Transmission and desert heat

[RABustaman]

Hello all, Merry Christmas. I have a 2005 Liberty Limited Trail ready 3.7. 170K miles.
2 transmissions replaced; Rear end or Trans still engages hard sometimes. Not quite a slam but a thud; 4WD Switch malfunction shows up on scanner. Not sure if that has anything to do with the stud. It does stay in 4WD sometimes even though I've shifted out of it. Thinking about installing an auxiliary Trans cooler. Maybe the desert heat.

 

[RABustaman]

Hello all, I have a 2005 Liberty Limited Trail ready 3.7. 170K miles.
2 transmissions replaced; Rear end or Trans still engages hard sometimes. Not quite a slam but a thud; 4WD Switch malfunction shows up on scanner. Not sure if that has anything to do with the thud. It does stay in 4WD sometimes even though I've shifted out of it. Thinking about installing an auxiliary Trans cooler. Maybe the desert heat.

...Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

 

[Johnny O]

Th

Hello all, Merry Christmas. I have a 2005 Liberty Limited Trail ready 3.7. 170K miles.
2 transmissions replaced; Rear end or Trans still engages hard sometimes. Not quite a slam but a thud; 4WD Switch malfunction shows up on scanner. Not sure if that has anything to do with the stud. It does stay in 4WD sometimes even though I've shifted out of it. Thinking about installing an auxiliary Trans cooler. Maybe the desert heat.

That transmission thud is a trademark of KJs. Read around here and you’ll find a few different ways to deal with it.

It ain’t the desert heat. I experienced the thud just as often in the cold as I did in the Great Basin back in July

Fully loaded down, only once did the trans temp light come on, and that was after climbing 3k feet in four miles up some switchbacks.

 

[RABustaman]

Th

That transmission thud is a trademark of KJs. Read around here and you’ll find a few different ways to deal with it.

It ain’t the desert heat. I experienced the thud just as often in the cold as I did in the Great Basin back in July

Fully loaded down, only once did the trans temp light come on, and that was after climbing 3k feet in four miles up some switchbacks.

Thanks! I figured the thud was a KJ thing. I'll check out the posts. But for the desert heat I was referring to the transmission failure twice and maybe the need for an auxiliary cooler. It seems every time I try and climb in the summer, and 3000 ft is common for me in summer, at some point I get a trans over heating warning.

 

[Ksat]

Maybe a bad u-joint on the rear driveshaft.

 

[tommudd]

Thanks! I figured the thud was a KJ thing. I'll check out the posts. But for the desert heat I was referring to the transmission failure twice and maybe the need for an auxiliary cooler. It seems every time I try and climb in the summer, and 3000 ft is common for me in summer, at some point I get a trans over heating warning.

What gear do you use when climbing, also OD off or on, several things you can do to keep it cooler
As far as a thud or whatever I have an 03 ,04 and 05 and never had a thud in any of them at anytime, slight shudder in the 03 and 04 but but some shudder fix and too care of it on both
Personally I don;t think it is a KJ thing since I have literally driven 100s of KJs
the only time there was a thud when something was worn out either the tri-link, u-joint or transmission/ transfer case mount

 

[LibertyTC]

I use to get Trans Temp lights until I installed a machined aluminum PML pan for the automatic R2RLE transmission. This pan keep things much cooler.
Having the Heavy duty cooling in desert heat is great to have, viscous fan clutch based with electric fan.
PML pan also has drain plug and can install temp sensor into pan.
Transfer case position switch may be faulty and need replacement, and have transmission scanned for all codes would be good to know.
They can also electronically scan for Clutch volume index to see how worn the clutches actually are.
Anytime you get a Trans Temp light you have already overheated the ATF+4 fluid and it should be drained & refilled with fresh fluid & new filter ASAP.
Adding any additional cooler may be of benefit & some could also have an electric fan attached to them.
Rear diff clunk ? Is yours a Trac-Lok with clutch based locker that does require 4 oz bottle of Mopar friction modifier?
Get build sheet here by typing in your VIN number: https://fcacommunity.force.com/RAM/s/equipment-listing

