Should I reman my AW4 transmission?

[bradleyheathhays]

Two questions...

One... 96 XJ here and my Aisin Warner AW4 4 speed auto transmission just failed due to a leaking trans oil cooler line, and I'm having to replace it with a used one via my trusty mechanic. It's failure has been verified and there's no chance to save it.

My question is...having never rebuilt a transmission before but with plenty of mechanical skills, should I keep my old transmission and get the parts to rebuild it? Is it too complicated to figure out? Looks like there's a few youtube videos on it. I'm guessing it'd be too far above my skill level. I'd be rebuilding it to sell to try to recoup some of this transmission swap cost ($2200).

And two...the transmission my mechanic found is supposed to only have 119k miles on it, but who knows if that's accurate. Before it gets installed, are there any parts on this used transmission I should ask my mechanic to replace? I'm not looking for a full reman on anything, but if there's an easy part to get to that's prone to failure (in the case of overheating or if I have another fluid leak), I might as well replace it before it gets put in.

Thanks ahead.

 

[mark sr]

While trying to rebuild the tranny yourself could be a neat learning experience, most [including me] would be leery of buying a transmission rebuilt by a novice.

Have you checked on rebuilt tranny prices? They typically have a warranty. Sometimes used will come with a 30 day warranty.

 

[superj]

since the old trans is already yours, you might as well tear it down and check it out to see if you can get it going again.

2200 to swap a transmission is really expensive sounding. swapping transmissions is way easier than rebuilding on so i would think you could save money by doing the swap yourself

 

[PumpedDump21]

Hi everyone, new member here! I've been following this thread, and it's really helpful. I’m curious—if I decide to keep my old transmission for a potential rebuild, are there specific tools or resources you'd recommend for a beginner attempting this for the first time? Alternatively, what are the common signs to watch for on a used AW4 transmission that might indicate it's prone to failure? Thanks in advance for any advice!"

 

[superj]

welcome!!

no idea from me on the tools as i have never torn down an aw4 and actually broke into auto transmissions once or twice, as a last resort.

i htink to be able to tell thats a trans has issues, you would have to have it in the truck to test out