My Cat wont scat!!!! Read on....

I purchased a nice 2003 XKR back in February and have been driving it daily.

The ZF transmission is driving me nuts!

Yes, it has the apparently very typical surging (worse when its cold) at low rpm and I push through that annoyance by manually shifting it and keeping it in a higher gear as I commute through town.

But the deal that really seems wrong is that when I'm in sport mode (the mode in which I do most of my driving - and I do drive spiritedly) and I come to a stop, the trans shifts into first gear - as it should. But as I accelerate, my trans "short-shifts" into 2nd gear at 2500 - 2800 rpm! Even if I'm getting on it! God, I HATE that!

When I take off, I don't want to burn the tires, but the trans wont even allow the engine to get really working before it upshifts and bogs back down in 2nd gear. Additionally, when I'm making a left or right turn from a dead stop the damn car shifts into second in mid-turn - with a jerky crap-tackular result that I don't want happening during a 90 degree turn!

I can't put the damn thing into 1st gear manually - so I'm at the mercy of the friggin computerized transmission. Is that right?

If this is NOT the way it is supposed to work, do I have a problem? If all the XJRs with the ZF all do this, can the trans be reprogrammed to hold first gear for a longer time?

I'm not afraid of getting down into that ZF and adding a switch that will force it to hold 1st - if THAT would do it. Something kinda like an old- school line lock button on the shifter would be easy to negotiate while driving. But I bet it aint that simple.

I have searched all the forums I could find about this annoyance and it looks like nobody else is writing about having problem with this situation - or nobody other than me really cares - and I CAN'T believe that!

I wanna force this PITA to do what I want it to.... I bet you guys do to.

Anybody have a suggestion?

 

maax:
You are in the X308 forum, which is not the one for a XKR. And, I am pretty sure your car has a MB gearbox, rather than a ZF. At least the XJR does. And just for curioosity, where do you think the engine speed is after the shift?

 

The 2003 XK8/R and the S-Type has the ZF6HP26 gearbox and the XJ8/R did not use this until 2004MY

There were alot of TSBs and reprogrammes for the early 6HP26 as well as a fluid specification change.

bob gauff

 

Moved off to the proper area , thanks for your replies

 

Thanks to Planetarium for moving my post - I sure THOUGHT I was posting in the XK8-XKR area... Duhhhhh.

Sparkenzap, As I drove the car yeasterday, I noticed that it actually was shifting out of 1st at 2200 rpm. Man I've had race engines that idled at 1200 - this is ridiculous!
I'll have to look again to note the rpm it drops down to - I just know it's wayyyyy below any semblance of the power band and I really have to tip into the throttle to make up for the bog at the bottom of second.

Planetarium, I'll look into finding those TSBs. None of the service records I received with this particular XKR indicated that any transmission "reprogramming" had been done. But I'm not certain I have them all. I suppose I'd have to check with the dealer's service dept to get it "reprogrammed" huh? That's a scary prospect in Kansas City - because the only dealer - Aristocrat Motors, is noted to be very unresponsive to those that drive older Jags - particularly folks that didn't purchase from them originally. Oh yeah, then there's the price of dealer assistance! Pffffft... Forgetabout it! I've owned 3 Jaguars and never once set foot in a dealership - I try to do anything that needs done myself.

I'm curious about the fluid spec change - I intend to perform a fluid filter and fluid change very soon. This XKR has about 78000 on the clock right now.

I did the fluid and filter on my 2001 XJR with the (MB gearbox Spark referenced) at about 65000 miles and it shifted much smoother after. I used Castrol "Multi Import Vehicle" fluid for that change - do you think that would be suitable fluid for the 2003 ZF6HP26 as well?

I doubt that changing the fluid will change the shift points, but none the less, I know it needs to be done.

Question: Does anybody know if the 6HP26 is used in any application where first gear can be accessed in a manual mode by the operator?

What I'm getting at with that question is this - Did Jag's designers just decide that they didn't want 1st gear access and assuming that this ZF is used in other cars/trucks and knowing that it is electrically controlled/shifted might 1st gear access be easily available but just not included in the Jag shifter?

Thanks for the replies so far folks - anybody else?

 

I used Ford Mercon SP in mine when I changed the fluid and pan/filter. Ford uses the 6HP26 in the Lincoln Navigator and they specify Mercon SP. The Castrol Mult-Import does NOT meet the Shell spec for the ZF 6HP26 transmission, but some people have used it without any ill effects (yet?).

I made a video of my fluid change ordeal: YouTube - Jaguar XK8 Transmission Fluid/Pan Change

 

Thank you Sam: And thanks for the video. I appreciate guys like you that take it upon yourselves to help all of us!

I have seen your youtube collection and if fact, used it last week to help me take the door panel partially off while replacing my passenger side mirror.

A month ago I used your tip on taking the slack out of the throttle cable (mine had two "clicks" worth)

I have spent hours (probably 20 at least) researching the ZF trans and its quirks.

And I WILL master this car and it's weirdness!

By the way, I too, have attempted to help others with the mystery of Jag maintenance. on another forum a couple of years ago. RE: tensioner replacement the "easy way."

Timing Chain Tensioners - An easier way to replace

Sparkenzap may remember that he cautioned me about the "Curse of Coventry" in that thread. I respect that...

Hey Spark, No bragging intended about that XJR that I was drivin' back then, but I did sell it last Feb., two years and 30K miles after I bought it - for only $500 less than I paid for it. Maintenance was under $1,200 and that included new tires...Not so bad cost of opps, I think.

Your Realist mechanic. Maxwdg