p.s. I searched the forums before making this post, and couldn't find anything about this, but who knows perhaps I missed it.

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Hello all, I have a 2010 XKR that I love more than anything (or anyone).

I was recently informed by a fellow 2010 XKR owner and Jaguar enthusiast that our XKR's need a transmission cooler installed (he already got the job done).
He warned that if I don't get it done, the XKR transmission is a ticking time bomb, and he had his previous XKR transmission leak oil into water or water into oil or something. Apparentely it's happened to him and he had to get a new transmission because of it, which is super expensive.

Is this true? Did it happen to anyone? Does anyone know anything about this? Has anyone here had that transmission cooler job done? Should I?

 

"Never have I ever" is the answer I give you.
All these years I've spent in this forum, and yours is the first post I've ever seen about a(n additional) trans cooler. Or any transmission failure, for that matter.

Have your tranny fluid changed at or before every 60,000 miles and you should be good for a jagillion miles or more.

 

I thought they all had one?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fits-Jagu....m46890.l49286

 

i would greatly appreciate if he could take a photograph of what he had installed so that you could share it here.

 

The transmission cooler is integrated as part of the radiator. If the radiator is damage / fails. There is a chance of coolant mixing with the transmission and an expensive repair bill.
I suppose a bypass separate transmission cooler can be used. Pretty common to do this on Nissan 4WD etc

 

I have two tranny fluid coolers with a dedicated fan on my P/S Mustang. Sort of required for the application.

 

Apologies, but I need some clarifications.
1. yes, as most of us know they are coolant lines leading to-from the transmission
2. but I do wonder if an additional transmission coolant radiator would be worthwhile
3. then Cee Jay brought me back down to earth with this truth - I too have never heard of the transmission failure in this particular car.

 

Roarer,
I, too, have a "ticking time bomb" 2010 XKR that doesn't have an additional after market transmission cooler. Over the weekend, my 2010 passed 182,000 miles. I have changed the transmission fluid twice, use the paddle shifters everytime I drive the car, have taken it to the track dozens of times, and if that's the indication of a "ticking time bomb," please give me a truck load, as I've never had an automatic transmission last this long on any car I've ever had (more than 30). Car still shifts crisply and is still a pleasure to drive.

Where does stuff like this originate?

 

@tberg ,182,000 miles! we are alike on the driving pattern except the mileage. Well done! Can’t wait to get there.

 

Well, one important point is that Roarer is located in Kuwait…

In that climate, esp if you tend to race the car on the nice huge highways, an additional cooler could possibly be useful.

Additional tranny coolers are also useful when you tow a caravan or a boat over long distances, but that’s not so frequently done with an XK…

 

Most Jaguar enthusiasts are Jaguar technicians. You should have him clarify what he meant.

I would also recommend reading the transmission section in the repair manual so you can familiarize yourself with it's operation - just ignore the 'sealed for life' part LOL

 

It is listed in the OEM diagram, so I believe it already has one?

https://parts.harperjaguar.com/v-201...ans-oil-cooler

 

Why not install a dedicated trans oil cooler? People spend a lot more on a lot less. Mechanics are pretty cheap in Kuwait, no?

Transmission sevice by 50K is a good call. The oil pan is plastic and can crack easily, so it may be even sooner.

 

They're relatively cheap, yes. but anything Jaguar is 10x in price.
"Why not install a dedicated trans oil cooler?" I am happy to install it if it'll actually help, just wanna make sure it's recommended. Otherwise, I could be messing with the car's default engineering, or worse, installing another complication that could break and ruin other things with it!

So do you recommend I proceed with the installation? Will it actually help?

 

Roarer

You need to provide some details, namely:

1) Is the fellow XKR owner in your country? If so what did he fit and how much did it cost?
2) When was the last time your coolant was changed?
3) Has it had a new water pump? (my 2014 has)
4) Do you run with the engine cover off to keep temps down?

In your country, with average temperatures for 6 months of the year at over 40c/105f I'd call these pretty extreme temps, yes the car can cope but only if it's in great condition to start with

Only you can decide but this makes for a good read:

https://transmissioncoolerguide.com/...oler-benefits/

 

@Roarer , As @MarkyUK and @mosesbotbol suggests, there are other things that perhaps should have a higher priority:
1. Change transmission pan/filter.
2. Change transmission fluids.
As you run the car in the hot climate
3. Change Engine coolant more frequently.
Your transmission is cooled by the engine coolant.

If you are doing these things and have money waiting to be spent then sure, install a transmission fluid radiator. It can’t hurt… . unless it is not done correctly..

Also, I assume you have changed the reservoir and fluid for the power steering. I’d think that system would have a higher chance of failing. Ditto for the differential.
My .02 worth.

 

Would be big on changing all the fluids in the car on a more frequent basis. On exotic cars for instance, brake fluid is flushed annually. Radiator fluid every 3-4 seasons, etc... Stay on top of that and including trans and diff fluids, you should be good to go. I'd imagine air filters take a beating in the Gulf, so those may be more frequent as well.

Transmission cooler is a ZF thing, not Jaguar so the price shouldn't be really any bigger than if you had a ny other ZF transmission based car.

 

You will get no benefits and a lot more headaches.

Save your money for something more beneficial like a tune.

The car will warn you if trans temps are too high:

 

Hello all, thank you for your responses! <3
@MarkyUK To answer your questions:
1a.
b. Yes, fellow XKR owner is also in Kuwait.
c. He fitted a transmission outside cooler. I tried to have him send me a photo of it, but apparentely it's not easy to photograph from the surface?
d. It costs $700 with parts and labour.
2. At 120,000 km I think. Now I'm at 130,000km.
3. No new pump, but I don't think the existing pump has any problems - unless it's known to be a faulty part with a new "updated" release then tell me and I'll look into changing it.
4. I run my engine stock/default, and that includes with the cover on. Do you recommend I remove the cover? My car IS an XKR, so the hood has these little hood vents though.

 

@guy For 1 (transmission pan/filter) as well as the power streeting reservoir, are you proposing I renew these parts or upgrade them? In other words, if the part is getting old, I just buy the exact same part but new, or are you recommending I upgrade them to some after-market offering transmission pan/filter?

For example, @mosesbotbol mentioned that the oil pan is plastic and can crack easily, so perhaps there's a superior after-market metal one?