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The differentials on my 2016 V6S convertible A-T AWD have been fine as far as I know (as far as I know being the key issue). Any advice on best strategies to check the seals on both front and rear? I want to do it as the warranty has ~6 months left. I have replaced the air filters so I know what fun it is to take off the lower engine cover. I would like to avoid removing the covers if possible but if I need to I'll manage. Thanks!
You will have to inspect from underneath and unfortunately to inspect the front you have to remove the under tray. The rear is easy to inspect once the car is off the ground.
Last edited by madmax1911; Oct 19, 2020 at 09:33 AM.
You will have to inspect from underneath and unfortunately to inspect the front you have to remove the under tray. The rear is easy to inspect once the car is off the ground.
Where are the seals that tend to fail or have various seals failed?
From what I have read it is the various input and output shaft seals that leak, not the casings.
Using an inspection mirror and flashlight look for any dampness or weeping.
I think I might have a small amount of leakage from my rear differential. I took the covers off and the front differential is bone dry. There is a small film of oily dirt covering the rear differential that starts from where the drive shaft enters and stops near the drain plug. Hard to see in this photo but you can see what it looks like when I wiped it with my glove. I haven't driven it in 2 weeks so it isn't water. Is this what others have seen with leaky seals?
I have an appointment in 2 weeks at the dealer. I want it checked out now as I have only 6 months left in warranty and I will be putting it away for the winter soon.
Just did a trans fluid change and diff fluid change. Everything went well. 65,000 miles on my 660hp F Type R. 11.3 1/4 mile on street all season radials. I did notice some grease on the prop shaft in front of the diff. Looks like somethings not liking the torque! lol. If it aint broke, dont fix it!
Could you let us know what the diff fluid looks like after you get her back ?
Interesting Jaguar doesn't have this in their maintenance schedule since there have been some seal and diff failures.
Cheap insurance to change the fluids.
Agree. I posted something on this a few weeks back, but I requested my dealer replace rear diff fluid on my 2015 V8 and they looked at me as if I was speaking Japanese. They said "we never do that, we don't even have the oil on hand for that". Weird. And, this is outside Philadelphia not some middle of the woods location. Needless To Say, I am finding a new dealer.
Agree. I posted something on this a few weeks back, but I requested my dealer replace rear diff fluid on my 2015 V8 and they looked at me as if I was speaking Japanese. They said "we never do that, we don't even have the oil on hand for that". Weird. And, this is outside Philadelphia not some middle of the woods location. Needless To Say, I am finding a new dealer.
I replaced the rear diff fluid on my 2015 R this past June at 13,260 miles. I'm glad I did. It looked and smelled horrible.
My dealer has no problem replacing the diff fluid next week on my car, but they said they don’t usually touch the transmission unless there’s an issue. So I’ll change the transmission fluid at a later date.
I think I might have a small amount of leakage from my rear differential. I took the covers off and the front differential is bone dry. There is a small film of oily dirt covering the rear differential that starts from where the drive shaft enters and stops near the drain plug. Hard to see in this photo but you can see what it looks like when I wiped it with my glove. I haven't driven it in 2 weeks so it isn't water. Is this what others have seen with leaky seals?
I have an appointment in 2 weeks at the dealer. I want it checked out now as I have only 6 months left in warranty and I will be putting it away for the winter soon.
Yup, definitely looks like the input/pinion shaft seal is weeping. I would insist on having it replaced now while under warranty, it will do nothing but get worse with time.
I think I might have a small amount of leakage from my rear differential. I took the covers off and the front differential is bone dry. There is a small film of oily dirt covering the rear differential that starts from where the drive shaft enters and stops near the drain plug. Hard to see in this photo but you can see what it looks like when I wiped it with my glove. I haven't driven it in 2 weeks so it isn't water. Is this what others have seen with leaky seals?
I have an appointment in 2 weeks at the dealer. I want it checked out now as I have only 6 months left in warranty and I will be putting it away for the winter soon.
As suspected it was the pinion seal. Currently being repaired at the dealer. Just over 25,000 miles and 4.5 years old. 2016 V6S AWD. Add it to the list.
