Hi guys ( and gals)

I have an excellent independent mechanic here in Australia , that I use.

He trained building Rolls Royces from CKD during his apprenticeship and is Jag and Rolls specialist.

Very honest , very capable and not too expensive.

I have entrusted my XKR to his ongoing care and we are working our way through stuff that needs to be done.

We had a discussion about servicing the tranny. The car has the 5 speed Merc box and has done 110000kms (68750 miles in your lingo)

His take on it was that by doing a service we may cause problems and just let sleeping dogs lie?

It feels great in normal or sport modes and in Manual J gate

It had a full Jag dealer service up to 100000 kms

I don't know if it has ever had a transmission service done ( am trying to track down the old service records)

The cost is around $500 AUS

What are your thoughts ?

Do it or leave it

 

I would leave it, I was told by an independant repair shop that it's good to have it serviced at 100,000 miles, but was kind of gien the hint that if I didnt have problems to leave it alone. I have 135,000 on my car and I have had no problems.

Jim

 

Many members have reported transmission issues with unserviced units at around 70k miles making your XKR is in the range for potential problems.

Others have run unserviced units well over the 100k miles without issues so it's a lottery.



Several experienced and respected independents I've spoken to have different opinions. Some advocate leaving well alone as does your mechanic but others recommend a fluid and filter change.

We had an excellent forum meet at Mackie Auto Transmissions ( Auto Repair*Tollcross,*Glasgow*|*Mackie Automatic & Manual Transmissions ) in Glasgow, UK in March 2014 where we were able to see many failed units in for repair (they do a lot of work for main dealers) and the process of transmission fluid flushing:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...ssions-114845/

After that experience, I'm a believer in fluid and filter changes.

Graham

 

I've done my own Filter/Fluid at 55k miles. Regardless of miles the fluid is 'old' and contaminated by moisture. The 722.6 transmission is easy to service and parts (filter/gasket) are readily available. You will need to decide what fluid you want to use. Also you may want to change the electrical coupler adapter at this time, it's one of the 3 fail points for this transmission (leak) and once again cheap / available. IF they guy is as certified as you mention he should have no issue with doing this. I'm more of the preventative maintenance types. At 55k I've replaced all fluids but the rear diff fluid, which I'm doing this winter service when I perform some work on the rear of the car

 

hello i have chanched the oil off the gearbox on my xk8 from 97 , with costed abaout
300 euro, but i have too say its much smoother now
greetings ja

 

Thanks team

I will put it on the list but may bump it down a few notches re priority

Matt did say the fluid looked pretty good



Pete

 

Has anyone had any experience with aftermarket (non-ZF) transmission filters? I have 100k on my car and am researching this project I will be using Mercon SP fluid.

 

I had a 97 that I sold back in the day with like 95k or so on it and that trans was never touched I am fairly sure. It was very sound for the few years I had it.
I have a 03 now and at 101k it is good. I do get that hard shift or downshift an occasion but based on what I have read here it is normal for some and that short of a filter change and replaced lost fluid from change that to leave it be.

 

I have been using the ATP filters from Rockauto, and have no complaints.

 

Since you have the Merc tranny you should be following the Merc tranny service interval. The car was sold with "lifetime fluid" but Mercedes admitted their mistake and now recommend fluid and filter changes at around 30k. I had my XJR done at the mercedes dealer since my local idiot Jag dealer told me 1. not to change the fluid and 2. they couldn't get the fluid anyways. Cost about $200 US for Mercedes fluid, a new gasket and filter. They chap that did it (a fellow XJR owner) said it was quite dirty. I am coming up on the next change here this summer and may do it myself. You do need the proper dipstick to check the level. Not changing your fluids is never a good thing imho.

 

+1
Years ago I bought a stack of them from Rockauto (packaged with neoprene gasket were ~$6 but now are $9.04) for my XKR and Charger RT R&T. (listed under Dodge R/T as ATP B217)

Also I use Walmart ATF+4 ($4.27/QT) which is full synthetic and licensed by Chrysler. (All Chrysler licensed ATF+4 is full synthetic)

I don't mind changing the fluid/filter every 20-30,000 mi, but these are tough old trannies that may well go 150,000 without problems.

 

I have decided to only fix things when they break. Other than that, I will follow the manual's recommended intervals for all service and maintenance. I know some will disagree with this philosophy, which is OK. We'll see what happens. The car just turned 68k.

 

Bear in mind the thread is about the Mercedes gearbox in the 4.0 XKRs, not the ZF gearbox that everyone else has.

The 5 speed ZF box is prone to clutch drum failure due to uncommanded hydraulic pressure spikes due to a bad valve design- hence why so many of them failed prematurely.

The Mercedes box on the other hand never had this problem and the oil change would seem to me a cheap investment to maintain an expensive piece of kit.