89 Laredo 4x4 Transmission Pump or Torque Converter?

[Mudboi222]

Sorry if this is the wrong section. I know this is a lot to read but im in need of help bad. I really need to get back on the road so i can drive to school and work instead of catching the bus everyday.

Hey guys my name is Richie, Its my first time making a post to these forums. Im 18 and just got my first 1989 Jeep Cherokee Laredo 4x4 from my uncle about 2 months ago. Ive always wanted a jeep and now i have one. Well the jeep has done me well till a few weeks ago. Me and my friends go trail riding and mudding all the time. This was probably the 6th weekend i took it mudding. Well one of my friends got stuck and i pulled his bronco out. He messed up his transmission because it was sitting in the puddle for so long so i had to pull him to the nearest gas station which was about 2-3 miles away. His bronco was really heavy so i had to put it in 4L and put it in 3rd gear and pulled him the whole way in the same gear because my TCU is messed up so i cant just throw it in D and go. Well i didn't notice any problems till the next day. My motor was shaking real bad and it turned out i messed up my motor mounts from pulling him or something. Well i didn't have the money at the time so i drove around for about 5 days with the motor mounts messed up and it shook like crazy. The same day i took my jeep to get the motor mounts fixed i started hearing this god alfull noise coming from the transmission area. Well i ignored the problem and went ahead and got my motor mounts fixed and i was hoping that the noise was because of the motor mounts but it wasn't. I got it back the next day and drove it home and it was doing the same exact noise and it was REALLY loud. I went home and called it a night. Well the next day i woke up early because i scheduled a appointment to get flow masters put on at a local muffler shop. On my way to the shop i almost got there and it started like revving up as if it was in neutral then going back into drive. It only did this about 3 times the whole way there. After i got the muffler put on i went to go back out of the shop and it would not move at all. I tried every gear including 4L & 4H. We couldn't get it to move at all so the guy told me to put it in reverse and just gas it as he pushes the jeep. As he was pushing it it kicked into reverse for about 2 seconds then it was completely threw. I had to call a tow truck and it get towed home. Well a few days pass and me and my dad decide to go mess with the jeep. We noticed that when your starting it up it also makes the noise as its turning over. When its started up it will continue to make the noise but if you rev it up it will slightly go away but you can still hear it. Now for the weird part that kinda gets me. When i put it in park it still makes the noise but if i get out and roll my jeep frontwards or backwards while its in park it will make a even louder grinding noise whenever you push it back and forth in park. Me and my dad dropped my transmission and as we were draining my fluid we were looking from dirty and burnt smelling fluid but its red as can be. The transmission and motor were rebuilt a few years ago and only has 5000 miles on both of them from what ive heard. It was my uncles backup/wood toys vehicle. We looked at the torque converter but we have no idea what we are looking for and every shop we call says to bring my transmission in but i just don't have the money right not to do that. Im really depending on some of you guys out there to help me out.

[XJ Wheeler]

Sorry if this is the wrong section. I know this is a lot to read but im in need of help bad. I really need to get back on the road so i can drive to school and work instead of catching the bus everyday.

