Can someone please tell me is my 2004 XKR has a busted radiator that is leaking coolant into the transmission fluid? I don’t see transmission fluid in coolant but a leak can be one way as I understand.

 

Your gearbox fluid from the factory is a 'golden-color'. (Lifeguard 6)

A fluid change with MERCON SP will have a red color.

The coolant should be an 'orange-color' from the factory.

 

This is Valvoline Max Life fluid which is a bright red when put in, now it’s this dark pink color. Do you think I have coolant in the transmission fluid? Is there any way to test?

 

I read on YouTube that if transmission fluid has water in it it will boil on a hot skillet and will NOT if if does NOT have water in it.

 

Water form a separate layer underneath transmission fluid if left standing or form an emulsion if the engine has been running. I'm not sure why you think you might have water in there but the only way to tell would be to carefully open the drain plug and let a little out. If there is any water in there it will be immediately obvious. If you let out 10 or 20 mls you won't have to worry about topping it up again as that is a fairly complicated procedure and cannot be done by simply unscrewing the level/filler plug as you would with a manual gearbox.

 

Later model Jags, and lots of other Euro cars like Audi, use pink coolant. It looks like somebody used the wrong coolant is all. Mine had pink coolant in it when I bought it.

 

I have bottles of OAT Longlife antifreeze in my garage which are all suitable for Jaguar and most vehicles and have a collection of pink, blue, green and colourless. Unfortunately, the colour doesn't mean anything. I keep a range of colours so I can top up most vehicles without turning the existing contents to brown.

 

This is the wrong transmission fluid for your car. If your transmission has been filled with Valvoline Max Life get a trans fluid change ASAP. It will cause all sorts of problems if you keep that fluid. The correct fluid is ZF Lifeguard 6. Motorcraft Mercon SP is the same fluid, but at a much reduced price and with a red tint on it.

Only use Valvoline Max Life for the power steering.

Re- the coolant, I'm guessing your car has been filled with the wrong coolant. Dexcool or Zerex G-05 should be what you have in there.

 

Thanks everyone for the feedback, I’ll be refilling with Mercon SP as suggested. To be clear, the pic I posted is transmission fluid which was red when I put it in in an empty, newly installed transmission, now the fluid is the dark punk you see in the pics.

I poured some on a hot skillet and it bubbled for a few seconds then stoppped. What I was left with was a brownish red fluid that was see through unlike the fluid in the pic. I’m pretty sure there is a leak from the radiator into the transmission cooler.