I am going out of warranty in 6 months and car will be stored for 4-5 months over winter so I am on my own very soon. I am still really enjoying this car. Besides differentials (non-trivial labor costs) and batteries (which are not too expensive), this car does not seem like a fragile money pit. I would like to try to prevent this seal from failing again as I continue to have a blast with it. I'll have new fluid after repair of this seal and can replace the front fluid at some point. Some have discussed cleaning the differential breather valve as a way of trying to prevent seals from failing. Does anyone have any insight into cleaning the breather valve? Does breather valve need replacing regularly? Pushing something into the valve might clean it but it might just push gunk into the differential fluid causing problems.
Thanks for that!
My question is, does the mechanical LSD on the F-Type V6S have the same breather, or is that breather only on the V8 E-diff?????
Edit - looking through my copy of the Workshop Manual it seems the mechanical LSD also has this breather tube (and cap).
I say "seems" coz as per usual the Manual is extremely vague about this, it explains and shows the breather tube and cap on the open diff (base) and on the E-diff (V8) but it doesn't actually say yeah or nay about the mechanical LSD on the V6S, it just leaves you to guess.
Thanks for that!
My question is, does the mechanical LSD on the F-Type V6S have the same breather, or is that breather only on the V8 E-diff?????
Edit - looking through my copy of the Workshop Manual it seems the mechanical LSD also has this breather tube (and cap).
I say "seems" coz as per usual the Manual is extremely vague about this, it explains and shows the breather tube and cap on the open diff (base) and on the E-diff (V8) but it doesn't actually say yeah or nay about the mechanical LSD on the V6S, it just leaves you to guess.
The V6 S does have the same breather, I had a couple of drops from the seal a few weeks after I purchased my car. I changed the differential fluid (found out it was overfilled also) and cleaned the breather tube and didn’t have any more leaking. I keep a piece of cardboard under the rear end just to be sure
If it's causing sludge to build like that and clog the breather, my first guess would be something with the diff oil not up to spec. Is the Castrol BOT720 not a synthetic oil or something? Speaking of which, I should change mine soon just to be safe.
Last edited by MisplacedPriorities; Nov 9, 2020 at 06:33 AM.
I personally think this is a bit of a red herring...Dont think that cleaning a breather will save seals/diff.
Front seals have been found leaking on very young cars with low miles, and thus the breather could not have clogged.
Whilst the video gives a good preventative maintenance idea, I don't belive it is the reason for diffs failing and would be highly sceptical of the pressure building in the diff, so much so to pop oil seals out - time will tell.
The diffs fail even without showing signs of any earlier seal leaks.
I believe that the frequency of oil change is the root cause of the failures.
I'm hearing more airing to the side of the fact that the dealer reports they've changed the diff oil, when in actual fact it has not been changed.
This may be compounded by BOT720 just not being up to the spec required in this diff?
Going to drop mine again, but this time send a sample of the oil for analysis.
The V6 S does have the same breather, I had a couple of drops from the seal a few weeks after I purchased my car. I changed the differential fluid (found out it was overfilled also) and cleaned the breather tube and didn’t have any more leaking. I keep a piece of cardboard under the rear end just to be sure
The manual says it has a breather but I have not tried to locate it myself yet.
My seal was bad with no dripping. It was more of a weeping with the differential being covered with oily dirt. If you want to monitor it, jack up rear on one side (use jack stand). Slide under and clean up the differential and then periodically repeat to see if oil and dirt accumulate. After my seal was repaired there was a bit of oil present after a vigorous drive. I wiped it off and went for a similar drive, no oil. It seems the oil was probably leaked on to differential when the oil was added after the seal was fixed. The front half of the differential where almost all the oil/dirt accumulated when the sealed failed cannot be touched or really seen without jacking up the car in my experience. The front differential for AWD cars is covered by a panel and so jacking both sides is definitely needed. (Be prepared for 2 panel with about 30 bolts to be removed if you want to do that. Not difficult just annoying.)
