what kind of trasmission is used on a 1999 Chrysler T&C?

I have heard that Chrysler A604 transmission is not good for lasting more
than 100,000. What type of transmission is used on 1999 T&C? Is my van on
the very high risk list?

What is the highest mileage posted for that year here?
I am not towing anything heavy and I drive mostly city traffic not much of
climbing up and down road condition. What life do I expect to see? Should
I change transmission oil and filter more often than other brand/model?
The manual says 15,000 for severe and normal at 30,000 interval.
My situation falls into the severe condition "which is more than 50%
operation in stop and go traffic where vehicle is driven regularly for more
than 45 minutes of continuous operation".

The dealer says my trans oil changed at 30,000, 60,000 and now at 103,000 no
3rd oil change has been done!
BTW, my T&C is a AWD model. Is it the same trans as regular 2wd? Or is it
better or worse?

Please share your experiences.

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005, harry wrote:

> I have heard that Chrysler A604 transmission is not good for lasting
> more than 100,000. What type of transmission is used on 1999 T&C? Is my
> van on the very high risk list?

A604 was the first-generation '89-'91 FWD 4-speed electronic automatic. It
was highly troublesome at first. The transmission in your van is a
descendent of the original A604, but is not an A604 itself. This FWD/AWD
transmission family's record has steadily if slowly improved to the point
where it's no worse than most other comparable units from other makers
(i.e., you stand a fair chance of having moderate to major repairs done
before 125,000 miles -- this is not the transmission in your '70 Dart that
would easily go 250K miles or more with nary a thought).

> I am not towing anything heavy and I drive mostly city traffic not much of
> climbing up and down road condition. What life do I expect to see?

Impossible to predict.

> Should I change transmission oil and filter more often than other
> brand/model? The manual says 15,000 for severe and normal at 30,000
> interval. My situation falls into the severe condition "which is more
> than 50% operation in stop and go traffic where vehicle is driven
> regularly for more than 45 minutes of continuous operation".

Then by all means, change the fluid at 15,000-mile intervals (that '70
Dart transmission called for no fluid changes over the life of the
vehicle, and it wasn't BS; while an occasional fluid change was a nice
thing, they were happy to carry on running for decades on the original
fluid.) The fluid spec in your '99 is Chrysler Mopar ATF+3. There is a
newer fluid, Chrysler Mopar ATF+4, which is superior in just about every
way, but there's a bit of a controversy over its use in pre-2000 minivans.

Contradictory statements have been issued by DC on the matter. People will
argue until the cows come home about your question. They will brandish and
declare as authoritative various versions of the Chrysler transmission
fluid TSB. The +4 is significantly improved in just about every way
compared to +3, and Chrysler has issued statements that +4 is acceptable
in all applications originally specced for +3, including pre-2000
minivans. However, +3 is less expensive than +4, and Chrysler has issued
statements that +4 might cause the torque converter lockup clutch to
chatter in pre-2000 minivans.

In your position, I would use +4.

DS

DS

Do you know what type of oil is used by Jiffy Lube? I was recommended to
use their T-Tec process to clean out the torque converter for through
cleaning.
Also is it OK to let Jiffy do the fuel filter change? Do they typically
have the right kind of filter for my van?

Thanks

">
> In your position, I would use +4.
>
> DS
>

Ted,

Thank you for sharing so much in this NG.

I will follow your suggestions to change more ATF often.
Fortunately, I bought this for a typical soccer mom carrying nothing but
kids. Never used it to buy stuffs from Home Depot either.

The transmission is still Ok to me, though it is little slow in changing
gear from 2nd to 3rd. Comparing to the rental Explorer I got as a free
loaner, my T&C transmission (103,000) is way better than the Ford at 23,000.

I am not sure how expensive it is to install an accessory transmission
cooler. And how necessary it is to me? How do I determine (any symptom to
watch) if I really need one?

> Forth, fit an accessory transmission cooler if there is not already one on
> the
> vehicle.
>

"harry" > wrote in message
news:ABB8f.7048$vS1.4738@dukeread03...
> DS
>
> Do you know what type of oil is used by Jiffy Lube? I was recommended to
> use their T-Tec process to clean out the torque converter for through
> cleaning.

Don't do it! They should be able to simply drop the pan, replace the
filter,
then fill it with fluid then pull the fluid lines from the cooler and let
the trans
pump in new fluid and pump out the old fluid. Don't ever put anything other
than ATF +3 or ATF +4 in your transmission, do not use additives,
friction modifiers, lubeguard, or anything of that nature.

> Also is it OK to let Jiffy do the fuel filter change? Do they typically
> have the right kind of filter for my van?
>

It's OK to let them do it if it needs doing, it almost certainly does not
need
doing, however.

Ted

"harry" > wrote in message
news:nPB8f.7049$vS1.2326@dukeread03...
> Ted,
>
> Thank you for sharing so much in this NG.
>
> I will follow your suggestions to change more ATF often.
> Fortunately, I bought this for a typical soccer mom carrying nothing but
> kids. Never used it to buy stuffs from Home Depot either.
>
> The transmission is still Ok to me, though it is little slow in changing
> gear from 2nd to 3rd. Comparing to the rental Explorer I got as a free
> loaner, my T&C transmission (103,000) is way better than the Ford at
23,000.
>
> I am not sure how expensive it is to install an accessory transmission
> cooler.

