Best way for access to parts is still to remove the engine

 

That thin pipe between the manifolds just ends there at the manifold, it just allows crankcase fumes to go into the engine with the normal air and get burnt. Removing it is fine, but I do not think you need to for most maintenance tasks.
bad plan to rent a garage like that. You are BOUND to get to a situation where you cannot move the car while you wait for advice, a part, etc etc. Wait until you have a space all the time.
I really counsel you against any cheapo tools. A decent socket set can be had for about 40 UKP, loads on UK ebay etc. Drop forged (as far as cheap tools are concerned) is normally a comforting way of explaining the things are made from ordinary steel and they will NOT stand up to the stresses required. Plus, often the things are not drop forged at all. NEVER economise on tool quality is an excellent maxim.
Greg

 

Hi Grant

I can see the Cruise is missing, The FPR on 'A' Bank is missing, The Cross Breather Pipes have been Re-Routed round the back of the Fuel Rail and the Injector Loom has got extended Pigtails, so that it is out of the way under the Inlet Manifold.

That Engine Room looks really Ace! but have I missed anything else that is now missing?

 

Alex,

No balance pipe
No AAV
NO over-run valves
NO engine breather rubbish
NO pollution stuff at all
No trans kickdown switch nonsense. Compact/adjustable modulator fitted, works so well.
Cruise bellows is mounted in the apeture in front of the RHF road wheel, and the cable extened (Harley Heaven to the rescue).
Most electrical relays/resistor pack/whatever I could rip out, are relocated in the aperture behind the RHF wheel.
Fuel rail lowered, and the throttle capstan lowered accordingly.
ALL the wiring comes onto the engine from the rear, and travels forward, sooooo simple.

The rest I forget at the moment.

It took 3 weeks to rehash that engine bay, and IF I ever get another XJ-S. I would do the same and more.

 

Hi Grant

That's Amazing!

Loads of people have trouble with the AAV

So what happens when you start her and you haven't got one and what do you do to block up the hole or whatever is showing, when you take it off.

Must save a fortune on Petrol at the very least, I reckon I waste a gallon just warming her up!

 

Space is one of the biggest limitations to a car hobby. Here in Texas, we're blessed with lots of flat prairie and land is relatively inexpensive. Still keeps some people out of the hobby entirely and limits me more than I'd like. But lots of places in the world are much more crowded. I visited a friend in Philadelphia and he was going to show me his collection. We spent the better part of a day driving around to a half dozen different locations where he had rented a garage bay here or two there, some in private detached garages. I didn't meet any of the homeowners but I think he said they were elderly, either didn't have or need their own car and offered their garage for rent to bring in extra income. May be an option to explore.

 

I do have one option to explore - my wife's parents' place is standing empty - but it will need a fair bit of work to render usable. That's the goal for this year. Other than that, there are so few houses with garages in the first place. The majority of Japanese houses that have on-site parking use simple car ports.

 

Nice to know. I'll leave it be, then.

Good point. I shall wait, and in the meantime, pay people who know what they're doing....

I haven't seen any quality sets for sale here - the quality stuff is all sold separately. Which is fine, but I'm just not sure what I would need so I got a general set so I can learn which tools I most often use (assuming I actually use any!) and buy proper ones of those.

 

Thanks very much for all that detail. I'm slightly confused by one thing, however - my cruise control "cable" appears to actually be a stiff rod, with adjusters like you say. Which I found very hard to turn when it came to adjusting the length to get the cruise control working again, so I'm not sure how well they would actually come out. One can only try, I guess.
Your other points and hints are also noted, thanks.

 

Your cruise is the later type. Earlier type used a cable from bellows into the gas pedal inside.
Yours should come off complete by popping the rod off at the pedestal end (spring clip) and removing a couple fasteners at the bellows end.

 

Hi Someday

Probably best to keep spraying that Rod with WD40 or Penetrating Oil and then keep working it a bit until it loosens off.

As for Spanners, I get all mine from the Pound Shop, I got a whole set from the Pound Shop for only errr...One Pound! well about 5 of them anyway and they haven't broken yet.

