We just bought this truck and noticed the trans fluid looked like a strawberry milkshake, so we changed the fluid. We also changed the radiator. We went to drive it home, 20 miles, and when we got to the driveway the truck would not move in any gear. We did not rev it up or anything because that would damage things worse than what they are. We pushed it in and checked the fluid and the fluid came pouring out of the top of the dipstick tube. It seems to me it was under pressure and my friend tells me the air vent might be clogged. How do you "unclogg" the air vent? By the way, the trans drove excellent. Very strong and shifted right on time until we got to our driveway. Any help would be great.

Usually coming out of the tube like that means you overfilled it. But I dont know - strange. "Milkshake" appearance would denote air intrapment. Air tube on the tranny? I know of them on the axles but not on the tranny.

Id take it to have the tranny flushed and a filter changed out.

The tranny vent tube is on the firewall of all the Cherokee I have worked on. Should have a little Crud cap on it. Thats what I call it any way. Lots of people that change tranny never reinstall this line. This is fine until you take your Cherokee in deep water and the open hole lets water run down into the tranny. It's also a lot easier to plug that open hole. NOT GOOD. luck

We just bought this truck and noticed the trans fluid looked like a strawberry milkshake, so we changed the fluid. We also changed the radiator. We went to drive it home, 20 miles, and when we got to the driveway the truck would not move in any gear. We did not rev it up or anything because that would damage things worse than what they are. We pushed it in and checked the fluid and the fluid came pouring out of the top of the dipstick tube. It seems to me it was under pressure and my friend tells me the air vent might be clogged. How do you "unclogg" the air vent? By the way, the trans drove excellent. Very strong and shifted right on time until we got to our driveway. Any help would be great.

Okay...
The trans fluid looks like a mikshake because it is mixing with engine coolant. This happens when the trans cooler in the radiator leaks and coolant goes in there and mixes with the ATF. I had a new radiator and it caused this to happen. The trans slips because engine coolant (anti freeze) is water based and will unglue and deteriorate the paper clutches in the auto trans. My trans worked "OK" for about 10 minutes until the mixture heated up....coolant can not support the heat an auto trans puts out...ATF is oil....then the pressure will drop and since coolant is half water...steam will happen and low hydraulic pressure will cause slippage.

My story is longer...after it started slipping...I had to leave town and it sat for about 2 weeks with this coolant in the trans....but suffice to say it cost me a lot of money to try and save the trans (not a Jeep....it would have cost a new trans $2500 or so..already spent $500 for tow and trans service (oil and filter change)...plus another new radiator ) but my solution was to take it to the dealer and get the $3000 trade in on a new vehicle.

In your case, you need a new trans by now because the paper in the clutch plates have become unglued. Use an external auto trans cooler in front of the AC condenser....aftermarket BIG one will be insurance. Since you have a new radiator, that might not be the cause but have it tested for coolant/ATF transfer (leakage).

Unless...you are a mechanic ....that trans the AW4 can be rebuilt relatively easily....it is a Borg-Warner derivative (Aisan-Warner---made in Japan) good trans.

I would agree with what Alhoa has posted. Great post btw! Have the tranny checked for coolant as I have completely forgotten what a weak point the internal tranny cooler on the radiator is.

If you have to replace the tranny I would go to a junk yard and grab another AW4 and swap it in. Alot less expensive then a new one.