Gearbox (ZF 5 Speed Auto)

[daveji]

The Club advice now is to ignore Jaguar's assurance that the ZF 5 speed gearbox is a "sealed for life" unit and service it about every 40k, that is if you want its life to be longer than the usual 80K or thereabouts.
Following Club advice I had the gearbox oil,oil filter and sump gasket changed on my XJ8 at around 35K.
Filter and gasket less than £40,gearbox oil 7.5 Ltrs (Capacity is 10L but the Torque Converter couldn't be drained).....guess how much.....£23 per Litre (Jaguar p/n JLM20237)
Total cost for oil alone £161...plus VAT
With thanks to our friends on the XK8 Forum I can help others to avoid this outrageous cost.
The actual Esso ATF LT 71141 oil can be bought in a 20 Litre container for around £6/LTR inc VAT and delivery from TrAchem Ltd of Doncaster
website www.oil-store.co.uk

[Tony65]

This is a good bit of information and I guess what the forum is all about.

Is there any one out there who can tell me exactly why the oil needs changing so often in this gear box. I sought advice from Dave Marks who says it is a very difficult job to drain and refill this box and not for the amateur, which means an oil change will always be fairly expensive without the rediculous cost of oil from Jaguar on top of any labour charges involved.

I was going to try and change the gearbox oil myself but after consultation with Dave I will have to seek a Jaguar garage which will not charge high prices for labour and oil.

Tony Frost

[daveji]

Tony
Watch this space and the magazine. A "little bird" tells me help is coming with this issue.

[dfielding]

Excellent information, Thank you.

I just wish I had checked this before giving Millennium Jag the go ahead to do the gearbox service with fluid at £18 per litre! I must let them know,

Regards

Dominic.

[AlanC]

Hi guys, we use Esso lubricants at work and have an account with Wessex petoleum, from which I can source gearbox oil LT71141 for collection (either Gravesend where I work or Southampton - home). Minimum order is 12 x 1 litre bottles, at £6.50 per litre (inc VAT), or 20litre drum at £6.30 per litre (inc VAT). To maintain oil cleanliness, in doing the job, I would recommend using the 1 litre containers, rather than decanting and possibly introducing contamination. Oil change takes about 8 litres but I must sell on what I purchase from Wessex and 12 litres is the minimum order.

Please note, I am not running this as a business - simply as a favour to private JEC members in the locality - hence come and collect it, if you want to do the job yourself, rather than me spending the firm's time delivering the oil. Equally, as this is for individual owners to undertake gearbox oil changes (along with the instructions in the JEC's forthcoming JagMag), I cannot accept any liability for the work that those buying this oil undertake.

If you're interested, give me a call on 07711 640127 or email alan.cartwright@pola.co.uk.

[Tony65]

Hello all,

The continuing saga of the ZF gear box oil change.

I was reccomended to try Kent Jaguar to get my gear box oil changed. They were very helpful and said they were keen to be reccomended by the JEC but they could not undertake the work. They said it would have to be done by another company,Stanton Automatics at Tonbridge who undertake all their Jaguar gear box work.

I was then asked if there was not a gear box engineering works in Guildford that could do the work. I then remembered J.F.Transmissions who overhauled my old XJ6 gear box some years back. I went round to see them in Farnborough and have booked my car in for this Friday. I have been quoted £110-00 to drain the old oil, supply the new oil, change the filter and a new pan gasket.

That seems pretty reasonable to me. I will let you know how I get on.

Tony65

[Tony65]

Hello All,

I have just had the oil in my gear box replaced, a new filter and gasket fitted, £110-00 plus vat. Work done by ex Jaguar mechanic. They also removed the warning on the dash for the catalytic converter that keeps coming on, at no cost.

If anyone is interested and they live in the Hampshire/Surrey area;
RNM Autocentre
35-37 Queens Road
Farnborough
Hampshire
GU14 6JP
Tel 01252370442

Tony65