2005 X204 Manual Conversion.

[Henry_b]

Good evening gents.. 

 

I have a 2005 S type SE i bought her when i turned 16 as a cheap project knocking 20 now i'm using her, the one constant issue is the ZF Transmission is in poor conditioon, i serviced it with the correct kit, being that i only drained 3 litres of dark fluid, i'd say the damage is more than skin deep.. 

She flares between 1-2 when cold and if you brake hard and then immediately give her some throttle it seems to drop into Neutral and then straight back to drive with a thump 😉 

I do love the ZF box however the yearn for a manual conversion is getting stronger, i'm not a racer, but i like the connection a manual gives you to the car.. 

Obviously it would be easier to buy a manual one, but mine has had a lot of blood sweat and tears into it and i want to keep the old girl on the road.. 

 

And i can't think of a better way to give a car a better lease of life than adding a manual.. 

Obviously i need. 

 

Transmission 

Pedal box 

Slave cylinder 

Gearbox mount 

Prop shaft 

etc 

 

Anyone done it? 

 

Any wisdom? 

 

[Old Peter]

Hi Henry,

I wish you good luck with your intentions. 

I do have the same model as you but a bit newer - SE 2007 - and with a very good XF gearbox, which I do like, and being somewhat older than you I do not want to change it.

My first car was a Triumph Herald in 1965 when I was 31 and I do have some experience with mechanics, but 30 years of company cars when any work had to be done by main dealers means that I now know very little about the technical side of a car.

I wanted ands type when I saw a friend restoring a Mark1 in 1963 but I had to wait until 2013 before I got the cat I now have.

The 3 speed gearbox with double declutching meant that I looked forward to synchromesh and then the first auto box in 2001 [4 speed].

So now a mechanic does all my work!

Again, good luck, and keep us informed,

Regards,

Peter.

[Henry_b]

Thank you Peter 🤓 

My Gearbox has been playing up since i bought her, the choice is rebuild the current gearbox at great expense, or convert to manual, at great expense! 

 

torn 50/50. 

 

H

[Old Peter]

Hi Henry, 

There is a company in Scotland that refurbished gearboxes and are very helpful.  They might be worth a chat over the phone to give you some advice. 

Peter.

[JOE-DOT-COM]

Hi Henry

you will also need software like Jaguar IDS/SDD as the new gearbox will need programing to the car, its not plug and play

everthing on the car works on canbus, so when you fit the new gearbox it wont start, till its programed

cheers

Joe