I have an 04 XJ8 (30,000 miles) .

I noticed a small puddle of clear fluid on the garage floor today, had the car put on a lift and noticed some of the same around the rear of the tranny pan, wiped it clean and dry, did 100 miles, re-checked and it had stayed dry.

I read on here( and from other make forums that use this same trans) that the sealing sleeve can cause intermittent leaks, is this my most likely culprit?
I cannot see the source of leak.

Is it possible to replace the sleeve without removing the pan?

If the pan is removed for any reason should it be replaced with a new one ( I see the filter is built in??) and new gasket.

Is a special tool needed for the filler plug removal and should that plug be replaced, or is there a seal ring on it?

How is the new fluid put in, is there a filler tube available?

How is the fluid level checked and topped off in the future?

Thank you

David

PS:
Oh I forgot to ask,
is the original tranny fluid without color, is this the Lifgueard Fluid 6 plus stuff?
Thanks again

 

I'll try to answer all your questions leaving opinion on fluids out:

1. Leaks at the plastic pan and/or the com cable sleeve are not uncommon, but your mileage is a little low. Usually I see leakers more like at the 70K miles. The pan can (and will) fatigue and leak, same with the sleeve. They both just eventually succumb to heat cycles.

2. I would guess (educated) the pan is leaking as the more common place is at the rear as you are describing.

3. The sleeve cannot be removed without removing the pan. There is a locking mechanism that has to be released that can only be accessed with the pan off. When I do these for my customers I always change pan/filter/gasket, sleeve and fluid change if for a leak, or for a fluid change. It is just foolish not to change the sleeve if the pan is being removed. The sleeve is only $12.

4. I always replace the pan with a new one if I remove the old one for any reason. Just not worth the time/money not to.

5. The filler plug is a standard threaded plug with an allen socket head.

6. The fill (refill) process is complex and would take another complete reply to describe, but it is already documented here in several places.

7. No filler tube. The fluid has to be replaced via the fill hole while the engine is running and at a precise fluid temp.

8. Once the unit is filled or changed correctly, the fluid level doesn't really need interval checking.

9. Lifeguard 6 or the Shell equivalent is clear, not red. Red transmission fluid is only dyed red as a way of identifying the fluid out of a container so it is not confused with other hydraulic fluids, the red serves no mechanical or chemical function.

 

Steve,

Thankyou so much for the information, very good of you.

The car sat for a week in the garage and when I moved it out I saw the small puddle of tranny fluid on the floor; up on the lift there was the same fluid visible in just one area, the rear corner passenger side about 3 inches overall in the area of the pan bolts.The odd thing is the fact that after wiping I drove for 3 hours at various speeds and re-checked to find it totally dry?

The other thing is the fact that in the owners handbooks they skip over the transmission with the words " will not require to be checked or topped up", which is fine till it starts leaking; now I have no idea of knowing what the fluid level is without a lot of work, seems a bit silly.
Are there any warning / check lights for low fluid/malfunction?
I find it hard to believe that such a complicated and expensive unit is "sealed and forget" without any basic check/alarm.
Thanks again.
David

 

DB6 the mods frown upon double postings like this and in the S forum. Just FYI.

 

Didnt mean to get frowns, sorry.
Just trying to get as much info as poss from dif input.
I thought they were 2 seperate sections linked by a common problem.
By the way, how do i edit/delete my post once it is up?

oh, is the warming up thing important for both a re fill and a top off, I would not have thought it was that critical, but then again, I dont know much.

 

Very important!!! Please read this:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...ight=explained

 

Leaks that come from the pan or the sleeve often do NOT show up under the conditions in which you described - wipe off the spill, start up the car, run it to temperature then recheck for the leak. That is because the plastic parts and the seals swell under engine temperature and will often seal the weep. Now, after things cool down again (like overnight) check again. How is the leak now? It might take a few heat cycles, but expect you'll see the puddle after complete cool down. Unfortunately though, these leaks won't heal themselves.

PS: I am Stevetech, btw, just didn't like it and went through a name change.

 

Our rubber sleeve leaked on and off for 3 months or so. Ours only dripped a couple of dime sized drips on the garage floor, then nothing even going as long as a week (no drips) then bingo a couple more dime sized drips.

 

There is a stickey at the top of this x350 forum about a company that sell the fluid, pan and sleeve to fix this issue. I just did it a couple weeks ago. The company's website even has color documented procedure to replace the sleeve. I would also recommend replacing the pan bolts. The new ones have a much larger torx head. With only 30K....i would reuse your pan.

 

His pan is probably leaking, the whole reason for doing this @ 30K. Even if he were to go in just for the sleeve, he gets a new filter and new life on the pan by changing it. Not worth using the old plastic stuff in any of these scenarios.

I'd replace the bolts too.

 

The procedure for changing the tranny fluid is a bit involved. How about this:

Drain as much as possible of old fluid.

Measure volume accurately.

Replace same volume with new fluid

 

Steve-the procedure for changing fluid is a bit involved.

How about this:

Drain as much as possible of old fluid when cold.

Measure volume accurately.

Replace same volume.

Bob

 

You cannot do that w/o the engine running on the refill because you'll never get back in what you've taken out with it off by about 2 liters. Secondly, if you've lost any fluid along the way you'll not have the correct amount going back in (something less than the correct amount).

I described the process as involved because there are a lot of unconventional steps, but as these boxes get older, more and more DIYs are finding out they can establish a fairly easy routine for a fluid change done correctly. It really isn't that bad. And finally, taking your route, you're 80% on the way to doing the job completely and correctly w/o shortcuts.