and it seemed to pay off.
The car in question is a 2006 Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas. The cooler lines started leaking and by the time I noticed it, the fluid was 2-3 quarts low and the "Gearbox Fault" message illuminated. I used a pipe cutter to remove the flex sections and installed hoses. The available fluid options, especially last minute on a Sunday are near nonexistent which is when I was able to gather materials and get to work. ZF states Lifeguard 6 and the Jaguar fluid are the only options.
What did I buy? Motorcraft Mercon SP. It's the only fluid recommended for the Lincoln Navigator's 6SHP26 which many on the Jaguar forums have debated if there are actually any differences between the Jag box and the Lincoln trans.
My findings? So far all of the oddball side effects I've seen since I purchased the car are finally gone. The 2-1 lurch downshift is gone. The shifts are now super smooth and almost undetectable unless you are watching the tach. Some have seen some weird unwanted side effects using alternative fluids since the 6HP26 seems to be pretty finicky due to its quick torque converter lockup and manual style clutch action above second gear. I've talked with a small group of Jaguar owners with similar experiences so it looks like there is finally a viable affordable alternative to the $20 a quart for the ZF 6 speed.
The car in question is a 2006 Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas. The cooler lines started leaking and by the time I noticed it, the fluid was 2-3 quarts low and the "Gearbox Fault" message illuminated. I used a pipe cutter to remove the flex sections and installed hoses. The available fluid options, especially last minute on a Sunday are near nonexistent which is when I was able to gather materials and get to work. ZF states Lifeguard 6 and the Jaguar fluid are the only options.
What did I buy? Motorcraft Mercon SP. It's the only fluid recommended for the Lincoln Navigator's 6SHP26 which many on the Jaguar forums have debated if there are actually any differences between the Jag box and the Lincoln trans.
My findings? So far all of the oddball side effects I've seen since I purchased the car are finally gone. The 2-1 lurch downshift is gone. The shifts are now super smooth and almost undetectable unless you are watching the tach. Some have seen some weird unwanted side effects using alternative fluids since the 6HP26 seems to be pretty finicky due to its quick torque converter lockup and manual style clutch action above second gear. I've talked with a small group of Jaguar owners with similar experiences so it looks like there is finally a viable affordable alternative to the $20 a quart for the ZF 6 speed.
