So, I gleaned a lot of good information about the correct ATF for the XKR ZF 6HP26 transmission here on the forums, at least enough to know that the Dexron fluid the previous owner got talked into doing at an Express Lube a while back might be the cause of my tranny chirp, and might not be correct for or good for the life of transmission. I also learned about the basic Shell 1375.4 specs that the ZF Lifeguard6 fluid most probably actually is and the probability that there are some qualified cheaper replacements.
So, armed with this information I took the Jag to my trusted (for 20 years) mechanic who has a power transmission flusher machine and who got the right fluid for me. Dang! his power flush machine fittings and adapters would not fit the Jag tranny oil cooler line fitting! So he advises I take it to the Jag Dealer for the job. Well, there goes my reasonable pricing and launches me into the $175/hr labor rate and the $47.88/quart Jag labeled fluid cost orbit.

"Sure", the service writer says on the phone. "No problem! Happy to help you out! Just bring 'er on in and we'll take good care of you!" So I did. Signed the work order, and take public transportation to the city. Ring, Ring, goes my office phone. "Hello", says I, "Well I have some news about the job on your car" says the service writer. "Well, um, er, you see since we, uh, um don't ever change tranny fluid here - they're sealed for life you know - we haven't ever actually been asked o flush a transmission before and, well, um, er, turns out we don't have a flushing machine after all, but we do have some options." Like? "Option 1 is to drop the pan, drain the transmission via gravity, replace the gasket, sleeve and filter, button it up run it for a week or so then bring it back for another transfusion so as to get most of the oil changed." And that will be only $1600." Or we could just do it one time and skip the repeat job for $1200. "What about all the oil that is stuck in the Torque Converter that won't drain? What about all that incorrect fluid (maybe 20%) still in there?". I ask "Yeah," he says "but thats the best we can offer." So I says "Please just button everything up and I will come get it...which I did...Nice of them not to charge me for their errant look see.

Tomorrow we go back to the good ole trusty mechanic and I will pay to have a threaded adapter made for his machine, do the power flush and get the good stuff put in. As they say in the old country OY!

That' my story of the day!

 

Sealed for life, I just dislike this ,I presumed your XKs didn't come with this

 

Thats a BIG bummer.

Questions though, since you are taking it back to your indy, what fluid are you going to use? Where are you purchasing the parts from?

Since the Dexron was used are you going to use the ATF (Jaguar) additive too (its supposed to help with the chirp)?

Its good to know that you are replacing the pan/filter and sleeve.

 

This is interesting---you say the previous owner had the fluid changed before you bought the car. How many miles does your '06 have on it? I've got 30k miles and am thinking of changing the oil because of the chirp---which is much more prevalent in the summer, probably due to 40-50F degree increase in temp.

 

The operation is over and the patient is doing very well. To answer some questions asked above:
Q: Will I use the addative?

A : No. The new fluid has all the right stuff in it, and the additive is now banned by EPA and the dealer doesn't have cant get it any more.

Q: What fluid did I use.

A: The research I did determined that the ZF fluid (not made by ZF at all) and the Jag fluid (not made by Jag or ZF) is/was made by Shell and duplicated by others. Shell's specs are listed as oil 1375.4. This spec is listed by my favorite lubricant company Redline for their D4 fully synthetic fluid. They list the 6hp26 transmission as an application for the fluid.

Q: How did it go?

A: My indy has a nice exchange/flush machine (looks a lot like a dialysis machine!) the machine is hooked up in line at the connection of the radiator transmission oil cooler. The machine gets loaded with more than enough D4 to replace all the old fluid. The machine (at about 15 pounds per square inch only drains old fluid from one side of th connection and adds fluid to match what was removed to the other side. There are windows to see the old oil color going to waste and the new clear fluid going in. When done the new fluid shows up in the waste window and you know the exchange is done. The whole process is done with the motor running and the transmission in Park to make sure the torque converter and all channels are cleared with the new fluid.

Q: Did it stop the chirp?

A: Yes and it also smoothed out the lurch shifts and the stack up on 1st or 2nd at quick stop that sometimes happened.

Q: When/Why did the PO do his transmission job with the Dexron?

A: He only did it because a tech at an Express Lube recommended it. Had he not done that the original fluid could have lasted "lifetime". Oh yeah, what is Lifetime? According to Jag dealer it is 6 yrs or 100k or until they get to sell an new transmission. The reason they did not have the equipment to do the exchange is just that. It doesn't need changing until it breaks.

P.O. allowed the violtion of the sacred fluid At 39K I bought the car at 60.35k Car now has 62K. Dexron was adequate in that the car ran with it in, but it did not meet specs I heard about, was chirping and needed to be completely voided and replaced.

So far so Good.
PS Brand names for these fluids do not men a thing it is the physical properties and specs of the fluid that matters. If you match up the specs your duck and the brand duck will quack the same. Magic potion it aint.

 

^ good info! thank you.

