Product Overview

NO DIPSTICK DESIGN

Pan includes fitting, magnetic drain plug and mounting hardware.
Price varies with finish.

Volume: approximately 1 quart over stock compared to AW4 stock pan Mopar part number 83504037

Dimensions: Click here for dimensions. 1 1/4 inches deeper than stock Mopar part number 83504037.

Number of Bolts: 19

Benefits:

Fins and extra capacity to keep fluid cooler
Drain and magnetic drain plug for easy servicing
Heavy duty, quality sand cast aluminum contruction for strength and a leak-free seal
Boss for optional temperature sending unit
Includes new mounting bolts and magnetic drain plug
No ground clearance issue or skid plate interference since pan is only 1 1/4 inches deeper than stock (for most vehicle and skid plates)

Transmission: Transmission we used for development is labeled 30-40LE. 30-40LE may also label A340 transmissions for older Toyota vehicles, which probably cannot use an AW4 pan.

Skid Plates and Off Roading: Skid plates are recommended for any offroading vehicle. A sand cast aluminum pan is heavy duty but if it hits a rock, it will crack. Some skid plates may need spacers to allow for the additional depth of the PML pan.

See Specifications for details on this "No Dipstick" design.

Thanks to those who installed prototype pans and helped us with development.

Applications:

1987 to 2001 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) with the 4 speed automatic transmission
1987 to 2000 Jeep Wagoneer with the 4 speed automatic transmission
1991 to 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ) with the 4.0L engine and 4 speed automatic transmission
1987 to 1992 Jeep Comanche MJ with the 4 speed automatic transmission
AW4 swaps on Wrangler YJs and other vehicles

Vehicle configurations vary! Always check you vehicle configuraton and clearance before ordering.

The 4.0 engine is usually paired with the AW4 transmission.

We have had installations on Cherokees and a Comanche. See Installations.

Toyota and Lexus Vehicles: See PML Part Number 11175, A340 Transmission Pan.

Drain, Supports Inside of Pan

Click on image to view larger.

Images show the inside of the PML pan and passenger/right side of the pan. The drain, maximum and OK level check holes are all on the passenger/right side.

No Dipstick Design

This pan does NOT work with a dipstick. To install this PML pan, you will need to remove the stock dipstick and possibly the receiver tube.

This means you would no longer use your dipstick. The transmission fluid level would be checked from pan!

The PML design is flexible to to work with several vehicles. This design is for the AW4 on Jeep vehicles and is based on Mopar part number 83504037.

How to fill: You fill through the fill/level check hole on the bottom of the pan. PML provides a fitting for the hole. You could also use a pump. You would fill until the fluid starts to dribble out then put in the plug.

Click on image to view larger in a new tab or window.

How to check: To check the fluid, you would remove the plug and see if any fluid dribbles out. If it does, it's full and you're good to go.

How did we come up with these levels? By measuring the dipstick "OK" and "MAX" levels with relation to the flange of the stock pan. Read about PML No Dipstick Design (PDF file).

Any benefits to the PML no dipstick design? Checking the fluid on the pan is less convinient than using a dipstick but there are a couple small benefits:

Current dipstick tube has so many bends that pulling out the dipstick wipes off the fluid so it's hard to get an accurate reading
More space available in the engine compartment

Manufacturing a sand cast aluminum pan with the receive tube would be very expensive. This design keeps the price manageable and provides the benefits of an extra capacity, finned transmission pan.

Stock Pan and Transmission

This PML design is based on the AW4 transmission for a 1987 to 2001 Jeep XJ. Transmission pan is Mopar part number 83504037.

Click on image to view larger.

PML pan compared to stock pan:

Click on image to view larger.

Filter and Gasket

PML designed this pan to work with the stock gasket and filter.

The filter bolts on to the valve body. No filter extension is needed. The pick up and fluid level is at the same place with the PML pan as with the stock pan.

Transmission Info

The A340 (A340E, A340F, A340H) and the AW4 are sister transmissions. The AW4 is commonly found in Jeeps, such as 1987-2001 Cherokees. The A340E, A340F, A340H transmission is found in Toyota cars, trucks and SUVs and a few Mitsubishis, Kias, Lexus cars and SUVs, and Volvos.

There are 9 different stock pans. These 9 stock pans have 4 different depths and 7 different dipstick receiver heights and angles. The dipstick receivers complicate the design and manufacturing. There are 13 different filters and 15 different valve bodies in addition to 9 different pans.

This variety of pans, filters, valve bodies and applications complicates the design and testing. Information and pictures on vehicle configurations are much appreciated!

Optional Temperature Sensor Machining

This pan has a location on the driver (left) side of the pan that can be drilled an tapped for a temperature sending unit. There is a machining charge for this option and it can be added in the shopping cart.

Dipstick Thoughts (NOT PLANNED BY PML)

It is theoritically possible, not something PML plans to do, to add a dipstick to the side of the pan. There is a thick area on the side of the pan and someone could possibly fabricate an adapter, receiver tube and dipstick.

This is a computer generated drawing of the PML pan with an adapter bolted on to the side of the pan. The adapter would connect to a dipstick tube. Click on image to view larger.