33 months after my transplant, and they are letting me try some limited driving.

The Kitty came home tonight after storage since January of 2020.

Typical maintenance at the shop where it was stored; oil changed regularly, the car was started and moved around a bit during her hiatus.

Shifter cable broke and was replaced about a year ago, feels a bit tight We were able to turn the front rotors, but the slotted and drilled rears couldn't be cut and had to be replaced, and one of those pretty red powder coated rear calipers was rusted beyond salvage and also had to be repaired...

Good news, fired right up, everything seems to be playing, but shortly after start up, I got an engine light (solid). I figured no big deal, she's been sitting for a while, and she'll take some time to wake up.

Now the bad...Car didn't want to move, at all. Reverse was there, but it didn't want to grab any forward gears. After a little finagling, and a few minutes trying to remember where all of the settings and controls were, popped it back into drive, and she moved.

The original plan was to drive home through the city, and meet my wife at the Chinese carry-out where she was picking up dinner...but my son and I spent a few minutes chatting with the garage owner, a long time friend, so I decided to take the Interstate to get to her location.

WRONG DECISION!

Car drove fine for the half-mile to the on-ramp, but as soon as we hit the ramp, the engine revved with no response from the transmission. Here comes thr dreaded Gearbox Faukt light. Finally, I figured out that if I kept the revs below 1500, I had a gear...thinking maybe 3rd...that would let me get about 10mph as long as I kept the revs down there. White knuckled the car along the hard shoulder to the next exit, at 10 or 12 mph, while traffic whizzed by at 75 a foot and a half off my door...

From the exit, down the ramp, across the three exit lanes to get to the left turn, up a steep hill to the lights, then down into the city. Slowly drove the 7 miles home (lots of steep graded in both directions...we are in the Pocono Mountains). It pulled the hills fine, and I actually got another gear at one point...at any rate, we made it home. On my own block, I passed my wife, who was now looking for us.

Naturally, I didn't have my phone or a handheld two-way with me!

I guess I'll break out the iCarSoft in the morning and see what the codes are. I though I saw some leakage behind the car...I'm going to bet that the seals have hardened up and the fluid slowly leaked out, but I can't go underneath to check the level (using a walker to get around...anti-rejection drugs are playing havoc on my joints), but I think I can add a little fluid to see if it makes a difference. If it does, I'll get the car back down to the shop and have them do a fluid exchange to get the level right.

We really need to have that second car here...even if we don't have the second driver! Still lots of trips to the Children's Hospital for my son (at least once a month, since he is on dialysis here at home), and my team is down there as well...260 mile trip each time. We literally just got done rebuilding the suspension on her Cadillac...rides like new...but it isn't a JAG!

Oh well, life IS an adventure!

 

wa3ra, be thankful that you are still walking upright. Keep pushing to get better and hopefully soon you won't need the walker.

As for the car, yes, it is possible that you are low on fluid, but I would also be checking the new shift cable. You may be sitting between gears and this is messing up the computer and it is giving you a little something, but just enough to get you to a safe place. So, toss in a quart of tranny fluid and see what you have. But, if you have the same symptoms, then I would be looking at the cable.

 

Still not fixed, but the problem is the shifter cable.

Shop "broke" the cable while moving the stored car, and replaced it. It isn't right, so the transmission has no idea where it is supposed to be.

I have this sneaking suspicion that the bushing where the actual shifter connect to the transmission is swollen...is that bushing available?

Oh, and to make it complete, I managed to destroy a Connie DWS tire with 30 miles on it...spike right through the inner sidewall. Out of road-hazard warranty? Yup!

At least with new tires, I only need to replace one!

 

Part of this tread discusses that "bushing".

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-206869/page2/