Dropping the sump and changing the engine oil sump gasket should be child's play - and it probably is on most other cars - but not on the X-Type 2.5L...
I began search for information of how to do it, and the first wave of information I got hit with was that I basically have to remove half the engine from underneath the car.
The scheduled time for a professional to do it was quotes as 8-9 hours, which included removing the transfer box and one of the catalysts - many of those nuts and bolts, which need to be removed, are hidden, non accessible and most likely firmly rusted in place. The term "pig job" was used a lot in those "tutorials".

The problem at hand is that Jaguar apparently took great care to make changing that sump gasket pretty much impossible by making sure that ONE of those bolts, that hold the sump up, is inaccessible. Upon further research I found that that some people found a way around that: The trick is to drill a hole thru the transfer box to get to that bolt.

The first information I found about drilling that hole was on youtube, a video called "2004 Jaguar X Type Oil pan drop and gasket change" by Gerald Malcolm Dial. That video helped me a lot, but I had yet to see any picture of video anywhere, where someone actually managed to drill a hole (a hole is something round!) rather than a mouse-bite into the transfer box from the side - most probably caused by using 12mm drill-bits to drill sideways to drill something like a 18mm hole... - that is not a pretty sight.

So I went ahead and did a lot of planning and "making tools" before actually drilling...:


First you need to get a section of the exhaust out of the way: The short bit which attaches to the front catalyst - open the nut on that clamp.


And two more nuts on the other end of that exhaust section.


That section then can be removed by lowering it on it's end facing the rear, the pull it off the catalyst.

Exhaust section removed.


That is what all the hype is about that bolt, which is that hidden (under the transfer box) that it is hardly visible. There is something called a "distributor wrench" - interesting tool, but I found it only in size 9/16 inch and not 13mm - not that that would have made any difference, because there is just no room there at all to rotate this tool at all.


Apart from that silly bolt - these are the items on the to do list: Remove extra long bolts that fix the compressor to the sump - and note that the 2 bolt fixing the sump upwards next to those very long bolts are also quite a bit longer than all the other bolts fixing the sump upwards.


Remove that bracket.


Remove that bracket on from the catalyst. On its big bolt on the top simply remove the nut only and then...


...simply turn the bracket upwards to get it out of the way.

SO I need a socket size 13mm to remove that hidden bolt. Obviously I want to drill a hole as small as possible. Note that 13mm sockets are definitely not all the same. Find one with the smallest outer diameter - that would be one with an outer diameter of just shy of 17mm.


REMOVE that one massive bolt that attaches the transfer box, where the hidden bolt is under. - Without thinking it thru, how I would drill a 17mm hole, I just started with what I had. First - VERY IMPORTANT - mark the spot, where you want to drill. Mark twice, drill once and not mark once and drill twice. That way I positioned the first little hole with my "pilot drill" right bang centre, followed by 10mm and 12.5mm drill bits.


Then I ran out of bigger drill bits and I had to realize that you can't just walk into a hardware shop hoping to find a 18mm drill bit. But I did find 17 and 19mm hole saws. Initially I thought, 17mm would be too small and I bought the 19mm bit: As my hole was already 12.5mm the normal auger for it with the little pilot drill bit would not have help me. But when I tried to drill that hole I was afraid that the hole would get too bit and possibly damage the transfer box...


Hence, I went back and bought the 17mm hole saw. I would have bought a M12 1.25 pitch bolt with it, but the hardware-shop had only 1.5 pitch. But as I had to "loose" most of the thread anyway (to fit it thru the hole saw, the short section of pitch 1.5 did the trick as well. I then stiffed a bit of aluminium pipe (a cut off from an old TV antenna) over the bolt - it fitted perfectly and the outer diameter of the alu-pipe was 12.5mm - perfect. Note all the aluminium bits on the ground! Make sure to use a vacuum cleaner and then air-pressure to get all those metal bits out of the newly drilled hole - you would not want to have those bits in the thread of the transmission bolt....


Thus, I could drill not that perfect hole, and it suited my 13mm socket perfectly and I removed the hidden bolt without any more dramas.


But this was not the end of all dramas: The sump was now perfectly loose, but it did not fall out - it was wedged in between transmission and subframe. That utterly useless downward cylinder extension had to go (1mm cutting disk, plus sanding disc to create a smooth edge...


I simple drove those 2 very large bolts from the compressor back in - and the sump was held in the prefect position to get a "hair"-cut... - a cylinder-cut.


