluid that come from pan drop would be a good idea?

Instead of just replacing the fluid in the pan, a compete flush might be better idea and it gets the changing process over in an hour.
It isn't hard to do.
https://www.naxja.net/forum/showthread.php?t=993958

 

[4x4JeePmaNthINg]

Laxyxj - It wasn't overfilled before this happened. I am definitely going to regear when I have the extra money.
I'm probably going to add a larger cooler after the oem cooler. Few other people said deleting the oem and strickly doing aux is a bad idea.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Uncertain to if its bad, but it's ment to get the trans up to operating temp by having it run through the radiator first.
Maybe not great for jersey.

 

[98xjaz]

This happened to me when I overloaded my roof rack and was pulling a decent grade with a head wind. Toasted the fluid pretty good.

I have noticed that since I installed an external cooler (in series with the radiator cooler) and a temp gauge with the sending unit right at the outlet of the tranny that it cools best when the torque converter gets locked (when in overdrive),or "3" on the shift selector will also lock it). This provides the best circulation of the fluid.
Re gear may solve your problems in Jersey. A cooler might be able to wait if you can't afford to do both right away. I'm only on 31's and I'm pretty sure I should have re geared already.