Topic: moody ax-5 O_o

[RT]

I changed to MT-90 in my AX-5 last tranny oil change about 3000 miles ago, and it definitely helped. But the transmission shifting is chunky while the fluid's still cold for the first few miles I'm driving on it. Once the fluids warmed up it shifts really well, but while it's cold it shifts like crap. Does anyone else have this problem or is it normal?

[Jeffy]

Well that's always been a problem with the AX family.  When they get really cold they don't want to shift into 2nd. 1st is usually stiff but goes in.

[RT]

Ya it isn't jacked up, it's just really difficult, but I live in New Mexico and it's  like 70degrees every day and it doesn't get better till I've been driving at speed for like 5 minutes

[Jeffy]

Ya it isn't jacked up, it's just really difficult, but I live in New Mexico and it's  like 70degrees every day and it doesn't get better till I've been driving at speed for like 5 minutes

Well cold doesn't mean freezing.  I think mine acts up if it's below 50* in the mornings but I just need to drive a several hundred ft and it cleans up.

[RT]

Would a bad clutch do it? I'm coming up on 80000 miles on the stock clutch lol

[Jeffy]

Would a bad clutch do it? I'm coming up on 80000 miles on the stock clutch lol

I don't think so since it clears up once things start warming up.  I know this is common on most if not all AX-x's.

[brokenwrist21]

i'm running synchromesh in my ax-5, and my clutch finally took a dump at 155,000 i think. the synchromesh was like night and day difference, drives and shifts awesome when cold or hot, plus i've had it in there for the last 20,000 miles or so

[RT]

shifts fine one it finds the....hole?.....it's just sloppy. I've heard the the shifter guide thing in AX transmissions sucks huge and is just a piece of glued piece of rubber. Maybe I should fab one out of wood or plexy or something and replace it lol

[SDWE61988]

Yes, These AX's don't react well to cold.  In MD, It was just below 0 deg F in January, and mine was very hard to shift for about a half hour.  I cannot imagine the guys up in New England, upper midwest or Canada trying to shift these things.  Some of their weather makes 0 deg F look balmy!

[RT]

It's just scary having a 11 year old jeep, I'm a hard driver and have had really bad experiences with mechanics touching my drivetrain and don't have the equipment to rebuild my tranny so I just don't want it to die. lol

[SDWE61988]

This is the 2nd AX-5 I have had in this vehicle.  The syncos at not in the best of shape.  I just need it to last until next year. I think I am going to try to install and AX-15, or NV3550, depending what is available.  I have heard good things about the syncromesh.  I may try it myself later this summer if it keeps acting up.

[Jeffy]

It's just scary having a 11 year old jeep, I'm a hard driver and have had really bad experiences with mechanics touching my drivetrain and don't have the equipment to rebuild my tranny so I just don't want it to die. lol

11 years old isn't old.

[neale_rs]

It used to be said that a Jeep wasn't a Jeep until it was at least 30 years old.  Now that they change the body style every 10 years or so, it sounds kind of offensive but that is the way it used to be. Let's change it to 14 years now so that all body styles except the JK (not a 4banger) are included.