But the best ones I got were off ebay and they were made in China, which I tried to use for undoing some very tight Caliper Bolts.

Not only that but I put them on the end of a Scaffolding Pole for extra leverage.

And then I put my Trolley Jack under the Pole and was able to lift one Corner of the Car off the Ground and the Caliper Bolts still would not come undone.

But maybe the most impressive of all was that no matter what I did, I couldn't break that Spanner, even when I went and hit it with a FBH!

And I only paid the Princely Sum of £2-88p for it!

You can see a Some Photos and a bit of a write up on these on my 'Cherry Blossom' Restoration Thread about Two Thirds of the way down the Page.

You will also notice that there is a Broken Ring Spanner, sticking out of one of those Poles and that was a Propitiatory Brand, that cost quite a lot more!

Unlike those inexpensive Chinese Spanners, that seem totally indestructible, whatever I throw at them.

So the most expensive isn't always the best.

COMBINATION SPANNER METRIC 6mm - 32mm HEAVY DUTY POLISHED CHROME VANADIUM | eBay

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-122634/page9/

 

Ah, I was wondering if I was looking in the wrong place. That sounds simpler, actually.

 

Yeah, I guess the thing to do is just try them out, and see how they last....

 

Here ya go.

AAV Removal write up.pdf

The PreHE was simpler to do than the HE, different pick up points for the balance pipe vac feed.

 

Cheap tools break hands and wrists and worse when they let go suddenly. You need, both in metric and imperial sizes, this is the sort of thing as far as content goes, but this is a really top set and you can find them in the KK far cheaper, and often Halfords have 50% off sales. get your brother organised!:
Halfords Advanced 200 Piece Socket...
Open enders and ring spanners you also need in the same sizes. Imperial eg:
Draper 29546 11 Piece Imperial Comb...
metric:
Halfords Advanced Modular Tray Set...


I know that OB will have a fit at these prices, as he is a genius for finding top notch bargains, but in the great scheme of things even if you have to pay full price, 300 quid for a superb set of tools that will last you forever is, compared with garage bills (and in Europe petrol) a steal. Plus all your wife's Christmas and birthday present worries are over, as you will always need more tools once the bug bites.
Greg

 

I think, however, something like that might be better bought on a visit to the States or the UK, where it won't cost me hundreds in shipping. I can definitely get quality metric tools here, easily. I rather like the look of those bendable ratchet wrenches posted earlier, too. I'm sure I've seen something similar here, if not terribly cheap.

Incidentally, high-octane petrol (100 RON I believe) here costs about EUR 1.16 a litre (140 yen a litre). How does that compare to other places?

Got a laugh at the idea that my wife would actually buy me presents, however....

 

Beautiful picture. Wall Picture for PC.

Star Wars!

JagVader vs Jagwalker

Or other

Jagliens versus Jagredator.

 

Premium for me works out to 106 yen/litre.

If you do travel to the USA, buy tools there, that would be the cheapest place.

Usually there are 2 grades, the regular tools and those with a lifetime gaurentee. If it ever breaks, you take it back and they give you a new one, no time limit. Get the lifetime tools, even if you won't easily be able to take advantage of it, as the incremental cost isn't high, but the tools are much better.

 

your fist v12 Engine picture finally explains to me...
why every time I work on my engine my hand comes back with cuts and bloody...


heater hose failed on fri the 13th... located silicone hoses in my large shoe box...
the one missing was the one I needed... I knew where it got to...
I use it to replace the by pass hose # 321 in the wife's van one morning as we had a funeral 200 miles away and it was 5 am...
recovered it from van and popped by the GM dealer and got her correct hose yesterday neither the Van or the JagUar v12 leak now...


Premium for me works out to 83.92yen / liter...
when I use the discount 54.05 / liter
I never use the discount, I use it in the wife's Van...
though we have earned so much during the Christmas season I will have to burn some discount in the Jag or loose it...

 

Hi Grant

AAV Removal is ingenious!

I'll know what to do if mine packs up

But also need to find that Pre-He Blanking Plate.