Did my first oil & filter change on my wife's 2006 XK8 this past Saturday. While I was underneath the car, I took a good look at the ZF 6HP26 housing. It was clean with no evidence of fluid leaks at 42,260 miles. I was relieved and happy since I am well aware that these $15 ZF electrical connector sleeves commonly leak and cause us to have to spend hundreds of dollars replacing our pans and high-dollar ATF long before we should really have to do so under normal driving conditions. We've been fortunate with our 2005 S-Type's ZF 6HP26 unit - no leaks at 70,400 miles (knock on wood)....

So my wife leaves for work this morning and although it has been raining lightly overnight, once she has driven off I notice a coin-sized spot of what appears to be clear liquid on the driveway where her car was parked. I have a one-litre bottle of Lifeguard 6 sitting on my garage shelf, so I know how strongly this stuff smells (Brutal describes it as cat urine) and that it is a golden color when new. I dip my index finger in the spot on the driveway and bring it to my nose. No detectable smell. I look at it carefully. No detectable color. It does not feel slippery or greasy. I think it's just rainwater dripping from the chassis. So I very carefully taste it. Uh oh - a very unpleasant acidic chemical taste that truly burns the tip of my tongue. It doesn't look or smell like Lifeguard 6. I sure hope it isn't. But with her car gone for the day, I don't know....

When the ZF sleeves begin to leak on these XK8s, exactly where on the driveway or garage floor does the dripping fluid show up? Forward of the right rear wheel and slightly inbound?

I know I need to jack the car up again, crawl underneath, and have a good look at the area where the electrical connector plug enters the ZF housing. But the car is not here now....

Is this where the clear liquid is showing up?



This didn't happen with my 4.0 ltr. Rainwater looks to be running down behind the sill cover on the 4.2. The next drop about to fall is centre in this pic:



About 6 inches forward from the rear wheelarch. Probable that some sealant inside the wheelarch has failed allowing water behind the sill cover.

I'll jack the vehicle up at the weekend to trace where the water is getting through. Left unattended, this will eventually rot out through the sill cover or in through the sill itself.

Graham

Thanks for the photos, Graham. I have not been able to nail down the source of the suspected leak yet. If it was rainwater, it was the most acidic, chemically-tasting rainwater I've ever put on the tip of my tongue....

I have not seen any evidence of the leak during the past couple of days. We have had some spotty rainfall as well as periods of sun. I'm continuing to watch the pavement under the car when the car is home, but it hasn't been home very much lately during the daylight hours....

Just a thought---I wonder if it's traces of your washer solution that's being washed down by rain and you're tasting the residual solution. Of course, I try not to make drinking windshield washer solution a habit.

Could be, but windshield washer solution typically has a bit more of a soapy, pleasant taste than this stuff on the driveway did earlier this week. Not as sweet or tart as coolant's taste, though....

Kinda makes you wonder what the hell we're drinking to quench our thirsts around here, doesn't it....

Jon89 I notice a coin-sized spot of what appears to be clear liquid on the driveway..... So I very carefully taste it. Uh oh - a very unpleasant acidic chemical taste that truly burns the tip of my tongue


Could it be coming from the battery vent pipe? That is inboard of the right rear wheel.
That would be clear and acidic!!!! Very acidic!

Stumpy,

Good point. I'll have to check it. Sure hope I haven't been swallowing battery acid....

I hope you haven't been going for more!
Could it have been rain or condensation that picked up acid while traveling through the car to the pavement?

When the sleeve on my 2005 XKR six speed ZF started to leak there was a small puddle of fluid about dead center under the car toward the back of the transmission. The fluid does have an oily texture. Replacing the sleeve is really quite easy but there are a few caveats about removal and emplacement of the sleeve to avoid problems. BTW, I have found that reaching under the car with a good closeup digital camera is a great way to check out, in detail, where a suspected problem might exist/originate. I have essentially photographed the entire underside of my car and keep a digital record on my iPad. On follow up you can quickly identify potential "new problems", particularly fluid leaks by doing photo comparisons.

This is one of those rare days when the car has been home sitting in the driveway all day long. No signs of any leakage today, and no rain yet, either. I'll keep checking the concrete underneath the car. Thanks for all the ideas as to what it could be. I sure hope it was just rainfall run-off picking up who-knows-what as it traveled down to the ground, but with these cars, you just never know....

Stop tasting strange fluids from under your car! No good can come from it and some of this stuff is quite toxic!

+1 !

I am in the market for a fluids taster that will sample the crud on my shop floor. Willing to pay minimum wage, but you must be able to taste and discern anything on the floor which might include droppings from my Golden Retrievers or possible hair ***** from the cat. Please pm if interested.

+1 to Bills and WhiteXKR warnings on the fluid abuse.

But I've never been to North Carolina so may not fully understand the pressures of life there.

The drinks dispensers / drain tubes look to be:

Battery Vent Pipe (rear RH)
AC Drains (centre either side of transmission)
Fuel Filler Box Drain (rear LH)
Atmospheric Recovery Bottle Overflow Pipe (front RH behind wing liner)
Screenwash Bottle overflow (front LH behind wing liner)

Anything else emerging from pipes under the vehicle?

Graham

No fluid leaks underneath the XK8 today, either....

So I had a couple of glasses of orange juice instead. Calm down with the warnings, guys. I'm aware of the risks. No brain damage yet. Although my wife may disagree with that statement....