Already regret the JKU

[BoldlyGoing]

How far is it from Athens?

It’s in Madison, right off I-20.

We’ve gone ahead and let them do the work.

Not happy about it, but given the circumstances, we didn’t have much choice.

 

[Edward Turner]

It’s in Madison, right off I-20.

We’ve gone ahead and let them do the work.

Not happy about it, but given the circumstances, we didn’t have much choice.

I was thinking if it was closer to Athens you could ask the GATrailriders who they trust.

 

[pagrey]

Stick to the TJ. They are simple enough that they won’t leave you this frustrated.

Isn't the transmission that failed in this thread a 42RLE just like the one in your Jeep? We are talking about an 07-11 JKU right?

 

[Chris]

Isn't the transmission that failed in this thread a 42RLE just like the one in your Jeep? We are talking about an 07-11 JKU right?

I'm not sure if @BoldlyGoing has a 07-11 JKU, or if it's a 2012+. Based off his other thread, he bought an earlier model JKU with the 3.8 engine.

I've heard about the "hot oil" light on the dash a number of times with the JKUs. The earlier ones do indeed use a 42RLE transmission, but I'm not sure why they had all these transmission issues. I have a cooler on mine, which any Jeep owner with an automatic transmission should have no matter what (heat is the number one enemy of automatic transmissions).

I've owned a number of TJs with the 42RLE transmission and aside from the annoying overdrive gear, it's never given me any issues.

I also know it wouldn't cost $6500 to replace on my TJ. I've found remanufactured 42RLE transmissions for my TJ for less than $2000. My understanding though is that the 42RLE that the JK uses won't swap with the 42RLE that the TJ uses. There are enough differences between the two to make them incompatible.

 

[Cudabnu]

I would have rented a Uhaul and trailer and brought it home

 

[BoldlyGoing]

I'm not sure if @BoldlyGoing has a 07-11 JKU, or if it's a 2012+. Based off his other thread, he bought an earlier model JKU with the 3.8 engine.

I've heard about the "hot oil" light on the dash a number of times with the JKUs. The earlier ones do indeed use a 42RLE transmission, but I'm not sure why they had all these transmission issues. I have a cooler on mine, which any Jeep owner with an automatic transmission should have no matter what (heat is the number one enemy of automatic transmissions).

I've owned a number of TJs with the 42RLE transmission and aside from the annoying overdrive gear, it's never given me any issues.

I also know it wouldn't cost $6500 to replace on my TJ. I've found remanufactured 42RLE transmissions for my TJ for less than $2000. My understanding though is that the 42RLE that the JK uses won't swap with the 42RLE that the TJ uses. There are enough differences between the two to make them incompatible.

It is a 42RLE- ended up being about 4200 out the door. Not thrilled, but it could have been much worse.

I would have rented a Uhaul and trailer and brought it home

Working out of town so managing everything for my wife, otherwise I would have done that too.

 

[Chris]

It is a 42RLE- ended up being about 4200 out the door. Not thrilled, but it could have been much worse.

That's not terrible by any means, but not great. I think I found 42RLEs fully refurbished for my TJ for around $1500-$2000. Labor would probably be an additional $800 give or take.

Of course this is a TJ, so it's a lot different than a JK, which is obviously more complicated.

 

[BoldlyGoing]

That's not terrible by any means, but not great. I think I found 42RLEs fully refurbished for my TJ for around $1500-$2000. Labor would probably be an additional $800 give or take.

Of course this is a TJ, so it's a lot different than a JK, which is obviously more complicated.

Right. I don’t feel like I got ripped off.

I just can think of many things I’d rather spend 4K on!

Now, back to regularly scheduled LJ work. Savvy cable shifter going in this weekend!

 

[Chris]

Right. I don’t feel like I got ripped off.

I just can think of many things I’d rather spend 4K on!

Now, back to regularly scheduled LJ work. Savvy cable shifter going in this weekend!

Queue minivan engine blowing up next week... Kidding! I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Hopefully you're problem free from here on out.

 

[Squatch]

Sort of over a barrel on this one- the Jeep broke down half way between my house and my wife’s parents place. Nearly an hour and a half from either stop.

In a way, we’re lucky it happened where it did, because at least there’s a decent town there.

The downside is that I can either bite the bullet and pay the inflated dealership cost, or, pay to have it towed the 90+ miles home and get a local shop to do the work.

I’m actually working out of town at the moment, so my wife is in Atlanta, I’m in Charlotte, and the Jeep is in between Atlanta and Augusta GA. Good times!

