Hello members,
Can anyone tell me why my dealer told me that they have to drop the transmission in order to check the "level" of fluid in the transmission on my 04' XJ8? Seems like a rather expensive proposition. I may have a very slight leak as I noticed a few drops of transmission fluid under the car in the garage. Any insight on this is greatly appreciated.

 

What mileage? There are two common "leakers" on the 6HP26 at about the 60/70K miles range. They are the plastic pan and/or the plastic shifter harness sleeve. Not guaranteed to leak, but probable;...rarely both, but one or the other; not guaranteed at 60/70, but might be sooner or later. A rarer source is the rear seal.

When I service the 6HP26 (change oil/filter/pan/sleeve/fluid) I do drop the rear transmission crossmember. This allows me to more level the transmission for correct fluid volume, and allows easier access to the sleeve for changing. I don't drop the whole transmission, but maybe that is what they meant.

Best,

 

Steve,
thanks for the response. The car has less than 40K miles. I was able to get the car up this weekend and I was surprised to see that the transmission drain pan is plastic. I did not see any leaks except some fluid moisture on 2 of the many bolts that old the pan in place. The 2 bolds were on 2 of the 4 corners. I also notice the drain plug (also plastic). I would like to drain the transmission fluid and replace the pan gasket. I can of course drain it but what is the best way to re-fill and what is the approximate quantity of fluid needed? Should I purchase one of those suction/fill devices commonly used in oil changes? Any insight is of course appreciated.

 

Search the forum. There are a couple write ups on fluid swaps. There is a plug on the side of the trans for filling and it has to be filled at the right tempature to get the proper level. With only 40K on her I wouldn't change it yet. These trans are suppose to be sealed for life, but most change the fluid anyways. I didn't until 75K and the fluid was still clear. My recommendation is to start researching for what fluid you will want to use in the near future. The Jag or ZF fluid is expensive. A couple have used Castrol, mobil one and Pentosin.