I have done the fluid and filter change for the Cherokee. Superficially when checked with the dipstick, the color of the old fluid did not look so bad, but the big bulk that came out through the drain hole to the waste fluid container, looked worse than I initially expected. It was almost pitch black. I was surprised to find no metal shavings on the two pieces of flat magnet about 1/8" x 3/4" x l" in size. See, one's memory fades with time. As much as I thought I remembered vividly there 's a "magnet strip" on the inside of the pan, there really were two pieces of flat rectangular things put separately in two separate recessed pan bottom. Upon the first fluid change about l5 years ago (75,000), I found so much metal shavings on and around the magnets, but upon this second time (250,000) there seemed to be none. Minute metal particles, if any, are not at all conspicuous. There's a drain plug on the pan. The job was a little awkward but not messy. I did the job lying under the Jeep without lifting it up. From the information I got from AutoZone, this is AW-4 transmission. Fluid capacity for regular fluid change is 4.2 quarts. I filled in around 4.5 to 5 to get to the right level. I might have slightly overfilled. Will have to double-check tomorrow. Full capacity is over 8, but we cannot do a complete change without flushing, I guess.
Just as Fredjacksonsan stated " the transmission is designed to run with fresh fluid," which was the reason that prompted me to decide to do the fluid and filter change, either I do something now to nourish it with my own hand, or wait, wait and wait until the damage is done "by the hand of time!"
After the fluid change, the test runs by several family members and myself proved to be as good as before if not better. One thing is sure: the fluid and filter are new! The myth is also behind me!