Hi guys, I'm a "Newbie" to this forum but an "Oldbie" to the Jag world (1969). I have continuously owned and repaired Jags of most every vintage (some good-some not so good) since this date..... I have recently purchased a one owner '02 X-Type 2.5 with a manual gearbox. The car is in pretty good shape. However, I have already started to arm myself with a few spares as protection from the inevitable..... I have read many of the horror stories concerning the transfer case and to lessen my recently developed paranoia, I intend to track down an extra (or 2?)..... What years will interchange, will manual and automatic interchange, is one year better than another, etc?....While not meaning to sound arrogant, I'm not particularly interested in hearing any dealer generated "propaganda". Rather, I eagerly and respectfully await to hear from any of you guys that have the "hands on" knowledge. Thanks in advance for your time, Andy

 

Well all model years of transfer case will interchange, either manual or automatic transmission use the same unit.

Having said that, your '02 contains a transfer case with a viscous coupling which was only in the 02/03 model years. Starting in 04, Jaguar switched to a non-viscous coupling unit which employed an open gear design.

If your X has traction control you could get away with substituting an 04+ unit, but if it does not and you plan on doing any wintry driving (probably not in GA) your grip will be compromised somewhat in the snow and ice.

I have an 04 without traction control, in Wisconsin, and it is no better in the snow than my XJ that is RWD and has traction control (unless I use the parking brake to modulate the rear wheels on the X).

 

This is just my opinion but when you acquire a used transfer case it is really a shot in the dark. You have no idea how many miles are on it or what condition it is in. It may not even work when you install or it may fail within a few weeks. Transfer cases are the weakest component in our cars. I just had one fail at 30k miles of very easy city driving of a 2005 X-Type. It was all covered by my extended warranty, but they wanted the dealer to use a "rebuilt/used" transfer case and he refused to install it. He sold me a brand new OEM one reduced to his price and my total cost was only $428, plus my $200 deductible which I had to pay regardless. He and I both agreed that a used or even a rebuilt transfer case was a bad investment. Having one around as a spare might make sense but considering the effort it takes to install one of these and the inability to insure the quality of the parts inside, I wonder if it is worth the effort?

As a side note, once I picked up my car I noticed a noise from under the car, near the transmission. I had the technician look at it and he said that when the transfer case failed it knocked the axel out and that probably pulled the seal loose on the transmission and I had lost some transmission fluid. These are sealed transmissions and you can only check the fluid level using a computer. They checked it out and sure enough it was low on fluid. They apparently drained and added new fluid, since the invoice showed two quarts.

I was surprised to lose the transfer case at 30k considering how much I baby this thing but the dealer said he wasn't. He has seen them go with less then 10k. I spent $2500 on a bumper to bumper 7/70 extended warranty when I got the car used in January 2008, with 18 months of factory warranty left and 17000 miles on the car. It just paid for itself, so anything else that goes wrong is money in my pocket, and I plan to keep this car for a long time. YMMV

 

Thanks Nick for your expert advice and your astute observations concerning the differences in the performance of the various transfer cases. Also thanks to tarheel72 for his opinions...and in response...I find the unknown condition of used machinery to be challenging and the successful repair of the same to be rewarding...The odds of my success with rusty iron repair have been AT LEAST average. I tell myself that my odds are BETTER than average...This mindgame keeps my fingernails dirty and a new project just around the corner... Or perhaps there has not been enough punishment heaped into the corner of my life that houses the 'Jag stuff'...YET...HMM?!?! All the best, Andy

 

c.3823, welcome to the forums. This is what I will tell you and you can take it for what it is worth. If you drive the car sensibly, the transfer case will outlast the car. You abuse it, it will abuse you. Lots of us have driven 130K+ miles with no issues. So, the big thing to keep in mind is making sure that the transfer case remains filled with gear lube. Granted, the transfer cases seem to also take running without lube pretty well too. Where the transfer case is weak is in the flexing aspect under heavy load (ie, hard acceleration). So, launching off of the line is not recommended. BUt, if you need to pass someone oh the highway, don't be afraid to give the kitty a little bit of gas.

As for which transfer case is better, this has been an argument around these parts for some time. All are interchangeable from 02-08. But, like was mentioned, the 02-03 transfer cases have the viscous coupling in them. personally speaking, i would rather have that than stability control. But, I am a manual control type of person. I hate it when the car thinks it knows what I want.

 

Hello Thermo-We must have gone to different schools together as I too preach the gospel of proper maintenence. I also subscribe to that most basic premise of automotive law- 'A heavy foot must to be supplimented with an equally heavy wallet'. Thanks for your input, Andy

 

Just an FYI, I was able to change the 2 "prop shaft" bearings in my transfer case. It was really quite an easy half day job. Did not require removal of the TC and I left the driveshaft carrier bearing in too. Simply unbolt the universal joint, remove the 4 nuts on the TC bearing housing and the little brace. Remove, disassemble and install new parts.