 

I had posted my fluid exchange experience in another thread last month, but I thought I would metion it here since it is relevant. I had the dealership change my fluid and pan in my 2004 XK8 due the it having 60k miles, and because of the chirp sound. When they finished the job, they called and said that the chirp noise was still present. They then said that the fix is to use the additive. The didn't have any, so they found another dealership who did have a quart, and they shipped it overnight. The next day they put the additive in, and it doesn't chirp. They told me they used the Jaguar fliuid, which was a big $$$. I don't know how old or new the fluid was that they used. Maybe old stuff they had in the parts bin and maybe old stuff doesn't have this additive in it, and new stuff does? I don't know, but it concerns me that for me at least, just a fluid change with Jaguar fluid didn't fix this, and the next time I change the fluid in another 60k miles, I wonder if I will have the same problem, but won't be able to get the additive at all. I was thinking about trying to find a dealer who would sell me a quart and if I ever need it I will have it. Also, for those wondering if they really did even change my fluid or just scammed me...they did change it. The pan and pan bolts clearly were new. BTW, I had clunking pulling up to stops, and worse than that, REALLY harsh shifting from 1-2, which the fluid change did nothing to help with. What fixed it was a re-flash of the transmission control unit, and reset of the adaptations. Also, they told me I had the newest software already for the TCU, but reflashed anyways.

 

I was checking the Redline website and it actually lists Redline D6 ATF for a ZF 6HP26 transmission. Does the D4 ATF work just as well as the D6 ATF?

 

Well as both D4 and D6 are listed (albeit in differing wording) for the 6HP26 transmission, I went for the less fuel efficient, slightly higher viscosity D4. As their website states D6 is a thinner version of D4. I sorta had to decide which fluid The Redline product applications actually lists would work best.
Redline information:

Also under each product they list crossover applications. I am not sure why the D4 list is so extensive and the D6 list is not so, but the number of crossovers for the cars listed on the D4 that have 6HP26 transmissions is fairly long...as an example:

D4;

"Shell M1375.4
(BMW 02-08 3, 5, 6, 7 series and X5 with ZF 6 speed automatic)" the 6 speed tranny in these bimmers is mostly the 6HP26.

Vis @ 100°C, cSt7.5

Vis @ 40°C, cSt34

Viscosity Index198

Pour Point, °C-60

Pour Point, °F-76

Flash Point, °C225

Flash Point, °F437

Brookfield Vis @ 40°C, P 52

D6:
Vis @ 100°C, cSt 6.4
Vis @ 40°C, cSt 30.7
Viscosity Index 166
Pour Point, °C -60
Pour Point, °F -76
Flash Point, °C 249
Flash Point, °F 480
Brookfield Vis @ -40°C, P 45

The 6HP26 is specifically mentioned in their crossover applications on the D6 page, but it is not exclusive of D4.

Anyway that's what it all looked like to me. Todays 37 mile commute on country lanes and then high speed freeways including the best drag strip available on any commute (the timing lights at thre SF Bay Bridge - where it got a good stomping) everything is running smooth as slik. I hope my saying so will not tempt fate too deeply!

 

This is probably overkill, but here is the results of another obsessed individual regarding his own research over at an Audi forum regarding this issue. His conclusions seem to match those above.

"Posted by:
Turkeybaster115
03-19-2010, 08:11 PM
I did a lot of research as to what in the world our mystery factory fill ATF could be, and I think I finally found it. After a lot of searching, and phone calls to shell USA I have deduced the following:

According to the australian petrolium institute: Key To Lubricants their ASP15 classification includes the following fluids:

-Ford Specification No. M2C 919D

-Mercon SP Fluid Part No. XT-6QSP

-Shell ATF M-1375.4

-ZF 6-speed Automatic Transmission Fluid, (Shell M-1375.4)

Mercon SP Fluid is a newer transmission fluid made by shell for Ford dealers. Its easy to find online, and it retails for around $4:00+/quart. Things get really interesting when you look at the specs of lifeguard 6 found in the MSDS:

http://www.tsgparts.net/images/pdf/Lifeguardfluid6.pdf and compare them to the specs of Mercon SP:

http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricant...ERCON%20SP.pdf and http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricant...us175325us.pdf

VERY similar specs, and the same color fluid.



You can get the lifeguard6/Shell M-1375.4 fluid for $4.68/quart here: ATF Transmission Fluid Mercon SP, XT6QSP, Motorcraft



Before you get this fluid consider the following; which are my opinions, drawn from online research. Shell was tapped by ZF/Ford, to make this fluid for maximum fuel efficiency. it has very similar specs to amsoil's fuel efficiency transmission fluid:



AMSOIL - Synthetic Fuel Efficient Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATL) (Scroll to the bottom of the page).



If you are in/out of warranty, want to change your ATF fluid, with oem, for considerably less than what the dealer will charge, then get the mecron SP stuff. Now for those who have higher torque vehicles with the 6hp19/26 transmissions, you might want to opt for a fluid that will trade you gas mileage for decreased fluid temps. This is especially true if you plan on occasional racing, or power increasing modifications. If you look at amsoil, and redline, you find that they each offer a line of racing/high temp fluid products. These products offer better thermal protection for racing or high torque vehicles. Looking closely, there're specs differ from the fuel efficient lines. Most notebly: KV @ 40C 7.5-10cst; KV @ 100C 34-53cst VI: 177+, Flash point 225 F+. Clearly the higher the fluid's KV/VI/Flash point, the more sheer stable it is under abnormal stress. "

TCSYD