 

[RABustaman]

What gear do you use when climbing, also OD off or on, several things you can do to keep it cooler
As far as a thud or whatever I have an 03 ,04 and 05 and never had a thud in any of them at anytime, slight shudder in the 03 and 04 but but some shudder fix and too care of it on both
Personally I don;t think it is a KJ thing since I have literally driven 100s of KJs
the only time there was a thud when something was worn out either the tri-link, u-joint or transmission/ transfer case mount

Hmm? I didn't consider the mounts. Duh on me. I'll check them. Thanks!

 

[RABustaman]

What gear do you use when climbing, also OD off or on, several things you can do to keep it cooler
As far as a thud or whatever I have an 03 ,04 and 05 and never had a thud in any of them at anytime, slight shudder in the 03 and 04 but but some shudder fix and too care of it on both
Personally I don;t think it is a KJ thing since I have literally driven 100s of KJs
the only time there was a thud when something was worn out either the tri-link, u-joint or transmission/ transfer case mount

What gear should I climb in? Low, right? And the OD off?

 

[RABustaman]

I use to get Trans Temp lights until I installed a machined aluminum PML pan for the automatic R2RLE transmission. This pan keep things much cooler.
Having the Heavy duty cooling in desert heat is great to have, viscous fan clutch based with electric fan.
PML pan also has drain plug and can install temp sensor into pan.
Transfer case position switch may be faulty and need replacement, and have transmission scanned for all codes would be good to know.
They can also electronically scan for Clutch volume index to see how worn the clutches actually are.
Anytime you get a Trans Temp light you have already overheated the ATF+4 fluid and it should be drained & refilled with fresh fluid & new filter ASAP.
Adding any additional cooler may be of benefit & some could also have an electric fan attached to them.
Rear diff clunk ? Is yours a Trac-Lok with clutch based locker that does require 4 oz bottle of Mopar friction modifier?
Get build sheet here by typing in your VIN number: https://fcacommunity.force.com/RAM/s/equipment-listing

Wow! All great info! Thank you!

 

[tommudd]

If it stays in 4x4 at times that is not a transmission issue
If using low gear in transmission are you using low range or ?
OD off , yes
what speed are you going is this highway speed 45-60 or 15-20 ?

 

[RABustaman]

I use part time at the highway speeds. Full time for 15 -20. Transmission is in drive, and I don't disengage the overdrive now that you mention it. So I should disengage the overdrive, right? Just wondering what you're getting at? What should I not be doing that could cause the 4wd to stay on if I do it even though I have shifted out of the 4wd?
Thanks!

 

[WheelNut]

Keep in mind here that your 4x4 modes and control are separate from the transmission. All 4x4 matters are controlled by your transfer case, so if there is an issue with shifting from one 4x4 mode to another that generally won't be effected by the transmission.
Also, and sorry to be pedantic here, but just so we are clear on what you are talking about here and so we can speak about the transfer case modes correctly; part time 4x4 is the drive mode where the front and rear axles are locked together and there is no differential between the front and rear axles; full time 4x4 is where there is a differential between the front and rear axles, which is the mode that is usable on dry asphalt; and 4x4 Low range is the same a part time 4x4, but with a 2.72:1 reduction gear engaged.
If you are having shift troubles I would recommend first checking out the linkage on the transfer case. It is really easy to get a look at under the vehicle. You can see it without jacking the vehicle up. I had a broken bushing on the end of the cable at the T-case my old KJ which was causing shifting issues. If you are getting an error on the 4WD shift sensor, then maybe the sensor just needs replacing.
Does your KJ have the towing package? They included a transmission cooler as well as a clutch fan and shroud to improve cooling. If you don't have these you could stand to gain quite a bit by adding these parts.