I'm pretty disappointed! I got a great deal on it from my best friend. Wife and I flew to Ill. and drove it home on Labor Day. I've had it for a stinking week... loving it. Last night pulling into the driveway, transmission started slipping. I was able to get it in garage.

I came back out later and drove it about 50 feet and sure enough learned it had a serious problem. It got "Gear Fault" and "engine check".

I came here and researched issue with trans and started wishing I had read all of this before I bought the car.

Previous owner had ATF drained and replaced in 2008. I have not seen any leaks. So, assume this is the dreaded A drum issue.

He had all the receipts over the years for all fixed problems and needed maintenance including the timing chain work. It is almost a new car except for the tranny.

All along I've kept fingers crossed knowing that if anything major happened, I was sunk. Texted my brother and he said he knew a trans mech. I'll update later.

I was wishing it was only a matter of adding fluid... and then learned there was no dip stick. I'm a DIP STICK!

LOL! Now I understand why all those silly icons are on the right side here.

:icon_ sad:

 

I hate inanimate objects! Well, except for my motorcycle. I'll prob have to sell it to pay for this.

 

Ha! One more... sorry!

Yesterday after work, I turned around and looked at it and thought... Man, that is a fine looking car. Duh! It's turned into a stinking garage trophy.

 

Make sure the shifter fully in drive, when I purchased my XJR, driving home I got a Trans Fault and Gear message, I was WTF and a whole lot of other words I can pronounce on the forum.

Found out the shifter plate, where the Cruise control and Sport button are located what loose. Tighten it up and the message never came ba

 

NICE!

If the shifter isn't lining up with what the computer says it should it will throw codes- happy to hear it was resolved easily!

FYI the A-drum fix is not too difficult, definitely shouldn't cause a XJ8 to become a garage trophy.

Also, loose shifters seem to be the issue of the day- I had to adjust and fix mine recently, and I have seen three or four others- if anyone notices your shifter isn't landing in exactly the right spot, or is loose FIX IT before you go replacing a transmission for no reason

 

Loose Shifter....

I'll check this. However, I believe if it was shfter, this issue would show immediately when I move gear to drive. It does not! Also, I shifted to other gears and trans still slipped.

Regardless, I see that for the 98 XJ8's, the A drum problem does not go away and is undoubtedly a defect because the replacement parts have to be re-enforeced.

I am not mechanically inclined and smart enough not to even try to attempt a fix.

I do believe I have dodged a bullet by not continually driving it. I expect the towing and repairs to not be cheap.

New tires balanced, rotated, aligned. Bearings, shocks, springs, valve covers, brakes, timing chain, O rings, ABS module, and sure a lot more has been repaired or replaced based on all the receipts I have seen.

My friend had the money to dump into it... everything but the blasted trans.

I am a poor man with a jag... what the heck was I thinking. LOL!

I may need to sell it.

 

Look at it this way, if you got it for a good price, and with all the other work that has been done, then repairing the transmission might be the only thing you ever need to do to it.

Or, as you say you bought it from your best friend, maybe have a word with him, he might offer to help.

 

I've thought about this as well. I need a reliable car and this is a gamble. I'm really torn about telling my friend because he is always generous and know he would help but we made a deal. My problem now. I'm sick!

 

Follow through with the chat with your friend. I also found out the hard way that friends and money don't mix . Besides, all he can say is no. Not trying to give advice but I just went through something similar.

 

I had misgivings about doing this transaction with my best friend... because the scenario that I had in mind is now the one that is happening. However, this will not affect our friendship in any way because he had ALL the receipts for work performed on this jag in the last 7-8 years and it amounts to approximately $8500.

This is a man I would trust with my life. I own this mechanical problem. I just hate that it happened a week after I got it home.

I think I've found the solution to sharing this news with him. I'm not telling him.

Ha! I'm 53 and still learning some very hard lessons. I figure before a go to my grave, I'll be very wise and smart.

 

Never doult yourself, if you get the right write up, tools and time you can do anything.

It is not chalking it up to life lesson learned, that could have happen if you purchase the car from a dealer AS IS, you still be in the same situtation of it needing to be repaired.

Just like when I purchased my, I drove it 150 miles home from CT to PA, it test drove find, not light no nothing. On the drive home, trans message. two weeks later, ball joints, four weeks later, rear subframe, a month later, needing the full exhaust. Now, I have a Check engine light on.

It is a used car, things will happen.

Excuse the english or bad grammer, I am rushing to head home bye bye.

 

I know! I love the car... I love my wife... both are high maintenance but I can only cut the car loose. She has her hooks so far in me.... well! you get the picture.

 

Morph, a coffee a few hours with pen and pad and you'll be able to do this yourself with a few gear-friends, even if it's just to provide donuts and stories.

This forum is *full* of threads on this subject and how to fix it for £200 and change...

 

I've read a few posts about the loose or mal-adjusted shifter, but seems the posters in those situations were all XJR owners which is a different transmission. I don't know if that problem is limited to that model or not but when diagnosing problems, always proceed in order of checking the least expensive thing first. There's also possibility of electrical issues. Have a good look at the ground strap between the transmission bellhousing the the body near the starter. If its corroded, filthy or if the braided strands have "loosened" up, then it could be that sensors and solenoids in the transmission are not properly grounded and the computer is having a fit about it.

 

All the symptoms seems to point toward the A drum. Since this model has a known issue with it, any electrical fix would only postpone the inevitable. Right?

 

Ok....c'mon guys, lets show Morpheus what this forum's all about.

Its' time for the forum collective to dive in and find a way to help him through this.

If its bumping this thread, adding links c/w pics etc, offering tech advice etc, please all chime in and help!!!!

We need a Thermo / Gus / Rev Sam or similar in the area who can help to diagnose and or help fix.

In the meantime, I'm adding "Forum collective help needed" to the post title to try and draw more experience to this post.

 

Hey Jim! I guess you saw my poor puppy doggy eyes. Thanks for the shout out to the big guns.

However, I'm not a mechanic and all my capable contacts are unwilling to tackle this. So, I'm shopping Craigslist and local listings to find someone willing to take a look and work with on the financing I will need.

I just tried it again and just sitting still I am hearing some questionable sounds when simply moving shift to R then to D then to N and back to P.

I have a feeling that if I could get a hold of a rebuilt trans with reinforced drums and whatever else is needed, at a decent price, I believe this car would last a long time.

It's sitting pretty in my garage. I don't think anyone is willing to take it off my hands so I might as well give it another chance.

 

BUMP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Changing the A-drum is no harder than a brake job. SERIOUSLY.

Once the tranny is out, you are 3/4 done. Spend the weekend and $200 to do the job, we will all walk you through it... THEN if you want to spend the other $1100 that you would have spent on a used tranny, keep it in a mason jar and keep scanning Craigslist for a used transmission buy it and swap it out next time (if ever) it goes.

Either way, for under $10k you will have a car that will last another 10 years and for a luxury car, $1K a year ain't bad.

 

BUMP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ok....c'mon guys, lets show Morpheus what this forum's all about.
Its' time for the forum collective to dive in and find a way to help him through this.

If its bumping this thread, adding links c/w pics etc, offering tech advice etc, please all chime in and help!!!!
We need a Thermo / Gus / Rev Sam or similar in the area who can help to diagnose and or help fix.
In the meantime, I'm adding "Forum collective help needed" to the post title to try and draw more experience to this post.

Thanks Dsnyder586, much appreciated........any others willing to chime in and help?