Nice, I understand all those points. But I couldnt get independant shops to do this flush.... transmissions shops...

Either way I tackled it with no problem and actually do it very easily now, no different than any other car. It can even be done without jacking the car actually because on the XJ I can reach the drain bolt by just laying down. And the filler hole I can easliy fit my allen key in to loosen and tighten it.

The fluid transfer tool I have has a long hose, so in regards to fill I just hold the hose into the transmission and my father ( or anyone else for that matter) slowly pumps the fluid.

I trusted both the Castrol and Mobil1 oil so really its no big deal. Plus Ive seen VOA's (virgin oil analysis) of these oils, and the castrol iirc only had a flash point of 30degress less, and almost the same flowing properties at 100 degrees. The Mobil1 was neck in neck. All that info is avail on the BITOG forums for any interested parties.

 

Boy, lots of indys I know change the fluid/filter. I do. In fact, just did a 5 speed last week.

BTW - I applaud your boldness to step out there and change the fluid.

Transmissions are a lot like people - some of us live to 90, others die at 60. I choose not to smoke because I think it'll extend my life. I might still die at 60, but maybe 55 if I smoked. I firmly believe life in a transmission is extended when PMed.

 

There are local shops around here that promote a transmission fluid change procedure that involves interupting the fluid cooling line as it enters the radiator, and adding the new fluid of choice at that point till the entire system is purged as indicated by the color of the new fluid as it displaces the old fluid in a visable resovior. All this while the engine is running of course.

Would you gentleman care to comment on the pros and cons of this approach as it applies to my 05 XJR? What a boone that would be to those of us who don't care to crawl under any more.

 

That is the most efficient way to change the oil, and what I wanted done. But the shops around here wouldnt take on the jaguar.

OEMs usually dont recommend that, and have service bulletins advising against it. It can "shock" the system. And some machine insert additives to "help" the clutchs get used to the new fluid. I dont buy that at all.

While we are on the subjext of change and stevetech mentioned trans life. Just a few weeks ago a buddy of mine on his 2001 Galant had transmission problems.

Ran fine untill 1 day the trans would slip real bad, and basicly drop into first at around 3k rom. Jerk forward and slip again once in second gear, and so on and so on. It worked fine up until that day. Me an a coworker looked at his fluid, the level was fine but the oil looked like left over coffee in the post. Watery and brown.

So we sent him to the store to get 2 gallons of castrol multi import, Jacked the car using a forklift to the subframe. Drained the fluid, topped off and cycled through the gears. repeated this process once more and lowered the car.

He drove around the block and came back saying the car drove AWESOME. Next day he said hes still truly amazed at how smooth its going, he felt like the motor was hardly working anymore .

2 days later I get a call at 1am, saying hes broken down. I get to him and his car sounds toast, like a sword fight.

Well he got it repaired, his cj joint was gone and the 1st ring packs. Oil change related ? hardly. The car had 70k miles on the FF oil, where oem recommendation is every 30k to do a flush. A lot of people would think the new fluid did it, but in reality the ONLY reason the oil was changed was because the trans was slipping REAL bad and lurching and jumping in between gears.


Proper fluid changes will ALWAYS help mechanical items such as ps pumps, racks, motors, and trans. Neglecting them, then trying to change the fluid once you inhibit problems will NOT fix metal parts. So basicly the moral of the story is....

Dont blame the 40k mile past due oil change for a mechanical failure when the only reason youve changed the oil is because it was acting funny.

My transmission was fine before the change, and is fine after every drain and fill Ive done. And if it fails itll hardly be oil related. But with every flush it seems to behave much better and shift smoother, might be a suger pill might not be. I dunno and it doesnt matter, I have the peace of mind that I tried my best to keep it going and that new fluid is in there and the problem ISNT related to neglect.

end rant lols hope you enjoy that story, because my buddy with the galant didnt 3 grand later....

 

and the best part is, what he says when its being repaired

" I cant help but think its me always rushing out the door in the morning and running out of work without ever warming the car up"

me " hmmm, weve been here for 2 yrs. so 2 yrs of get in and go with no warmup...plus no oil change EVER ! I think we know what the problem here is"

 

About a year ago I read an article about a firm in Germany that developed a machine that connected to the two cooler lines. It would meter fluid in/out, new fluid in one reservoir, old fluid filling a separate one. Really cool...Do it!

 

You can do that on your own also with no machine, disconnect the two hoses from the bottom of the radiator. And with a funnel and a bucket that will hold all the old fluid, have a friend hold the hose with the old fluid coming out and the bucket while you funnel in the new fluid.

You can visibly tell because the ZF/SHELL/ESSO/PENTOSIN fluid is gold, and most every other fluid is red.

 

Well it was a good idea but no dice. I went to my local oil change place, the one with the xmission fluid exchange system, and they said the wouldn't touch a closed system xmission. Pretty much what StrateLoss experienced.

