So I have an appointment to take the car to a transmission shop tomorrow, but I thought I would post here to pick you guys' brain.

For the last few months when I start the car and put it into drive it takes a moment to actually engage the gear. The car drives forward very smoothly. No hard shifts. Secondly I just noticed in the last few days the car doesn't seem to engage reverse very smoothly. When I put it in R it seems like I am stuck in a rut and it takes 1500 rpm to get the car to move. I.e. it doesn't roll back on idle alone in R. Once engaged it will do so fine.

I am not getting any message center errors or lights but I have not tried a odb reader. He is going to do so tomorrow.

2000 xk8 77k miles

 

Based on your descriptions it could be something as simple as low on fluid. The most common failure, the 'A' drum, usually has a symptom of harsh engagement of first after rpms get to 1500 - 2000.

Any signs on driveway of leaking fluid?

 

+1 on the low fluid what you describe does point to that

 

I would like to see if it had codes.

 

Thanks for you responses guys, I will have error results if any in about 12 hours.

A drum failure is really the most common? I thought the common failures were a lot more expensive than an a drum...

 

Definitely check the fluid. When I got mine back from the dealer when it was cold the transmission would always whine. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard. I thought the pump was making it due low fluid. Took it to my mechanic because it was something I didnt want to mess with and it was 3qts low on fluid!!! I didn't have those kinds of issues. My car would always go into gear just fine. No slips or delay. You should have the fluid changed if you havent already its pretty important with the age of the car and the filter as well. When mine came out it was black. :/ that was at 90k miles.

 

Well the guy (its a reputable shop) caims it is not low on fluid. He says it probably needs a total rebuild. He says there are no codes. The car was barely engaging at all while i was there. I drove it to him and it felt 95%. I had a couple time when it downshifted and it felt a little harsh. When it went to put it on the lift it was slipping horribly.

So in a matter of days it went from light engage problems to slipping 75%. There are no leaks around the pan

He started the car, lifted it and the released a bung at the back right and let a little fluid drain out. It was pretty dark...

How does one actually measure the amount of fluid thats in there?

he also says you should do a yearly service on it. i.e. change the fluid every year... Whether its esso of zf.

Was quoted 3500-3900 for total rebuild with 3 year 36,000 mile warranty, but must servicce tranny once a year for warranty.

 

He checked the fluid level when he pulled the plug at the back right with the engine running. It should just dribble out a little at 30- 50 deg C.
I know California can be expensive, but that sounds extreme to me, and how does he know it needs a total rebuild before taking it apart?

 

No work will be done until I speak to the shop owner on the 2nd. I will inquire if the price 3900 is regardless of what is actually wrong. He made it sound like even if its something like the a drum it still costs 3900 to rehab everything in the process.

 

$3500 is the going price in Virginia & Maryland.

 

The problem is that just the R&I is going to be at least 25% of that quote and once you are inside the transmission you might as well do the whole thing, at least the wear parts. There are really only two levels of transmission rebuild, wear parts and hard parts. Getting into hard parts can significantly increase the total cost. A number of DIY folks have just replaced the common 'A' drum when it failed because that was really the only thing failed/worn out but that is not a very effective financial decision if you are paying someone to do the labor.

 

Just called my neighborhood mechanic and he said it was reasonable for a total rebuild. He had seen a '97 cost 6500 that had something broken in the front of it.

He recommended paying 600 for a new filter and fluid change in the off chance that the filter is plugged and not allowing sufficient pressure to activate the clutch pack.

 

$600 is too much!

A local indy shop quoted $250 including Castrol ATF and the filter. The Castrol Foreign Car ATF meets the manufacturer's specification without the snake oil $50 per liter price for the Jaguar or ZF branded version. From your description the trans may be beyond the oil change stage especially at $600.

 

The shifting problem could be a number of things from the shifter cable, shifter selector switch to the valve body. I would first check the shifter cable adjustment.

Your shifter operates the cable that rotates the gearbox lever on the left of the transmission into position it transfers that movement mechanically (internally) to the right side of the transmission to the shifter selector switch that tells the transmission control module to send the signal to the transmission valve body (plug on the left of trans). If that cable is out of adjustment just a little the transmission control module does not know what to do.

I had a problem with my trans not upshifting and it was the cable adjustment , this was after a total rebuild for that trans. Check the cable!

Link to TSB Cable Adjustment http://www.jagrepair.com/images/TSB/307-01-1.pdf

 

Just to update for you guys, it was the A drum. The lip on it had sheared about 50% and it was no longer engaging.

Total cost for everything, which included 2 or 3 upgraded parts (I dont have the list in front of me) was 3,815. I have to get a flush and refill every 15k miles and they do it using esso fluid for 200.



I remember calling and asking about the cost to replace the fluid about 8 months ago. The guy I spoke to was not very knowledgeable and didn't know what the A drum was at that time. But from what I understand it would have cost at least 2,000 to replace the A Drum by itself, pre failure.

 

As hard as it is to spend that kind of money I think you did the right thing. If you elect to sell the car it can be a plus. Not that you would get any of that money back!!

Why the refill every 15k??

 

No decent ATF should require a 15,000-mile change interval. Are you saying the shop that replaced your A-drum is now requiring you to have them change the ATF every 15,000 miles in order to keep whatever warranty they may have provided to you in place?

 

I'm not sure what the justification is for refilling every 15k but I can afford 200 as a preventative maintenance. If it was the 750 for a lifeguard fill I would complain.

 

I have not done that with mine nor was I asked/told to on any transmission.