I'm sure I should have stuck this in on one of the million threads on the ZF box.

I really feel the need to change my trans fluid... Just did the van.

So, since my car is still under warranty, and will be until next summer I feel it also important to get a fluid that is documented as being compatible.

So, after reading that the Castrol fluid meets the Shell spec for the ZF box I sent of a quick "customer inquiry" message to Castrol. Just wanted something that stated the fluids were actually compatible that I could print off, just in case..

LOL... This is what I got..

Thank you for contacting Castrol North America.
Castrol recommends following the guidelines of the vehicle manufacturer for the recommended fluids specific to your application. This information can be found in the vehicles owner’s manual, or by contacting the manufacturer directly.
With regard to the factory fill fluid listed below, Castrol does not have an equivalent product, please contact Jaguar for more information.
Castrol Consumer Relations

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff [mailto:josworth@powersignal.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 6:05 PM
To: Lisa Gerada
Subject: When you were offline (via LivePerson)
Does Castrol make a transmission fluid that is compatible with the ZF 6hp26 factory fill fluid in my Jaguar S Type.

Looks like I'm buying the ZF Fluid

 

Sounds to me like the Castrol engineers and lab techs aren't talking to the Castrol marketing reps and customer service reps. I was verbally told by Castrol personnel in 2009 that their Multi-Import ATF is indeed compatible and meets all Shell M1375.4 specs. Their website also showed this to be fact at that time. Wonder if that has been taken down from their website now....

I agree that you should stay with ZF Fluid as long as you are under warranty just as a matter of protecting yourself....

How many miles currently on your vehicle? Any degradation in transmission performance that you've noticed?

If I had to change our fluid today, I would still go with the Castrol ATF product. But our car is no longer under warranty and I'm free to research and choose what I want....

If I were you, I would approach your service guy Mike about getting the new ZF Fluid at his cost (or perhaps even free) due to the door-painting fiasco he put you through. Hell, I'd ask him to do the ATF drain-and-fill job for free and see how he reacts....

 

Funny thing is their website for the Trans Fluid makes no mention of the Shell spec or Jaguar...

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/secti...tentId=7028224

Yet when you search their site for "Shell M1375.4" up comes the PDF that we've seen before..

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/livea...s_ImportMV.pdf

Also, my question is about compatibility, not if it meets the specs.. That can be two different things.. A company can claim to meet a spec. or required performance criteria, with a product of different composition. My question to them is whether or not the two are compatible since the two fluids would have to exist together in the same case. If they are not that could spell issues.

Again, I'm pretty sure I'll be using the ZF Fluid, just found it interesting Castrol's lack of commitment to their product working in the application..

 

I'll ask again:

1. How many miles currently on your odometer?

2. Any noticeable changes in shift quality of your transmission?

 

Those two aren't relevant to the discussion.

I've stated in the past that 50k intervals are what I prefer to follow, shift quality or not.. But that isn't the topic..

 

Im running castrol

 

Mixed with some of the factory fill? Do you possibly have anything that you could post that says the two are compatible?

 

no it was a FULL Flush, flushed tranny cooler valve body, new pan(with filter)

and full fill.

 

Mafioso, give Jeff a little more detail on how you accomplished that, I wasn't aware it was possible either until you discussed it with us. Even all that extra work may still result in a cheaper fluid exchange when it is all said and done.

 

I'm not sure what he specifically did but I don't see why you can't put these tramnsmissions on a flushing machine like one from BG. Dropping the pan to clean it put in a new filter is typical.

Is there something unusual that I'm missing about these transmissions?

Bob S.

 

With the moderator's permission, I will shortly put into print all I have experienced with the ZF gearbox and the contentious issue of atf fluid for it. I must have spent 100s of man-hours on all sorts of websites checking this, checking that. I have also looked into BMW, Bentley, Audi, Landrover etc., who all use this autobox. I have a ZF 6HP26 in my car, and it had problems. I am currently investigating the additive "Lucas" (the american one) to assess its efficacy as the final leg of my journey into ZF (sounds like a film, I know!) Auf wiedersein...
Leedsman.

