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AntiFreeze in Transmission

beachbumbarry

Senior Member
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I have a 93 Jaguar XJS and after a short trip all most home, I stoped and then tried to go but the car would not move for about 15 seconds. I checked the Automatic Transmission fluid level and it was about a quart over full. After the car cooled down I looked in the radiator and found some redish brown oily stuff. I guess that this is a common problem with cars that have Automatic Trans Fluid flowing through the radiator. I'm going to try to flush out my ZF4HP24 Trans and hope that it didn't get ruined.
Has anyone had this problem and did it ruin the Trans?
I have pulled the radiator and hope that the shop can fix it.
BarryE
 
Have a trans shop power flush the trans.
Just draining and adding fluid won't get it all.
Have the filter changed, too.
And do it NOW.
Don't leave that stuff in there!
 
Start shopping for a trans. The frictions will start dissembling and clogging the passageways... Antifreeze does that.. May last for a week, but it is perished.
 
Try the flush, can't hurt and is least costly. If it is a 12 Cyl with the TR 400 Chevy trans, they can be rebuilt for $400-$500 if you pull it and replace.
 
LarryK said:
Try the flush, can't hurt and is least costly. If it is a 12 Cyl with the TR 400 Chevy trans, they can be rebuilt for $400-$500 if you pull it and replace.

"The ZF 4HP24 is a four-speed automatic transmission for passenger cars from ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Introduced in 1987, it is still in production, and has been used in a variety of cars from Audi, BMW, Jaguar, and Land Rover."
 
I just got word back, I think the name is Vernon Page, the head ZF guy in California.
If the transmission was fine before, and you flush it, it will be fine afterwards.
They haven't had any issues with antifreeze destroying a trans in that short a time especially if it is flushed right afterwards.

Dave
 
It will be interesting to keep watch on this one. I have never seen a ZF that has put more than 50 miles on an antifreeze diluted trans last more than 18 months... Too many nooks and crannies, and the vanes inside the torque convertor keep some of the diluted fluid inside the trans.

It would be nice if you caught it in time. I just am advising to be aware of a potential failure.
 
All we can do is wait and see.

Now, if he leaves it sit for 2 or 3 weeks while he gets the radiator fixed, personally I'd be looking for a trans.
 
Perhaps it would be wise to install a separate transmission cooler instead of using the in-radiater trans cooler. Just a thought.
 
Ok I had the radiator fixed and reinstalled it. I changed the transmission filter and added new fluid. I put tubes on the trans cooler lines and put the ends into a bucket. While on jack stands I started the engine and put it in drive for about 10 seconds. Yuckie fluid came out of the tube. I checked the fluid level and added. I did the same procedure for 6 more times, still Yuckie. I ran out of fluid and will continue until it comes out clear-red.
BarryE
 
Some of that is just built-up crud.
Doing it that way gets the tork converter, too, and that acts as a centrifuge, depositing all sorts of stuff along the outer edges.

You'll get it.

Dave
 
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