For what it's worth, I thought I'd provide a little description of what it was like to change the ATF and pan on my '04 VDP today. I didn't see any evidence of the pan having been changed previously, and that with almost 175K on it.

So unfortunately only 18 of the 21 bolts came out without stripping the Torx 27 head. Tier 1 alternative was an easy out, which wouldn't budge them. Tier 2 alternative was to use an 11/16" bolt-grip socket, which has fluted blades inside it that dig into the bolt head. Unfortunately there wasn't enough clearance for the socket to settle around the bolt head, so I used a cutter with an oscillating plastic/metal cutting blade to trim off and through the plastic and make enough clearance. In many cases I actually cut a hole out of the plastic transmission pan around the bolt head. All of the stubborn bolts were corroded on very badly. I was careful not to cut deeply enough to damage any of the transmission parts.

Tier 3 alternative was to sheer the head of the bolt off in order to drop the pan, and then twist the bolt shaft out with a vise grip. But it didn't come to that.

I used a 24 oz. bottle of Lucas Stop Slip along with Mobil 1 ATF, which worked out quite well. Prior to the ATF change I was getting a little bit of clunk in the transmission when accelerating from a stop (unless starting out ever so gently) and then some clunk from 1st to 2nd gears. The ATF change put a stop to that action, and now the shifting is ever so smooth.

It took most of Memorial Day to do the job, but I'm satisfied the transmission should last many more miles and years. I had a local indy shop that would have done it for me, but I wanted the satisfaction of doing it myself. So for anyone trying this with very very very stuck bolts, you might give this method a try if nothing else works.

 

Thanks for the post! I lost several in my attempt to remove my tranny pan. I had to buy two different bolt extractor kits to eventually get all of them out. What a pain. Mine weren't corroded, per se...but the T27 torx was SO easy to strip out and I wasn't using an air gun to get the 'instant' torque that I believe it takes to break them loose.

 

H20boy -
What kind of bolt extractor worked for you? I used an electric torque gun on the T27 bolts, the kind you'd use to remove lug nuts, and all I managed to do was twist two T27 bits before I gave up! The heads of the bolts seemed to be so corroded that they just wouldn't stand any torque on them.

 

I used these

Craftsman 10-Piece Screw Extractor Sets 966196

and Pro Grabit Screw and Bolt Remover 3 Piece Kit

Pro Grabit Screw and Bolt Remover 3 Piece Kit

 

I had read that giving each bolt head a good hit with the hammer by having the Torx T27 bit in the bolt goes a long way in loosing up the bolt to then screw it out using the T27 bit.

 

Makes sense. Here's what worked for me:

 

FYI, if you take out the pan T27 bolts, it is a good idea to replace them with T40 torx heads for the pan bolts which many members have done.

http://www.thectsc.com/products/oil-...pan-28-10.html
Price: $1.97 each - 21 needed
Product ID : 0736 101 486 01
Enhanced Torx 40 M6 x 28.5 oil pan screw.
The Oil pan screw 0736 101 486 will fit all 6HP19/21/26/28/32 plastic oil pans.


Two good posts on changing the transmission pan as follows:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...eekend-104279/

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...d-x350-107804/

 

I had ordered 10 T40 replacement bolts in a pack off of EBay, thinking that might be all that I'd strip out. But then I picked up 11 hex head same thread bolts from my local hardware that, with a wide diameter washer to match the diameter of the T40s, fit like a charm and at a much reduced cost. I bet they'll be easier to get off again too when it comes to it!

 

I stripped two of the T-27 bolts when I did mine. Visegrips took them right out.