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1987-1990, the AW4 had a 21 spline output shaft, a 1 pulse per revolution reed switch Output Speed
Sensor, no Input Speed Sensor, and a 0.705:1 OD ratio. 4.0L and 2.5L transmissions are fundamentally the
same, except for the torque converter and bellhousing, which are unique for each motor.
1990.5-1996, the AW4 switched to a 23 spline output shaft and a 0.75:1 OD ratio. It was no longer available
behind the 2.5L engine. Otherwise, it remained exactly the same.
1997, the AW4 is exactly the same as the 1990.5-1996 units, except the electrical connector for the wiring
harness changed. A simple cut and splice will solve this problem.
1998-01, the AW4 changed electrically, but is otherwise the same as 1990.5-1997 units. The Output Speed
Sensor changed from a 1pps reed switch to a 4 pulse/rev variable reluctance pickup similar to the RENIX
CPS and most ABS wheel speed sensors. A 16 pulse/rev Input Speed Sensor was also added. The ISS and
OSS for these years are the same part number; one may be substituted for the other for spare parts
purposes.
NSS:
1987-1996 the NSS is the same. Positions for R, P/N, 1-2, and 3. No connections indicates that the shifter is
in OD - OR that the NSS is dirty. The TCU can't tell, this can lead to some common transmission shifting
symptoms.
1997-2001 the NSS wiring harness connector is different but the internals are the same - mostly. There is
now a circuit for each gear position (1-2, 3, D) on the switch and an extra wire for the new position. This
was added to improve feedback to the TCU and likely also to allow the TCU to definitively throw a DTC code
if it sees no contacts shorted, which now indicates a bad NSS rather than "bad NSS or overdrive gear, we
don't know."
This write-up does not attempt to cover the 2wd editions of the AW4 as thoroughly as the 4wd. The major
difference is the addition of another year split - 1995 and earlier 2WD AW4s will have the old style slip yoke
and output seal while 1996 and later 2WD AW4s will have the new style slip yoke and output seal, as well as
dust slinger. The vehicle speed sensor is also located in the transmission tailhousing. A 2wd AW4 cannot be
converted to a 4WD unit without full disassembly as the output shaft is a different length, has 27 splines (to
match the slip yoke used on the rear output of 4WD XJ transfer cases) rather than 21 or 23 splines, and
includes the 13 tooth worm gear for the VSS or speedo takeoff which would otherwise be in the tailcone of
the transfer case.
What does this mean for swapping (4wd specific)?
If you have a 1987-1990 XJ:
1987-1990 AW4s are bolt-in... as long as you also swap the input gears in your transfer case, or the whole
transfer case. Remember that the NP231 input gear cuts changed in 94 or 95 and that the rear output of the
transfer case changed from 95 to 96 when selecting a donor. I would NOT suggest this swap unless in dire
straits (need to get off the trail, need to get to work tomorrow or be fired, etc) as you are limiting yourself
1987-1990 AW4s are bolt-in... as long as you also swap the input gears in your transfer case, or the whole
transfer case. You also have to cut and splice the wiring harness connector. Remember that the NP231 input
gear cuts changed in 94 or 95 and that the rear output of the transfer case changed from 95 to 96 when
selecting a donor. I would NOT suggest this swap unless in dire straits (need to get off the trail, need to get
to work tomorrow or be fired, etc) as you are limiting yourself to a rapidly disappearing selection of 21
spline spare parts in the boneyards.
1990.5-1996 AW4s are bolt-in, except you have to cut and splice the wiring harness connector. Again, 5
butt-splice crimp terminals and a few minutes and this is done. You will have an EXTRA connector for the
transfer case indicator lamp wiring (possibly depending on which transfer case you have) - plug the transfer
case switch into the one it was previously plugged into, NOT the one built into the harness on the new AW4!
You might want to cut the extra one off or tape it up to avoid confusion.
1997 AW4s are bolt-in.
1998-2001 AW4s require more work. All the transfer case input gear info from 1990.5-1997 applies, on top
of that, the sensors have changed! You can either build the circuit given here by lawsoncl
(http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=244757722&postcount=5) or swap the transmission
tailhousing, sensor drive rotor, and output speed sensor as shown here by Frank Z
(http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=243739279&postcount=6) to make this work.
If you have a 1998-2001 XJ:
1987-1997 AW4s are not going to work without significant machine work. Reason is that your TCU is
expecting an input speed sensor signal, but the mounting boss for the ISS is not machined out on the donor
transmission housing and the rotor needed is not installed in the geartrain. You will be fully disassembling
the donor transmission, doing specialized machining on the housing, swapping some parts from your old
transmission, and basically doing a massive amount of work to swap in a non-ideal part. I would not suggest
this swap unless you are really, really screwed and don't care that your CEL will be going off and you will
have to leave the transmission unplugged from the wiring harness and shift it manually, with no second gear
available. This swap is also fine if you are going to be building a trail only rig, don't care about your CEL
going off all the time, and will be installing a custom shifter setup. You could also swap in a proper-year
manual transmission XJ ECU and install a custom shifter setup to avoid a CEL.
1998-2001 AW4s are bolt in.
UPDATE Mar4 2013 - NAXJA user memasmuffn reports that installing a 1997 TCU (designed to work with the
older 1 pulse/rev reed switch output sensor, and no input sensor) in a 98-01 XJ with a 97 and earlier AW4
swapped into it results in no codes! This is great news, any AW4 (2wd vs 4wd, 2.5L 87-90 vs 4.0L all-years,
and 2wd 95- vs 2wd 96+ notwithstanding) can be bolted into any XJ/MJ with only minor wire splicing, hardpart/housing/sensor changing, and perhaps TCU swapping at the worst. Awaiting further testing from the
field to make sure the code stays gone!
UPDATE Jan/Feb 2013 - a thread by Boostwerks shows that it is entirely possible to convert a 97- AW4 into a
98+ one if you're suitably motivated. First bullet point of this section is basically the procedure he used machined out port for ISS in main trans housing, installed geartrain parts intended for a 98+ in front half of
transmission, etc. Not for newbies or those without significant transmission rebuild and
machining/fabrication experience.
Clear as mud? :looney:
Replacement parts -
87-90
0.70:1 OD ratio
21 spline output shaft
Electrical connections early model
One transmission speed sensor (output only)
91-96
0.75:1 OD ratio
23 spline output shaft
Electrical connections early model
One transmission speed sensor (output only)
97-mid 98
0.75:1 OD ratio