2004 Jeep TJ with NV3500 5 speed manual trans.. I changed my transmission fluid recently and found metallic whiskers attached to the magnetic drain plug. I know this is normal but is there any way to gauge if the amount is too much or about average?
Metallic whiskers in manual transmission fluid
- Thread starter chino1969
- Start date
IF it looks like a cats hair ball then that's too much.... Just joking...
This past January I purchased this '01 TJ 4.0L as a DD project and that while the gear lube was very dark there was very little in the way of metallic whiskers.
It all depends upon how long its been since the gear lube was last replaced and how much metallic material has accumulated in a what amount of mileage.
This past January I purchased this '01 TJ 4.0L as a DD project and that while the gear lube was very dark there was very little in the way of metallic whiskers.
It all depends upon how long its been since the gear lube was last replaced and how much metallic material has accumulated in a what amount of mileage.
If it us metal 'dust' and no chips or slivers then it is likley ok. But too much of any metal debris is a bad thing. How long since its last fluid change?
The last fluid change was 5,000 miles ago. The whiskers remind me of the magnetic whiskers that used to come with that game where you used a magnet to drag them onto the face of the cartoon character behind the plastic. Revealing my age I know. At some point in the future I will probably replace this trans..
Appreciate the reply. The fluid was replaced only 5,000 miles ago. There was a small amount of metallic whiskers. I have learned to shift with the peculiarities of this trans.. For example, when shifting from 1st to 2nd I pause for just a fraction of a second. Shifting too fast transmits a little bump to the shifter.
Pause for every shift helps. Don't use the drivetrain as a brake. Use the brakes. Downshifting is hell on a clutch too. And I know someone will claim 400,000 miles on original clutch, downshifting every time. And that's great. But it causes the pressure plate disc material to grab backwards a bit as it engages. And that prevents or at least slows the break-in of the material. Using the brakes to slow and stop uses up the pads. They are much cheaper, and vastly easier to replace. And made for the job.
—- Sermon is now over. —-
—- Sermon is now over. —-
Yes, normal for the whiskers. I replaced my NV3550 fluid after 20,000 miles and wiped away the shavings. You don't want metal chunks. I have the same issue with having to pause during the 1-2 shift when the transmission is cold. Normal for the NV3550.
Sorry but this is complete BS if you know how to properly drive a manual transmission vehicle. Aside from starting off from a dead stop (forward or reverse), unless you really have no idea what you're doing, there is almost no clutch slippage or wear when shifting gears up or down. I've been driving manual transmissions continually for 50 years and have only ever had to replace 1 clutch. That was on an '82 Honda Accord. And the friction disk was not really worn. It was a mechanical failure in the pressure plate.
I downshift A LOT. Not using your transmission to control your downhill speed is a good way to trash your brakes in short order if you negotiate any amount of steep terrain.
Ever smell something burning while following someone riding the brakes on a long, steep downhill? Too much of that and the brakes stop working: brake fade.
THANK YOU! The "American automatic transmission driving technique" is complete crap. It trashes brakes and is very unsafe. I was going down the east side of Tioga pass with a fifth wheel trailer. I had it geared down and was barely touching the brakes. Even though I'd pull over at every opportunity, the flatlander city slickers would blow past me all pissed off. WITHOUT EXCEPTION, I'd pass them again with their head under their truck or trailer - one guy barely got it stopped before going over the cliff.
I expect brakes to last 80 to 100 thousand miles, a clutch at least 200K.
Never heard that about downshifting . I have downshifted with every manual I have ever owned and never had to replace a clutch.
Not talking or even implying riding brakes down a steep decline. That is a job for the engine to help control speed. Engines are made to control vehicle speed. In fact, it's one of the reasons they are installed in many vehicles today.
I'm referring to slowing quickly from road speed to a stop (light, sign) when down shifting causes the engine to instantly high rev like the guys going in left hand circles do. It is hard on the clutch. Friction material, pressure plate springs. I think if you look in a dictionary you will not find hard braking in the description. That is why brakes are called brakes. They are made to brake the vehicle. Thus the name brake. And they are really good at their job too. Pads are cheap, easy to check, easy to remove. Great system all around.
Slamming down gears is hard on a clutch. Sitting on a uphill grade at a stop light using the clutch slip to keep you in place is hard on a clutch. You know what is really good at those jobs? The brakes.
