5R55N Auto box

[Jim Elston]

Hi everyone,

I am just starting to get some issues with the gearbox on the car. I have the Ford 5R55N auto box and on occasion the change from 4th to 5th feels like going over a cattle grid. There can be a harshness to the transmission if labouring. Reverse can be quite a hard engagement, but not all the time. The box is changing properly and no warnings are coming up. It's in the garage at the moment and the guy will look at any faults and clear them but he doesn't do gearboxes...

I spoke to an auto specialist in Southampton, he has quoted me £10000.00 plus £250.00 labour for a complete rebuild, New torque converter, clutch packs etc etc all Oil...  Work is all backed by a warranty and they are a well established company

This seems to be good value, so the questions I have are: Does this seem reasonable, are there any other specialists that could be recommended, ignore it until something goes wrong, and do fellow S-type owners think that the value of these cars has bottomed out and will start to rise as the cars gain classic status?? Is it at all feasible to convert to the ZF 6 speed?

Thanks for any input!

[Guest]

Hi Jim,

Considering that I paid £3K 10 years ago for a service exchange box for my first S Type, same year as yours, the quote you have looks like a good deal to me - though others may disagree.

My guess would be that unless Jaguar made some significant mods to the back end of the engine to accommodate the ZF6 it should fit but I would want to check that carefully before committing. No doubt you would also have to update, if possible, the various controllers to accommodate such a change as well.

In my opinion S Type prices are about as low as they can go and provided the car is kept in good general condition their price can only improve - but hey, what do I know.

Cheers and good luck,

Steve

[Jim Elston]

Thanks Steve, mine is in excellent condition, so I think I will go ahead. I think the cars will rise in value,  I think they are about the last of the old school executive cars that the brits did so well, Wolseley 6/110, Austin Princess, Vanden Plas, MK11 Jaguar, original S Type, Zodiacs, Granadas, Vauxhall Senators...

And a rebuilt box should be good for at least 60k, this one has done 112K...

Now the pothole damage to the rear suspension is repaired it would be rude not too...

[NumeatonGraham]

Hi Jim.

just a thought,have you had the fluid changed in the auto box at all?

Graham

[Jim Elston]

Hi Graham,

Well, I was going to, but my usual mechanic said, don't bother, The Jaguar Specialist at St Helens said don't and the auto specialists (Automatic Transmission Services, Southampton) said don't...I have searched this and about 50% say do and the other 50% say don't. I got very confused about it.

I checked the cost and it would appear that parts will be about £200.00 to do an Oil and filter change plus labour and it may or may not work so for the extra I might as well bite the bullet and get a fully reconditioned box. 

It is more than I wanted to spend and at the moment the work I have already had done is more than the car is worth, but, and here is the big but, what could I get that is remotely comparable to the S type for the money? I enjoy the car and think I will continue to treat her as "rolling restoration" and keep her in the best condition that I can. I love the retro charm, I love the way that she is a bit different and couldn't give a fig that a Mini Cooper or Ford Fiesta might be quicker  0 - 60, they might be, but they don't get there the same way!

[NumeatonGraham]

Hi Jim,

i agree a difficult decision as you say 50% say do and 50% say don't.

But as you say you want to keep it then i think you have made the right decision to have it done.

I have just thought that my wife has got a Mercedes E Class that had a gearbox problem,she had the gearbox

Oil and filter change,all ok for a month then the problem started again.The indy we use stripped the gearbox sent off the gearbox

inner plate for the electronic selector to be changed and all is now well.

I suppose that is another reason why i have come back to an S Type,(less electronics,i know they can be frustrating(see my post on expansion tank issue).

Mine is also going through a rolling recommission,the last owner had it 15years.

Good Luck.

Graham

[Jim Elston]

Thanks to both of you for the replies. Mine is a pre facelift and trying to find one in decent condition is pretty difficult. I scanned auto trader and like you Ron I think prices have started to rise. I remember Granadas doing this. While they were cheap they were bought until the fell apart and either used for banger racing or scrapped, leaving very few viable cars on the road, I think the same will happed to the S type, as it becomes scarcer due to "Bangernomics" good ones will become more desirable. Also as other classic become out of reach people may well turn to them...Any way I still love the car, I still love driving it, to the point that I am about to buy a guitar located on East Yorks and seriously thinking of driving up there to collect it!!

