Thread: Steel sump / Plastic sump ( trans )

Originally Posted by Ashes

Is there any downside from changing to the steel pan and changing the oil over? Is there any risk in this procedure?

I do not think there is any downside, but a good question just the same.

I attempted to do the metal pan change here in Alberta, but the ZF pan kit was two months delivery from Germany and $US600.00 just for parts.

I ended up paying a ZF shop with lots of experience on BMW and Mercedes to lift all as required, and install a new plastic pan and of course, new Land Rover ZF oil.

The upside is I now get at least an extra 100 km per tank of gasoline and that has been consistent for the last two months now - more on the highway. I can highway travel, (+110 kph), at least 600 km now on a tank of gasoline in my 4.4L V8 and still have fuel in the tank. Before the transmission oil change, at 400 km, I was looking to fuel up. I can say that there was certainly an upside to the transmission oil change and I figure the total cost, ($800.00 + taxes), will be paid for in a year just in fuel cost savings.

Also I had figured my transmission was OK - shifted smooth but figured an oil change at 120,000 km would be a good idea - first time I might add.
In hindsight, the transmission must have been slipping but I did not realize it. Acceleration is better now as well.

I don't suppose you have contact details for the pan supplier in Germany ? We're having trouble locating them here in the UK and I'd like to get mine changed in the next couple of months.

Originally Posted by Mike_S

I don't suppose you have contact details for the pan supplier in Germany ? We're having trouble locating them here in the UK and I'd like to get mine changed in the next couple of months.

The part number for the ZF metal pan kit is 1068 103 820 01.

The last two numbers, 01, sometimes seem optional, but but the first 10 digits certainly apply. I at first had difficulty even with the part number, getting any information on the kit for sometime here in Canada thru ZF transmission agents.

It is not so much that they were stalling as the existence of the kits is not common knowledge, hence it is difficult to get them to investigate.

The link below is to some files in disco3 on our transmission that I found while trying to confirm the existence of the metal pan kit. It would seem that the kit was developed due to demands from the Australian market; hence that is why the kit is relatively well known in Australia, but nowhere else.

It appears that the Australian requirement was a result of a particular Ford "ute" with no standard underbelly protection being consistently driven in conditions considered outside of factory design constraints and limitations.

DISCO3.CO.UK Photo Gallery - ZF 6HP26 Automatic Transmission in LR3

It comes from ZF directly, so you would need to order it from an ZF shop there in the UK. They will order it in, with their parts order from ZF. I doubt ZF is setup to take direct orders from consumers. Below is another option, if you want to order it in from the US. (doesn't make sense)

"On the 1068-103-820 with ZF - this comes up as a 6HP26X steel pan retrofit (Ihope that's what you are looking for) anyway - There is no stock in North America - but I can order it on a stock order and get thru ZF - then they will order it from Europe (I am told it is in stock there)

Your cost would be $283.50 - the only issue is that it looks like it will take about 3 weeks to get from the time we place the order. I don't know what the shipping from me to you will be - I am not sure what this piece weighs. Typically when I order something on a stock order - there is no extra freight charges - the only issue is a delay in time.

We don't take out of country credit cards - but we do use Paypal (hope that's ok) Let me know how you want to proceed, and supply me with all your information if you want me to order this for you.

Thank you and have a nice day
Caren

Caren Hunt
Rockland Standard Gear
1(800) 227-1523 ext #101"

Originally Posted by bbyer

It appears that the Australian requirement was a result of a particular Ford "ute" with no standard underbelly protection being consistently driven in conditions considered outside of factory design constraints and limitations.

I'm contemplating the permanent removal of the so-called plastic protection plate because of the constant build-up of mud that causes the the exhausts to vibrate, but might need to wait until its time to change the oil to fit the steel pan.

I've found a couple of ZF suppliers, so thanks for those details I'll give them a call

Has anybody compared the Ford pan (from Falcon 6 speed ZF) and the ZF retro kit?

Do they have the same capacity as the LR plastic one? Do they have the same profile, ie shape so we can be confident that Auto is being well looked after?

Originally Posted by ahilliar

Has anybody compared the Ford pan (from Falcon 6 speed ZF) and the ZF retro kit?

Do they have the same capacity as the LR plastic one? Do they have the same profile, ie shape so we can be confident that Auto is being well looked after?

For me no, as the ZF metal pan kit is still elusive here, however I did find a interesting ZF pdf per the link below and posted it to my Gallery on disco3.

Page 21 shows a sketch of the Land Rover plastic pan, page 22, the BMW metal pan, and page 23, the Ford metal pan, all three designed for the 26X and 28X transmissions that are on our 3's.

From the sketches, all three pans have the pair of magnets, however the BMW metal pan has both a drain and a fill opening. The LR plastic and the Ford metal, only have a single drain opening as for filling, the fill plug on the side of the transmission body remains accessible on those vehicles.

The metal pans appear to use a flat sealing gasket and the plastic LR pan, a rubber O ring type gasket to seal between the pan and the underside of the transmission casing.

These is also the matter of the shorter Torx screws re the metal pans vs the plastic as the metal pan is thinner than the plastic pan.

There is of course still the question as to if the pan supplied in the official ZF kit is the Ford pan or something slightly different again, (in other words, a fourth pan?) About the only way to know is a side by side comparison so the question is a good one.

http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/albu...ns_%5B1%5D.pdf