ALL KJ OWNERS, PLEASE READ!

[dunl]

Okay, we blew the 3rd and 4th gears in the Liberty a week ago last Saturday.  Driving not hard, and all of a sudden, BANG! Left with only 1st and 2nd.

Looked around that internet thingy, and the consensus is that the bolts for the accumulator plate on the side of the valve body should have had Locktite applied at the factory, but didn't.  The plate bolts back out, and at some point....BANG! Read on and check out my post from the home site.....THIS IS COMMON TO ALL 45RFE TRANSMISSIONS, DAKOTAS INCLUDED.

Okay, KJgirl's rig won't fit into the garage, so I'm doing the job on the driveway.  Not a clean job guys and gals...lots of cleanup. Got the kit last night, and still working on it.  Here's some pictures:

First exhibit.  Now please tell me....who in the #%$% builds a 14 inche wide tranny pan WITHOUT A DRAIN PLUG? You are supposed to remove the bolts from the front and sides, and then loosen the rear bolt....await tidal wave of tranny fluid when it cracks loose. Here's a pic of the pan.



Now, I might be wrong, but these don't look like they belong:



So the diagnosis was correct.  The accumulator plate bolts should have had Locktite applied at the factory.  They backed out, and two were sheared off. Accumulator plate pictures:



Top view, check out the bend:


New compared to old:




Gosh darn that HAD to hurt!


Best way to do this inside.  Put the valve body in a large garbage bag, and toss a towel on the bottom of the bathtub.  The bag keeps all the tranny fluid in the valve body from leaking out, and the towel protects the tub.

Plate needs removed....this is where I stopped, as I realized that the Trans-Go Kit does not included new screws for the plate, as it is an upgrade kit, not a repair kit.





I'll post more tomorrow, hopefully with results on how and if it works.

 

[dunl]

Okay, so it wasn't tomorrow, and that's cause I've been messing around with this unit....

I got her all buttoned back up. I decided to get the screws for the accumulator plate from Dodge, but I couldn't find them.  Luckily "cudakid" from Edmonton hunted down a parts number for me:

OK, the part number is 5174633aa and this should come with a new plate, accumulator pistons, seals and new bolts.

$21, plus Gouge and Screw Tax from the dealer.

Now, that may seem like a lot for 6 screws and an accumulator plate that is basically just a stock plate, doesn't look like an upgrade, but there's more than that.  The Transgo kit is just an upgrade kit, not a REPAIR kit.  And that one piston that bent the plate was all gouged and scarred. The dealer kit included a new accumulator piston, so I replaced it with that.

I clicked everything into place and went test driving....now here is my new issue.  I can't clear the codes, because there is still a problem. It works fine in the beginning while cold, but then it goes into limp mode after about 10 minutes of driving. And when it goes into limp mode, it goes in as soon as the vehicle is put into drive.  I will cycle the full ignition three times to clear the limp mode, and then when I put it into drive it limps again.

The transmission dipstick still shows somewhat low.  My concern is that I took out about 5-6 litres of tranny fluid, and I have replaced 1.5 times that.  I guess I'm going to add more until it reads correctly on the dipstick, but I don't want to blow anything and have a good excuse.....errr.....bad reason to tell KJGirl she needs a 5 speed.  :twisted:

[dunl]

Okay.....5 speed manual tranny idea was a no-go.... 

All fixed.  More fluid in (seriously....maybe a half a litre), and all is well in 45rfe-Land!

So if you blow your third and fourth gears with a KJ 45rfe tranny with a big bang - you now know how to fix it.