I have just run into something new...? I've recently begun a major
overhaul of my '95 4.0 convertible. The build date of my car is
October '94 and it has the MY '94 solid disc rear brakes.
I put the car on my lift, left it in park, did not set the
handbrake, removed the battery and commenced work. Yesterday I
depressed the shift lock button and moved the shift lever to
neutral so that I can rotate the rear wheels to begin the overhaul
of the rear suspension. The wheels don't move! Can't be rotated
one bit! Must the system be powered for the trans shifter to work?
Makes no sense to me that this is the case, I haven't found any reference to such a requirement in the tech info I have.

Thanks , Roger

 

I do have an idea. A bit crude, but, effective. Undo the four bolts that secure the drive shaft to the differential. suspend the shaft with a wire or rope and proceed...


Carl

 

Thanks, that will be my last resort-changing the sub-frame bushes is part of the overhaul. What is causing the trans to not move from park even though the shifter moves? The brake switch and/or trans rotary switch/s part of the problem? I'm going to crawl the under the car and see if I can move the shifter linkage on the trans by hand. To be sure I will post whatever I find.

 

Confirmed the shift linkage at the trans is not moving even with the ignition powered and on. I'm beginning to think the security system is involved...?

 

Looking at the Jaguar Heritage Site, your car should have a cable operated shifter;




If that is the case then if the shifter can move, the transmission will change gears. If not then there is a cable problem.

There might be a shifter lockout to prevent it from moving until the key is on and the brake depressed (part #12 is the Gearshift Interlock Solenoid) but once the shifter moves the trans should change gears.

 

Roger,

It won't be the security system. That doesn't play a part in the interlock.

It's very strange that you can move the transmission lever out of Park but the transmission isn't changing? Is the transmission rotary switch in contact and are the terminals sound?

Forgive me asking, but what do you mean by the shifter linkage not moving? When you move the lever from Park, what is happening underneath at the selector lever?

Paul

 

Thank you fellas, it appears that nothing happens when I move the shift lever. I crawled under the car this morning and tried to move the linkage at the trans and I couldn't move it. I'm going to put my wife in the car, run up the lift (I have a scissor lift) and I'll watch the linkage on the trans as she moves the lever. It can't be too complex a problem. I drove the car into my garage on 1 August without any trouble, left it in park to move it in and out of neutral as I need to, which is why this is so perplexing.

 

Maybe a broken or seized cable? Does the cable move on the shifter end? Is the outer cable secure. If not the cable would just flex.

 

Is it the 4l80e? My sons Firebird with the 4l80e will do the same thing, jack it up with the rear wheels suspended and put it in "N" and the wheels won't spin. We just swapped out valve bodies on it and I thought something was wrong. Put car on the ground and everything worked fine. Head scratcher for sure. Jacked it up and the same thing in "N" weird.

 

When my wife climbs in and does her thing I will be watching the cable and so on. My car is the 4.0 with the ZF 4HP24. I also own a USA spec '90 XJ40 Majestic with the 4HP24 and I have no problem with rotating the wheels on that car when it is on my lift. That's another reason why this situation is puzzling.

 

Roger,

If as I think you've implied, the selector lever on the side of the box is not moving although the gear lever is changing position, it sounds like a cable slip problem.

However, if the transmission is going into neutral, remember that your XJS has an LSD and, unless optioned, your XJ40 does not. One wheel of an LSD-car can be very tight to turn when in Neutral.

Paul

 

I didn't think of the LSD in these cars. I'll put a wheel on or a jack stand under the hub on one side and try to rotate the opposite wheel. An LSD should drive both wheels in the same direction... Gotta be linkage or a lockout related problem.

 

Roger,

Apols if you know this, but remember that the lockout inhibitor is not on the gearbox itself or the selector lever on the side of the box, but is just on the movement of the gear lever.

So the check should be:

1. Is the gear lever moving out of Drive?
2. If so, is the selector lever moving in conjunction with the gear lever? If not, start by looking at the cable linkage.
3. If the selector lever is moving, then the gearbox should be moving out of Park.
4. If so, are the brakes stuck on?

Good luck

Paul

 

Thanks PTJS1,

1. Is the gear lever moving out of Drive? Yes
2. If so, is the selector lever moving in conjunction with the gear lever? If not, start by
looking at the cable linkage. ?
3. If the selector lever is moving, then the gearbox should be moving out of Park. ?
4. If so, are the brakes stuck on? No. Calipers pads and hoses removed. Could be the
parking brake, but I didn't set it when I parked the car.

Thank you,
Roger

 

The parking brake may be on enough to keep you from rotating the wheel by hand. This parking brake is noted by still being on a little even after the dash light goes out. My car is a '96 and I have no problem rotating the wheels in neutral.


Luck, RagJag

 

I got back to my problem yesterday; the trans linkage does work from the shift lever to the transmission. I pulled one hub, brake disc, hub carrier assembly from its axle shaft yesterday afternoon. Not difficult, a standard puller did the job. I left the hub carrier mounted to the lower control arm. The initial cause of my heartburn is the brake discs corroded to the hubs and, apparently, the discs are also corroded to the hand brake shoes. My plan of attack for today is to use my slide hammer to pull the hub/disc out of the hub carrier. I will try to post pics here later.

 

I have to ask since I haven't seen anyone else ask in this thread. I get that your trans shifting is now an issue to look at, but why do the wheels need to spin to rotate the tires? You just jack up the car and remove the wheels. No spinning is involved, except for spinning your wrench.

 

I don't want to "rotate" the tires, I want to turn the hub/rotor so that the hand brake shoe adjusting hole is in position so I can back off the shoes, remove the rotors and pull the hubs. The hubs/rotors won't move. I just pulled the driver's side off with my slide hammer, will do the other side then post some pics. It appears that the rotors are hung up on the hand brake shoes. Puzzling since I didn't set the hand brake when I parked the car...?

 

Roger,

I know it's no real help but those rear brake shoes do tend to bind when you try and remove the disc, even if the handbrake isn't applied, unless you back off the adjuster. After a few times, you learn to always get the wheel with adjuster hole accessible before you start stripping the wheel off etc. Part of the problem is the lip that forms inside the disc housing after a few years of wear, with corrosion buildup making it worse.

As I said, I know that won't help you now, but just to make you feel better that you're not the only one who's had the problem.

Good luck

Paul

 

Thanks, the handbrake appears to be the problem. Because the rear wheels couldn't be turned I couldn't line up the adjuster access hole with the handbrake adjuster. The left hand hub and rotor came off relatively easily with my slide hammer - pulled the assembly right off the handbrake shoes. The right hand side was another matter altogether! Took some serious pounding with the old slide hammer, jeeziz the handbrake shoes were jammed right in there. Pulled a lot of burned friction material dust out of that hub and the hand brake shoes themselves were bound up. I'll post some pics in the AM. The hubs themselves look good and I'll examine the other parts closely to determine their condition.