Washed and cleaned the windows inside and out. And no I didn't get any water on the engine...I hand washed it.

Still needs tlc but liytle victories ill take.

 

Trying to get this tranny to shift properly still. Goes in reverse perfectly. Wont go into 1st and 2nd and D don't seem very strong. Also honna try and chase down this leak. I at least was able to get the fluid to show up on the dip stick. Took another 2L.

I'm gonna adjust the shifter cable first as it might be off a bit. Then I'll go from there.

 

Forgot to say I got the Jaguar up to 20kph! You know how I know... the speedo works!

The fuel garage does not though. As I have put 35l into it and the guage hasn't moved and low light is on as well.

Oil pressure Gauge also doest work but thats not surprising lol.

i also added washer fluid to test that. Well half of what input in leaked out so tank has crack in it lol. Then tried and pump didn't work? But didn't try with engine running so ill try again later.

Fog lights don't come on but not a big deal as i will be taking them off with the bumper etc anyways.

The emergency brake cable works very well. Comes off and on as it should. I can hear it disengaging.

still leaks a little little bit of oil but im sure that will get resolved when i replace all the top engine stuff.

The tranny leak is gonna be a pain. Its definitely somewhere on the passenger side (LHD)

 

So had the car lifted up. Still can't find the source of the leak.

I readjusted the cable as per the ROM. So it goes into Park. When I put it into Reverse its strong engagement but works. Then I can go into neutral. Fine. It's when I go into D 2 or 1. I can go into D and push the gas but its very slow to pull away. Like no real power feel (unlike reverse which is very responsive). I can go into 2nd and it feels a little different than D but not much. As for 1st it feels like its gone back into N ...like 1st isn't engaging.

So with all that its almost acting like it was before I did anything. So I'm thinking something else.

I even checked the vacuum modulator again. When I pull it out should fluid come pouring out or just a little? I'm wondering if I'm getting pour vacuum to it but i checked where it connects up top on the rear lhs of the engine in that block. Looks all good. Maybe that line has a tear in it in the middle?

I'm really at a lost now so any advice on tests to run and wear to look? I'm gonna be googling the crap out of it tonight. I work tomorrow so hopefully by tomorrow evening I'll have something to look at one Wednesday.

 

I said screw it and went and got a vacuum gauge. I can't try it now because baby's sleeping and with no exhaust she's a tad bit loud lol. I'm sure it will come in handy more than once. I'll check the line to the vacumm modulator tomorrow after work. Maybe it is that simple lol.

 

It shouldnt splash you like a fire hose, but a little is normal as per a quick google search. I skimmed some chevy forums on this issue maybe take the whole modulator governer thing out and inspect? Some ppl with similar problems suggested its a fault in a nylon gear.

Transmissions not my strong point obviously BUT...we share a trans with the other car/truck communities so you may have a silver bullet somewhere on another forum if you search this issue with the right keywords.

another way to test things (at your risk, given the uncertainty) is to put it in 1st and drive HARD till you force shift at 5500rpm then repeat in 2nd to force into 3rd. It'll bypass a faultt vac issue if thats the case.

If you blow up your trans I have a spare lol

 

The vacuum modulator is brand new so unless i got a dud but I doubt that.

As for force it to shift. First I would have to find a decent stretch of road but because the car isn't road legal I don't have anywhere to go except my street and its not a long enough one lol. 2nd the shift kit i put in makes it so you have to shift it manually. It will not shift out of 1st or 2nd automatically.

I have been reading lots and it really is leaning towards a vacuum issue. Fingers cross that maybe the hose is full of crud as it was the same issue before I did anything to the transmission.

I was thinking that too about the nylon gear but apparently if the speedo is working then everything in there is fine.

If I blow the trans well let's say my wife would be pissed lol. At least the th400 is everywhere and rebuilts can be had for under 1k. Lol

 

Lol. Maybe duct tape the shopvac to the line where it enters the engine bay and give it a good suck, if there is any crud or leaks it will become audible.

 

Thats what she said?......

if its like all the other lines I've seen so far it probably is plugged. Fingers crossed.

 

So did a vacuum test. Got 17 on this gauge at the end of the hose which goes to vacuum modulator and same reading at the intake manifold fitting.



I read close to 20 is good. This was as soon as i started the engine.

I'm gonna try something else after dinner.

