Just found my first XK8-2003, 43k miles! Like a good boy (well...67, actually) I downloaded and read the manual. It suggests shifting to neutral when stopped in traffic. I've noticed that, indeed, the sound from the transmission is reduced, although the RPMs stay constant. What is going on inside the box and will this practice reduce the wear and tear? does anybody really do this?
I love the car...happiest, most comfortable 10-hour days in a car ever.

 

That's kind of recommended for most automatics if your sitting in traffic or RR crossing i can remember being told that by a friend who owned a transmission shop years ago.

 

For long stops it makes sense but for just a stop light, no way!

By the way welcome, you will love your 03!!!!

 

I've never heard of such a thing and can't imagine any advantage in doing so. Out of curiosity, I looked in the owner's manual for my 2003 S-Type (identical transmission). It makes no mention of selecting neutral when stopped.

 

I'm sure you can reduce the heat load on the torque converter by selecting neutral or park as the gearbox input shaft can rotate instead of being stationary.

The vanes and blades in the torque converter heat the fluid (friction) when it must have one part moving (engine) and the other 'still' (gearbox). When BOTH are moving (neutral), the heat is not generated nearly as much.

bob gauff

 

To appease my curiosity, I checked out the 2004.5 Driver's Handbook that I had downloaded. On page 4-25 under the "Starting And Stopping" heading of the "On The Road" section, I found "When stopping for traffic lights, junctions etc., apply the handbrake and select ‘N’.". No explanation as to why this is recommended.

 

I always put the transmission in park at the three or four pesky stoplights I frequent that require two-minute waits and sometimes more. Been doing this with every vehicle, not just our Jaguars, for many years. Sometimes if I'm in my Ram pickup and the stoplight has just gone red, I'll shut the truck down and wait for the green. That 5.9-litre V8 is always thirsty....

 

This is all true, but no harm is done by leaving it in drive.

 

I too shift to neutral and put HB on when at lights etc. Pretty sure I read in one of my handbooks - possibly the Kia (also an auto box) that this was recommended, also not to leave it in D when in a stationary queue uphill and not to re-engage D from N while vehicle is in motion.

 

never heard of this.

 

The only time I do this is in busy fast food lines like "in n out" or if i will be stopped for more than a couple of minutes, i read one should do this at extended stops long ago and have always done it. But constantly shifting back and fourth in traffic or at every stop light seems like it would do more harm than good.

 

That makes even less sense.

 

Quotes from Kia owners manual (ref automatic transmission)
" When stopped on an upgrade, do not hold the vehicle stationary with engine power. Use the service brake or the parking brake"

"Do not shift from N (neutral) or P (park) into D (Drive) or R (reverse) when the engine is above idea speed"

"Always come to a complete stop before shifting into D (drive)"

 

This:

Is very different from this:

The latter means that the brakes must be used to hold the vehicle on a hill, and not by revving the engine.

None of the statements you quoted mentions taking the transmission out of gear for any reason.

 

I always put the Transmission in Neutral when a long wait is anticipated.

As stated earlier, the Torque Converter will produce heat if the Trans is in Drive with the car not moving.

 

The amount of heat that's produced by the TC while stopped in gear through 'slippage' is nothing compared to what's produced during acceleration or driving without the TC being locked.

 

What an utterly silly state of affairs. Most of the manuals mentioned, must have been written by kids who never drove a car.
What would you do if you came to a red stop light on a hill? In a stick shift car, it was common practice to hold the car in position by riding the clutch and holding the brake. If the stop was to be long, you just stopped the clutch action and held it with the brake. Then returned to the other action when ready to go.
When you come to a stop with an automatic and the idle speed is where it should be, the transmission will take care of it's self and you'll have no problems with over heating--unless it is going to be a very long stop, then maybe take it out of gear. Any other time when you come to a stop, just hold the car in position with the FOOT BRAKE. Even on a hill ! The car or transmission doesn't know if it's right side up or down.
I would love to see the statistics on how many people who practice the "take it out of gear" method have slammed into the guy behind them when they put it back into (The wrong) gear---while they were talking on their phone. Or, the guy behind slammed into their rear-- thinking you were going because the light changed--while of course, talking on their phone.......
GZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
Suggestion: Check or have that idle speed checked.....

 

This is one of those it depends things.

Habitually shifting into P/N will cause greater wear on the
shifting mechanism.

Keeping your hand on the shifter ... at least on old style
automatic transmissions with a spool valve will wear out
the spool valve.

YMMV.

 

thanks for the info on the TC-that explains the change in sound when going between D-N and, being in Vermont, heat is hardly an issue!