Without formal introduction, I am the guy who developed the Transmission Dipstick for the 5HP24 and 5HP30 Transmissions in BMWs. I have been asked to offer the Classic Dipstick kit for the XJ8 & xK8 with the 5HP24 Transmission. Great, I said. All I need is a car to install the first unit on, which will give me all the measurements that I need to offer the kit. I am located in the Philadelphia area, and will completely make this worth your while, if I can use your XJ8 or XK8 as the first. And, yes, Your car will have the Dipstick when you leave, plus a few liters of factory fluid.

Anyone interested, Please let me know.

Regards

Tom

tem@meurosport.com

M Euro Sport
__________________
200 XJ8 25,600 miles - SOLD
Anthracite with Cashmere

 

Any possibility of doing this for the ZF 6HP26 tranny in the 2003+ XK8s? I'd love to have a dipstick and I'd drive from North Carolina up to Philly to get it done.

 

Tom,
I am in NJ and just got 1997 XK8, I would be interested, PM me to work out the details.

 

That would be a really great modification to the ZF 5HP24.

Just yesterday, I discovered my trans was a full quart low. It was making an audible rattling noise in fourth and OD on a part throttle load. My indy checked it out and diagnosed it as a low trans fluid symptom. There were no fault codes or other warnings other than the noise coming from the trans tunnel.

I got it up on jackstands in the garage and checked the fluid level using the ZF Tech Site instructions found here on pages 4-5:

http://www.mwrench.com/Whitepapers/ZF/5HP24.pdf

Sure enough it was about a quart low. Had the trans been equipped with a dipstick, I would have able to see that it was low and avoided this potentially disastrous event.

After I dropped the pan and changed filters; 5.5 quarts of Mobil-1 Synthetic ATF was added. The old fluid was pretty black at 75,000 miles; especially compared to new ATF. I am planning on a second drain/fill, and maybe a third; but it is a hassle. A dipstick w/ a fill tube would be a great help in changing ATF in the future.

The actual fill procedure is not that complicated, but it is messy. It is also very difficult to remove and replace the fill plug because it is so close to the hot exhaust pipe.

 

it is just flat out dumb that ANY car not have a stick to READ the damn level. Stupid me bought a another car that also has not stick. Arrg

 

I'm getting a bit ahead of things here, but do you have a ballpark price for this add-on?

 

The price for a BMW dipstick is $149 plus $18.50 UPS Shipping on his website:

http://meurosport.com/5HP24_Dip_Stick.php

It seems a little expensive at first. But after crawling under your car, with the engine running and transmission in gear, trying not to burn your wrist against a hot exhaust pipe while screwing in the fill plug... Just to check the ATF level; then $150 begins to sound a bit more reasonable.

 

A filling tube would indeed be helpfull, but how does one measure the right oil temperature without the dealer tool?

 

(Correction - Ultra Gauge doesn't do tranny temp, even though the sensor is there, thanks avos for informing me) AutoEngenuity reads it also live. Can you take a fluid temp quick as you bring it up from the dipstick with the laser thermo?

 

Wow, very interesting! If this is true, than that makes the ultra-guage very worthwhile.

Normally standard OBII devices do not read these specific transmission temperature sensors. Like with the autoenginuity, you need the jaguar pack for it which makes that one expensive.

I only use the IDS. Yuu could use a heat gun, but the outer shell is less warm then the oil inside, so you would still need to guess there.

 

Tom,
I live 3 hours away or you could have my car. Put me down for the a dipstick kit when you get them completed.

 

i'd buy on if the kit is easy to install.

 

i would like one also..steven

 

Has anything happened with the dip stick kit?

 

After exchanging few emails with the guy trying to make arrangements, he disappeared and I never heard back from him.

 

Maybe I'm showing my ignorance here, but it seems rather stupid that the fluid level has to be read in a partially warmed-up transmission. On my other cars you measure the fluid level after the transmission is at normal operating temperature. If someone were to develop a dipstick it seems like it would be pretty simple to put a mark on the dipstick at the fully warm point.

 

Great point Sam.

 

I just checked their web site (meurosport.com) and it states that they have a volunteer and working on a prototype.

 

will the dispstick for on the transmission for 03 XK8 ZF 6HP26 ?

 

I don't see why not. The fill port is in the same location as the 5HP24. Why don't you contact them and then post the response here?