If your Aircon isn't maintaining the right temperature, it could be that the 'in-car aspirator' is in need of a clean.

Fitted behind a grille in the dash, the in-car aspirator helps maintain the set temperature and, in later models, the humidity, in the cabin.

XK/XKR (2006 onwards)




XK8/XKR (1996-2006)




X300/X308 (1995-2003)




My XK wasn't pushing out heat unless I set it to MAX and then it was way too hot.

Removing the dash panel, this is what I found:



The inlet (circled in red) was full of dust and, more importantly, the thermistor (arrowed in blue) was also blocked. (X300 and X308 also have a small electric fan behind the inlet)

Cleaned out with a vacuum and can of compressed air.......



....... the A/C can now be set to a comfortable and constant temperature again.

Graham

 

Excellent.

I'll add that the tiny aspirator fan might be the cause of 'that funny little noise' that's been annoying you for months.

When mine became noisy (oddly, only on right turns....I'll never understand why) I removed it and applied a miniscule drop of oil to the shaft. It worked! Apparently the oil migrated, as hoped, to the (what must be) equally miniscule bearing.

Cheers
DD

 

The S Type has the same thing too.

 

My newly aquired 2002 XJ does not maintain air temp as good as our 1999 did. Does it have the same aspirator?

thanks for all the great help on this forum!!

 

The same principle but there's a miniature fan in the X308 Aspirator Motor assembly.


(click on the image to enlarge it)


Collects dust the same way too!

Graham

 

Thank You
How do I go about servicing it? Is it behind the little Vent on the left lower dash?

Also, I am jealous about the meet in Brighton. I spent much of my youth in Luton Beds
Wish I could attend

 

YES - the Knee Bolster (lower dash trim panel) has to be removed to access it. Don't try prying the Vent out from the front or it will break.

Two screws secure the bottom edge of the Bolster (see red arrows). Once these are removed it can be pulled straight towards you to release the two top clips (see one arrowed in blue). This is my RHD 2005 XK8 but it's the same procedure for your X308:



Disconnect the harness connections the the Aspirator and the Bolster can be removed from the car. The Aspirator can be unscrewed from the Bolster for a thorough cleaning the follow Doug's advice in post 2 to oil the fan.

Graham