Rob

Greetings all.....I have a 97 Wrangler Sahara with the 4.0 L motor and 3
speed automatic. When the Jeep is warmed up, there seems to be a lot of
hunting around the 40 mph mark with the transmission. What I mean is that
it seems like the transmission can't find the gear it's comfortable with and
will shift up and down. I count the upshifts and I don't think that it's
actually a gear change, just the torque converter kicking in and out, but
I'm by no means an auto tranny expert (and why I'm posting this). The Jeep
has 48000 miles on it and I changed the fluid in the tranny about 3000 miles
ago with a new filter. The fluid was the specified DC stuff. I guess the
question is should I be concerned that my AT is on the way out, is this
normal behavior, or is it somewhere in between? Could the bands need
adjusting (and if not, what would a band adjustment be required for)? Any
and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated (aside from those made
purely out of meanness that have no humorous value).
Thanks..................

Mark Burns

Rob,
I also have a 97 TJ with the 3 speed automatic.
I don't have the symptoms you describe but I did pull my transmission last
week due to leaks. I changed the front and rear seals.

I think you are on the right track thinking it's the converter locking and
unlocking. It's my understanding this is controlled by the computer.
I can feel mine lock. It feels like half a gear.

What I would do is unplug the wire on the transmission that powers the
lock-up solenoid and see if your problem stops. That would mean the problem
is most likely outside the transmission.

The electrical plug is small. 3/4" in diameter at most and is located on the
rear left side, just above the oil pan. It has a metal wire clip that must
be pulled out with a small screwdriver before it will unplug.
You may have to drop your skid plate to get to it.

Keep us informed as you learn more about this issue.

Thanks,
Mark Burns



"Rob" <skyshark@pleasereplyhere.com> wrote in message
news:DHWEb.142755$Vu5.9014836@twister.southeast.rr .com...
> Greetings all.....I have a 97 Wrangler Sahara with the 4.0 L motor and 3
> speed automatic. When the Jeep is warmed up, there seems to be a lot of
> hunting around the 40 mph mark with the transmission. What I mean is that
> it seems like the transmission can't find the gear it's comfortable with
and
> will shift up and down. I count the upshifts and I don't think that it's
> actually a gear change, just the torque converter kicking in and out, but
> I'm by no means an auto tranny expert (and why I'm posting this). The
Jeep
> has 48000 miles on it and I changed the fluid in the tranny about 3000
miles
> ago with a new filter. The fluid was the specified DC stuff. I guess the
> question is should I be concerned that my AT is on the way out, is this
> normal behavior, or is it somewhere in between? Could the bands need
> adjusting (and if not, what would a band adjustment be required for)? Any
> and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated (aside from those made
> purely out of meanness that have no humorous value).
> Thanks..................
>
>

Mark Burns

Rob,
I also have a 97 TJ with the 3 speed automatic.
I don't have the symptoms you describe but I did pull my transmission last
week due to leaks. I changed the front and rear seals.

I think you are on the right track thinking it's the converter locking and
unlocking. It's my understanding this is controlled by the computer.
I can feel mine lock. It feels like half a gear.

What I would do is unplug the wire on the transmission that powers the
lock-up solenoid and see if your problem stops. That would mean the problem
is most likely outside the transmission.

The electrical plug is small. 3/4" in diameter at most and is located on the
rear left side, just above the oil pan. It has a metal wire clip that must
be pulled out with a small screwdriver before it will unplug.
You may have to drop your skid plate to get to it.

Keep us informed as you learn more about this issue.

Thanks,
Mark Burns



"Rob" <skyshark@pleasereplyhere.com> wrote in message
news:DHWEb.142755$Vu5.9014836@twister.southeast.rr .com...
> Greetings all.....I have a 97 Wrangler Sahara with the 4.0 L motor and 3
> speed automatic. When the Jeep is warmed up, there seems to be a lot of
> hunting around the 40 mph mark with the transmission. What I mean is that
> it seems like the transmission can't find the gear it's comfortable with
and
> will shift up and down. I count the upshifts and I don't think that it's
> actually a gear change, just the torque converter kicking in and out, but
> I'm by no means an auto tranny expert (and why I'm posting this). The
Jeep
> has 48000 miles on it and I changed the fluid in the tranny about 3000
miles
> ago with a new filter. The fluid was the specified DC stuff. I guess the
> question is should I be concerned that my AT is on the way out, is this
> normal behavior, or is it somewhere in between? Could the bands need
> adjusting (and if not, what would a band adjustment be required for)? Any
> and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated (aside from those made
> purely out of meanness that have no humorous value).
> Thanks..................
>
>

Mark Burns

Rob,
I also have a 97 TJ with the 3 speed automatic.
I don't have the symptoms you describe but I did pull my transmission last
week due to leaks. I changed the front and rear seals.

I think you are on the right track thinking it's the converter locking and
unlocking. It's my understanding this is controlled by the computer.
I can feel mine lock. It feels like half a gear.

What I would do is unplug the wire on the transmission that powers the
lock-up solenoid and see if your problem stops. That would mean the problem
is most likely outside the transmission.

The electrical plug is small. 3/4" in diameter at most and is located on the
rear left side, just above the oil pan. It has a metal wire clip that must
be pulled out with a small screwdriver before it will unplug.
You may have to drop your skid plate to get to it.

Keep us informed as you learn more about this issue.

Thanks,
Mark Burns



"Rob" <skyshark@pleasereplyhere.com> wrote in message
news:DHWEb.142755$Vu5.9014836@twister.southeast.rr .com...
> Greetings all.....I have a 97 Wrangler Sahara with the 4.0 L motor and 3
> speed automatic. When the Jeep is warmed up, there seems to be a lot of
> hunting around the 40 mph mark with the transmission. What I mean is that
> it seems like the transmission can't find the gear it's comfortable with
and
> will shift up and down. I count the upshifts and I don't think that it's
> actually a gear change, just the torque converter kicking in and out, but
> I'm by no means an auto tranny expert (and why I'm posting this). The
Jeep
> has 48000 miles on it and I changed the fluid in the tranny about 3000
miles
> ago with a new filter. The fluid was the specified DC stuff. I guess the
> question is should I be concerned that my AT is on the way out, is this
> normal behavior, or is it somewhere in between? Could the bands need
> adjusting (and if not, what would a band adjustment be required for)? Any
> and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated (aside from those made
> purely out of meanness that have no humorous value).
> Thanks..................
>
>