Dirty...


Clean...


New gasket.


Btw: This ant-eater's nose, which comes down there prevents you from swapping the gasket without fully removing then sump - just in case you had that in mind when you could not get the sump come out fully...


New gasket and high temp RTV silicone


RTV as well (just, where the engine block meet the timing cover).


And now something, which I think no one thought of before: To prevent dirt, water and even salt water (from salt on the streets) (not that we have that issue in Australia) from entering at that newly trilled hole, I thought of something: After tightening all sump bolts (25Nm), I squashed black silicone thru that hole to cover it from the top and pressed a thin round bit of rubber underneath, pushed the big bolt back in, and then reused the now rounded and clear-coat-sprayed head of the bold, which I used for the tool, to stuff that hole - silicone underneath...


And the shiny exhaust pipe bit gets back into it's designated home as well.

 

And now for something completely different...
While I created the thread above of how to drop the sump and swap the gasket, I simultaneously created a youtube video about this (and that is even more work than writing a DIY guide here, especially since I have not done youtube since a long time.)
So here it is - in two parts:

 

Nice write up

 

Great work as usual Peter.

One of my X-Types missed the factory recall to get this done back in the day so it is on my "todo" list for next summer.

As a temporary patch, I cleaned up everything and sprayed the gasket edge with some of the spray rubber sealers. It is helping a lot until I get the time to do it the right way.

 

Really good images and nice videos, Peter. Thank you, and to the forum & members, too.
I'm in the middle of sump gasket change right now, and OH, how I wish I lived in Australia as well. There's much less salt on the roads in winter, then up here in Finland..
It took me more than three hours to get the exhaust flange out of that bit of pipe underneath the sump. I got the flange nuts out relatively easy, after soaking them in wd40 for a day, but that flange was so corroded, that I had to hammer it down the pipe to get it far enough and clear the flange studs, before I was able to slide the pipe down and out from catalyst. Pita, when there's no room and your lying on your back under the car..

Anyway, I've drilled through the transmission bracket, and got all the bolts out. Sump is now free, but I still need to cut that cylinder shaped bit out, to drop the sump. I hope things go smoothly from here on...

 

With everything undone, I found the secret to be to jack up the engine/gearbox assembly by about 1/2 inch as the flexible mounts allowed, and that increased all the vertical clearances for the sump removal usefully. I don't recall removing that knob until I got the sump out and thought it might help someone in the future

 

Thanks for the tip, astromorg.
I was not able to get any more clearance by jacking the engine upwards. I could not get it to move by just loosening the mounts. I was not happy with that and tightened the mounts back.
Maybe, if I had removed the mounts all together, but since there is no place to jack under the engine when sump is loose, except the transmission casing, engine tends to tilt forward and is a bit unstable.
But finally got the sump out, after cutting that knob, using heavy swearing, and minor force.

My contribution to this job, is that re-installation is way easier, if you trim the sump a bit more, and remove that little casting shown in picture. It's not on the sealing surface, and can safely be removed.
That little 'tongue' is right under the transferbox bracket, that needs to be drilled, and wedges sump against catalysator and that bracket when trying to remove or install it back on:


After meeting Dremel-tool (not the best picture, sorry):

 

I am currently playing the transmission-removal game (again) - which means that to get there, the TC (transfer case) needs to be removed, too.
So, at this moment I would have very easy access to the sump-pan. (i.e. no hole-drilling would be required).
But as I just had the sump pan off, I do not need to remove that now.

But what I learned meanwhile - regarding the TC:
The one thing the PO (previous owner) did what doing a gear oil change of the TC using the method, where you tilt the whole X-Type frighteningly to both sides to get as much gear oil out as possible, and then you tilt the car to the other side and put the same amount of fresh gear oil back in.

When I removed the transmission the first time around, I changed the gear oil of the removed TC: It looked disgusting.
This was only very recent and only about 100km ago. Now, when I removed the transmission the second time around, I asked myself, if I should change the TC gear oil again. I did. It looked disgusting again... - But that's not all: This time I filled a bit of oil back in, and agitated the oil sitting in there with air pressure - doing this refilling of a little bit of gear oil and emptying it 3 times - and the last time I put more oil in (about 200ml) and also "ran" the TC powered by a drill (connecting it to the TC via a size 27 socket). I would not say that the inside of the TC is clean now, but it has to suffice now...

