Hi Flint

I took the Rad out of my 'Scrapper' to put in my red XJS, that was the plan until I had it tested and found that it leaked.

Inside the same 'Scrapper' is a 'Sports Wheel' which I want to take of and restore.

So that I can use it on one of my other XJS's

I'm not restoring the 'Scrapper' all I'm doing is using it for Spares.

 

pic of my interior, custom wheel, and Red Burl wood , notice radio and clock delete.

simple and effective, dont need no distractions when driving, i have other cars for that!

gage on lower left is Air/Fuel ratio monitor, fully adjustable,rich/lean, while driving, seems you set it and leave it tho.


orangeblossom, you probably notice i dont follow the crowd

 

Hi Ron

Hell Yeah! You certainly do your own thing!

Which in this PC world we live in is the only way to fly!

Your XJS looks awesome but what is that box of tricks on the passenger seat?

 

OB, I am on hols but am using my bro in law's PC. Behind the centre cover you will find a couple or so of screws. Undo them and it comes off. Then there is a large nut on the column centre. You need a large AF socket around an inch, undo it and there are two collets round the column, remove these carefully and the wheel lifts off. No pullers needed. A good scrub and some black polish and the leather will come up like new.

Greg

 

Hi Greg

Many Thanks, I'm just looking for fill in jobs to do until the Weather Improves!

Its hard to believe that this is supposed to be Summer!

If its not raining its blowing a gale, so I'm pulling the 'Scrapper' to pieces, as it is full of useful and very expensive parts, including 2 X Grey leather Seats in almost perfect condition which I don't know how to take out.

Plus I've found something under the 'Scrapper' I wasn't expecting to see! which I would like your thoughts on.

As it looks as though the Oil Cooler may have gone at some stage and the P.O. has replaced it with a purpose made flexible pipe.

If the Oil Cooler went on one of my Cars, then I would replace it but it could be a good idea? to take this purpose made flexi pipe and carry it around in a Car I am using.

So if the Oil Cooler happened to go, when I'm a long way from home, I could replace it with this pipe by the side of the road.

It wasn't hard to loosen the nuts but I haven't taken it off yet, as I was wondering how much Oil would come out.

Would it completely empty out the Sump?

Have a really great Holiday!

Photo of Pipe to follow.

 

OB, Back from hols to the farm. Forget the pipe, IMO. I have done thousands of high speed miles and never punctured an oil cooler. I say, fit the correct cooler (££££s) and forget. An oil cooler supply pipe fracturing is far more likely and shutting off the engine ASAP is the only solution to a catastrophic oil pipe/cooler failure as it will dump the oil in about 10 seconds (refer to the GPM pumping figures I posted a while ago). And, are you going to carry 4 five litre cans of oil!! Mind you, knowing you (by forum only I hasten to add) all these above things are likely!

Greg

 

Hi Greg

Thanks

Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea! as there is already a proper OEM Oil Cooler on at the moment.

But I did have one go on another Car, so I suppose its made me Paranoid, especially when you consider that I've also got breakdown insurance!

Now that I/We have got the Car sorted, I don't carry half as much stuff as I used to in the way of Spare Parts.

Just enough to be able to fix what I can by the side of the road, so the boot is pretty much empty, apart from a Fire Extinguisher!

Before and after Photos which may be of help to others who have tended to carry far too much Stuff around.

 

You really ought to get a battery cover fitted... I've seen cars go up in flames because the battery gets shortend with something in the boot/engine bay.

 

I know I ought to do that but I'm not sure how I can, that battery disconnecting gadget, is worth its weight in Gold

 

You might consider putting your jumper and kilt (or is it a picnic blanket ) in a sealable plastic bag with some dryer sheets. After being closed for weeks, the trunk seems to imbue anything left in there with a slight new carpet / battery / fuel scent. Yeah, I probably had some ventilation issues, but that was the case.

 

Hi Flint

The GF was moaning about the boot/trunk being full of Tools, with nowhere for her to put anything, when we went out tripping.

I have to concede that She did have a point, so now I just carry enough to do any minor roadside repairs.

Her Jumper and picnic blanket, we just borrowed and put in there for the photo.

 

OB, make a little rubber cover for the battery cutoff switch?
Greg

 

OB,

Maybe buy a 2nd-hand cover on ebay (cheap enough) and cut an access hole for for the dis-car-nect. That should still give you the flexibility whilst still protecting battery, wiring and accidental shorting. Would also make the boot a cleaner place for the ballgown and DJ!

Paul

 

Hi Greg

That's a good idea, 'I'm on it!'

 

Hi Paul

That's a good idea!

I'll take the one off my 'Scrapper'

 

Heh OB

This is the battery cover I got on the Blue Goose.

I'm not sure if they came stock or this was in fact custom made??

Might give you some ideas though bro

 

Hi Bud

The Cover is an OEM Stock item but do my eyes deceive me, or is that a battery cut off Switch underneath!

