2004 3.0 X-type 80k miles.
This isn't a new issue, been a few years (since I bought it). When I go into reverse the car has a big jerk, just when engaging. It occurs from both Park and Neutral (with and without brake depressed). If I give it gas before it engages it's a harder jolt. Everything else shifts pretty well, I recently did the transmission fluid (13s method) and hoped that would help but didn't notice a change. Any thoughts?

 

> I recently did the transmission fluid...
Well, there are different ways of "doing" an ATF-change: The crappy way (drain, refill, times 3), which everyone and his dog does (of which I do think bugger all) and then there is that way:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...change-266693/

Doing the "full flush" the way I did it above you will also have a better idea of how much ATF is actually in the transmission. However, there will still be ATF left in the torque converter, even if you do it my way, which would amount to something between 0.5 a 1 liters, I think.

While there is the level-check bold UNDER the car (where the cable connects to the transmission), I have very little trust that this system of "identifying" the AFT-fluid-level that way actually works (with engine running, shifting gears and all that). Maybe your ATF level is not right.

Plus, when you open that check-bolt and you start to panic, because the ATF comes just pouring out of there, you might attempt to quickly re-insert that plug, but under those stress conditions with the fluid dripping onto you, you might mis-thread that bolt back in and damage the thread in the transmission...

 

So are you saying there is no proper way to check the transmission fluid level unless you do a full drain?

 

Officially there is, but I do not trust it.
Alternatively you could check several threads about the 3 x drain and refill method and see how much ATF they get out in a single drain and use this volume information to know how much ATF you should put into your transmission after a single train. The problem with this is. that there will be big differences in how much ATF you can drain, depending how hard you try and how long you let it drip. So that's also not really a way.

What you could do is this: Try & error:
Fill in a bit more ATF than you have and see, if it improves your jolting. Else, drain a bit of ATF and see, if that improves your jolting. If you cannot move your car at all with the gear in, you know that you drained too much ATF.

These are just some ideas. Maybe the jolting comes from something else altogether....

 

Thanks! I'll give that a shot. I'm pretty certain that I have the minimum amount of atf, on the last fill I opened the level check plug and let it drain then I added half a quart. I'll try adding more, but I have a feeling it's not the issue.

 

(While I don't think much of the ATF level check method... - anyway
I assume you know the procedure of checking the ATF level via the check bolt UNDER the car?
The car needs to be level (on 4 stands, else you can't get underneath the car) and you open the check bolt WHILE the engine is running.
Plus, while the engine is running, you are also supposed to go thru the gears - I assume that is where a second person comes in.
And I seriously hope that the car sits securely on those 4 stands...

If you forget that "running engine part" you will end up with way less ATF as required.

 

Yup, I certainly did not know the engine should be running haha. Thanks! I'll check it again the way you mention. Is there a procedure you can point me to? Are you supposed to have someone running through the gears with the bolt removed?

 

> Yup, I certainly did not know the engine should be running haha. Thanks!
This would explain your jolts. You do not have sufficient ATF in your transmission.
The check instruction for the ATF level (I don't think much of it, but it is better than nothing) are that you remove the ATF-level-check-bolt while the engine is running and ideally there would also someone be going thru the gears (even if the car it on four secure stands, I would still recommend that the person in the car has the foot on the brakes) while the check bolt is off. The ATF should drip out of the check bolt hole, and if it drips out a little bit more that is also OK (it should not poor out of it like from an open water tab.) When it drips just right slowly (without damaging the thread in the transmission) screw the check bolt back in again, and obviously only then stop the engine.

Obviously, while the engine is running a lot of ATF is getting circulated around in the transmission, including in the higher regions, where it would not be able to linger, if the engine were off, as gravity would pull the ATF down.

And just to be sure I'd better emphasize again the that check bolt is under the car close to where the gear-selector cable connects to the transmission. That bolt is NOT at the side of the transmission behind the wheel-arch-liner: There is a bolt, which gets frequently mistaken for that check bolt, because it would be a logic position, but it is not. If you open that bolt, you will make sure that your car no longer has a reverse gear.

PS: Obviously the Jag needs to perfectly straight and level when doing the ATF level check.

