Thanks to other threads on this forum recently, I took my 03 X Sport (quartz, dove) into the Jag Dealer this morning to have the levels of the Sealed For Life components (Tranny, TC, and R Diff) checked to make sure that everything was still up to snuff in the drive train. I have never had a problem with the drive train in the past, and it seems to be running really smooth after the service.

They topped off the fluids in the TC and RDiff for me, but said that the Tranny fluid was black and definitely burnt. They said the tranny fluid looked like it was now used motor oil. I had them flush and fill with the oem fluid which I think I got a great deal on $42/quart for 5.

This leads to my question, has the new fluid change and flush preveted a catastrophic mechanical repair and the system should be solid for another 50k miles before I have the fluid flushed and filled agian, or has the fluid being cooked significantly reduced the life of my transmission, and should I start saving for a tranny replacement in the near future?

 

-bump

 

you should be fine until the next change. If you are in a lot of stop and go traffic the fluid will burn up pretty quick over time. I just did it on my X(manual trans though) and will do it in another year or so. Just keep on top of the routine stuff and your Jag should run well into the 100k..

BTW: How much did the dealer charged for the transfer case service? I want to get this done when I take it in for an oil change..

 

It would perhaps help to know how many miles you had on your tranny/vehicle prior to the flush/fill, and if that was indeed the original stuff.

It's almost impossible to give you a real solid answer on something like this without actually seeing the fluid, however if the car was shifting fine before and is fine now, it is likely that you had no significant damage other than perhaps slightly more than usual wear and tear.

 

Thanks!

I just reached 80k miles on the X. I got it with 60k miles so I dont really know what the history was prior to that either. Carfax said the previous mileage was put on under lease agreements - if that helps.

Pete,
They charged me $130 to "check condition and top off fluids in the TC, RDiff and Tranny" combined, but naturally they increased the rate after I agreed to have the tranny flush n fill done.

 

hi, please, if you have only flushed with 5 q trans. oil, then they didn't flush all fluid
from the trany, because I think it comes with 9,5Q of oil. what you think???

PS> my dialer asking $39 per 1q. Im not sure how much for done job.
03/x type- sport- 93K, still no problems

 

I can tell you that I have seen more than one transmission/motor killed by "flushing".

I once had a customer insist that I change his trans fluid on an X308. He had around 70k miles on it. I advised against it....and it was back on the hook a few weeks later with a cooked trans. We do not do trans or engine flushes. This was a drop and fill, with a new filter. It cost him a few hundred the first time, and a few thousand the second time.

They are filled for life for a reason. If you are not having issues, I would leave it alone.

JMO.

 

Not to discredit your expertise and Jaguar knowledge...we certainly need a good Jag tech here that folks can depend on..and most of your advice I've seen has been great and spot on.
But, this statement here you last wrote concerns me....There is a Reason for filled for life?..What in the world is that reason?

Speaking from hundreds of horror stories and personal experience of dozens of JAG X type owners...The Filled for life thing is BAD philosophy..It has been demonstrated that the TC cases is either usually low or almost empty and has the blackest lube after a mere 30,000 miles...and the differential is also very low or contains some very black lube...Granted not too many Differential failures noted, but certainly many TC failures with chewed up gears and seals....The general feeling is if one were to change the TC lube out every so often (say every 10,000) miles the life of that component should last the life of the car under normal driving habits.

The Automatic Transmission (JATCO) is an enigma all by itself..First it is difficult to measure the quantity of fluid in it and uses the expensive Idemitsu K17 fluid...Dealers are now admitting that this "filled for life" is a bad practice to live by as they are and have seen many failures due to polluted fluid from being used so long without changing...There is now thank goodness, cheaper and just as good aftermarket fluids available that are compatible...Since the JATCO does not have any sort of filter, draining and refilling is the only way to clean it up...Flushing, conditioning and refill is also available for around $300.00 at dealers now with a BG product and system...

So to say you are okay since you are not having problems, only means that the tranny could fail without warning long before the normal life one should expect from the tranny...

JMO

 

OK. then what is your advice " TO BE, OR NOT TO BE"
and if it's -TO BE , with what is the best to flush, except
the original.

I was just thinking to fill it up to the top on the dealer, and later on replace it with maybe 4 or 5 quartes of the original oil when I already know I have the max, how much I am suppsoed to have, in my transmition.

thanks.

 

Tony...
The JATCO transmissions in the X-Type hold about 9.5 qts total..only 3.5 drains out from the drain plug at a time..the remainder is still in parts of the transmission system, Torque converter, cooling coils and tubing, etc.

I can not offer you any advice..I can however, invite you to do a search of the topic and you will find hundreds of posts about the Transmission and fluid changes done by quite a few people here..From those postings you should be able to draw a conclusion on your own..Good luck


BTW, what is a "transmition"?

