Unlimited04's LJ Build - Page 8

**Unlimited04** · 07-07-2009, 11:21 PM

mudb8, any idea wtf that piece is? I'm taking this POS trans in tomorrow to be fixed/rebuilt/replaced.

**mudb8** · 07-08-2009, 11:25 PM

yep, yer right, it does look like a snap ring, I haven't seen on break tho... I was expecting to see part of a sprag..

it could also be a thrust ring from the convertor... guess I stuck my foot in my mouth on that one!

2006_Sport · 07-08-2009, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unlimited04

And the 42RLE issues begin....

Just had a local trans shop drop the pan and replace the filters and do the partial fluid change. They were significantly cheaper than the dealer, even tho I had them use Mopar filters and ATF4+.

They found a piece of a snap ring and lots of metal fillings stuck to the magnet. Lots of brass shavings in the fluid. Took it to the dealership with the piece of the snap ring and this info, looks like I need a trans rebuild or possibly an entirely new trans. I'll know more Wednesday when the stealership gets the trans disassembled. To top it off, since the Chrysler factories have been shut down, there is a huge parts shortage and I might not have a Jeep for a week or more...waiting for parts. Welp, the powertrain warranty should pay for itself with this one.

The trans shifts fine and I see no signs of slippage, service manager at the dealership said the TCM likely compensated for the damage by increasing the line pressure to keep slippage minimized.

I also learned the 42RLE's shift points can be 'reprogrammed' if you get the TCM reflashed back to its completely virgin state using the StarSCAN - just like it came off the assembly line. You then need to shift manually for a week - at the points you want the trans to shift. It will ***SUPPOSEDLY*** learn the new shift points.

What do you mean shift manually? go from 1 to 2 then D.

I would like to change shift points to get my overdrive to stop engaging at freakin 45 mph

**Unlimited04** · 07-08-2009, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2006sport

What do you mean shift manually? go from 1 to 2 then D.

I would like to change shift points to get my overdrive to stop engaging at freakin 45 mph

yea, like shift manually. I'll hopefully know more when I get my Jeep back sometime this month

. They had my Jeep all day today, but theres only one trans guy and they're backed up of course. Why do they want you to bring it in, then don't even look at it for a few days?

Yet another reason I'm pissed at Chrysler at the moment. My trans is crap @ 55k, even tho its been well cared for, and the good dealership is closed but the 'we-screw-you-over' dealership is now the only place to take a Jeep for warranty work.

Isn't Toyota going to make an FJ Cruiser convertible Wrangler copy soon? Maybe a long wheelbase version, with a TRD supercharger package so I could actually climb I-70 at a reasonable speed?

**mudb8** · 07-08-2009, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2006sport

What do you mean shift manually? go from 1 to 2 then D.

I would like to change shift points to get my overdrive to stop engaging at freakin 45 mph

that's what he means... when it's reset, all the learned fueling, timing and tranny parameters are reset to the presets. then over the course of about 500 miles it learns your driving habbitts.

I've gotten mine to where it won't shift out of 3rd till over 60mph unless I let off the gas... normal driving for me includes long grades and a couple that are over 6% tho.

2006_Sport · 07-08-2009, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unlimited04

yea, like shift manually. I'll hopefully know more when I get my Jeep back sometime this month

. They had my Jeep all day today, but theres only one trans guy and they're backed up of course. Why do they want you to bring it in, then don't even look at it for a few days?

Yet another reason I'm pissed at Chrysler at the moment. My trans is crap @ 55k, even tho its been well cared for, and the good dealership is closed but the 'we-screw-you-over' dealership is now the only place to take a Jeep for warranty work.

Isn't Toyota going to make an FJ Cruiser convertible Wrangler copy soon? Maybe with a TRD supercharger package so I could actually climb I-70 at a reasonable speed?

That's not good news about the tranny goin to **** at 55k. Im at about 40k in and just hopin mine doesnt toast itself at that range..

That's how things work out these days. Good dealerships close but the ****ty ones stay open. It happened around here too.

Good luck with the tranny work. I will be followin the thread to see whats goin on.

**Unlimited04** · 07-10-2009, 12:49 PM

The saga continues.....

So that piece of a snap ring was only a small piece of what was broken. The rest of that snap ring was floating around inside the trans someplace, they couldn't even find all of it. The clutches attached to that snap ring were toast. Needs a new torque converter and a new pump, and obviously new clutches and whatever else lives in a transmission. Looks like they'll be rebuilding my trans as its under the 70% rule.

To be fair, the dealership has been good. Looks like I'll be installing the trans cooler I've got sitting in my living room for an extra measure of durability once I get the Jeep back. This puzzles me because I've never neutral dropped, never power surged it in anyway, never overheated, never abused and I have always changed the fluid regularly. Heck, I never felt the clutches slip and it was shifting perfect (for a 42RLE) when I took it in. Thank goodness I bought the 7/70 powertrain warranty...it has at least paid for itself. Maybe its just bad Chrysler engineering/assembly/manufacturing?

**rubidriver** · 07-10-2009, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unlimited04

The saga continues.....