PS 2: Personally, I think that whoever designed that check-method was the wrong person for the job. The test method should be:
1.) Best, if the check level plug is on the side of the transmission, where the level should be - but they did not do it that way - instead there is the bolt under the car and above that bolt is some kind of metal "straw" going up to a certain level, from where the ATF would flow in, if the ATF level is high enough.
2.) As "1." is just wishful thinking: Well, at least they should have installed a higher "straw" and advised to check with engine off.
3.) As "2." is also just wishful thinking: This could work: Do the ATF level check with engine off, AND THEN add a certain amount of ATF on top. But I am just not sure, how much on top. But if you did the level check before with engine off and you do one now with engine running and playing with the gears, make a note of how much additional ATF you are putting in and let us know. And then, maybe others can confirm that amount, and we would know for the future.

PS 3: The design fault of that transmission Jatco JF506E is actually not Jaguar's fault, as this is not a Jaguar transmission. This transmission is being used widely by various car
manufacturers - I think it is also in the VW Jetta.

PS 4: Plus actually: Once you found the correct ATF-fluid-level for your car, you could cut an approx. 2 or 3mm wide and 30cm long thin metal strip. I simply cut a strip off a metal ruler and then carefully wiggle it in and thru by the filler point (under the battery). It is difficult to find a pathway, but if you wiggle enough, you'll find a way. Once you are sure, you reached the bottom, make a marker on the top of the strip (where it enters the transmission). Then pull the strip out and make a marker where the ATF level is. This would be the dip-stick for future use, which should have been installed in the Jatco JF506E to start with, but hasn't. OBVIOUSLY, you use this make-shift dip-stick only when the engine is OFF.

PS 5: I just had an epiphany: Reg. my "PS 2": I think I know now why the OE troublesome check procedure asks for the engine to run: Because this transmission is not just installed in the X-Type, but many other car manufacturers use it as well, as I wrote above in PS 3. And the "periphery" around and on top of the transmission differs from model to model. However, this still means that my suggestion of PS 2 / point 3 there should work and Jaguar could have advised how much ATF on top needs to to into transmission after adjusting/filling it under engine-OFF-conditions. But then again, Jaguar would never have given out this information, because for marketing reasons this transmission (like all other Jaguar transmissions of that time) were marketed as "filled for life" and you never have to do anything with the ATF at all. And "filled for life" is true in the eyes of the Jaguar-profiteers, which would love that people throw their Jaguar away after 10 years and buy a new one.
The ATF level check procedure probably originates from Jatco, the transmission manufacturer, who - like all other transmission manufacturers - never agreed to this silly "filled for life" slogan, because obviously ATF needs to be changed after a certain mileage. Opinions of WHEN to do the ATF change differ. I would do mine after each 120.000km. The cars I bought all had more on the clock, hence a ATF-change is always one of the first thing I do.

 

OK, so I checked the fluid and added 2qts. So now with the car level and running (checked both while in park and in Drive) the fluid trickles out in a continuous stream, which to me sounds like it's at the right level of fluid. But still have the same symptom going into reverse. It's very similar to the jolt you feel if you give the car gas before it has engaged gears.

 

I thought about it and my personal opinion about this is:

It was an educated guess/hope that the correct ATF level you be a remedy for the issue. Basically the only "easy" way to fix the problem.
If that did not help, the problem would sit deeper... - sadly.

One of my Ford Fairlanes has the same issue. I simply learned to live with it. I my experience the symptoms where minimal when keeping the rpm's of the engine down at idle and switching to R as slowly as possible.

But maybe there is still a bit of hope: Now that you have the correct ATF level, maybe it just need a bit of driving around so that the problem can fix itself...

Other than that - I am not sure, if I were keen enough to take it one step further...
The issue could be dirt in your mechatronic, which would be disassembly and cleaning of the same) or a damaged solenoid - possibly just the seals of the solenoid.
Maybe this video gives you the first inside of what you are up to (it would be great, if the issue could be solved without removing the transmission):
Note, that the Jetta has the same Jatco JF5076E transmission.

I also attached the JF506E repair manual - maybe you find something useful in there...

 

Thanks! I don't mind living with it, mostly wanted to prevent further degradation. I will still tinker with it for the last few items you said, but more leisurely since it doesn't seem like something urgent .