 

I am speaking from my experiences. Experience tells me that there are thousands of cars out there that have not had any issues with regard to transmissions....and they have not "serviced" them. I'm sure there is a reason why they do not suggest service intervals. Engineers do things for a reason. Why change the fluid if you can't even change the filter....AND the manufacturer does not recommend it?

First....you see a lot of X-type trans failures because the boxes are not all that great to begin with, IMO. You also see a larger ratio of failures because Jag decided to market a cheap car....and sold a lot of them (hence more potential for failure) We are talking about transmissions here, not differentials and transfer boxes. We need to stay on the apples to apples thing. Trans fluid has friction characteristics that change over use and time....the clutches and internal components are designed to work with the fluid that is used. If you change the friction characteristics, you change how it works with the internals....this may not be a good thing. Used clutches with new fluid....may not be how it was designed to work optimally. I am not an engineer, but I anticipate you may get a similar response from one.

I am not a proponent of flushing engines and transmissions. I have seen failures not long after doing so. Again, my personal experience.

I think another thing to consider here is general driving habits, maintenance with regard to tire wear/tread depth front to rear and side to side, and engine overheats as well. Trannys can fail "without warning", but these things are all potential contributing factors....if you keep a log of these things, perhaps they are a warning.

I'm playing devil's advocate here. I gave my experiences. Take it or leave it, doesn't bother me one bit.

If changing those fluids was a good idea, I'd sell it. I would make more $$ that way. I like to keep my customers coming back with operational cars so I still have a job. I also tend to agree with the factory recommendations on most things. They have some smart people there.

Carry on.

 

Thank you for your opinion JagTec1. I appreciate your feedback.

 

I take it you don't work for a Jag dealer, but perhaps an independent Import service garage.//just a hunch.

 

Look, I'm here to try and help people. If you don't like my advice, then put me on ignore.

Re-read what I wrote. I said the X-type does not have a filter....what part of that did you not understand? I'm sure that trans flushes are done frequently, along with changing the filter...on cars that have one. What is so far out about considering driving habits, overheats, etc??

I do, in fact, work for a dealer, not an independent. And it's because of people like you that I am getting out of this wretched industry. You think you know, and like most....in reality, you have no idea what I deal with on a daily basis. A lot of the "savvy" people here are asking for help, so I suppose they are not as "savvy" as you'd like to think. I am trying to help.

Again....if you don't like my advice, don't listen....I could care less.

Have you ever worked on a flat rate basis? It takes skill to do it the right way. Trust me, I do it the right way. I do not hurry anything in or out without ensuring it is right. If it is not fixed....guess who gets to do it again? Guess who also gets to fix all kinds of other comebacks that other techs could not fix?

You do not know me, and I do not know you. You are naive in terms of what I do.

I am done with this thread. I wish you luck with whatever Jaguar you own. I hope you treat your own technicians with more respect.

 

Well I am certainly sorry you got so emotional..obviously you have serious issues with doing the job right due to your lack of real skill..sorry to hit your nerve...As you can't take constructive debate on issues you have given a BLIND eye to...It's the Savvy people that are tired of being ripped off by lazy half-*** techs that are not giving a crap about whether they do a good job for a customer..There are a lot of good techs and I know quite a few..and they will go the extra mile and think outside the box, as each case of service has it's own special circumstances and not cut-n-dry like the last one..

Good luck to you..I hope you can salvage your credibility as it sure went out the window in this thread.

Yet the question remains un answered, as was asked in my first post to you..WHAT'S THE REASON for "filled for life"?..Since you avoided it the first time..no sense now trying to unpaint yourself from that corner.

 

guys, guys, guys, please... I really wish that someone would answer my question. For example, Jagtec1, is it any good if I just put 2 or 3 quarts of original trans fluid into my transmition just to refresh the "house" a bit. If you think it's not ok, I will just leave it until its dead lol jk. Second question, I just replaced the fluid on my brakes. I put DOT 4 and... before, when I was driving, the break pedal was a little bit hard and I need to push it a little harder. I tryed the car after I replaced all the fluid, when the car doesn't work, I push the break and it's hard, it's probably supposed to be like that because the engine is turned off. ---with the engine on, the break pedal is now much much easier to push, and it's going more than half way down if I hold my foot steady on the pedal it slowly sinks. Is that normal? Never changed before- 93K. THANKS....5X

 

@Pete04xtype..

Just out of curiosity, what viscosity/type oil did you use in your manual trans change? I'm a new owner (1 week) of a 2002 Sport 5-speed and am planning to service the diff and t. case shortly. I purchased 3 qts. of Amsoil Severe Duty 75w140 for those, but noted that Amsoil recommends 10w40 or 15w40 for the manual box. On the other hand, I found a listing of recommended lubes that stated Castrol BOT130M, which is 75w90! ......confused at this point!
Any guidance would be helpful.

 

Tony:

You need to bleed your brake lines........sounds like you have some air in there.

 

oki, Im starting tonight ... again lol////

thanks

 

its 75w90.