I know it's a little "after the fact", but the Premium level AAA would have towed you for up to 200 miles. It's something like $120 a year for the membership, and well worth it, in every sense of the word. You could've gotten your rig home, and into a shop of your choice, instead of being at the mercy of a dealership. Just some food for thought...

 

[MaloStapalo]

Now, back to regularly scheduled LJ work. Savvy cable shifter going in this weekend!

Post updates on how that savvy cable works for you, I hear it's a pretty good upgrade especially if you are tucked.

 

[Chris]

Post updates on how that savvy cable works for you, I hear it's a pretty good upgrade especially if you are tucked.

It works great. I have one and my TJ is tucked.

I know it's a little "after the fact", but the Premium level AAA would have towed you for up to 200 miles. It's something like $120 a year for the membership, and well worth it, in every sense of the word. You could've gotten your rig home, and into a shop of your choice, instead of being at the mercy of a dealership. Just some food for thought...

I upgraded to that membership after Jerry told me about it a few weeks ago. Definitely worth it being able to have your vehicle towed 200 miles if necessary.

 

[BoldlyGoing]

Queue minivan engine blowing up next week... Kidding! I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Hopefully you're problem free from here on out.

Don’t you put that evil on me!

Maybe I can convince the wife to sell the kids- I mean, the benefits are no longer needing a 4 door and a bunch of money freed up for a TJ build!

 

[BoldlyGoing]

Post updates on how that savvy cable works for you, I hear it's a pretty good upgrade especially if you are tucked.

I’ve been slowly working toward the tuck.

Did a BL/MML earlier this year. The cable shifter will fix my inability to stay in Low range due to the selector being all discombobulated from the lift (I skipped the t-can bracket knowing the cable was on the way).

It was interesting wheeling last weekend without low range. Luckily the trail wasn’t as crazy as we were anticipating, so a little extra skinny pedal got me through in 4hi

 

[AndyG]

When I was young , a Chrysler product was the worst move you could make .

They are better now

And it took them a long time to screw the Jeep line up...they started that in 2007 ...

 

[AussieShane]

Fiat Chrysler - Satans preferred car maker - 1:00
Why I bought a TJ not a JK
Seriously though, that sucks, hope things work out.

 

[BoldlyGoing]

Fiat Chrysler - Satans preferred car maker - 1:00
Why I bought a TJ not a JK
Seriously though, that sucks, hope things work out.

I must be crazy... I have an LJ and a JKU.

I must hate having money

 

[TJ2]

To make me even more pissed, this is a VERY common issue.

It started when we got an message on the dash that says “Hot Oil”

Ok, No biggie, we pulled over and let it cool down. No other symptoms. Assuming “Oil” meant engine oil, I went ahead and did an engine oil / filter change. Come to find out that meant “Hot TRANSMISSION oil”. This was 2 weeks ago.

Who the hell thinks transmission when they see “oil”? I know it IS oil, but no one says “get me a few qts of transmission oil”.

Had I googled it, I would have learned, but we weren’t getting any symptoms of a failing transmission. Odds are had I changed the fluid and filter and added a tranny cooler we could have prevented this whole issue.

So, yesterday, my wife heads to her parents house about 2.5 hrs from here. Hot Oil light pops again, so she pulls over, checks the Engine oil again, sees it looks fine. And decides to have a cup of coffee and let it cool and makes an appointment with the Stealership near her parents house.

After about an hour, she goes back out and tries to leave and it won’t go in to gear. This is the FIRST sign of transmission trouble. She has it towed to the closest shop which happens to be a Jeep dealer. It’s late on a Saturday so they do a cursory once over and see that the transmission fluid is burnt badly.

They said that Usually this means a new tranny or at best a rebuild. They’ll know more on Monday.

I’d rather not have the dealer do it, but we’re a little bit stuck. Where she broke down is nearly 100 miles from our house (she’s actually lucky it happened where it did - had she gone further, she’d be in the middle of nowhere- thank god for small graces)

Here’s hoping they can flush it out and get it going again, but the forum posts I’m finding elsewhere aren’t encouraging.

/vent

Boy you are really "grumpy" what year is your JK?

 

[TJ2]

Right. I don’t feel like I got ripped off.

I just can think of many things I’d rather spend 4K on!

Now, back to regularly scheduled LJ work. Savvy cable shifter going in this weekend!

You need a cold beer to cool you down. It could be worse my man. Sometimes life is like that.

 

[Drizit]

That price is a bit painful, I was looking around for a friend with a jk once and found a company that sells built 42rle's for around the same money you just spent if memory serves. Sucks being over the barrel like that. Oh well, what's done is done I guess.

—
There must have been a time
when we could have said no.