The rear alignment was way out (Pothole damage...) and everyone says that the difference with a proper alignment is remarkable...Military road here I come (Longest and best road on the Island...)

[Suppedraken]

7 hours ago, R2e said:

I also think I own a unique gem of a classic car, there is nothing else quite like the S Type.

Yaaaayyy!!!

[Jim Elston]

I am buying a Washburn J4. I have a 1983 Washburn EA20, the same model used by Nino Bettencourt on Extreme's "More than words". Tony Iommi uses one and JImmy Page uses a 12 string version. A lovely guitar but a little fragile to be taking to the jam night at the local pub! The J4 however is very reminiscent of the Gibson CF 100E. This is the electro acoustic Bolan used when on the Cilla show performing Life's a Gas. A Florentine cut out acoustic with a P90 at the end of the neck. The Washburn is a wide bodied acoustic with a sound hole it  has a tailpiece and a mini humbucker, so more of a jazzer than a true acoustic, but it has that vibe about it, I have heard one on you tube and it does acoustic tones very well, and through my pedal board... it is rare but also affordable unlike a Gibson that was made between 1951 and 1959...

[Jim Elston]

The seller hasn't come back...It may have been a scam because when I said I might collect in person all has gone quiet....I have a hollow Ibanez, so may just stick with that. Gibsons!!!! I have a Custom shop Flying V Custom, a one off finished in Jeff Becks Oxblood colour. The quality is disappointing at that sort of price, the Ibanez are at least on a par with it at a fraction of the price, but the tone, oh goodness the tone...I hate the fact I love it so much and excuse it's shortcomings....

[Guest]

12 hours ago, Jim Elston said:

I am buying a Washburn J4. I have a 1983 Washburn EA20, the same model used by Nino Bettencourt on Extreme's "More than words". Tony Iommi uses one and JImmy Page uses a 12 string version. A lovely guitar but a little fragile to be taking to the jam night at the local pub! The J4 however is very reminiscent of the Gibson CF 100E. This is the electro acoustic Bolan used when on the Cilla show performing Life's a Gas. A Florentine cut out acoustic with a P90 at the end of the neck. The Washburn is a wide bodied acoustic with a sound hole it  has a tailpiece and a mini humbucker, so more of a jazzer than a true acoustic, but it has that vibe about it, I have heard one on you tube and it does acoustic tones very well, and through my pedal board... it is rare but also affordable unlike a Gibson that was made between 1951 and 1959...

 

7 hours ago, R2e said:

Nice one! I've always liked the Washburn acoustics but never tried the J4. Tell me about the price of Gibsons..... I have a 1967 Gibson Heritage, the sweetest sounding acoustic I have ever heard, pure luck I suspect as it has the adjustable bridge Gibson used in the late 60's which I would normally have replaced and also fitted a Fishman undersaddle pickup but I ain't gonna mess with that tone! It has the brazilian rosewood body with spruce top  and mahogany neck and I believe is worth over £2k, I'm almost afraid to take it out of the case 

 

1 hour ago, Jim Elston said:

The seller hasn't come back...It may have been a scam because when I said I might collect in person all has gone quiet....I have a hollow Ibanez, so may just stick with that. Gibsons!!!! I have a Custom shop Flying V Custom, a one off finished in Jeff Becks Oxblood colour. The quality is disappointing at that sort of price, the Ibanez are at least on a par with it at a fraction of the price, but the tone, oh goodness the tone...I hate the fact I love it so much and excuse it's shortcomings....

Many of the names I know, and most strike a familiar chord (pardon the pun) but the rest of this exchange just zoomed past my head. I'm sure it's all 'finger-pickin good' but I just can't get my head around the rest of the riff. Is there a user manual other than Bert Weedons Learn to Play Guitar in Seven Days?