But is this a good reading 17 to 18 ish? If not then its an intake manifold issue maybe?

 

17-18 is fine. With some tweaking you may get more but there's nothing wrong with 17-18 and it's more than enough as far as the trans is concerned

Cheers
DD

 

That would be the speedometer gear, if you have one

The nylon gear in question for a shifting issue would the governor gear.

Cheers
DD

 

ok makes me feel a little better lol

 

the more I read about it it maybe the culprit. If not I have to weigh my options on rebuilding the tranny myself, just getting one already rebuilt, have a shop rebuild it for me, or maybe swaping for a 700r4. Cheaper than a 5spd swap. But I i think I could rebuild myself. Kits are about 300 bucks. Can be done with most tools I have. And I coudl always take the few things you need special tools for to a shop and get them to do it.

I guess I'll know.

If I go rebuild way its gonna be fun on my back dropping that trans lol. At least my 6 tonne stands are up to it lol.

 

Bugger, your taking it well. I had a crankshaft builder, build my RG500 crank around the wrong way and I did not find it until there was no pick up for the ignition when trying to start it!
I did not touch it again for 12 months.!

XJS - always an adventure LOL.
Have a beer or 5 and keep smiling.

How hard to check that nylon gear?

 

Life too short to get upset. Just another problem to solve.

It won't take me long to check the governer as its right there. Just gotta jack the car back up. Which now takes me no time because I do it at least once a day lol.

someone mentioned to check the distributor vacuum advance but I dont see how thats related.


On a really good not it was 28C yesterday and I ran the jag for 30 minutes and the temp Guage never got to the N mark. Just hovered below. Idle is around 1100 though. So the cooling system seems to be working great lol. I do have the hood off though haha.

 

EDIT
SORRY,,, I POSTED THIS BEFORE READING ABOUT these last issues you've run into. was reading thru the amazing progress you made over the last days and weeks and the "so far" price tag. Still, maybe the post below will be useful at some point

I'm not usually one to recommend CREDIT but TIRE RACK has a very fair finance policy for tires... Maybe pay it over a year, a bit of interest, out the the $$$$ you got now into other things. It's what I did, unusual for me, but I'm happy I did it.

Also, the shipping for tires might be free as tire rack will have a relationship with the local (near local in your case maybe) tire fitter,,, and the fitter and tire rack work that cost out. Give it a look. Oh, and they do have the copper Cobra's... I have them, and they are a nice mix of sticky, soft but firm and quiet. Low and behold, I have this thing that I can actually HEAR the tires rolling over the pavement. It's a beautiful beautiful thing.

 

So I removed then rear trans mount to get better access to the governor. After it was removed I have now found that the rear seal is leaking as well. So I stopped what I'm doing and gonna decide when the wife gets home about dropping the tranny and rebuilding it.

I've never done it but there is a wealth of informations out there on it. Youtube books etc.

I think cost wise a good kit is about 300 for a rebuild.

There are local shops that could do it but would run me about 1k.

I was thinking of putting in a 700r4 but the cost would be about 2k or more with buy the adapter stuff etc.

I've never rebuilt a tranny before as I've been lucky with any ive had like the 700r4 lol.

I have the time and space and most tools.

Think only thing i got to figure out would be how to support the engine and am I able to roll the car out of the garage after i remove the transmission?

Just gonna sit on it and think for a bit.

 

Daim rebuilt his GM400 recently, rescue, I am sure he would be very ready to help as required.
FWIW, I think you would be well advised to stick with the GM400 and get the car going properly, rather than go into a different auto tranny before you have got the car going properly. It is very easy indeed to have too many unknowns in reawakening a car, and end up getting lost.
Not to give you any sleepless nights, but are you 100% sure this problem has not been created by your fitting of the shift kit? Normally a GM400 will change gear OK regardless of whether the modulator is getting vac or not, indeed loads of XJSs are running about with the owner oblivious to the fact that the vac line is perforated!
Good luck anyway

 

I'm 99.9% sure it wasn't the shift kit as i had the same problem before when I first got the car alive just to move it around. It is actually better than before slightly but as you seen in my photos this tranny was neglected and so I'm almost certain the clutches are toast as well as other things from over heating perhaps. The POs daughter i got it from said her dad had mentioned it had issues shifting before he died.

At least.the engine seems strong lol