A couple of liters at a time is a LOT of work. In BMWland, another method is done by some (perhaps OCD) DIY'ers. Usually, the fluid is changed twice in, say, 1K miles, which gets the fluid swap up to 90-95% or so. Some feel it's worthwhile because it happens once in the life of the car. I don't -- seems more work than it's worth. Anyway, ZF never says it's needed; they just recommend the regular drain/fill.

 

Ya, well, ya do need a Jaguar authorized turkey baster.

 

I probably should clarify. I'd like to be able to easily replace 100% of the fluid, so if someone finds a way to drain the torque converter, great. I really don't think it's necessary, though. When I did my BMW after 100K miles, and when I did the XK after 80K miles, both fluids were only slightly darker than fresh LG6. But my BMW was never flogged, and I don't think the XK was either. But I've seen ZF fluid that was black, from heat wear and flogging the tranny. It stank, too -- my guess it was clutch plate wear particles (dunno, tho). A simple drain/fill, I estimate, replaces 70% of the fluid with new. If I found the drained fluid was black, I'd probably drain/fill twice.

 

For $275, but it has the Leaper on it.

 

Hey, I am one of those turkey baster proponents for the power steering fluid, but I do think of myself as mechanically inclined! Lots of reasons why that will work fine for the power steering, but that's a different thread!

For the transmission, a gradual fluid replacement over time will also work fine, but the whole catch is that there is not a good way to get the new fluid in, however small a quantity. If e.g. there was a transmission dip stick leading up to the engine compartment, then draining a small measured quantity and replacing it with the same quantity via the dip stick tube would absolutely work. But for the XKR we don't have that option.

 

There’s a fill hole, awkward to get to though.

 

Oh of course, I’ve been following this thread with interest, from the start! Bit difficult to contemplate getting an accurately measured quantity in, when the car’s running and you’re trying hard to not end up a patient in your local burn unit!

 

You can buy an aftermarket kit for the Jaguar which fixes into the fill point and then a filler pipe leads up to a fill point which is fixed under the bonnet, much like auto transmissions used to be. You then simply drain out the sump and add the same volume of fluid through the new fill tube. It's a 15 minute job unless you want to change the filter as well but the principle is the same either way.

The disadvantage is that if you have too little fluid in there due to leaks then you will continue to have too little fluid. However, if your auto transmission underbody is always dry then I would assume that the level is correct.

Richard

 

I thought the 'fill to the brim of the filling hole' was done with the engine off and transmission cold.

 

You need to fill to the brim of the filling hole with the engine off and then start the engine, cycle through the gears and bring the transmission up to correct temperature range. The level will then drop significantly so you then "fill to the brim of the filling hole" again.

Richard

 

Fascinating. A few years ago my X350 4.2 sprung a leak through the mechatronic seal at 200,000 miles. As far as I know, the mechanic just replaced the pan and seal, filled it till it was overflowing and gave me the car back. I drove another 20,000 miles on that, before I got rid of the car. In the old dipstick days, I obviously knew to check the level with the engine running. I suppose it didn't occur to me that would be the case with the fill port on the ZF.

 

This is the exact reason time-based service intervals exist 😂😂

 

I do find it interesting that the drain and refill procedure in the XK workshop manual is different from the ZF transmission service manual… nonetheless, getting the fluid up to standard operating temperature in a running engine is the only way to ensure you have the right fluid level.

As for an aftermarket apparatus connected to the fill port…. not on your life.
Cheers everyone!

 

Seriously? I have not followed any time-based oil service intervals for the last 55 years. Some of my cars go up to 5 or 6 years between oil changes although the oil that is sitting in the sump had been in the ground for at least 60 million years before I bought it so I don't suppose that those extra 5 bothered the scorers a great deal.

Richard

 

If a person got a T-fitting of some sort and affixed that to the drain/fill, then an aftermarket dipstick could be attached and manually marked at the FULL level. That would make it a traditional check/fill tube. There would have to be some sort of method to drain back the bottom of the T so the residual fluid doesn't puddle, but that shouldn't be difficult.

 

Except for that one situation you mentioned above, which is the exact situation time based service intevals exist for. If you have a car that sits in the shed for ten years and only comes out once every six months, it makes complete sense to give it a quick look over once a year for things like perished hoses or seals, leaks, growing rust, or condensation that's drained into the oil. If you don't think those things are a problem for you, lucky you.

Service intervals are a guide and you're free to service your vehicle however you like.... I service my 20+ work utes and trucks at 15,000km instead of 10,000km because it cuts my service bill from $50k a year to $30k, and my team performs daily pre-start inspections to catch most issues that would normally be spotted at a service. That doesn't mean 10,000km service intervals are rubbish, it means I've made an educated decision based on my particular use case.

 

would love to see this. have a link @Richard S ?

 

I fully agree with checking a stored vehicle regularly and bringing the engine up to full operating temperature at least every three months but I wouldn't describe any of your above list as a "time-based oil service interval".

Richard