I have a 97 ZJ that my tranny finally has gone out on me. Slips so bad you can't drive it. I am a pretty mechanically handy guy. Just swapped out the head gasket in the backyard last summer. I don't plan on doing this job as I don't have a garage and temps are too cold. I need help on what to look for in a new tranny as far as what is universal from different years and out of regular Cherokees and such. I have never really done any type of 4x4 work as far as xfer cases and such. I assume I just need the tranny and that's it. I'll probably be looking on craigslist and have a guy that rents a garage/shop from me do the work for me. I just want to make sure I get the right setup. Also what would be the ideal price range. I appreciate all the help. Thx. Mike.
97 ZJ Tranny swap HELP!!
mswain
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I have a 97 ZJ that my tranny finally has gone out on me. Slips so bad you can't drive it. I am a pretty mechanically handy guy. Just swapped out the head gasket in the backyard last summer. I don't plan on doing this job as I don't have a garage and temps are too cold. I need help on what to look for in a new tranny as far as what is universal from different years and out of regular Cherokees and such. I have never really done any type of 4x4 work as far as xfer cases and such. I assume I just need the tranny and that's it. I'll probably be looking on craigslist and have a guy that rents a garage/shop from me do the work for me. I just want to make sure I get the right setup. Also what would be the ideal price range. I appreciate all the help. Thx. Mike.
Which engine do you have. I think the 4.0 had the 44re transmissions and the 5.2 has the 46re trans. I belive these are both newer versions of the chrysler torque-flite trannies. the !st digit in thier model numbers means 4 speed. not sure bout the 2nd digit. R is for rear drive output. and E means its electronic. The trans computer is under your center console. Think any 96-98 will work long as engine the same. Not sure if they interchange. If they do. snag the computer with the tranny. Not sure if the progamings the same. Think the 46re is considered heavy duty.
I found one at a local junk yard that I have dealt with before. I actually got the motor that's in the Jeep from this place and they seem pretty reputable. I can get a tranny with around 101K miles for $249.95. My question is if I wanted to do the swap myself how hard is it? Like I said i'm very capable. Only thing is I don't have a garge and thats the biggest factor but I have plenty of tools.
Never had to change one myself. I have on other vehicles. I'd guess bout 7-8 on 1-10 scale. I don't think its complicated. just a knuckle buster, tiresome and time consuming. unhook battery, raise vehicle, support it, drain fluid, remove front and rear drive shafts, supprt trans, romove cross member, unhook all electrical and mech links to trans and transfer case, romove transfer case, ect, etc. It has to be a royal pain by ones self. I would at least get a buddy for morral support!! lol
93-95 ZJ V8 = 46RH
93+ ZJ I6 = 42RE
96-98 ZJ 5.2 = 44RE
98 5.9L V8 = 46RE
4 means 4 speed auto
2, 4, & 6 means the strength with the 46 being the strongest
E means electronic
H means hydraulic
FWIW, if its the I6 motor, they are easier to find than the V8 of any Jeep. the V8 trans from a Dodge will not work due to the starter being on the driver side.
hope i helped
as far as difficulty, the only thing is having someone there to bs with... i had mine in and out in a garage with the Jeep on jack stands, no heat in the middle of January in about 7 hours... of course i have the 46RH, the only wiring i had to deal with was the TCC Speed sensor, TCase sensors, and linkage... the exhuast wasnt in the way either..
TIP!!!!! THE DIPSTICK IS GOING TO SUCK no way of gettin around it, i was so mad at mine, i dont remember if i put it on the trans while i was liftin it up, or after i was done and had it all bolted up... but being that i warned ya, it should go ok....
Good Luck
93+ ZJ I6 = 42RE
96-98 ZJ 5.2 = 44RE
98 5.9L V8 = 46RE
4 means 4 speed auto
2, 4, & 6 means the strength with the 46 being the strongest
E means electronic
H means hydraulic
FWIW, if its the I6 motor, they are easier to find than the V8 of any Jeep. the V8 trans from a Dodge will not work due to the starter being on the driver side.
hope i helped
as far as difficulty, the only thing is having someone there to bs with... i had mine in and out in a garage with the Jeep on jack stands, no heat in the middle of January in about 7 hours... of course i have the 46RH, the only wiring i had to deal with was the TCC Speed sensor, TCase sensors, and linkage... the exhuast wasnt in the way either..
TIP!!!!! THE DIPSTICK IS GOING TO SUCK no way of gettin around it, i was so mad at mine, i dont remember if i put it on the trans while i was liftin it up, or after i was done and had it all bolted up... but being that i warned ya, it should go ok....
Good Luck
O.K. the Jeep was not fully out of comission yet and well my luck would have it my other car would not start this morning. Long story short the wife got in the Jeep and had to take the kids to school. She comes home and says that it actually wasn't bad and seemed better. I disregarded and had made plans to go buy a tranny. I then got in it later on and drove it down the road and it did seem alot better. It does have age on it and a small slip between 1st and 2nd but the major slipping that it was doing the other day isn't present. Me and my dad took it out highway and he got it up to speed and kicked it down and he said if the tranny was no good it wouldn't respond the way it was. Then I got to hearing how the TPS could affect the tranny and got me thinking. Because the wife took it in town again and it started acting up so if the tranny was at one state of failure how could it come back and forth from that state? Here is my latest hypothesis lol. My check gages light has been coming on due to a loose battery cable so I am thinking somehow the TPS isn't getting proper voltage at times and is acting up? Maybe i'm just wishful thinging at this point? I dont know but it has been a week where everything that can go wrong has gone wrong so I had to get some more thoughts on the matter. Thx. Mike.
Hello, the tranny pull isnt really that bad. Took mine out last winter, and had it rebuilt. The tranfer case has a bolt on the top that is put in from the front, I believe it is 10 mm. Once I got the the tranny in about 2 months later the chain started slipping in the transfercase, so I took only the tcase out and put the new planitary and chain in myself. That is when I discovered the single bolt from the front side.It took a hour and a half to get that bolt out. It is in a real hard place to get on and I think they use locktight on it.
Good luck to you, Id see if it will get you through winter. Then do the swap in the warmth of spring.
Good luck to you, Id see if it will get you through winter. Then do the swap in the warmth of spring.
I had 260k on my original 46RE in my 94 ZJ before I spun the front pump bushing. Me being down on bucks just put a used front pump it this week and put it in today. Shifts perfect still. I did look at the clutches and they all looked in great condition.
46RE in the ZJ was only avail with the 360 in 98
you mean the 46RH if its a 94.. they didnt switch to the REs until 96. only exception is the 42RE which was used behind all 4.0s in the ZJs
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