Lost Second Gear Again!!

[shbiv]

The shift clunks you hear are not the transmission but the drivetrain slack (driveshaft/diff) unloading and loading. If you shift smoother and use a little more clutch it will be totally silent.

In regards to swearing off FCA/Jeep, it's a toyota transmission so blame them. Every car manufacturer has issues, and most of them share parts/suppliers. I will note when I got my gladiator the shift quality was pretty crap - very notchy, sometimes didn't really want to engage gear, especially in cold weather, etc. Changed to a better fluid and it shifts like a sports car. If you're complaining about the synchros not feeling smooth, it's the fluid.

What fluid are you running?

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[DanW]

Nope, because you hear it even when the truck is off and stationary you move the lever between gears. I believe I'm on my 10th manual equipped vehicle (I've never had an automatic). This one shifts louder than most of the others. No big deal, but it's louder. I'm weird, but I kind of like it. It just feels visceral, in a good way. It's nice tactile feedback, but is louder than your average manual. Especially when compared to modern ones.

I highly recommend Redline C+ transmission fluid for your gear box. I'm running it now. Mine was smooth to begin with, but the C+ smoothed it out even more, at least in my mind.

If you don't want to pay a premium, then I like Valvoline ATF + 4. At any rate, I'd swap the factory fluid by 15k miles. It is cheap and easy. Even WalMart ATF+4 is good and $5 a quart, last I checked. Valvoline is only a buck or two more.

But I really think you should drive a JK for awhile. It shifts like a dump truck compared to the JT/JL. I've had 8 vehicles with manuals and this one ties with my Pontiac Solstice for smoothest action. It is also as smooth as my brother's Camaro ZL-1 1LE.

Maybe you should have the linkage checked and adjusted by a dealership with a good technician who knows manuals better than most. Otherwise, break in and fluid change should help.

 

[DanW]

By the way, ATF+4 formulations are all VERY close, even from brand to brand, as Stellantis owns the recipe. There are still some very slight variations but the only one that is what I would call significant is the Red Line. It'll meet all the specs of ATF+4 but will exceed some pretty dramatically as it will use a higher quality PAO-based base lubricant. Much of it is proprietary info, but I'd be confident that things like pour point and flash point would easily outperform the standard formula. But you pay for it. The stuff ain't cheap.

But I do know a little about Valvoline and their guru who runs their product development lab, so if I'm going with a "regular" ATF+4, then I tend to believe they may improve upon the standard formulation, even if just a little.

And I'm not saying any ATF+4 is bad. They are all at least a synthetic blend and the basic formula is very good. That's why I say even Walmart Supertech is good stuff. (It is likely made by Warren Distribution, which makes very good products, too.)

But the first thing I'd do is change that fluid. I'd at least put 10k on the factory fill, though. I think I changed mine the first time at 15k. I'll check my records and see. But I'm at 47k miles. I went to Valvoline on the 2nd round and then to Red Line C+.

It runs just under $20 a quart or $50 a gallon. Some advertise it at $40 a gallon but once you get shipping it gets to $50. Amazon has it for $50.

Here are the stats for Red Line:

Vis @ 100°C, CSt	7.5
Vis @ 40°C, CSt	32.3
Viscosity Index	213
Pour Point, °C	-60
Pour Point, °F	-76
Brookfield Vis @ -40°C, P	38

Valvoline's published comparable stats are as follows:

Vis @100 C 7.5
Vis @40 C 34
Viscosity Index 198
Pour Point C -48

They are VERY similar until you get to the pour point. That screams PAO full (real) synthetic base stock, not hydrocracked dino oil "synthetic" base stock or a blend. PAO shines in pour point and flash point. The flash point won't matter because manual transmissions don't get hot and would never approach it. But pour point does matter, moreso the colder the climate, and you can see in the viscosity at 40 C that the Red Line is thinner, which means it flows better. The lower the temp, the more dramatic the difference would be. At 100 degrees C, which is likely hotter than the normal operating temp, they are the same.

Keep in mind that the best I am doing here is an educated guess. But Red Line has a very good reputation and uses among the very best base stocks that can be found on the market. (Often made by Exxon Mobil.)

And again, I'm not knocking Valvoline in any way. I have great confidence in their products. But really any ATF+4 is good and a fresh, clean couple of quarts of any of them would likely smooth it out a little for you. It certainly would not hurt.

Btw, it blows my mind that the Red Line flows at 76 below zero (F). You'd have to live at one of the poles to test its limits! Lol!

