I'm not sure when it was changed but my notes imply I saw it in 2009.

Of course, it IS filled for life - choose how "life" is defined, though...

 

NOTES!?
No kidding, Man... I wanna be just like you!

 

the longer one leaves the fluid unchanged, the shorter the transmission’s life will be. Everyone seems to be in agreement on that point.

Z

As similarly noted by JayJagJay, I’m duly impressed by your note taking (and finding said note 13 years later !!). If only you were taking notes for me, my life would have direction and meaning


Z

 

Hmm...

Thing about the fluid change (say after 9yrs, or 16, or 160miles,,, is that the adaptions have adapted, over the course of thoooousands of miles to, yes, the normal wear of the trans (etc) - but also to the properties of the fluid...

Have folks noted or noticed a "shocked" transmission (in terms of adaptions) after a fluid change?

I ask because - in all reality I've never went from a car that I am used/accustomed to. One was after an engine/trans swap (5hp to 5hp) and the other was a car where the trans was FULL of water - where I changed soft parts, solenoids, separator plate and,,,, fluid. I have no point of reference

 

There’s no easy way to drain all the ATF from my ‘02 XKR without disconnecting the lines, no torque converter drain plug either, afaik. So I just drain the trans sump and change out 4 quarts at a time. After 3 or 4 sessions like that over time, I’m approaching nearly all new fluid.


So no “shocking” the transmission with all new fluid. But the transmission shops I’ve seen have had no issues with their 100% fluid replacements.

Z

 

Right on! Good to know

 

Fresh ATF is always a good idea in these old cars....

 

I thought the thread title was "Spark Plugs".

 

Yep, it is. But good advice is good advice regardless of the thread's title...

 

I do understand the idea behind keeping a thread on topic.

On the other hand, if every off tangent comment, remark, or question, got its own thread, then there would be at least a 20 fold increase in thread titles. A bit too much to keep up with easily.

Z

 

I just dump things in one long text file. Easily searched. Very crude.

(It does have some sections, e.g. one long chunk for the ZF, but properly organised it isn't!)

 

I use an Excel spreadsheet to track when I do stuff. current fleet is 5 cars, plus mower, generator, and yard equipment, down from 6 cars and a boat as well. I do monthly checks of battery cranking amps, tire pressure, fluid levels, etc. Routine battery checks has revealed batteries going bad, so that is GREAT. I'd rather change it in my garage then out in some parking lot.

For my next trick, I'm going to incorporate the maintenance schedules into my Excel workbook, so that it can tell me when stuff is coming due. I'll post that when I finish with it.

 

I'm in the process of changing my plugs so this thread has been great.

2 questions:

• What grease do you recommend for the plugs? Straight anti seize?, or one with copper in it as I've others recommend?
• How the heck do you remove the rubber shroud on a USA 2011 XF 5.0L on the passenger side? Seems caught tight between the last plug coil (closest to firewall, and the engine bay side wall), and I can't get it off for the life of me.

Thanks in advance for any guidance gurus.

 

I mean the rubber shroud covering the cylinder head and coils).

 

I use the tiniest line of copper anti seize on the plug threads. As already pointed out, the use of any anti seize will skew the torque numbers and you will over-torque the plugs if you use the factory torque recommendations with any anti seize.


that said l, if you’ve good experience for tightening the plugs by feel, then a very thin line of copper anti seize won’t get you into trouble. Don’t use more than a line the width of a paper clip wire. It doesn’t take much to get the threads some insurance.

and if you go by the book, you don’t even need any anti seize with new plugs.

above all, remove and replace spark plugs only on stone cold engines.

Z

 

You are about to start another war, asking what to put on the spark plugs. NGK recommend NO ANTI-SEIZE on their plugs, as there is a compound on them already to act as an anti-seize. NGK claims that using an anti-seize allows you to overtorque the plugs by up to 20%, making them difficult to remove the next time they have to come out.

 

Adding anti seize is not going to affect torque value to any critical degree. If you notice, the plugs are coated with a film of oil when they are pulled, meaning the head threads are also oil coated. The anti seize will be lost in translation. Even if you are worried, 20% of 18 ft lbs is 3.6 ft lbs, nothing.

 

Thanks for all the information. I have bout two hours of work, before I can try to start it after replacing both head gaskets. Hoping everything goes somewhat good…