2001 TJ manual won’t shift into gear with engine on or off

[MikekiM]

I'll get with my X15 and show him this video and let you know what he says.

@MikekiM is this anything like the sound yours makes? From the description it seems like both of these transmissions are doing it under similar circumstances.

I could just make out an anomaly around 0:35 in that vid.
I posted a vid of mine here

There was no maybe... in the cab you could hear mine much clearer than in my video. So loud it would tickle my inner ear.
I was also having a sporadic issue with engaging first gear. When it happened there was nothing that could be done to get in gear. Clear into second and then try first.. still no bueno. Start in second.

Now, you may detect that I am using past tense.
I did a third flush of the trans fluid and used the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing GL4. I had used Royal Purple for the break-in and then again for the second flush at about 1000 miles. Suffered with the buzzing and first gear issue for a while and now with this last fluid change both issues are resolved. With about 300 highway miles on it and tons of around town the transmission is dead quiet. In fact, the Jeep has never been quieter!

Can't say it would make sense 100% of the time, but for a new AX15, avoid Royal Purple SynchroMax.

 

[NovakConversions]

I could just make out an anomaly around 0:35 in that vid.
I posted a vid of mine here

There was no maybe... in the cab you could hear mine much clearer than in my video. So loud it would tickle my inner ear.
I was also having a sporadic issue with engaging first gear. When it happened there was nothing that could be done to get in gear. Clear into second and then try first.. still no bueno. Start in second.

Now, you may detect that I am using past tense.
I did a third flush of the trans fluid and used the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing GL4. I had used Royal Purple for the break-in and then again for the second flush at about 1000 miles. Suffered with the buzzing and first gear issue for a while and now with this last fluid change both issues are resolved. With about 300 highway miles on it and tons of around town the transmission is dead quiet. In fact, the Jeep has never been quieter!

Can't say it would make sense 100% of the time, but for a new AX15, avoid Royal Purple SynchroMax.

Sounds like similar issues we've heard from using Redline right out of the gate on a new AX15. There must be something in the additive packages of high end oils that doesn't mesh well with the new trans. I'll be interested to see if you change back after sometime it the issues come back or not. Thanks for the info.

@BlackBeard1790 it may be worth a shot to do a flush with the same oil @MikekiM used to see if it helps anything.

 

[macleanflood]

I used Redline on my Novak AX-15 right off and zero issues.

Reminds me I should do a fluid change.

-Mac

 

[MikekiM]

Sounds like similar issues we've heard from using Redline right out of the gate on a new AX15. There must be something in the additive packages of high end oils that doesn't mesh well with the new trans. I'll be interested to see if you change back after sometime it the issues come back or not. Thanks for the info.

@BlackBeard1790 it may be worth a shot to do a flush with the same oil @MikekiM used to see if it helps anything.

I used Royal Purple and had issues.
I looked at my notes from the swap. When I spoke with sales at Novak I was told Royal Purple was fine. When I called back seeking help with the buzzing sound the Novak tech had a preference for Valvoline.

And then you have @macleanflood who has used Redline successfully

I don't see any pattern.

 

[macleanflood]

Mine was a couple of summers ago and I'm probably muddying the data set. My impression was when I purchased mine it was brand new in the box. My impression from reading posts is Novak is now assembling their own.

-Mac

 

[NovakConversions]

I used Redline on my Novak AX-15 right off and zero issues.

Reminds me I should do a fluid change.

-Mac

I used Royal Purple and had issues.
I looked at my notes from the swap. When I spoke with sales at Novak I was told Royal Purple was fine. When I called back seeking help with the buzzing sound the Novak tech had a preference for Valvoline.

And then you have @macleanflood who has used Redline successfully

I don't see any pattern.

There are always outliers but from our experience with the new AX15's we have sold, redline has seemed to cause more noise complaints than any other fluid. Conversely, we have heard the fewest, if any at all, complaints from those using Valvoline synchromesh. Like anything else, individual results may vary. It does seem that after some break in time we don't hear any complaints about noise regardless of the fluid used.

I really appreciate the information and reports back guys!

-Dustin

 

[NovakConversions]

Mine was a couple of summers ago and I'm probably muddying the data set. My impression was when I purchased mine it was brand new in the box. My impression from reading posts is Novak is now assembling their own.

-Mac

We sell new in box transmissions that have adapters and such installed as needed. We aren't buying bulk parts and completely assembling these or anything like that. Sometimes they can't go into the original AX15 box after adapters are installed so they get shipped in a different box or crate. That is for new units.

Our reman units are just that, we get a core, strip it completely down, clean everything, replace any necessary parts, and do a full master rebuild with new bearings, seals, gaskets, etc.

Hope that clears things up.

-Dustin