 

[DanW]

More info on Red LIne C+ below. And no, I am not a Red Line rep or sales person and get no benefit of any kind other than just trying to help others. I paid full price for it, myself. Also, it isn't a magic potion. It may not give you any perceptible improvement in smoothness. But some have reported that it does. In mine, it was slight enough that it may just be in my own head. But even if only in my mind, that's an improvement for me, so I'll take it.

This is from their web site:

RED LINE C+ ATF satisfies the performance requirements of Chrysler MS7176, ATF+, ATF+2, ATF+3 and ATF+4 while providing 30% greater operating viscosity, 1/3 of the evaporation of petroleum ATFs, improved oxidation and sludge protection.

Red Line C+ ATF provides the exact frictional characteristics required in the MS7176 specification, providing proper shift feel and proper lockup torque converter operation. The use of an improper fluid could cause torque converter shudder or harsh shifting. Red Line C+ ATF also provides the best low-temperature shiftability in automatic transmissions allowing proper shifting at extremely low temperatures and will flow down to temperatures as low as -60°C. The improved wear protection makes C+ ATF the perfect automatic transmission or transaxle fluid for Chrysler vehicles.

Suitable Replacement for:

Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep ATF+4
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep ATF+3
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep ATF+2
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep ATF+
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep Type 7176
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep Type 7176E
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep Type 9602
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep 05013457AA
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep O5013458AA
Mitsubishi Diamond SP

 

[bsd103]

My recommendation would be the ravenol +4 variant or c+. I changed my fluid at less than 500 miles because the shift quality was so poor. Night and day difference after a couple hundred miles with a better fluid

 

[bsd103]

And if you don't know ravenol, check out Bob is the oil guy and see how it performs on big turbo high stress engines compared to the other "top" brands. I use their STF fluid on one of my other cars that used to shift fairly clunky and after it shifts like a damn porsche

 

[DanW]

My recommendation would be the ravenol +4 variant or c+. I changed my fluid at less than 500 miles because the shift quality was so poor. Night and day difference after a couple hundred miles with a better fluid

I didn't know about the Ravenol +4. I'm going to check that out!

Edit.... Here it is.... https://www.ravenol.de/en/product-r...tomatic-transmissions-1/ravenol-atf-4r-fluid/

Ravenol has an outstanding rep, so I'd bet it is great stuff. They also likely start with an exceptionally high quality base synthetic oil, too!

 

[Fortus]

Now they are telling me that its going to be 7 to 10 days before the dealership receives the replacement transmission. That means my Jeep will sit in their parking lot for a month. Does anyone know where this transmission is made?? I made a horrible mistake buying a Gladiator!!!!! I'm thinking of leaving Chrysler, Daimler Chrysler, Cerberus, FCA, Stellantis , for a good ole Ford F-150!! and I am an employee!!

If you are considering an F-150 (aka an automatic), why not go for an automatic JT.

 

[ARCH3R]

Im pretty sure the clunking sound is normal for a manual. The jts dont have quiet manuals, youll notice it more with the doors off too. I had another manual gladiator pull up to me at a red light and he knew mine was a manual because of the shifting sounds. But im curious to know what they said when you took it in?

The dealership said there was nothing abnormal. If they actually drove it or just said nah its fine, who knows. But I have it in writing that the transmission is all good. So I am ok with that.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The shift clunks you hear are not the transmission but the drivetrain slack (driveshaft/diff) unloading and loading. If you shift smoother and use a little more clutch it will be totally silent.

In regards to swearing off FCA/Jeep, it's a toyota transmission so blame them. Every car manufacturer has issues, and most of them share parts/suppliers. I will note when I got my gladiator the shift quality was pretty crap - very notchy, sometimes didn't really want to engage gear, especially in cold weather, etc. Changed to a better fluid and it shifts like a sports car. If you're complaining about the synchros not feeling smooth, it's the fluid.

That's what I found about my T5 - changed to Penzoil Synchromesh fluid and my T5 started acting like a new transmission.

 

[Willy’s 2020]

Ok, Got the Jeep back on 6/25/2021, The dealership definitely replaced the transmission. I can actually feel 2nd gear engage, before it felt like it was only semi engaged right from the beginning of the second trans. I do agree that there is something else wrong, but they will not troubleshoot it. I am really hoping that Jeep recognizes that my VIN# is on it's 3rd transmission, and wants to troubleshoot it. Anyhow, wish me luck, I will keep you all in the loop. Any questions let me know.

 

[rharr]

i read the new jeeps use cable linkages now instead of the shifter mounted directly to the gearbox, I wonder if it's just a issue of poorly adjusted shifter cables?

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