My 1986 Daimler Double Six (XJ12) is recently back on the road after a long rest in the barn awaiting front caliper replacement, and driving it in 70 degree F weather the center console gets very warm after driving awhile. I measured the temperature of the top surface ahead of the shifter at 105 degrees F and as high as 116 degrees F down inside the passenger (right side) ash tray. I haven’t charged the AC so it was not on and the climate system was turned off also so no air was being blown to the rear outlets.
I don’t remember it getting this hot in the past and am wondering if the transmission is getting unusually hot for some reason or if this is normal and I just don’t remember it.
If the transmission works fine and the fluid looks good, no worries. Also it shouldn’t be the reason for heat. I can imagine an exhaust leak (audible) or a gap in the transmission tunnel via which hot air can come into the car, but it’s quite possible that all is normal! If nothing unwanted gets in, I’d rule that out.
The ac evaporator might normally cool the area. I wouldn’t worry at all, mine does get warm too - and it’s a 6, not the V12… so you’re good, I think!
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How good is your memory, Phil and how long time ago…?
The transmission gets very hot, and insulation was added to alleviate it - insulation may or may not be involved? You don’t mention what was actually done to the car, but I quite agree with David; if everything works I would not worry about the transmission…
116F is not all that hot, considering the transmission runs at more than 3 times that. Admittedly, the console seldom heats up that much - but search your mind to see if you actually measured that temp before the car rested…?
Tranny runs 3X 116F? i had no idea it got that hot.
Consensus here and on JaguarForums seems to be that it is not unusual - I just don’t remember it being that warm before and I’ve taken several long trips in it over the last 15 years, but not recently.
This is a 65K mile car completely stock except for a couple of filler plugs in the divider above the radiator where I removed the “ram air” induction pipes a PO had added and the K&N air filters that were on it when I bought it. I believe I’ve read that the V12 may produce more heat than the 6 and I don’t remember my XJ6s getting that warm either.
Guess I need to check the insulation again, but I didn’t see anything unusual when I had it up on a rack for several days changing the rear calipers in 2015. My main problem is that the wife thinks it is about to blow up when it gets that warm and she is afraid to ride in “another of your British piles of ___t.”
The main source of box heating is the heating of the fluid in the converter. The slip between the ‘input rpms’ (engine) and ‘output rpms’ (drivetrain is converted to heat. Much like a slipping clutch on a manual - but intended and harmless on an automatic…
This is why there at strict rules on the stall test; all engine power is used to heat up the fluid - and as the box is only air cooled in addition to the transmission cooler the box will quickly overheat. Convert the engine power to KW and one sees why - even idling in gear there is extra heating even with the engine is then low on power…
During cruising, the slip, and heating, is smallish - but both during acceleration and engine braking heating increases. No worries; the set-up is designed to stand it - but car interior heating by the box is still unwanted…
