I have a TJ with a 3 litre and auto. New oil was put in gearbox 15,000kms ago.
Yesterday the neutral light started flashing and it went into limp mode.
I pulled over and let it cool down thinking it may be a heat issue, after half an hour it was still the same.
I tried to limp it home but just short it lost all drive.
The neutral light flashes once per second indicating a diagnostic is needed. I have checked the oil level and condition of oil, level is correct and oil looks new and nice reddish colour.
Getting it towed to mechanics today and fearing the dreaded wave spring.
If this thing is dead does anyone have a cheap tranny to sell?

i got one here
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230451708766&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
ill do it cheaper if no ebay

A good price, I'd grab it myself if I needed one.

If light is flashing is more than likely an electrical issue

TJ are well known for not sealing as well on the plugs into the trans, remove the plugs, give them a good clean and try that.

just heard from mechanic and box is definately dead, was hoping it was electrical but no luck.
Will just have to grab that one off robceline if you can shoot me some details.
Also does someone have a workshop manual/ changeout procedure to assist me in changing this thing out

just heard from mechanic and box is definately dead, was hoping it was electrical but no luck.
Will just have to grab that one off robceline if you can shoot me some details.
Also does someone have a workshop manual/ changeout procedure to assist me in changing this thing out

pm sent mate

I finally got around to changing out the tranny today.
Dropped the 3L out easily enough.
I installed the replacement 3.5L tranny (thanks again Rob), but once she was all bolted up it seemed to lock the engine and gearbox up.
Both moved freely until they are together. It looked like the 4 bolts on the outside of the + shaped plate that bolts up to the torque converter were fowling on the engine case.
Is there any modification that needs to be made when replacing a 3L auto with a 3.5L?
I measured both housings, converters etc with a set of verniers and both appear to be within a mm of each other.

No mods. the flex plates are identical, both will chage over no issues, hvae done it countless times

thanks, any idea what my issue may be with it all locking up?

I've come across this problem before, but on a rear wheel drive Sigma with Borg Warner auto box. (A long time ago) When you engage the torque converter in the gearbox, it needs to mate its tangs with the oil pump. It needs to be moved into the box as far as possible. When the box is on the engine, there is quite a gap between the drive plate and torque converter, when the bolts go in the torque converter is pulled out a bit towards the drive plate. Now the upshot is, if the torque converter is not engaged in the oil pump correctly, the whole thing locks up when you tighten up the bolts holding the torque converter onto the drive plate. If you get frustrated and try to force it, it destroys the oil pump. Only solution is to pull the box off and check for damage, then assemble correctly. Bit of a bummer if this is the problem.

EDIT: If the torque converter presses on the drive plate, because it is not engaged in the oil pump, the drive plate will flex and this is probably why the bolts are hitting the case.

The old Sigma manual gave a dimension, a distance from the face of the gearbox to the tangs on the torque converter, so that you could check the torque converter was fully engaged in the oil pump. Check the Magna manuals to see if there is an equivalent measurement given.

As MadMax stated, there should be about 5mm clearance between the flex plate and the torque converter when the box is initially mated to the engine. if there is not then you have not mated the torque converter correctly

if you have done this and still bolted the box up, the chances with these is that you have wrecked the oil pump bearing and will need another new box or this one to have the oil pump repaired

Madmagna, thanks for confirming that the Magna auto box setup (in this respect anyway) is the same as the Borg Warner on the Sigma. Its been a while since I played around with any auto box. lol

how did you go did you getit all going

Latest update: Have confirmed that the converter is not sliding into the tang for the oil pump.
Took it to an auto transmission joint today and they tried themselves but said the box needs to come apart. More money that I dont have.
For something to do I ground a more aggressive chamfer in the old converter and it slid into the oil pump a bit further, I can put it in the mill and take more off but am concerned by the fact that the distance between flats is smaller than the 3 converters I have now tried on it.
The flats on the oil pump are actually the inside of the oil pumps main gear, this is a fixed dimension and I cant see how it could alter unless it was to break, although if it was to break due to a hit in transport etc I would have thought the dimension would have been greater not smaller.
It maybe that the pump needs to be removed and stripped but I am reluctant to open the box.
I stripped the pump from my dead transmission and found the gear in 3 pieces :)

:)
Finally have it solved. It seems the pump gear has a bit of damage and now has a lip on the inside faces, thus reducing the distance between the flats.
With this lip removed it is back to its original clearance and the torque converter fits nicely.
Hard to see when looking from the top but once the pump was removed and open it all became clear.