I have to go up to 5500 RPMS's to have it shift to 3rd gear and it just doesn't feel smooth. Is there a sensor or switch that I can adjust. Any help is appreciated. Also if I need to replace or rebuild the transmission can I take out the innards without having to remove the whole belll housing. It is really a pain in the rear otherwise?

Submitted by mr442nt@wideop… on Mon, 10/25/2004 - 11:04

To add to the above, I agree, avoid the chains. They will rip you off generally. I found an independent tranny shop here in town that was willing to even look at the car (most wouldn't). They did a great job, even after they admitted they had never worked on a Jag before. They said it was no worse than any other car.

Now, a warning. You, as I was, may be tempted to just pull another run of the mill TH400 out of a junkyard thinking to save a few bucks. Well, even though internally it is identical to the TH400 used in most all GM muscle cars, it has a different bolt pattern to fit the V12, so it won't bolt up. Sigh. Nothing is ever easy.

Tom Kipp
89 XJ-S Coupe

Submitted by NE52-32043 on Mon, 10/25/2004 - 10:01

I agree with Tom. Sounds like you've got a problem, and generally, these can't be fixed in the car. However, it is possible to fix them without pulling the engine, provided you take it to a good transmission shop.

As noted, the transmission on the older XJS's is a GM unit. I believe the newer one is as well. If you have to pull the tranny for a rebuild, you might want to consider swapping it for the later transmission, if you can, and get the overdrive (4-spd vs. older 3 spd).

Check around for a reputable tranmission shop in your area (I'd avoid the "chain" shops, unless one in your area has a very, very good reputation for working on foreign cars). I had the Borg Warner tranny on my formerly owned Ser. III E-type rebuilt by a local shop, and they did a great job, and had the tranny on my former '89 XJS serviced locally also, with great success. They are not exotic transmissions, desite being in a Jaguar, and parts for them are as available as any other transmissions.

Steve Weinstein

Submitted by mr442nt@wideop… on Fri, 10/22/2004 - 15:46

What year. If it's a pre-facelift with the 5.3 V12 it has a GM TH400. I'm not a real fan of these trannys (had to replace three of them in two different cars). It is doubtful anything can be fixed externally, and yes (unfortunately) you will probably have to pull it.

If it's a post facelift, those trannys are run by more computers than R2D2 so there may be a way to fix it since it may not be an internal tranny issue.

On the plus side, any shop can rebuild a TH 400, even in a Jag. Had mine redone for about $1400.

Tom Kipp
89 XJ-S Coupe