Today, after pulling into the garage I noticed a nice trail of red fluid going out into the drive way. I was just feeling good about the way it was running. Transmission seems to work fine, just leaking.
Anyway...the question is, is it true that I will have to dismantle part of the exhaust in order to work on the tranny? I have to ask even though I think I know the answer. After all it is a Jag!
If it wasn't so beautiful and fun to drive it would find itself on Craig's List.

Seriously, I would appreciate any tips or suggestions.

Thanks...Jimmy

 

No idea on the 6ltr cars. It has the 4L80E TH400 transmission.

If its a snail trail as you suggest, I would be looking firstly at the cooler hoses. Very unlikely a pan seal etc would do that style of witness.

Next would be the power steer hoses, coz that fluid is usually Red also. Again, the return side of the system, as in rack to cooler, to container. If a Hi pressure hose is the culprit there is usually a "POP" followed by a large puddle, and the system is empty in about 3 seconds.

 

Are you sure it's a tranny leak?

Could it instead be a power steering leak?

 

Thanks Grant....you might be right about the power steering. The worst part of the fluid was in a puddle were I made the sharp turn into the garage, so it might be the steering.
I'll get under her in the morning and try to find the source. A leak like this would not normally bother me, except that if it is the tranny then there is a lot of work getting around the exhaust. The steering can't be any harder to get to? Sorry but after being a Jag owner for only 4 months, I have become a pessimist.
Thanks for your help....Cheers....Jimmy

 

Power steering racks on these cars have been known to leak, they leak out from the boots. With the 4L80E, the gaskets for these are pretty good, usually don't leak. I'd be checking the power steering.

 

It's far more likely to be a steering leak than transmission. The other place you get a steering leak is at the rack itself. If you get it on a lift or up on jack stands, you'll need someone to start the car and turn the wheel while you look to see exactly where the leak appears.

Not at all unusual for any car of this age.

 

It is a steering rack leak. Naturally it's coming from a place that can only be gotten to by removing the rack. I think it is leaking at a pump hose, probably the high pressure side.

After reading some of the horror stories on rack r&r on this forum, I'm not sure I want to tackle this job. I like doing my own work, but this looks like I would need a shop lift. I have jacks and ramps, but as I get older I really don't like all the skinned knuckles and greasy elbows. I'll probably bite the bullet and fork out the $$ for a shop to handle it.

...Jimmy

 

I just did this job, and though I thought I couldn't going in, it turns out it's not as bad you might imagine.

If it is the hose, and not the rack itself, you can leave the rack connected at the tie rods, and just lower it down to get to the fittings.

Lots of great info and help in my thread on the replacing the rack:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-crazy-152886/

See my last post, where I mention several "if I had it to do over again" tips.

If you haven't upgraded your steering to Polyurethane bushes, make sure you order those before you start.

You can do it, trust me. It's not that expensive a shop job, but it was satisfying experience to tackle.

 

Mac...I read your thread recently and it certainly made me concerned after the problems you had. Can I do this with just ramps and jacks? Will I be able to get to the pinch bolt? If it is a leaking hose, what then, just tighten or is it more serious?
30 years ago I wouldn't have thought twice about this, but now maybe it's worth paying a good mechanic (assuming I can find one).
...Jimmy

 

I ran into a very unique situation where the threads were damaged in the new rack, otherwise it wouldn't have been such a pain in the a..

When I had to go back and pull the rack again to fix it, I did the entire thing using jack stands.

It's actually incredibly easy *once* you know Doug's trick and the proper procedure. You have to remove the oil filter, which gives both a good view of the whole thing and the access required for one of your wrenches. Then you slide out from under the car and go to left side wheel well, lean down and you'll eventually see the "window" to the pinch bolt. An air ratchet or battery impact driver with extension is helpful here, put it on the bolt through this window and rest it or hold in place. Slide back under, put a wrench on the nut, and you're good to go.

Once you see the pinch bolt with oil filter removed, and discover Doug's window, you'll know which way to turn the steering wheel so it is oriented for easy removal.