Their tech pointed out that the system was not accurate enough to meter the exact amount of fluid required particularly given the temp. variables.

I guess I'm back to the tried and true manual approach you guys are using. "Get out and get under" as the old song goes.

 

Its not so hard, just get the "fluid transfer tool" for the gallon sized buckets. It was $13 at strauss discount auto and the maker was penzoil.

If you get the quart sized one the hose isnt long enough and youll have to hold the quart and pump with 1 hand, while you hold the hose into the filler hole with the other. all on your own ! and it hardly moves enough fluid, youll need about 50 pumps(feels like 1000) and youll get worn out.

With the gallon sized one, you can simply get anyone to slowly pump it. A friend, your wife, 5 year old daughter too because its just like a giant soap dispenser.

-vic

 

StrateLoss,


Do I understand correctly that you are both removing the old fluid and adding the new fluid with your "fluid transfer device" thru the side filler hole?

How many procedures (repetitions) do you figure to be adaquate?


Keep up the pioneering work.

 

No Im removing the old fluid through the drain bolt, or plastic screw shall I call it.

Its on the bottom of the pan, loosen both screw first. Then, remove the drain screw first, and follow with the filler screw. If you remove the filler screw first globs of fluid will flow out and youll make a mess.

The fluid transfer tool is basicly a big soap dispenser neck. You put the pump part into the bottle, and the hose into the filler hole on the side of the transmission.

I top off with the car NOT running first, once it start dribbling I have my father start the car then come back and slowly pump untill it starts dribbling. Put the filler screw back in and wait for the engine to get to running temp, then remove the filler screw again.

Oil will start flowing out, measure the temp with a thermometer right at the filler hole.

As the oil heats it expands, by putting the screw back it while waiting for it to get to temp. Youll allow the oil to raise without spilling out.

Then when you remove the screw, itll start flowing out. Once you see the "flowing" turn to "dribbling" and the temp is between 40 and 50 degree celcius. Put the screw back in and your finished.

The difference between "flowing" and "dribbling" is quite visible so you will not have a problem telling.

 

bump !

so far so good.

 

Good for you Strateloss...I admire those who do not accept seal for life. Please keep reporting...I'm always interested in these datapoints!

 

In a few thousand miles when I hit 80k Im going to make another round. Ill be changing out the motoroil, flushing the transmission, replacing the pan/filter/gasket/and plug. Then after that I will not be touching the trans fluid anymore untill it reachs 100k. Going to switch over to 7500mile OCI for the motor(should be done with the motor cleaning this time around), right now I've been doing very short OCI's to run rinse cycles on both the motor and trans.

heres a link
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=30997


Last OCI I spray cleaned all the joints and bushing and axles and stuff, basicly a *lube job* without the lube, this time around Im going to have the mechanics at work give me a hand afterhours on doing a proper lube/grease job on all moving componants.

 

How did you do the "hard re-boot"?

 

Disconnected the battery terminals, then I let the two terminals (NOT THE BATTERY POSTS) touch for about 10minutes (lit up a ciggerette, walked away and smoked it , then came back) and reconnected tbe battery.

Or just disconnect the terminals, leave it disconnected for a while to drain all the circuits on the ECU's and resistors (a few hours). Then go back and reconnect the battery, start the car and let it idle for 10minutes.

 

I wound up doing the Lube job. Rotated the tires the other day and sprayed any and all joints with white grease or lithium grease whichever you call it. Made a pretty nice difference for what it costs ($1.75 for a can).

Detailed the interior yesterday, and turned 78,000 miles on the clock....

 

Strateloss thanks for your informative post, I own a 04 XJR, have had it for a little over a year, drove it cross country and now reside in Brooklyn too (jag club whats up?), open the baby up to hit 137mph in montana! man driving in NY really sucks compared to driving the jag in cities where you don't have to worry about potholes, I hit a huge pothole in brooklyn that basically popped the blatter on my air suspension and had to get the girl towed on the flatbed... so I did some research and arnott industries in Fla has a rebuilt OE air shock with a better blatter for 399, which I replaced, and now runs fine again. Now I am trying to tackle the transmission and have in the past have encountered the same BS you have gotten from shops...I just want to thank you for your informative post.. I will let you know how it goes.

 

question with the tranny fluid change. Is the use of the thermometer necessary when changing the fluid? thanks

 

Absolutely! One member (stevetech) posted the difference in fluid between the allowed low temp setting and high temp setting (as specified by Jag and ZF) and found it to be 1 qt. So even if you do it right the variability is plus or minus 1 qt. If you do it wrong you run the risk of a considerable under or over fill condition.
Moral: as long as you'r doing the job, do it right. I even changed mechanics becuase the guy told me the temp setting was not important.