I got the bridgestone blizzak and any way I try slow and accelerate fast no traction on the front what should I do

 

Well, you've gotten the front and rear to spin, the dealer told you there is nothing wrong with the system, and all of us vouch for how well the system works. So would you rather talk about tires or your driving? We're here to help either way.

 

I have been driving for 13 years here in lake tahoe nevada I don't think there is any thing wrong with my driving FIERRO.

 

You must be right, X-Types suck in the snow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zUN0...eature=related

 

Are you saying that when there is any snow and you try to move the car from a stopped position the car will not move at all? The rears just spin in place? Even after putting Blizzaks on all around? If so, will the car drive when it is not starting on snow and drive normally?

 

Ya sure, but the rear wheels are spinning!!!!

 

Let me explain the X-type all wheel drive systems so that it makes more sense to all of you. It has nothing to do with snow tires, your driving, etc.

The 2002 and 2003 X-type uses a transfer case with a viscous coupling. This is a very good all wheel drive system. All four wheels are always engaged providing permanent all wheel drive.

The 2004 and newer X-type uses a transfer case that is open and transfers power to the rear wheels and will then engage the front wheels only when the rears can't spin. This happens when the traction control activates and provides braking to the rear wheels. Power is then provided to the front wheels to provide all wheel drive.

While this system is not as good as the old style viscous coupling, it still works ok. There is one major problem with this system. The problem is that traction conrol/DSC was an option and not standard on these cars. If you have a 2004 or newer X-type without traction control then for the most part you have a rear wheel drive car. The front wheel will not engage if you are stuck. The rears will just spin.

If you want to see what I am talking about stop your 2004 and newer X-type in the snow and floor it. If you don't have DSC you will see the rear tires just spin. Then do the same thing, but this time apply the parking brake. You have now braked your rear wheels and you will now see the front tires spin. As you can see you have all wheel drive, however without DSC you don't get power to the front wheels.

Hope this helps anyone who is having trouble with their all wheel drive. So if you are looking for an X-type in the future keep in mind that the best as far as all wheel drive is concerned is 2002-2003. The next best would be the 2004 and newer style with traction control, and the worst is 2004 and newer without traction control.

 

Well written Tony,

 

Topdawg82, well written. It's amazing that Jaguar would sell an AWD system with rear traction bias and no front/rear locking facility. I guess you have to get very adept with the handbrake in those cars.

 

My jag does not have traction control dsc and when there isn't any snow in the ground it drives fine

 

Here is a link to a doc explaining the transfer case in the VC type (link to doc) starting on page 63. This site hosts some other docs also.

Does anyone have the doc for the newer type TC?

 

I have an 02 X-type 3.0 Auto and I am also experiencing the same problem. My front tires almost never spin when im starting from a stop on a hill or driving a little spiritedly in a snow covered parking lot. Ive had friends stand on both sides of my car while trying to go up an incline in the snow from a stop and just my rear wheels spin, one front wheel might spin one rotation, and thats it. I have all season tires and the fronts are getting to be bald, the rears have way more tread than the fronts, which would lead me to believe that they would atleast spin a little more, especially after watching some of the youtube videos of the x-type in the snow...

 

After doing some research on the TC and the VC. it seems for the VC to work properly, it would need adequate fluid inside, as that is what causes the plates to nearly lock together. Ive read before that a lot of these cars have never had the fluid in the TC replaced. When changed, there is either thick sludge or nothing at all. Mine has 93k miles on it, bought it at 89k. so if it has never been replaced, I think this could be the reason why, I will def be changing it the next nice day we have in Arkansas. would anybody concur with this idea?

 

Changing (refilling) the fluid in the TC is a good idea. The VC is a sealed unit inside the TC so there's nothing you can do there short of replacing it. Remember that the VC and even the later DSC systems require wheel slippage (spin) to function.

My old F150 has manual hubs, an LSD at the back and a locked transfer case. It doesn't spin but try turn a corner.

 

Topdawg82, to clarify..... essentially you are saying the '04 & newer X's are AWD in situations where both front & rear wheels have traction then once any wheel spins then power is applied to only the spinning wheel.

Does anyone know if a TC with the VC can be put on the '04 & newer models W/O DSC? Just saying... if ya got an '04 or newer and the TC takes a dump put the VC type back on.

 

may be written OK, but it is quite technically flawed.

there is a centre differential in the x-type. EVERY AWD car on the planet has one. All 4 wheels are always connected by gears to the transmission.
there is no "engaging" of various wheels happening. This has been false information passed on for a long time now by most automakers and it just not true.

Typical differentials are neat things, they allow two wheels to turn at different speeds yet give them equal torque. On pavement with good traction this works wonderfully. The downfall of the differential is that they do NOT divide up torque from the engine and give it equally to both wheels. They make the torque applied to the outputs equal. If one wheel spins it takes little torque, and so the other wheel only gets a little torque. There are all kinds of slip limiting devices used to create torque on the spinning output. (like applying the brake) so there there is some significant torque available to send to the other wheel.

the same thing happens on every awd car in the centre differential (inside the transfer case) some cars have equal front rear torque, others front biased, and some like the jag are rear biased. In the jag, (all years) there is initial application of torque that is biased to the rear, and if traction is low, the rear will spin first (-all things being equal). and the torque to the front will drop to 40% of whatever this low torque is. The front is not "disengaged". It is connected by shafts and gears all the time. the problem is the differential is doing its job. If there was a VC (in earlier cars) it would create resistance to turn (torque) and this way the front would get some torque. Newer cars dont have the VC. If the car has traction control (part of dsc) then it will apply the brake to the spinning wheel and this creates torque that can be sent to the front wheels. There is a downfall of this too, the DSC first kills the throttle before applying the brake, so there is never very much torque created.

If you guys would just spend a little time on google or wikipedia and look up how transfer cases work, and how planetary differentials work, you would find plenty of help out there. Seems the average luxury car owner is not a mechanical engineer LOL

Early x-types use a VC

 

Sounds good. Does the rear end have a limited slip system or is it a positive lock? My 04 X-Type seems to spin both rear wheels in the snow. I have great traction and really have to gun it in order to get any rear spin. 5 speed manual. Awesome car in the snow. Thank you.