Can't find transmission drain plug - pics attached
 

I can't find the transmission pan drain plug. I've attached three pictures: front, back and driver's side. I can't get the passenger side because the exhaust blocks the view... I can't imagine Jaguar would place the drain plug there. Maybe it is behind the black shield on the front/side, or one of the shield mounting bolts serves as the drain plug? Or maybe I don't have one?? There's nothing on the underside unless I'm completely blind... The car is a 97 XJ6L.

Thanks

I heard that the sump plug was discontinued at some point in time. Guess it was true!

Remove the filler pipe instead....

Cheers
DD

The dipstick tube needs to come off anyway.
That's the way I drain the pan.
The little 5mm allen plug (where fitted) will sometimes round off and fail to loosen.

bob gauff

Does anyone have the size of the transmission dipstick tube nut? I just moved and can't find my damn vernier calipers... Stores around here only seem to go up to a 1 1/4" wrench. Thanks

Hm, that's interesting, on manual gearbox there's a plug just at the bottom of gearbox, and filler hole IS located on the right hand side, next to the exhaust, and there was just enough space to fit my hand with 17mm allen key to undo both plugs... Probably it won't help you much though :(

30mm

bob gauff

Question on second photo
 

I have transmission fluid leaking. The second photo shows a bolt with a line running from it. That is where mine is leaking around that bolt. Can someone tell me what that bolt is and does it just unscrew? I'm a newbie to this car.

Xmsn dipstick/fill-tube.
It is a flare-fitting, no o-rings nor seals. Yours is either cross-threaded, or just a bit loose. 30mm hex as Bob posted above.
Sorry, I didn't snap a pic of that while I had it apart: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-fluid-149399/

Dip stick
 

So your saying this is a dip stick running to the transmission. Also that it is cross threading or just loose. Do you know how I go about fixing it? Like what parts I need and tools.

The middle pic in post#1 shows the dipstick tube coming down from the top, making a right angle, and entering the front of the transmission sump pan through a large hex-nut. That is just a threaded port formed on the transmission sump. The tube end is flared. If yours is leaking, then I suspect either the nut is not tight enough, or the last person to assemble it cross-threaded the nut on the port, resulting in a poor fit between the flared tube and the port. It may be possible they didn't properly clean things and trapped a bit of debris or particulate between the tube and the pan, allowing leakage.
In other words, there is no seal nor o-ring in there to deteriorate. It is a mechanical connection. You can probably spot cross-threading by looking at it closely with a flashlight (torch) and seeing if it looks cocked with respect to the axis of the tube (short part, after the bend toward the transmission sump) If it doesn't appear skewed, you might try cinching it up a bit, see if it stops your leak.

Can't find transmission drain plug
 

The ZF transmission can be drained by removal of the dipstick, entering the transmission sump pan at right angles as per photo No 2. You will require a 30mm open end spanner. Access to the transmission filter requires removal of the sump pan. There is 6 x 10mm bolts & the filter will be secured by 3 torx bolts.

Bolt leaking
 

Ok, I will check to see if that is crooked or not. It's weird I have had the car for about 3 weeks. Just got a starter put on and then my battery was going dead at night, so I got a cut off switch for battery. I drove the car after it sat for 3 days and that's when we noticed a leak. When I touched that bolt fresh transmission fluid came out of it. So let me see if I got this right, I need to make sure that bolt is not crooked. If I have to take the bolt off I take it that transmission fluid will just run out. I'm not a mechanic, just a lady trying to find out exactly what the car needs so that I can have someone help me do it. Many people don't work on jaguar here in ky. Thanks for helping me out. You said earlier that I need a 30mm Hex tool to turn that bolt, right?

If just touching it caused it to leak, it sounds pretty loose.... too loose to drive around on, I would think. You don't want to risk it backing off further and dumping out all of your fluid while you are going down the road.


Any competent transmission shop or independent mechanic should be able to mend that leak for you. If you do end up draining it at that joint, you'll need 3-4 quarts of automatic transmission fluid meeting the Dexron spec. Since it is leaking you should find the other end of that dipstick and keep a close eye on the fluid level until you get it fixed.


Which reminds me.... welcome to the forum! You need to go to the New members section and introduce yourself so you can get a proper welcome and a mod can take notice of you and upgrade you to full-status when you meet the post-count and other minimums. That way, you'll be able to open the PDF's someone posted a few days ago on how to perform a proper transmission fluid level check.... I'll attempt to find the thread and edit back a link.
Post #2: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-light-150788/
(Thanks Don)

They don't carry a 30mm wrench down here. Will large channel locks work to tighten it?

That would beat thumb & forefinger and we use what is available. Toque spec is 90nm/66.4 lb-ft.


Depending how large the channel-locks- I reckon your hands would be 6"-12" from the tube centerline, so 66-130 lbs force to apply
This means if the car were suspended on a lift, could you squeeze the channel-lock handles hard enough to chin yourself on them without having them slip on the nut (bolt)?
I'd suggest a pipe wrench if one is available in lieu of channel pliers.

Channel locks are the largest. Personally I would not be able to squeeze that hard, it would probably smack me in the face. My brother is going to help me do it this Sunday.

A pipe wrench would be much better than Channellock pliers, but a large Crescent-style adjustable wrench would be even better if you can obtain one large enough. And 66 ft. lbs. is not really very tight. Overtightening a flare fitting can actually cause leaks (or strip the threads), so you need to get the nut just tight enough that it no longer leaks.

Cheers,

Don

I agree wholeheartedly with Don.
I didn't mention that option as I had self-reported using it with my link in post#13.


Apologies to I3udda for the hi-jack, but his issue was answered early in the string, so no foul (I hope)

Bump an old thread.

Trying to fix a transmission oil leak on my 94 XJS with the ZF 4HP-24. Car up about 2-feet on jack stands. Thought I would simply drain then drop the sump oil pan. Replace the gasket and filter, call it a day. I'm lucky mine was a 5mm allen drain plug, came out no problems.

I'm stuck removing the dipstick fill tube. The 30mm flare fitted nut won't budge. I bought a nice hefty 30mm wrench ($10). I don't have a lot of leverage, but certainly 66 ft/lb worth. I've used lots of penetrating oil, etc.

I'm going to try a pipe wrench or bigger channel locker. Maybe get a big heavy long pipe to attach to my 30mm wrench.

A two hour project is turning into another 4-day project. :(

Any ideas? Anything special about that bolt that I'm missing?

Thanks, Padre

Pic from jaghelp.com is where I'm stuck:
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...99feef3232.jpg

Not terribly familiar with the underbonnet on the XJS, but 2' higher than normal may be high enough to drop the pan and work the fill tube out through the bottom on the X300....but if so, "only just" I suspect. Also on the X300 there is a fixing clamp on the tube (and eng oil dipstick tube) secured by a bolt that is easy-as-pie to remove and a total B(itter ex-wife) to put back! but if the whole assembly will come out the bottom, you could try to wrestle the tube-nut off while upright....or leave it be and thread the whole assy back up in there....you'd need to devise a manner of securing the pan to the bench without bending it up if you try to separate them off the car...

Not trying to be insulting...but always start with the obvious....it is right-hand-thread, IIRC, so just be sure you are attempting to go lefty-loosey.....