Do some people (very few that I have known) know how to downshift properly? Of course. Can THEY do it without damage? Certainly. But we live in an age where people can't check their own tire pressure. Many drivers can't even open their hood without getting the manual out. Hell, here in NY they had to relocate the diesel pumps from the gas pumps to stop folks from filling up with diesel. How the hell they didn't figure it out when the diesel pump dosen't even fit in the fuel inlet is shocking. So I stand firmly behind my statement. If you are the exception, great. But you are a dying breed my friend. They even had to switch to a new charging port that can fit the cable either way because folks are too stupid to turn the cable end around.
Perhaps most of your closer friends know how to check a dipstick, but when I took a (factory) job in a large town/small city I spent half my lunch break checking coworkers cars out. For oil. For tire pressure. For steering. Guys and gals. A good 50% honestly did not know how to pop the hood. And for those people and soooo many like them the right pedal is 'go' and the middle pedal is 'slow'.
In a perfect world (or 40 yrs ago) people know how to drive. But not now my friend. Not now.
I'm referring to slowing quickly from road speed to a stop (light, sign) when down shifting causes the engine to instantly high rev like the guys going in left hand circles do. It is hard on the clutch. Friction material, pressure plate springs. I think if you look in a dictionary you will not find hard braking in the description. That is why brakes are called brakes. They are made to brake the vehicle. Thus the name brake. And they are really good at their job too. Pads are cheap, easy to check, easy to remove. Great system all around.
Slamming down gears is hard on a clutch. Sitting on a uphill grade at a stop light using the clutch slip to keep you in place is hard on a clutch. You know what is really good at those jobs? The brakes.
Do some people (very few that I have known) know how to downshift properly? Of course. Can THEY do it without damage? Certainly. But we live in an age where people can't check their own tire pressure. Many drivers can't even open their hood without getting the manual out. Hell, here in NY they had to relocate the diesel pumps from the gas pumps to stop folks from filling up with diesel. How the hell they didn't figure it out when the diesel pump dosen't even fit in the fuel inlet is shocking. So I stand firmly behind my statement. If you are the exception, great. But you are a dying breed my friend. They even had to switch to a new charging port that can fit the cable either way because folks are too stupid to turn the cable end around.
Perhaps most of your closer friends know how to check a dipstick, but when I took a (factory) job in a large town/small city I spent half my lunch break checking coworkers cars out. For oil. For tire pressure. For steering. Guys and gals. A good 50% honestly did not know how to pop the hood. And for those people and soooo many like them the right pedal is 'go' and the middle pedal is 'slow'.
In a perfect world (or 40 yrs ago) people know how to drive. But not now my friend. Not now.
Considering the number of idiots who engage in the "American automatic transmission driving technique", Goatman does have a point. I always downshift when slowing down (even with an automatic), but then, its not "quickly, race car revs speed" either - the Jeep seems to like 6-5-4, but usually not lower; I *NEVER* "slam down" (or up for that matter). Hell, most people can't even let off the accelerator to slow down - that's why one sees people using their brakes going uphill! They always have their foot on one pedal or the other. Never mind the ones whose brake lites are constantly blink, blink, blink, blinking on the freeway. I get around those as quickly as possible, I don't want to be on constant heightened alert. Their brake lites become meaningless and if they actually *do* have to brake "for real", somebody's gonna hit them!
But yea, the Goat dude is right, people do NOT know how to drive, and even if they do, they're too busy looking at their damn "device". Heck, I even saw a Subaru commercial just yesterday touting their latest computerized "safety" features - the car stopped itself because the "driver" was too busy looking at her smartphone. OTOH, I would hope - perhaps in vain - that anyone with a manual would actually know a little bit more about driving!
I had occasion to borrow a pickup truck from its millennial owner. The tire pressure monitor was lit, so I topped off his tires for him. I also crawled under it to check the spare - you guessed it! Virtually flat - aired it up too...
But yea, the Goat dude is right, people do NOT know how to drive, and even if they do, they're too busy looking at their damn "device". Heck, I even saw a Subaru commercial just yesterday touting their latest computerized "safety" features - the car stopped itself because the "driver" was too busy looking at her smartphone. OTOH, I would hope - perhaps in vain - that anyone with a manual would actually know a little bit more about driving!
I had occasion to borrow a pickup truck from its millennial owner. The tire pressure monitor was lit, so I topped off his tires for him. I also crawled under it to check the spare - you guessed it! Virtually flat - aired it up too...
Did you use Redline MTL? How much did you end up needing? I am getting ready to do first trans fluid change on my recently acquired '03. Second gear has a bit of an attitude.
I just changed mine. 2003 five speed. I bought 2 x 1 quart jugs of red line MTL. I let it fully drain for quite a while.
I pumped in both quarts and it was perfect. Used all of it and it was just starting to ooze out the fill hole.
Similar threads
