What to do with a borked car?

[Synchromesh]

So I picked up a rather tidy 2000 S-type 4.0 three weeks ago, but as of last night it appears the autobox has shat itself. The Ford 5-speeds on these are known to be made out of cheese so it's fair to say I'm not too surprised. The cost of fixing it could easily exceed the value of the car, so it's pretty much a write off, but I'll know for sure once I get the full prognosis from the transmission specialists on Monday. But assuming it isn't worth repairing, how can I get the most from it? I don't have the space or inclination to break it myself and it's only worth £80-190 as scrap. Any other ideas?

[Escy]

I'd never take a gearbox of an old car like that to a specialist, what's the point? Just get a 2nd replacement for a couple hundred and chuck it in.

Ebay is the best place to sell a non runner

[robinessex]

There's a GB on Ebay for £45. Just need a guy to pop it in for cash in hand.

[anonymous-user]

Escy said:

I'd never take a gearbox of an old car like that to a specialist, what's the point? Just get a 2nd replacement for a couple hundred and chuck it in.

Ebay is the best place to sell a non runner

All the 2nd hand ones will be fked or 95% of the way to fked too. It can be surprisingly cheap to get a re manufactured control unit for an autobox. if the car is really sound and sorted otherwise then maybe it's worth spending £500 on it.

[Jaguar steve]

Synchromesh said:

So I picked up a rather tidy 2000 S-type 4.0 three weeks ago, but as of last night it appears the autobox has shat itself. The Ford 5-speeds on these are known to be made out of cheese so it's fair to say I'm not too surprised. The cost of fixing it could easily exceed the value of the car, so it's pretty much a write off, but I'll know for sure once I get the full prognosis from the transmission specialists on Monday. But assuming it isn't worth repairing, how can I get the most from it? I don't have the space or inclination to break it myself and it's only worth £80-190 as scrap. Any other ideas?

That's a ZF not a Ford box in the V8 S Type.

The reason so many of them fail is Jaguars policy of marketing them as sealed for life which invariably means the transmission oil never gets changed and eventually the box malfunctions through lubrication failure.

If it only drives in 4th and 5th or engages drive with a jolt then chances are the forward clutch or A drum has failed in which case it's knackered. If it's just sticky and reluctant to change any gear the it's worth changing the oil and filter and cleaning out the sump pan.

It's a tricky job to do as the final level has to be set correctly and quickly with the engine running. You need to use Esso/Mobil LT 71141 (IIRC) oil also known as Lifeguard fluid 5 and not conventional Dexron 3

[cento16v]

Pre face lift will be a 5 Speed Ford 5R55N unit won't it?

Never seen a ZF in such an early car.

[jamieduff1981]

Correct. Ford 5R55N up to 2001 models. ZF 6HP26 thereafter along with the rest of the mechanical redesign and interior change. Exterior facelift was 2004.

Just sort it. Never understood this value of the car nonsense. You still need to spend the money to get another car - it's not like spending the money is optional.

Edited by jamieduff1981 on Thursday 8th May 18:27

[Lowtimer]

Indeed. Just ring round the scrappers, get a second hand box fitted.

[vrooom]

put in a manual box....

[Jaguar steve]

cento16v said:

Pre face lift will be a 5 Speed Ford 5R55N unit won't it?

Never seen a ZF in such an early car.

Ford in the 6 cyls but ZF 5HP24 in the V8 S Type - same as the V8 XJ and XK - to the best of my knowledge but happy to be corrected if wrong.

[Heaveho]

If you want to try to fix it, ring the number of the Jag Indy I gave you on the other thread, dunno what a known good box goes for, but if anyone can help it'll be him. The number is 02380 458418, S&C Motors, speak to Shaun, the owner.

Whereabouts in the country are you?

[g7jhp]

Put a gearbox in a sell it.

[Synchromesh]

So the transmission specialists had it up on the ramps yesterday and said that the box is "unlikely" to be the source of the noise. They were reluctant to take the box out to investigate further which, given it would be in their commercial interest to do so, means they're probably being straight with me. That and the fact they said there was no oil showing on the dipstick - they had to top it up 5 litres meaning I've been running it almost dry! Silly boy I am, I know. I meant to get round to checking it but it was serviced a few hundred miles before I picked it up and there was no low oil light on the dash so didn't make it a priority. Looks like that mistake came back to bite me.

