Engine cuts off when in reverse

CazzyCazzy

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Dec 2, 2023
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New York
How’s it going guys, so I got a 98 sport 4.0L automatic. Whenever I switch to reverse Im backing out and everything just starts shaking badly, once I put it in drive it shakes a bit more and eventually cuts off and when I try turning it back on it doesn’t start up right away. Something I should add is that this happens only in cold weather and after I haven’t driven it for a few hours, so usually when I start it up for the first time in the morning even after letting it warm up for a pretty long time. If y’all can help me out I’d really appreciate it
 
Does it happen if you let it idle in N for a minute or so before you actually try to put it into D or R?
 
My lawn mower does that too...but that particular model has a spot on the ignition switch to kill the engine in reverse.

How's your transmission fluid level and how does it smell?

-Mac
 
Does it happen if you let it idle in N for a minute or so before you actually try to put it into D or R?

I never thought about doing that, I would just let everything warm up in park then switch over to R and D
 
My lawn mower does that too...but that particular model has a spot on the ignition switch to kill the engine in reverse.

How's your transmission fluid level and how does it smell?

-Mac

That’s the thing,I figured it had to do with fluid and so I went to my guy to change it and he said if he were to try that it could cause a bunch of other problems. Trying to see if the problem could be something else before thinking of getting a new transmission
 
Lots of posts on whether a fluid change caused more issues.

I assume your guy checked the level and looked at the color, smell of the fluid?

I'd hate for you to swap a transmission cause your a quart low on fluid.

Me personally I'd drop the pan (after checking fluid level with the engine running and transmission in neutral) and check out the filter.

Post pictures!

-Mac
 
Lots of posts on whether a fluid change caused more issues.

I assume your guy checked the level and looked at the color, smell of the fluid?

I'd hate for you to swap a transmission cause your a quart low on fluid.

Me personally I'd drop the pan (after checking fluid level with the engine running and transmission in neutral) and check out the filter.

Post pictures!

-Mac

100% gonna try making a transmission swap the last resort, will definitely check the filter when I got time. Appreciate the advice brother!
 
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I never thought about doing that, I would just let everything warm up in park then switch over to R and D

The pump doesn't pump when you're in Park, so you could let it idle for 16 hours and your transmission fluid would still be cold and not circulating. I'm wondering if you have a drainback issue where the fluid is draining out of the torque converter while you're parked. By going directly from P to R/D you're possibly trying to drive w/o enough fluid in the torque converter to the jeep shudders & dies. Let it idle in N for a minute and report back.

It doesn't account for all of your symptoms I don't think, but it's an easy test so see what's going on.
 
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The pump doesn't pump when you're in Park, so you could let it idle for 16 hours and your transmission fluid would still be cold and not circulating. I'm wondering if you have a drainback issue where the fluid is draining out of the torque converter while you're parked. By going directly from P to R/D you're possibly trying to drive w/o enough fluid in the torque converter to the jeep shudders & dies. Let it idle in N for a minute and report back.

It doesn't account for all of your symptoms I don't think, but it's an easy test so see what's going on.

So I let it idle in N this morning and no shaking, so looks like a temporary solution until I have enough to start replacing parts. Appreciate the help!
 
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There's a check valve that is supposed to keep fluid in the torque converter so it's "primed" whenever you start it up. I've heard that it's in the cooler lines but I've never actually seen it before. Replacing the lines is probably the easiest way, but you could probably just plumb a check valve in to the existing lines. But I don't think it's a big deal provided you can live with a little idle in N every time it has sat for more than t hours, where t is the time it takes to make the problem come back.