OK, curiosity got the best of me. Doing a quick and dirty comparison with my dipstick with ears and with another with the ears removed, the one without ears wetted an additional 6mm (~0.25") of length when bottomed to my pan.

 

Hi,

I had to postpone the transmission job due to unbearable hot weather here in paris...

But i've checked the dipstick and it has the "ears" you're talking about, so it probably didn't go too far in the transmission, i'll try again when removing the pan to make sur of that.

Thanks for your answers, i asked if there was a reason to overfill the transmission because i had the car earlier this year and thought maybe it was slipping and a way that the seller had found to make it right is to overfill it but i'm aware that it has to do more with paranoia than with logic !

I definetly have to change the transmission oil : it's probably overfilled and therefore not done properly which can cause damage. And if the chap who done the job couldn't fill it properly he might also put the wrong oil in it who knows...

 

it's a safe bet that your fluid is not the correct specification for the high performance Mercedes 722.6 transmission. Even though many Mercedes and Chryslers use the 722.6 transmission, most of those cars have the low performance 722.6 version. Only a very few Mercedes, and Chryslers use the use same transmission found in the early Jaguar XKR's. The fluid specification for our '02 XKR's is NOT the same for as it is for the majority or Mercedes and Chryslers using the "low performance 722.6 transmission.

Before Idid the I requisite research, I put the "low-performance" Mopar +4 fluid in my '02 XKR. I had delayed engagement when shifting from park or neutral to Drive, and a couple of other irritating gremlins. Post research, I drained out the Mopar +4 and put in the correct fluid. Now the car shifts like new and no funky engagement.

As mentioned , I have posted all the Mercedes approved fluids for the early XKR's a few months ago, here is the link. Use other fluids at your own peril.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...2/#post2028526

Z

 

Yes and thanks to your previous recommandation i got myself 8 liters of Fuchs TITAN ATF 4134 which is recomended by MB. But with no invoice or mention whatsoever in the car's history (which is ok otherwise, lots of things done to it like chains and tensionners, water pump and even a headgasket in 2014) it's probably not the correct oil nor the correct amount...

 

Hi,

I changed my transmission fluid yesterday but i'm having trouble with my level dipstick : whenever i plunge it into the gearbox tube, i get a shallow reading (even before flushing the transmission fluid) : there's fluid on the sides of the black plastic part of the dipstick but not a clear reading.

Are you supposed to test the level with the engine off or on? Because i'm doing it the engine ON but whenever i do it off the reading is much clearer but too high as i stated in the first post of this thread.

For the moment i've removed 4L of transmission fluid and put back 3,5L as my first impression was that it was overfilled but i couln't get that reading again. I took the car for a small 10km ride and it was allright but i'm not really sure of what i'm doing here, this dipstick doesn't seem very reliable to me.

 

You are supposed to measure the level with the engine on and in park. After adding fluid you need to start the engine and run the gearbox through the gears to make sure the oil has circulated. Measure the fluid level at 80C with the engine running - do it in Park and also in R and D.

 

Hi @dibbit

That's exactly what i did, i left the gear lever in P/R/N/D for 10 seconds 2 times over. Did you get clear reading from the dipstick or the fluid was on the sides of the black plastic part.

 

I had no problems reading the dipstick. Maybe you need to try a different dipstick if you don't trust the one you have. If its reading low with the engine running, you will have to try adding more fluid.

 

The black plastic part of my dipstick is slightly bent (by design) towards one direction, is yours too ? I randomly put the dipstick in without orienting it, maybe i have to?

It's strange, only the borders of the black plastic part are coated with fluid, or maybe it was very low on fluid in the first place i don't know so thats the result i get

 

On mine the black plastic part is also slightly bent where it joins the flexible dipstick at the last spiral of the dipstick - its never going to be straight and I can't see it makes any difference.

I measured the length of dipstick that goes down the tube - its 66cm from the tip of the dipstick to the end of the dipstick tube. You should check that is how much you are getting into the dipstick tube also.

I just took a photo of the tip of my dipstick with ATF fluid on it (I did this in the ATF bottle, not the car engine so its not the level of oil in my gearbox)


You can clearly see the level (which is around the cold mark). Does yours not look like that?

 

Does anyone know what temperature once warmed up, the Mercedes unit is supposed to operate at?

 

I’d like to know that as well,

.....and what is the temperature at which the “High Transmission Temp” warning appears (if the sensor is operating correctly) ?


Z

 

80 degrees C. for the hot mark.
Seem to recall 25C for cold but not certain.
Just like to add, l recently changed fluid in my XKR and in the process l drained 5 litres out and initially put 5 litres back in after some work.
on checking the actual level it was overfilled by a full litre.
I have owned this car (with overfilled g/box) for about 5 years and have never had even a hint of gearbox trouble which is surprising given all the warnings floating about regarding fluid levels in these boxes.

 

I believe the hot mark is at 80 C, but the normal operating temperature is a range, 80 C is the low end.

What is the high end ? ( before the warning message is displayed )


guess I’ll have to buy that 722.6 manual I see on eBay


Z

 

Hi Baxtor, i had exactly the same "problem" with the overfilled gearbox (i drained only 4 litres) and put back 3 to get a correct level with the aftermarket dipstick.
I still have no idea of which is right or wrong between an originally overfilled or the dipstick being incorrect.

@JaguarXKR : I used 25 and 85 when i did mine, you can use a laser thermometer like this one and point it to the gearbox pan : https://amzn.to/3bKt894

 

And 4 years later...has anyone measured the 'after market' dipstick from the end (black measuring part) to the tube top when inserted correctly? I am measuring 25 3/4 inches. Just curious if I'm pushing to far.

 

I don’t believe it can be inserted too far due to the the “wings” / protrusions at the top of the plastic area. The danger is getting it in all the way due to the twists and turns the tube takes.

I’ll measure mine tomorrow and post the results.


Z

 

Ok thanks Z...it does require a couple of pushes beyond what you might think is the bottom. If the dipstick isnt just so it will get stuck and wont go any further. I pull it out and re-insert past what is two bends then it goes in another 2 inches or so but no further. If I don't get it all the way to the stopping point I wont get any reading at all. I was fooled by that the first time and ended up over filling it.

One other thing. If you do overfill the tranny will it leak or overflow somewhere in the bellhousing? I noticed a small amount of fluid dripping from the smaller hole under the bellhousing. I wiped the fluid out with my finger and some brake cleaner. It didn't seem like a lot of fluid but I'll keep an eye on it just in case it starts again.

 

No need to wait 4 years, it was answered further up the thread:-

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...2/#post2118150