Ex-Lexus owner's experience of a Jaguar XJ8 (X350).
Discussion
Djr1 said:
Looks lovely! I've had my x350 XJ6 for 18 months or so and love it. I've been using a Bluetooth/FM broadcaster to get around the lack of an aux in, but it is a bit of a faff. Would you mind posting the YouTube link - sounds interesting!
Cheers! Yeah, I only ever hear good things about the V6. This is the chap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLoShbZHGhY
The video is for the CD unit, but it's a very similar process for the cassette deck.
Lifeguard it is!So with regards to sorting out my autobox, would I be best off servicing it first before getting a man to plug in and reset/update it? My only thought is that the new oil would probably alter the operation of the box quite significantly, so a reset before changing the oil could result in some weird/sub optimal behaviour once the fresh oil is put in?
LandyManSam said:
So with regards to sorting out my autobox, would I be best off servicing it first before getting a man to plug in and reset/update it? My only thought is that the new oil would probably alter the operation of the box quite significantly, so a reset before changing the oil could result in some weird/sub optimal behaviour once the fresh oil is put in?
You really want to do it all at once so change oil and reset. Much better plan for a few quid extra than doing half of it yourself Or, do the box service myself and pick up a diagnostics kit from the link above for £90. Should still be cheaper than paying someone to do it and I'd have the diagnostics setup for the future. Plus the satisfaction (if it goes right... 
)
I'll get some quotes and see what the difference is.
)I'll get some quotes and see what the difference is.
LandyManSam said:
Or, do the box service myself and pick up a diagnostics kit from the link above for £90. Should still be cheaper than paying someone to do it and I'd have the diagnostics setup for the future. Plus the satisfaction (if it goes right... )
I'll get some quotes and see what the difference is.
That is an option but I would google what is involved in a reset first you might be surprised )I'll get some quotes and see what the difference is.
It's a £1900 car, if you're confident about doing it yourself, I say go for it (REMEMBERING TO USE THE RIGHT OIL OF COURSE) 
I had my XJ6 for over 18 months and loved it (end of ownership thread here), one of the things that made me go for it was that it had a new gearbox, supplied by a dealer at 70k (it was on 94k when I bought it), given the possibility of high-mileage bork.
I really liked mine (paid top whack for it at the time but I'm glad I did, it never let me down). A surprisingly pleasant car to have owned - as someone said a modern car wrapped in an old fashioned body.
I had my XJ6 for over 18 months and loved it (end of ownership thread here), one of the things that made me go for it was that it had a new gearbox, supplied by a dealer at 70k (it was on 94k when I bought it), given the possibility of high-mileage bork.
I really liked mine (paid top whack for it at the time but I'm glad I did, it never let me down). A surprisingly pleasant car to have owned - as someone said a modern car wrapped in an old fashioned body.
Djr1 said:
I might be wrong, but I'm sure ive read somewhere that for the gearbox oil change, the new oil had to be at the correct temperature? Might have completely imagined that.
Not before it goes in but you are kind of right. You need to do anything full flush that includes the torque converter and oil cooler and doing this to get every drop of old oil out isn't easy DIY. Couple that with the requirement that once the new oil is in you need to jack up the rear end off the floor and cycle through the gears until the oil reaches operating temperature before you can do a final top up and finish the job and it's a tough DIY job. Many people make it sound like it's the same as an engine oil change and it's not unless you want to do it wrong then you might as well not bother. 
I have a two post ramp, a full set of tools and both a laser thermometer and a thermal imaging camera for checking the oil temperature. I've looked over the service guide for it, and will be doing it myself - and posting a little guide on here.
Also going to pick up the diagnostics kit from British Diagnostics so I can reset and update the transmission control unit.
Also going to pick up the diagnostics kit from British Diagnostics so I can reset and update the transmission control unit.
craigjm said:
You really need a pump to make sure you get all the oil that's in the cooler and torque converter
That's not mentioned in the ZF service manual. Any more info on this?https://www.zf.com/global/media/medien_mastersite/...
When you change the oil on a car do you just open the drain plug, drain the oil, remove the filter, fit new filter and fill with oil? If you do that then you are putting clean oil into a dirty engine. In the same way you follow that procedure you put clean oil in a dirty transmission. If you have it flushed properly then it will be clean ready for fresh oil. The only downside is that if any of your seals are on the way out, flushing the transmission is a sure fire way of making it go but at least it's apart to fit new seals if you need. If the car has done a big mileage and the oil has never been changed then I would flush it as you don't want a problem later down the line. Your choice and there is debate about whether it's worth it. Google it and make your choice
LandyManSam said:
That's not mentioned in the ZF service manual. Any more info on this?
https://www.zf.com/global/media/medien_mastersite/...
If you imagine what a torque converter looks line, it is basically a drum with vanes inside it attached to the rear of the engine. The only way to get fluid into and out of this drum is through a hole in its middle. The gearbox pump pumps the fluid into the convertor. When the pump isn't operational the t/c remains aprrox half full of fluid as it can only drain back to its mid level. Same goes for the cooler. If it is mounted below the level of the gearbox feed and return pipes gravity will prevent the fluid from draining back into the box.https://www.zf.com/global/media/medien_mastersite/...
If you don't have the tools to extract the fluid properly an alternative is to change the fluid, go for a short drive to mix up the remaining old fluid with the new stuff. Then perform a second fluid change but this time also change the filter. Not ideal but better than leaving 50% of the old fluid in the gearbox.
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