So what I trying to say in regards of removing the sump pan:
The oil in every TC would be utterly rotten. Doing a TC oil change via the car-tilt method is not effective.
Removing the TC is pure horror, as there are 2 to 4 bolts, which a sane person would classify as non-removable, but it is the only way to do a TC-oil-change...
Hence, especially, if you have to remove your sump anyway, it if worth considering, if it is not better to remove the TC as well to change the TC oil and then have access to the sump without drilling the hole....

But again: Removing some of the bolts of the two TC brackets (one bracket is technically the catalyst-bracket) is a nightmare...

 

I just replaced the oil pan gasket on my x-type today. Thanks so much for all your instructions and tips. The only details I would add are:

1. I had to use a pri-bar to release the back of the exhaust section. Even though it was loose I couldn't do it on my own.
2. I used a small belt sander with 120 grid belt to round the edge of the "downward cylinder" after cutting it off with a cutoff wheel on my grinder. This was much quicker and less precarious than using the angle grinder.
3. I used an 18mm hole saw which was a tight fit for my 16mm diameter 13mm socket. But it turned out my socket was not concentric. It is thicker on one side than the other. So once I had loosened the bolt I had to keep pulling the socket out and realigning it every 1/6 turn to stop it from jamming. But after a bit of work I got the troublesome bolt out. Putting it back in was the same in reverse Until the ticket was fully through the hole.
4. Finally with all that done, all the bolts removed I couldn't get the oil pan to release. Then after re-reading all the posts here I placed my jack under the transmission and raised the engine slightly. As I did I head a clink and the oil pan fell down.

Thanks so much for sharing. I took the car to my local mechanic and showed him your instructions, but he didn't believe it was possible that the oil pan would come out that way and wanted to take the transfer case off. Given that most estimates are 9+ hours I decided to give it a go myself. My only hesitation was managing back pain which slowed me down a bit. A yoga mat wrapped in plastic did the trick.

 

Yes, I use always approx. 10mm thick rubber mats when working under the car. At our local hardware store they sell four 50x50cm mats for below AUD$20.
Addl. note: I am about to make things easier for myself in the future - I have now two 3 ton car jacks. I will use those, plus stands PLUS wooden construction to lift the cat even higher.

About your point 3: Many 13mm sockets will have an out diameter, which is too big. Obviously a non-concentric socket is a no-go. I found only two sockets for a 1/4' ratchet (-extension) in my huge tool collection, where the OD was small enough. Hence, if you don't have one small enough, that is something, which need to be bought...

Your gasket looks good - thick blue gasket.
I assume you know, that you will also need at least a bit of RTV silicone.

I STILL have not solved my oil leak completely. Meanwhile I am guessing that I have to remove the oil-pan for a third or forth time (drilling that hole was definitely worth it). I can't explain it, but I think that even my second new sump-gasket is still leaking. Maybe - just maybe - it is because the carefully placed RTV at strategically important points gets wiped off and is then obviously missing there, when I re-install the sump-pan - it is possible that due to all those space-restrictions that the sump-gasket with the RTV touches somewhere, where it should not, due to all that restricted space before I am able to finally position the sump....

And I got some additional advise:

Note the little something, which stands off (red circle, first picture). This is also very useless and hinters you from removing or installing the sump. The last time around I had the sump off, I removed it...

 

Got the blue gasket on amazon - au - "FEL-PRO OS 30697 R Oil Pan Gasket Set". Came from the US (free shipping with Prime). Seemed pretty substantial and well made and had little pockets for the RTV.

I agree adding the RTV was quite sub-optimal. I have no doubt it got smeared in the process of getting the oil pan back in. I saw a bit oozing out each side as I torqued the bolts but the whole process doesn't inspire confidence. I was thinking in retrospect a bit of blue masking tape to hold the gasket in place while fitting the pan might work better. Then remove the tape once a few bolts are in. The problem for me is I should have degreased the entire engine bay first. The previous owner had put off replacing the gasket and there was years of burn oil crud all over the place.

Regarding the socket, all my good ones were a lot larger. The small one I used was in a cheap set I think someone in my family was given as a gift and ended up in the garage with my tools. Wasn't great but it did the job. I'll take some photos tomorrow.

 

Do you already know, if swapping the sump gasket solved your oil leak issue?
Or is the oil still coming out from SOMEWHERE?

Yes, I know that only the very cheap sockets are small enough (OD). It's odd that you had one, which was even non-concentric. I would have made it concentric with an angle grinder first.