There wasn't one fitted to any of the XJS that I have had in the past but I just had to buy one, as the Car alarm kept running the battery down even though I used to take the fuse out of the horn (overnight)

The cut off Switch was one of the most useful things that I have ever bought, as well as adding another hoop for someone to jump over if they try and steal your Car.

I got mine off ebay, its called the Car Disconnect or something like that.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...her-up-116248/

 

Heh OB

Yeah mate that is the cut off switch. The previous owner had it installed on all his vehicles ☺

 

After a One Year Hiatus, while I've been using my Grey XJS

Restoration Continues apace on my other Car Cherryblossom but First a 'Big Shout Out' to Greg and Grant, without who's help none of this would have been possible.

Having done all the Cosmetics, there was just one 'Small Problem' The Engine wouldn't Start!

I thought it was the 'Uber' Expensive Immobiliser for which the Previous Owner paid £450 which refused to Answer to a Signal from the Key Fob which I thought had cut out the ignition.

Back in the day (1990) This was a really 'Top of the range' piece of kit, which had been fitted by the
Main Dealer, as an Optional Extra and had an Integrated Wiring Loom to die for!

How could it not be this that was stopping the Engine from firing up?

So since I couldn't Operate the Immobiliser from the Key Fob, I decided to remove it which was easier said than done.

In the 1990, there isn't just a panel for the Fuses but the Under Tray drops down onto your knees and not just any old Tray either, this one contained more loose wires than you could shake a Stick at, it looked like a Plate of Spaghetti.

So not being an Auto Electrician I got the Wire Cutters out, in a 'Shall I cut the Red Wire or the Black Wire sort of way'.

Then I noticed Two bare wires that didn't appear to be doing anything at all, so I just touched them together 'Like you do'

And accidentally disarmed the Immobiliser!

So now with that out of the way, surely She will Start now.

Sadly She did not, while Greg and Grant were both convinced that the Injectors were blocked, so the Fuel Rail had to come out.

This was quite a Scary job for a Novice Mechanic like myself and some of those Injectors were 'Hell on Wheels' to get out.

But having struggled for what seemed like hours, I finally managed to do it and thought I'd take the whole lot down to my Local Fuel Injection Shop for Cleaning.

I thought it would be about £60 (12 X £5) seemed about right to me but then when they told me how much it would cost, I very nearly fell over.

£250 plus any materials plus VAT! OMG! even my re-cored Radiator was a lot cheaper than that and these guys were only cleaning what I already had!

So that was a great big 'No Dice' from me, I'll do the Job myself.

Cleaning Injectors turned out to be just about as easy as falling off a very greasy log and after working them over with a Tin of Carb Cleaner and a FBH on the ones that didn't want to play, they were all happily squirting away like the Teves Fountaine.

So all I had to do was put them back, or maybe not!

As once you're this far into the game, you may as well make a job of it and change all the Spark Plugs as well.

I mean how hard can it be?

While I can't speak for anyone else, that little job took Two Days! as half those Spark Plugs were in so tight, that I had to be very careful that I didn't break anything.

Its a nice little job like building a Ship in a bottle, everything's packed in so tight its hard to see what you're doing and trying to undo the bolts that hold the Capstan mount, seemed to be very similar to trying to Plait Spaghetti.

So to start with I loosened the Plugs finger tight and then went to order New Spark Plugs or should I say tried to order New Plugs because I knew what I wanted but everyone on the Planet seemed to be out of Stock.

NGK BR7EF these are the ones with the 'V' groove in the Centre pin and all I was getting offered was NGK BR7EFS.

Which I know loads of people use and are the ones that Jaguar recommended back in the day, the only problem being that when you own an XJS you become obsessive to little things like that, so 'Only the Best for my Baby' Nothing else will do @GIF.

After dozens of phone calls including NGK's Head Office, I finally tracked some down and got them next day.

While in the meantime I had to remove the Motor that drives the Air Con, which was a real Bar Steward to get out and an even Bigger Bar Steward to get back in, underneath which are Two Spark Plugs that always need to be changed along with the other 10.

As only proper maintenance can help protect against a Marelli Fire and these Two plugs were in so tight that I doubt if they'd ever been changed in the life of the Car, because they are so awkward and difficult to get to.

In the end I had to use a Torque Wrench with a Two Foot Scaffolding Pole on the end before they would budge, which I didn't remember seeing inside the Jaguar Tool Kit that came with the Car.

But before I took all the Plugs out, I cleaned out the 'Vee' with White Spirit and then dried it with Compressed Air.

Then did a 'One Out' 'One Back In' with all the Spark Plugs, where even in broad daylight I had to use a Torch in order to see what I was doing.

Putting the Air Con Motor Back took about Three Hours! as you have to line it up spot on, or else the bolts won't fit and in my own experience was the hardest part of the Job, although I finally got there in the end.

Next The Fuel Injection to be continued.......

Photos: Lifting out the Air Con Motor and The Fuel Rail for Cleaning with all the Injectors attached.

 

Alan, that is a BETTER read than War and Peace, trust me.

An egg timer break is now WELL deserved.