So that piece of a snap ring was only a small piece of what was broken. The rest of that snap ring was floating around inside the trans someplace, they couldn't even find all of it. The clutches attached to that snap ring were toast. Needs a new torque converter and a new pump, and obviously new clutches and whatever else lives in a transmission. Looks like they'll be rebuilding my trans as its under the 70% rule.

To be fair, the dealership has been good. Looks like I'll be installing the trans cooler I've got sitting in my living room for an extra measure of durability once I get the Jeep back. This puzzles me because I've never neutral dropped, never power surged it in anyway, never overheated, never abused and I have always changed the fluid regularly. Heck, I never felt the clutches slip and it was shifting perfect (for a 42RLE) when I took it in. Thank goodness I bought the 7/70 powertrain warranty...it has at least paid for itself. Maybe its just bad Chrysler engineering/assembly/manufacturing?

Im betting it has nothing to do with you, you have babied it and treated it like it should be. Its just a bad one. It really sucks that the dealership couldnt push some buttons and get it to be 71% lol. I hope it turns out well for you.

**Unlimited04** · 07-10-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubidriver

Im betting it has nothing to do with you, you have babied it and treated it like it should be. Its just a bad one. It really sucks that the dealership couldnt push some buttons and get it to be 71% lol. I hope it turns out well for you.

thanks, I was definitely hoping for the 71%!! But nope. I'm not sure which would be better....rebuilt @ the dealership, or reman'ed by Chrysler - the same factory that may have installed one of the snap rings backwards.

Since they'll be basically rebuilding my tranny, I was thinking of having them install the TransGo shift kit while everything is apart. I don't want to void my warranty tho, so I'm not sure how all that will pan out.

So I've been bored...and decided to make some stuff for my Jeep for use when its back on the road.

Another roll bar clamp, aluminum this time, will hold my 75WXST CB:

Not done yet. ID is done, thickness is done - just need to face the OD, drill and tap it, then cut it in half.
The last clamp was mild steel and for a GPS Mount.
Both were machined with Coconut Oil as the cutting oil

And a new third brake light with 2 CB antenna mounts -

Need to touch up a bit with a flap disc, then prime/paint and its done

Welds:

LJameson · 07-11-2009, 02:16 AM

I'm gonna second it being one of the assembly line workers having a bad day, I'm still surprised it went kaput on you so early. Are they still going to reset it to the virgin state with the StarScan for you?

Nice job on the addition to your tire carrier and CB mount. Must be nice to have access to all of this fun fabrication stuff.

**Unlimited04** · 07-17-2009, 07:29 PM

stealership still doesnt have all the parts to rebuild the trans....

but i finished a roll bar clamp for my CB:

was going to paint it, but haven't decided - the sandblasted finish does look nice.

Finished:

**mudb8** · 07-17-2009, 09:14 PM

holy crap.... all that for a CB mic!

this is what I use, they don't fall out and never hit the floor..... one can be found in every truck stop on the planet..

http://gearkeeper.com/communication/cbmickeeper.html

nice job BTW!

Mini-Me26 · 07-18-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudb8

holy crap.... all that for a CB mic!

this is what I use, they don't fall out and never hit the floor..... one can be found in every truck stop on the planet..

http://gearkeeper.com/communication/cbmickeeper.html

nice job BTW!

But how many people are going to have the clamp he made?

I wish I had the machinery needed to fab up parts like that.

Great LJ so far.

Makes me want one over a TJ a little. Just a little.

**Unlimited04** · 07-18-2009, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mini-Me26

But how many people are going to have the clamp he made?

I wish I had the machinery needed to fab up parts like that.

Great LJ so far.

Makes me want one over a TJ a little. Just a little.

Thanks guys. Some people golf or BBQ, I like to make stuff. Getting better at MIG welding, next I wanted to learn stick. But then I found how fun a lathe & mill are. Luckily one of the perks to being a grad student here is I get access to a machine shop and get to learn from people that really know how to run lathes, mills & can fab anything. I try to spend a fair amount of time in the fab shop - its good experience. I've made a bunch of wicked cool stuff for my research too...just can't post pics...top secret

mudb8, thats a neat CB mic thing, but i'd still need a roll bar clamp to hang it from

**Unlimited04** · 07-26-2009, 11:46 AM

tranny is still f'ed. they can't seem to get it together right and it was spewing fluid everywhere with their last attempt. they took it all apart AGAIN to find the blown seal and hopefully will have it back to me tomorrow, assuming the re-assembly goes ok.

After all the latest rocker discussion threads, I finally made a rocker decision - get some Rokmen sliders with internal braces. Shameless plug - Selling my stock Ravine wheels and a set of Garvin frame mounted rockers if anyone is interested.
I found a cheap set of slightly used Rokmen rockers with everything - mounting hardware, internal reinforcements with rocker gaskets - got it all for less than half the cost of new. I'll need to sand them down a bit - there is some rust and the previous owners paint job wasn't very good. I'm getting some powder coat estimates - what should a reasonable cost of powder coating be? The one estimate I've got back so far is almost twice what I paid for the rockers!