Anyway, a local breaker has offered me £500 for the car as is, meaning I'll only have lost a few hundred quid on it. Should I bite his hand off, or is it worth pursuing a fix?

[Mr SFJ]

Synchromesh said:

So the transmission specialists had it up on the ramps yesterday and said that the box is "unlikely" to be the source of the noise. They were reluctant to take the box out to investigate further which, given it would be in their commercial interest to do so, means they're probably being straight with me. That and the fact they said there was no oil showing on the dipstick - they had to top it up 5 litres meaning I've been running it almost dry! Silly boy I am, I know. I meant to get round to checking it but it was serviced a few hundred miles before I picked it up and there was no low oil light on the dash so didn't make it a priority. Looks like that mistake came back to bite me.

Anyway, a local breaker has offered me £500 for the car as is, meaning I'll only have lost a few hundred quid on it. Should I bite his hand off, or is it worth pursuing a fix?

If the thing is completely shagged, as in doesn't run properly, then yes. If it needs a new 'box, then no. Just buy a refurbed unit off of ebay and pay the garage a cashie job to fit it.

[My Evil Twin]

Synchromesh said:

That and the fact they said there was no oil showing on the dipstick - they had to top it up 5 litres meaning

hang on... I presume you mean here the engine dipstick... or does the gearbox have a dipstick?
are you now saying that the issue isnt the GB but the engine is trashed by oil starvation??

Synchromesh said:

I meant to get round to checking it but I believed the seller when he told me that it was serviced a few hundred miles before I picked it up

and I fixed that for you also...

any new for me car i get i check the oil most days for at least 2-3 tanks of petrol so I can see if its a oil burner or not..

[james_gt3rs]

Am I reading that right - 5 litres engine oil top up?

I'd probably scrap the car it doesn't sound very well looked after!

[Baryonyx]

Jaguar steve said:

The reason so many of them fail is Jaguars policy of marketing them as sealed for life which invariably means the transmission oil never gets changed and eventually the box malfunctions through lubrication failure

Hmm, where have I heard that one before?

Even with service history for the ZF gearbox on my A8, I still lived in mild anticipation of it going bang.

Not that it ever did, or has, mind you.

[Synchromesh]

My Evil Twin said:

Synchromesh said:

That and the fact they said there was no oil showing on the dipstick - they had to top it up 5 litres meaning

hang on... I presume you mean here the engine dipstick... or does the gearbox have a dipstick?
are you now saying that the issue isnt the GB but the engine is trashed by oil starvation??

Correct, I mean the engine oil. So the GB is probably fine after all that.

My Evil Twin said:

Synchromesh said:

I meant to get round to checking it but I believed the seller when he told me that it was serviced a few hundred miles before I picked it up

and I fixed that for you also...

any new for me car i get i check the oil most days for at least 2-3 tanks of petrol so I can see if its a oil burner or not..

Well I've got a receipt right here from Bristol Street Motors in Banbury for an MOT and oil service, and the matching MOT cert, so it would have to be quite an elaborate lie if it hadn't been. Plus I know the seller personally - he's not the type to make things up. Now, whether the garage forgot to refill the car with oil during the service is a whole other matter...

[9mm]

Synchromesh said:

So the transmission specialists had it up on the ramps yesterday and said that the box is "unlikely" to be the source of the noise. They were reluctant to take the box out to investigate further which, given it would be in their commercial interest to do so, means they're probably being straight with me. That and the fact they said there was no oil showing on the dipstick - they had to top it up 5 litres meaning I've been running it almost dry! Silly boy I am, I know. I meant to get round to checking it but it was serviced a few hundred miles before I picked it up and there was no low oil light on the dash so didn't make it a priority. Looks like that mistake came back to bite me.

Anyway, a local breaker has offered me £500 for the car as is, meaning I'll only have lost a few hundred quid on it. Should I bite his hand off, or is it worth pursuing a fix?

£500 for an old non-runner S-type is a good offer.

[SuperHangOn]

Lowtimer said:

Indeed. Just ring round the scrappers, get a second hand box fitted.

If the replacement is dodgy (hardly rare by the sound of it) then you have wasted hundreds in labour.

If its a nice straight car which you like, I would fix it properly with a recon box rather than chance another car. If its a bit of shed, take the £500 and run.