Our S-type member - jag79, found a supplier that has the entire parts kit you need to do a change of your fluid in your ZF 6HP26 tranny, using the ZF Lifeguard ATF, in case you're not comfortable going with any alternate fluid.

The ZF 6HP26 is in the 2004-2009 XJ8s and XJRs, I believe... if this information is incorrect, please let me know or reply to this thread and I will correct.

For the entire thread details, talk of a steel pan substitute, and some first hand purchase experience, just go over to this thread.

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I will Sticky this thread for 2 months, then it will be listed in the FAQ section for future reference. Sticky to terminate on 1/1/2011.

 

Wow, that looks like a cool kit. What would be the shop time it would take to do it?

 

I love this kind of info: really empowers us, the forum members.

Thanks

 

I did my sleeve and pan 4 days before this post came up and I got the parts from the same source. What are the odds? I only needed about 4-4.5 liters! I let the trans drip for an hour. I flushed it about 10K miles ago and she took the same amount of fluid.

 

This sale should be a sticky!

My 3rd party Jag repair shop just did one of these kits on an '04 XJ8 with around 120K. The shop thought it was a good deal and he thought the job was about 1.5 hours.

 

It is stickied...did it on the 31st of october, see a couple posts above? If it continues to get alot of exposure and comments, I may delay the sticky expiration date.

 

Ordered the kit last week for my 2004 XJR (US config.) and took the car to my mechanic this morning to get the work done. It appears that I've got the 6HP-19 tranny that requires the larger pan. Guess I should have gone ahead and crawled up under the car to verify before ordering :-(

 

i know this is really ignorant of me, but according to a thread in the x350 forum, it was mentioned that a ZF rep said the tranny was sealed for life and didn't need fluid changes. that being said, my 2004 xj8 vdp has almost 80k on odometer...when would such a fluid change occur? thank you in advance. wm

 

I'm planning on this service this summer. My Jag shop has done a few. He said about 2 hours labor.

 

Just ordered the kit. They were helpful in telling me which one it was. The picture of the name plate for the trans was a little different when I had my car on the lift. I had enough numbers and with model year to get the correct kit.

Oddly enough, my trans oil pan was leaking so this is right in time! Take a look at the oil pan bolts as I guess the corrode easily and you may want to order new ones with the pan to save time and hassle.

 

Another thing that I should have posted earlier, when my mechanic realized that I'd purchased the wrong kit, he went ahead and used the Lifeguard oil but not the pan, gasket, etc. CTSC let me return the unused parts for a refund :-)

@jadedragon1800: Yes the dealers and associated literature will tell you that the tranny is sealed and shouldn't be serviced. (My dealer service department went so far as to tell me that the time and parts associated with servicing it would be approaching the price of a replacement job!) I'm just not finding any owners or independent mechanics that agree. Having an independent shop perform the service on mine sure cleaned up some 'bad behavior' that it beginning to exhibit.

 

Would you be so kind as to describe the bad behavior and the results with the service?
thanks

 

allens2004xjr - thanks for the info...sure sounds like i may have been "given a line" by my service dept at the dealer also. BTW, wha twas the "bad behaviour" you were experiencing? mine seems to have a slight "lash" when going from reverse to drive when i pull out of drive, resulting in an uncharacteristic lurch forward. doesn't matter if i'm really gentle on the gas pedal or not. i think it did that also when i just put it in "D" and let the car go forward by itself, no help from the gas pedal. almost like tio doesn't engage solidly (i had a shaft driven motorcycle that did the same thing when going into first gear from neutral). is this what you have too? wm

 

I was experiencing rough shifting (particularly 1st to 2nd) and even what felt like slipping (almost like a cluch being half depressed, then released on a manual tranny) at running speed. In terms of when it should be done, I asked the dealer to do it at 100K miles and got their song and dance. With the transmission acting up worse, I ordered the kit and took it to the independent garage that I also use at 111k. Wish I'd done it sooner. May want to research the recommended service interval for a BMW 5 or 7 series as I think it's the same transmission.

 

Make sure to order the bolts that connect the pan. The shop said the last few tranmission pan changes they did all required new bolts. Will save you a hassle to have them ahead of time.

 

This has been long overdue to be removed from the stickies.

I've added it to the FAQ quick link thread so there for all to see if / when required

 

Everything I have read is the 2004 XJR should have the 6HP26 tranny. Can anyone confirm this? Even Amsoil's website calls out the 6HP26 for the XJR but that post makes me worry. I really want to get a kit but I want the right one. Thanks.

 

One thing I've learned with many cars is that when the manufacturer says something like the transmission is sealed for life, or that something is a "lifetime" part, they mean the life of the warranty, not the car.

 

Maybe I missed it but I cannot find where to purchase, or a supplier for this item. If anyone can help I would appreciate it. Feel free to send info to my email ; atlast44@comcast.net
Thanks for any and all help.

 

There's a link in post #1 it'll take you right there.

Here it is again The CTSC - ZF Parts