You first need to check to see if you need one. The vans that really need
them are the ones where the transmission cooler is inside the radiator.
The temperature of the transmission fluid needs to be warm but not
excessively hot. While the in-radiator coolers are helpful for keeping
the transmission fluid warm in particularly cold climates, they can only
remove a limited amount of heat from the transmission fluid. I also
do not believe that the optimal trans fluid temp is the 195 degrees that
is the temp of the coolant - but somewhat lower. With an accessory
cooler, it's plumbed in downstream of the in-radiator cooler and drops the
temp of the fluid further down. It also serves as protection in the
event that the engine overheats.

I believe in later van designs Chrysler abandoned the in-radiator cooler,
and put a much larger air cooler for the fluid in front of the radiator. If
yours is like that you don't need an accessory cooler since that cooler
runs colder than the in-radiator coolers.

As for the expense, it is very cheap. You can easily get a genuine Mopar
accessory transmission cooler from any wrecking yard for next to nothing,
(you would make sure whomever used this would flush it out well) or a
brand new aftermarket one from any place that sells towing accessories,
which is most auto parts stores, or from the dealer. It's a 10 minute job
to
plumb it in. It's quite possible the Jiffy Lube people would plumb a cooler
in for you when they did the fluid flush.

> And how necessary it is to me? How do I determine (any symptom to
> watch) if I really need one?
>

Overheating is not something that is easily visible, it takes a long time
before damage is apparent. The flexible seals in a transmission are
probably the most suceptable to heat damage.

Ted

harry wrote:
> Ted,
>
> Thank you for sharing so much in this NG.
>
> I will follow your suggestions to change more ATF often.
> Fortunately, I bought this for a typical soccer mom carrying nothing but
> kids. Never used it to buy stuffs from Home Depot either.
>
> The transmission is still Ok to me, though it is little slow in changing
> gear from 2nd to 3rd. Comparing to the rental Explorer I got as a free
> loaner, my T&C transmission (103,000) is way better than the Ford at 23,000.
>
> I am not sure how expensive it is to install an accessory transmission
> cooler. And how necessary it is to me? How do I determine (any symptom to
> watch) if I really need one?

Depending on the climate where you live, you may well no need one. I
have 174,000 on my 96 Grand Voyager with the 3.3/4 speed combination
without a hitch. I live in PA where the summer temps are typically
below 95 and the winter runs as low as -20. I don't tow or otherwise
abuse the van. Never had an auxiliary cooler and see no need for one.
Maybe if I lived in southern AZ or TX I'd give it more consideration.


Matt

On Fri, 28 Oct 2005, harry wrote:

> Do you know what type of [transmission fluid] is used by Jiffy Lube?

Usually the wrong kind -- such as Dexron with an additive that's claimed
to "convert" it into ATF+3, which it does not (cannot) do.

> I was recommended to use their T-Tec process to clean out the torque
> converter for through cleaning.

Easy cash for them.

> Also is it OK to let Jiffy do the fuel filter change? Do they typically
> have the right kind of filter for my van?

Probably, but letting those semi-trained apes do *anything* on your
vehicle is very risky.

In article >,
"Ted Mittelstaedt" > wrote:

> "harry" > wrote in message
> news:ABB8f.7048$vS1.4738@dukeread03...
> > DS
> >
> > Do you know what type of oil is used by Jiffy Lube? I was recommended to
> > use their T-Tec process to clean out the torque converter for through
> > cleaning.
>
> Don't do it! They should be able to simply drop the pan, replace the
> filter,
> then fill it with fluid then pull the fluid lines from the cooler and let
> the trans
> pump in new fluid and pump out the old fluid.

They won't do it this way. The only thing that Jiffy Lube knows
about transmission service is what the machine instructions tell
them. Any deviation is certain to be over their heads, and I
wouldn't trust that their flush machine allows easy switching
from one type of fluid to another, so the OP runs a very large
risk of getting filled with what was in the machine for the
previous suck.... er.. I mean customer which is most certainly
to be Dexron.

> Don't ever put anything other
> than ATF +3 or ATF +4 in your transmission, do not use additives,
> friction modifiers, lubeguard, or anything of that nature.
>
> > Also is it OK to let Jiffy do the fuel filter change? Do they typically
> > have the right kind of filter for my van?
> >
>
> It's OK to let them do it if it needs doing, it almost certainly does not
> need
> doing, however.

Ted, at 103K miles, why do you believe that his fuel filter "does
not need doing?"
For the OP, a fuel filter change on a 99 T&C requires removal one
fuel tank support strap and partial lowering of the fuel tank,
this also is certainly beyond the capabilities of the fast food
franchise rejects.

In article >,
"Ted Mittelstaedt" > wrote:

> As for the expense, it is very cheap. You can easily get a genuine Mopar
> accessory transmission cooler from any wrecking yard for next to nothing,
> (you would make sure whomever used this would flush it out well) or a
> brand new aftermarket one from any place that sells towing accessories,
> which is most auto parts stores, or from the dealer. It's a 10 minute job
> to
> plumb it in.

Ummmm... this is a 99, installing a transmission cooler properly
requires the removal of the front fascia, while not terribly
difficult, it is a little more than a 10 minute job and requires
the removal (careful removal) of numerous fragile plastic
fasteners which once broken and/or mangled are not likely to be
replaced. You'll also want to use some of the molded hoses that
Chrysler uses in order to avoid kinking, and as most after-market
coolers mount with plastic 'Zip' type fasteners thru the AC
condenser, the condenser likely needs to be unbolted and shifted
in order to get the 'zip' fasteners thru the condenser fins.

> It's quite possible the Jiffy Lube people would plumb a cooler
> in for you when they did the fluid flush.

You're joking, right?
Have someone with some skill and training do it.
Jiffy Lube would be hard pressed to identify which cooler hose is
the return.