Well, I guess I'm in the last stages of my problems with this transmission.
I read a lot of posts talking about failure in reverse. My reverse is great, but I can't hold the gears going forward. The transmission shifts ok, but just slips once engaged. You can coax it forward slowly until you finally get up to speed but any attempt at acceleration beyond feather footing it is futile. (2002 x-type 3.0 automatic transmission 80k miles) I'm guessing clutches? What do you think?


I see on eBay I can acquire a new transmission for a few hundred dollars. I guess my question is, "Could an inexperienced mechanic expect to be able to replace the transmission and then take it to a Jag service center and have the computers updated?"


I'm hearing $ numbers that make it financially irresponsible to have one rebuilt at a professional shop. I can't see going past book value to fix a car.


Will hope to hear some comments and ideas. I really like the car and everything else is working fine but the transmission. So right now I can just go out and sit in it and wish I could go somewhere.


Thanks, Tom (akejama)

 

It depends on how adept you are at working on your car. The transmission is just a hydraulic unit, with electrical valves inside. Once you unplug the transmission(after disconnecting the battery), it is all just removing parts, and this site should have basic instructions for you. Remember, that if something removable is in your way, it is in your best interest to remove it, instead of fighting with it for hours. Since the trans only sends a few signals, you will probably get away with not having to reprogram it, or something like a hard reset. There are instructions on that elsewhere in the forums. Check car-part.com, for finding a trans. It is a bunch of yards, and they have warranties on their parts, plus you have at least 25 to 60 transmissions to choose from.....Good luck....Mike

 

Thanks I think. lol I really need to fix this car. I found a local yard with the right tranny, but they won't install it. So, I guess I need to consider buying me a tranny jack and go buy the fool thing. I have a professional shop in Indy that can install if I fail, but maybe I can pull it off. Who knows if you don't try. Would be nice to find some instructions or a video of someone doing it for points of reference. If its just bolt, connect lines, and plug in the wires I can probably do that. If it involves any kind of calibration or internal adjustments, I'd be lost.

 

You're good. Nothing much more than putting it in, and plugging it in. It would really REALLY help if you could get some more muscle to get the trans in. The other stuff is just hooking things up, and MAKE SURE the torque converter is seated, before you try bolting the trans to the engine. I don't think a tranny jack will do you much good, when the engine and trans sits sideways under the hood. You will probably need good hydraulic jacks, and stands. Any shifting trouble after that, just try the hard reset. It works 90% of the time, so don't sweat taking it to the dealer, until you try it first. You basically just have to drive around for awhile for the car to relearn how you drive.....Good Luck....Mike

 

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm hunting to see what the best deal is in terms of warranty and cost on a replacement tranny. I'm hoping to find a local one to avoid all the shipping. I guess when you said 90% of newly installed transmissions would respond to a "hard re-start" on the computer. I'm just wondering if I end up in the 10% what do I have to do? I assume take it to a dealer to have them re-address the software????


I have a lift at my disposal, Drive-on 4-post type will that work out alright for this project? If what you tell me is correct then I can probably get one of the local tranny gurus to help me install it if I get in trouble. I don't mind paying someone to help put it in, but I can't afford the price the local Jag dealer is talking about. They must be up around $250 per hour with a 5 hour minimum, lol. I've changed out a tranny or two way back in the day, but never worked on a Jaguar and what little I have done O2 sensors, air conditioning, brakes were all pretty simple things. I'm willing to give it a shot,(crosses fingers) hope I can pull it off. Thanks again for your help and suggestions. Tom