Hey guys my name is Richie, Its my first time making a post to these forums. Im 18 and just got my first 1989 Jeep Cherokee Laredo 4x4 from my uncle about 2 months ago. Ive always wanted a jeep and now i have one. Well the jeep has done me well till a few weeks ago. Me and my friends go trail riding and mudding all the time. This was probably the 6th weekend i took it mudding. Well one of my friends got stuck and i pulled his bronco out. He messed up his transmission because it was sitting in the puddle for so long so i had to pull him to the nearest gas station which was about 2-3 miles away. His bronco was really heavy so i had to put it in 4L and put it in 3rd gear and pulled him the whole way in the same gear because my TCU is messed up so i cant just throw it in D and go. Well i didn't notice any problems till the next day. My motor was shaking real bad and it turned out i messed up my motor mounts from pulling him or something. Well i didn't have the money at the time so i drove around for about 5 days with the motor mounts messed up and it shook like crazy. The same day i took my jeep to get the motor mounts fixed i started hearing this god alfull noise coming from the transmission area. Well i ignored the problem and went ahead and got my motor mounts fixed and i was hoping that the noise was because of the motor mounts but it wasn't. I got it back the next day and drove it home and it was doing the same exact noise and it was REALLY loud. I went home and called it a night. Well the next day i woke up early because i scheduled a appointment to get flow masters put on at a local muffler shop. On my way to the shop i almost got there and it started like revving up as if it was in neutral then going back into drive. It only did this about 3 times the whole way there. After i got the muffler put on i went to go back out of the shop and it would not move at all. I tried every gear including 4L & 4H. We couldn't get it to move at all so the guy told me to put it in reverse and just gas it as he pushes the jeep. As he was pushing it it kicked into reverse for about 2 seconds then it was completely threw. I had to call a tow truck and it get towed home. Well a few days pass and me and my dad decide to go mess with the jeep. We noticed that when your starting it up it also makes the noise as its turning over. When its started up it will continue to make the noise but if you rev it up it will slightly go away but you can still hear it. Now for the weird part that kinda gets me. When i put it in park it still makes the noise but if i get out and roll my jeep frontwards or backwards while its in park it will make a even louder grinding noise whenever you push it back and forth in park. Me and my dad dropped my transmission and as we were draining my fluid we were looking from dirty and burnt smelling fluid but its red as can be. The transmission and motor were rebuilt a few years ago and only has 5000 miles on both of them from what ive heard. It was my uncles backup/wood toys vehicle. We looked at the torque converter but we have no idea what we are looking for and every shop we call says to bring my transmission in but i just don't have the money right not to do that. Im really depending on some of you guys out there to help me out.

Hello, Richie. Since no one has come on here yet i figured i'd offer what little help i can about transmissions. Personally since you have the trans off anyway take the torque converter in and have someone look at it. People are often more likely to offer help if you are in person with the part.

These cherokees have a common issue of the flywheel bolts backing out. Now most of the time this only leads to a ticking noise and most figure it out and tighten them up. But i assume if they come out you could have problems of the same thread as yours.

Oh, and be sure to check your trans mount since the motor was shakin a few days worth.

Hope this can be of some help. There should be more knowledgeable people on the subject in the morning. Hope ya can get it fixed up quickly... easily... and INEXPENSIVELY.

Welcome to the illness. :D

[Mudboi222]

Thanks buddy, was waiting on a reply for a few hours but realized it was late at night lol. But yes the first thing i checked was the flywheel before we even took the transmission off. I figured maybe that was the noise at the time but then when the transmission stopped going that led to several different things. When we got the transmission out we checked the flywheel to go ahead and check that off the list of things, Its in good condition. We also have to change my transmission mount like you were saying because yeah its a little worn out. Im going to try and check my transfer case tomorrow and check that off the list also. But thanks for replying ill check back tomorrow.

[4.3LXJ]

Since you towed in 4Lo, I am assuming on pavement for some distance, I am going to suggest you do look into the transfer case. They don't like that a bit. And since it was grinding when moving in park, I think you might be due to replace it.

[Mudboi222]

Since you towed in 4Lo, I am assuming on pavement for some distance, I am going to suggest you do look into the transfer case. They don't like that a bit. And since it was grinding when moving in park, I think you might be due to replace it.

It grinds in any gear PRND31-2 and also grinds before the engine is even running. When i go to start the jeep it takes a minute to start so it sits there and turns over and as its turning over i can hear the noise :/

EDIT: I also went out there today and messed around with the transfer case. I didn't unbolt it but i went through the gears and they seemed ok from what i could tell. I put the transfer case in N and both spun free but when i put in 4L or 4H i tried as hard as i could and couldn't spin the front or back. But when i put it in 2H the back shaft i couldn't spin it but the front shaft i could spin it. Is it supposed to be hard to turn?

EDIT AGAIN: Nevermind it does turn i just had the transmission in park.