45RFE shift problem

[derekj]

I got a bit of a funny one here - 2002 Liberty with the 42RLE trans - shifts fine when driving around normally - what it is doing is lets say you are coasting down a hill and turn the o/d off for some engine braking - works great down the hill. Get to the bottom of the hill and get back on the gas it will immediately shift right up into top gear with the o/d still off. Second thing it does is when driving up hills on the highway and you turn the o/d off to shift down and hold 3rd it will only work correctly if I am going over 90km/h. Under that it just stays in o/d until you push the pedal almost all the way down to the floor then it shifts down into 2nd. fluid is about 1 year old and has an addition cooler up front. No engine codes or trans codes.

 

[LibertyTC]

2002 with 42RLE? How many bolts are on your transmission pan? 42RLE = 13 Bolts 45RFE = 15 Bolts
Hot after driving while running, is your ATF+4 dipstick fluid at the full line?

 

[derekj]

2002 with 42RLE? How many bolts are on your transmission pan? 42RLE = 13 Bolts 45RFE = 15 Bolts
Hot after driving while running, is your ATF+4 dipstick fluid at the full line?

Sorry - typo - it's a 45. Doesn't get hot and fluid is always topped up.

 

[LibertyTC]

Good- 45RFE.. Note I changed the title from 42RLE to 45RFE now.
How many miles on your KJ? Did you service the filters when new fluid was done?
I did find this thread: https://www.jeepkj.com/threads/weird-overdrive-behaviour.50737/
Are there any 45RFE owners that have insight, or any input they could add to this thread, regarding this issue?

 

[ltd02]

Your first complaint sounds pretty much like the OD issues I had with the 45RFE in my departed 02. I got it with about 80k on it and found out fast the OD weirdness. Early on I would occasionally turn off the OD on some rural 35-40MPH roads and it would do that crazy up shift and the engine would lug until you really floored it. With the OD on all was good so I just stopped shutting it off. I would occasionally try it and It did this all the while (over 9 years and about 100k) that I had it. I have to admit that my 42RLE doesn't behave like I'd expect as far as the upshift with the OD off. It's nowhere near as bad as the 45RFE was though.

Don't think I remember an issue like your second complaint but I probably never bothered trying to get it to downshift after shutting the OD off in that type situation. Probably shut it off and when it did nothing I just turned it back on.

Never really expected much from a Chrysler transmission so always considered myself lucky that I never blew mine up, Wish I could put the ****** I have in my 98 Ranger in the KJ. That ****** seems relatively indestructible and I've "tried"...

 

[jeeptorino68]

Same issues here with my 45rfe. I have changed fluid and filters, upgraded the valve body pressure plate to hd aftermarket unit from Transgo. Sonnax line pressure booster...nothing. Finally added an external cooler and it seems better so far since last summer

 

[derekj]

Good- 45RFE.. Note I changed the title from 42RLE to 45RFE now.
How many miles on your KJ? Did you service the filters when new fluid was done?
I did find this thread: https://www.jeepkj.com/threads/weird-overdrive-behaviour.50737/
Are there any 45RFE owners that have insight, or any input they could add to this thread, regarding this issue?

Thanks - new filters when trans was flushed last - truck just turned over 230,000km's last night.