 

I kind of knew this would happen..... In other threads there are discussions about different fluids, how to flush the trans by using a siphon pump attached to the cooling lines, having a shop flush it (including pages of debate on if it is good or bad).

Really the only thing I'm looking for is a commitment from one of the manufacturers that their fluid is compatible with the remaining fluid after a simple pan drop fluid change. With something in writing that I can print and save, I'll have defense if Murphy's law hits me after I change the fluid (it always seems to). I'm probably grudgingly going to keep my car for a few more years, so changing the trans fluid has become a priority..

I'm going to hit up Valvoline and Mobil next...

BTW, there is also a thread from a year ago on the XJ8 forum where Castrol said that the Multi-Import fluid is not compatible....I was hoping something had changed... Oh, Well. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...d.php?p=146408

 

ZF documentation posted on their website specifically forbids using anything other than ZF Fluid and clearly states that if you use anything other than ZF Fluid, you are on your own and assume all risk. My verbal discussions with Jaguar Corporate USA last year about other potential ATFs also resulted in terse warnings that there is no approved or acceptable alternative. Regardless of whatever documentation you may be able to obtain from Mobil, Valvoline, Amsoil, or even Heinz, if you feel strongly about keeping your warranty foolproof you'd better stick with ZF Fluid as long as your Select Edition warranty is in place....

 

Please post a link or copy of the ZF documentation....Now that would be something to keep..

BTW, when did Heinz start manufacturing ATF???

 

Here is what we did..

We washed out a T-Tech machine with simple green (to remove all old ATF fluids and residue) filled it with fresh clean castrol.

Unbolted the tranny cooler lines connected them to the T-tech flushes the cooler, lines and valve body.

Once the fluid came out uniform in color we dropped the pan.

threw the pan out, installed new pan and proceded with the fill.

dropped the driveshaft pulled the tranny back to have access to the TC, he flushed it and filled it.

I didnt see what he did with the TC since I was in his office working (gotta love on call)

He was able to verify that he has used the castrol shell spec in other ZF boxes.

400 miles later its shifting smooth as glass.
my P0286 and P0741 have seemed to dissappeared for now.
not sure if this is normal but from a rolling 20 I can turn DSC off and just roast the tires as I accidently found out.( which is ok because I have a surprise coming)

As far as the fluid that came out.. it was dark but didnt smell burnt or like roasted almonds.

Total procedure time with Lifts and tranny jacks and air tools a little over 2 hrs with 3 of us monkeying on the car.

 

I don't have a link. Go to ZF's website and do the necessary research that you should be doing anyway if you are considering changing to a different fluid. I spent many hours doing so last year and again in March of this year....

You can also go to Heinz's website and research their appropriate products....

 

Heinz is the top ketchup producer, I wouldn't be suprised if they will soon lead ATF fluids.

Leedsman, you have perimssion to document your research. This one didn't need our blessing, I assure you.

Josworth, if you want to be confident you got 99% of the fluid out of the transmssion, valve body, pan and t-converter, then what mafioso did makes alot of sense. He used what...40 quarts to do his flushing and the refill when all said and done. But at $5 a quart, you may still be ahead when it comes time to total the bill over using Jaguar/ZF fluid.

We've got some veteran members that have earned my respect with their mechanical aptitude and knowledge over the years, and when I hear more than one of them recommending use of an alternate fluid, one with such an important role to play, I give their credibility alot of weight. But perhaps that's just me.

 

perhaps I should make a progress thread about this. lol

 

I've not searched and read all the threads on this topic. I'm not sure I even have that much time left on the planet ... ;>)

I agree about sticking with the original fluid if you're under warranty. I'm still at 15K miles with a year left so I can't justify changing the fluid in my situation.

But I'm unclear about having to pull the trans back to get at the TC in order to exchange the fluid. I thought the flushing machines meant you got the fluid in the TC without having to go to such measures?

Bob S.

 

flushing machines only get the valve body and cooler(s) the TC is seperate from the tranny.