 

For what it's worth, I did my oil sump gasket years ago and thought it began leaking again. It was actually coming from the front timing cover gasket above where the timing cover, block and sump meet in the rear. Not where they all meet, but above. Oil would run down and line the sump seal making it look like the sump seal failed.

 

Below is the 13mm socket. Don't think I could have ground it concentric, there isn't much there.


Here is the cylinder (probably a spur or vent from the casting process) I removed with the angle grinder cut-off wheel and sanded round. You can see where the grinding disk grazed the sub-frame. I only have a large angle grinder which was really not the best choice for this task.


Here is the 18mm hole I bored into the transfer case to remove the hidden bolt. Probably should have been 1-2mm further back to stop the mouse bite. Nevertheless it worked and I was able to remove and return the bolt and torque it to 25nm just fine.


This is the hole-saw I used. I trimmed the drill so it only poked out a bit.


This is the hobby belt sander with 120grit belt which I normally use to sand rough surfaces on 3D prints.


I will report back on how successful the gasket change was - fingers crossed.

 

My oil leak was definitely the oil pan gasket. Oil was leaking out the bolt holes, and the A/C mounting holes. The old gasket was really crusty. Nevertheless I will be keeping an eye on whether oil is leaking from anywhere else. I suspect that having the exhaust manifold run right under the oil pan doesn't help. Particularly here in central Queensland where summers bring the road surface air temp up pretty high.

 

I think the post from 95naSTA was meant for me... Yes, thanks, I know that there are plentiful ways for the oil to sneak out somehow and I double-checked most of them on my X-Type.
Recently I even added new weapons in my search for the leak: An endoscopic camera and UV-dye in the engine oil.
A few days ago I did remove the rear cam-cover again after discovering with my endoscopic camera that there is a hard to spot little leak at the rear left corner of the cam cover (when you stand in frt. of the car) towards the firewall. Thus, intake off again, cam cover off again, and I really do not know WHY there was still a leak (yes, I had taken care of any possible leak there plenty of times before), but maybe - just maybe - I accidentally had squeezed in that metal latch, seen in the picture below (red circle), under the cam cover...

Everything is so tight there and it looks like I forgot to position that latch on top at one of those cam-cover bolts - which would not be too bad - but if that latch - which I lost track of - was actually squeezed in under the cam cover, this could explain a leak... - BUT that is not my only leak, hence my suspicion of the sump still leaking.

@ whpthomas:
As I pointed out in my initial post above, avoiding the "mouse bite" when drilling that hole is the challenge of it all...
I have seen several mouse bits on youtube before I drilled my hole and knew that this is what I had to avoid...
Yes, let me know, if the sump-seal and all other possible sources of oil leak have now stopped leaking on your X-Type...

PS: I ordered now that same Amazon-gasket, which you have - maybe that's the secret...

 

I went for a long drive yesterday with stretches at 100k and 80k. This morning there is a little weep at the back of the pan which I will investigate further. I did spray a lot of break cleaner around the engine bay so it may be residue left over from that. The engine bay was a real mess so I am going to do a big degrease next so I can actually see if there is anything else going on, but I ran out of spray - for now.

 

OK, but degrease carefully. Keep in mind that our cats do not like water, i.e. be very careful with the water pressure cleaner, if you use one. Not all areas in the engine compartment can be targeted with the water pressure cleaner.

Note aside: I just returned from the emergency department. There was something in my dinner tonight... Just after swallowing a spoonful I thought something got stuck in my throat. Apparently something sharp scratched my throat and left behind the feeling of something being stuck - the doctor says.

PS: They were not kiddin' on Amazon regarding their note "Only 1 left" when I ordered that gasket yesterday - it is now indeed marked as "Currently unavailable"...

 

OK - thanks for the info. Maybe I should just use a few cans of brake cleaner instead to dislodge the worst of the muck.

 

Break cleaner is actually more aggressive than "Degreaser".
I use break cleaner only where really necessary.
Degreaser comes in spray cans just like break cleaner. Sometimes it's on special, currently it has the normal price at Supercheap: AUD$3.99. Repco should be similar.
In rare cases I use the water pressure cleaner, But before I use it I make myself familiar with where the connectors are, which should not get wet.
I use the pressure cleaner after spraying degreaser.
Obviously, it might be an idea to wipe off the grease with paper-kitchen-towels after spraying the degreaser on.
And if you want to be very careful with water pressure...: Put a bit of water into a a little hand-sprayer (for little plants) and clean the areas, where the degreaser was.... (paper towels again).