I understand this does not answer your question. However, like me, you might not need a new transfer case. As the failure mode is likely to be the 2 prop shaft bearings.

 

This is a useful thread. My girlfriend broke the transfer case in her 04 x-type this week. it has a manual trans and no trac control. I pulled the case out today in just under 3 hours--didn't have to drop the subframe like the manual says. It has a nice crack running around half of the thing; it goes through both halves of the thing too. I'm surprised that the car still moved by it's own power. Anyways, thanks to this thread I'm going to replace it with a used '03 case because they are much more plentiful and cheaper than the later ones. I didn't want to have to go with a used one, but I can't have this one rebuilt because the case is cracked.

 

Anyone have any idea where to get parts for an 03 transfer case (planet gear and coupling gear)

 

I don't know too much about cars, and a disaster happened last Saturday when the transfer case broke (which my mechanic explained to me) and the car got stuck in park. I had to have it towed and the wheels wouldn't even turn in neutral.

So I have a 2004 Jaguar X-Type 3.0 Liter engine with All Wheel Drive, no traction control or stability control. I've been looking on Kijiji and EBay Motors and have noticed that the 02 and 03 transfer cases are way less expensive than the 04 onwards. So, my question is, can I put an 02 or an 03 transfer case on this car instead?

My mechanic originally quoted me $1,500 for the part alone and 8 hours of labor to install it, for a total with tax of close to $2,500. I had just gotten an offer to buy the car for $5,000 before this happened, and there is no way I can afford to put that kind of money on repairs, let alone on a used part.

Please let me know what my most affordable alternatives are. Please and thank you!

Rob

 

By the way, I forgot to mention, it's an automatic transmission.

 

Neon, welcome to the forums. We can help you out here.

As for whether you can or not, the simple answer is "Yes". The 02-03 transfer cases will bolt right up to your car. Now, just to add confusion to this issue, your car may really be an "03" (use this loosely, you will see). Jaguar released a lot of 04 vehicles in late 03 and into early 04 using the 03 wiring harness and other 03 parts. Then starting in April, they switched over to a new style transfer case and also made some other changes to the wiring harness and electrical options. If you look in your driver's door jam, you will see the build month/year there. If yours says Mar 2004 or earlier, then you really have the 03 and you will be replacing the transfer case from an 03 vehicle with an identical unit. If you have the later 04 style, then going with the 03 transfer case can be a slight advantage since that transfer case has the viscous coupling and will give you better power transfer in adverse conditions.

 

Hi and welcome
Your tech said the trans fluid level can only be checked by computer???
I have never heard this, and am unaware of any software which can tell the trans fluid level.
There is a fluid level plug which can be removed to check the trans fluid level.
Your tech makes me nervous... Thermo... What is your opinion?

 

iownme, there is no electronic sensor measuring the tranny fluid level. No car has had this that I am aware of (even the oil level sensors are just coming into general use on the newest of cars). So, the statement about checking the level with a computer is complete BS. There is a port on the side of the tranny that allows you to check the fluid level. This is how most modern day cars do it. Personally, I would rather have the dipstick, but the manufacturer's are making it more and more difficult to make the backyard mechanic be able to work on their vehicles without a fair amount of electronic knowledge.

 

Mmm! Well to be fair to the mechanic, Jaguar do lay down some oil temperature limits to be followed while checking the auto-box level and the fitted sensor that does that is read on an 'upmarket' scanner (Computer?)

Just replacing the same quantity as removed or using the level plug at ambient temperature might work, but it's not best practice.

 

Id like to see more info on this "upmarket" computer.
We here have been complaining about the poor method of checking tranny fluid level since... Hmmmmm.... 2002... Lol

And to be sure....one does not replace with the same amount as removed, that would not make any sense, one would drain whatever comes out (up to 3.5qt depending on level) then replace with 3.5 qts. This ensures the level is correct

 

Not 'upmarket' computer, but upmarket scanner, ie not a simple code reader, but one that can read sensor outputs directly. Personally I use AutoEnginuity that does happen to use a laptop computer, but there are now many cell phone apps that will do the job. Some will read the autobox temperature directly, others read the varying sensor resistance, but a resistance/temperature chart is out there.

JTIS - easily available though this Forum - gives explicit instructions on how to fill and how to carry out a fluid level check, requiring only a set pattern of J Gate operation prior to checking the fluid is just overflowing through the level plug at the specified temperature.

This temperature requirement seems to be common to most (All?) modern autobox filling instructions.