No, if it's leaking it's a busted hose, but these are very cheap online. Replace both hoses going into the steering rack tower so you don't have to do it again. If you detach the hoses at the opposite ends from the rack, it gives you a lot more room to remove them from the tower. When putting it back together, attached them to the rack first.

 

I would advise double checking and making certain it is the hose and not the rack.

If it's the rack, you still replace both hoses, but I'd hate for you to go through the entire job only to find it was a leaking rack.

The heat shielding on the high pressure hose tends to channel any leak down to the rack tower.

 

I appreciate everyone's suggestions and advice. I was under the car today and still am having trouble figuring out how I can get to the hoses without pulling the whole rack. I can't even see the hoses with a mirror and can't visualize the rack dropping down enough to get to them.
If I remove the pinch bolt, heat shield, oil filter it should drop down enough?
When the pinch bolt is removed how do I get to the steering shaft to pull it out?
How hard are the heat shield bolts to access?
Not sure why this job is bugging me so much...maybe an age thing and squeezing under the car is no fun anymore.
Thanks...Jimmy

 

You have to remove the three rack mounting bolts. Two on the tower side, one on the other. Leave the tie rods connected. Remember to disconnect the two hoses from the other end, that'll give you more leeway when you lower the rack.

You don't. The shaft stays in place, and rack drops away from it.


I don't remember them being hard to find or access. Spray them with Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster and let it soak to make it easy.

To clarify what I was talking about above regarding the heat shielding channeling leaks down to the rack, I was referring to the heat sheathing that protects the hose itself.

Hey, I'm with you brother! I really dreaded doing this job, and in the middle I wish I hadn't. However, in retrospect, I'm really glad I did it and didn't let it stop me. Remember it's just nuts and bolts and metal, and I suck as a mechanic.

 

JayCee,

One thing I thought of last night, does your car have the X-Brace as shown in the link below?

jaghelp.com: Changing the power steering rack on a 1994 Jaguar XJS L6

I know the later 6 cylinder cars have it, but don't know if the 6.0L does as well. The earlier V12s don't have it. If you car does have it you'll have to remove it to drop the rack.

 

Mac...yes I do have the X-brace. I was just out looking at that and took some pics. It appears that needs to come off before the rack will drop down. I also noticed that my 94 has attaching bolts and bushings that run parallel to the rack and I believe older models were perpendicular? I also can only see two of these mount points.

 

No, all the model years' rack bushing and attaching bolts run parallel to the rack. It's why the original bushing design was so squishy feeling. The forces on the rack would tend to push the rubber out of the steel outer ring. Lousy steering feel, and short life for the bushings.

The third mounting point is directly above the first one on LHD side of the rack at the tower.

 

I thought of one other thing that might help you.

I found that it was lot easier to do this job with both ends of the car up on jack stands, not just the front.

Cheers

 

I will start to tackle this project tomorrow. I looked at the POs maintenance records and found that the current steering rack is the third one in the car and it was installed only has 7k miles ago. I sure hope this is only a hose leak. Steering racks just don't break very often.(usually!)

I will have to get a larger belt for the pump, so I can adjust it out from under the radiator hose. Right now I can't even check the fluid level.

Maintenance was not a priority when they designed this car. It reminds of my British Motorcycle, which is also special to maintain.

...Jimmy

 

Mac...I pulled the bushing bolts and dropped the rack down. It looks like I will have to pull the pinch bolt in order get to the hose connections properly. I removed the nut from the pinch bolt, but if I pull it out it is going to be a bear to get back in.
How hard was it to get your steering shaft reconnected and the pinch bolt back in? I was able to remove the nut using a long ratchet extension from back by the oil filter. The wheel well "window" doesn't seem to exist on my Jag.
Did you have any issues removing or installing the hoses? (other than fitting leak you discribed).

Thanks...Jimmy

 

It wasn't hard to get the shaft reconnected, and IIRC there is only one way that it fits so just make sure you remove your key and lock your steering wheel before you drop the rack, and keep the front wheels in position and you should be fine.

The key to easier removing and installing the hoses is having them disconnected from their opposite ends away from the rack so you have more leeway in getting them removed and seated properly on refitting.

You are doing great. Hang in there!