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Hello XJ40 experts and other knowledgeable individuals. It hs become difficult to latch the hood on my 1993 XJ6 after a repair shop accessed the engine to top off the coolant. Once it does latch, it eventually unlatches after a driving, which I assume is caused by the force of any uneven road surfaces. I did see something about latches on XJ8 models, but the pictures included seem to show a different design. I suspect this is an exceptionlly easy fix, but any instruction would be very much appreciated.
Two more questions. As I did mention coolant, I am currently running an orange one as filled during a flush and replacement by a different garage. I have seen threads about coolant elsewhere for this model, but it may have confused me more as there did not seem to be a consensus. My thought is to have the entire cooling system flushed with distilled water and use a blue Jaguar brand or Morris brand coolant? I don't want a false economy of using a merely adequate coolant when I can spend only a little more for the proper type.
And the third question I shoehorn in here, do any of you XJ40 owner have any service completed at the dealership. I ask because when I attempted such at my local dealership, they politely informed me that my '93 is beyond the model-year range of vehicle that they service, with 2010 (actually I presume 2009) the floor at which they stop. I inferred that to mean that TATA has decided to let the Ford-era; Jaguar Cars era, and beyond all become orphans. I think all this information must give my dear colleagues here a meal of information to digest and then spit out some helpful answers. Many thanks Gentlemen and Ladies.
As for Q.1 I really wonder that they could have done to maladjust your hood. Does the alignment appear different when it's closed than it did before? Is the body side latch pushed downward somehow? I believe the hood side pin is adjustable like a bolt by turning it. Could some lackey have spun it idly while jabbering to the mechanic? But does it behave the same on both sides? The two are essentially independent mechanisms.
I can only comment further on Q.2- in that I only use the old fashioned green coolant. Good luck with this..
As for Q.1 I really wonder that they could have done to maladjust your hood. Does the alignment appear different when it's closed than it did before? Is the body side latch pushed downward somehow? I believe the hood side pin is adjustable like a bolt by turning it. Could some lackey have spun it idly while jabbering to the mechanic? But does it behave the same on both sides? The two are essentially independent mechanisms.
I can only comment further on Q.2- in that I only use the old fashioned green coolant. Good luck with this..
Hello Jerry. Many thanks for the suggestions. Wow, I didn't think it could have been THAT! I remember when I collected the car, the service manager coming out with me and showing me something under the hood. He tried to shut it, and he was having trouble. I'll have to look it over. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.
Your XJ40 was originally equipped with conventional green ethylene glycol anti-freeze which used Inorganic Additive Technology (IAT). The primary advantage of newer coolants such as Organic Acid Technology (OAT), the most common type of which is Dex-Cool, which is orange in color, and Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT), which comes in a variety of colors including clear, pink, violet, and blue, is that the corrosion inhibitors are longer lasting.
The real potential problem is in mixing IAT with OAT or HOAT, or mixing OAT with HOAT. Reactions between the corrosion inhibitors and other additives can lead to the formation of gel or a solid paste that can clog the heater core and other small passages in the cooling system, and also shorten the life of the corrosion inhibitors.
Assuming your cooling system was flushed completely before the orange coolant was added, I would recommend staying with Dex-Cool orange OAT. Switching to any other type of coolant would require a thorough flush of the system and you wouldn't gain any significant benefit. As long as you use a 50/50 mix of distilled water and anti-freeze, the boiling point and freezing point will be similar.
Your XJ40 was originally equipped with conventional green ethylene glycol anti-freeze which used Inorganic Additive Technology (IAT). The primary advantage of newer coolants such as Organic Acid Technology (OAT), the most common type of which is Dex-Cool, which is orange in color, and Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT), which comes in a variety of colors including clear, pink, violet, and blue, is that the corrosion inhibitors are longer lasting.
The real potential problem is in mixing IAT with OAT or HOAT, or mixing OAT with HOAT. Reactions between the corrosion inhibitors and other additives can lead to the formation of gel or a solid paste that can clog the heater core and other small passages in the cooling system.
Assuming your cooling system was flushed completely before the orange coolant was added, I would recommend staying with Dex-Cool orange OAT. Switching to any other type of coolant would require a thorough flush of the system and you wouldn't gain any significant benefit. As long as you use a 50/50 mix of distilled water and anti-freeze, the boiling point and freezing point will be similar.
Cheers,
Don
Hi Don,
Yes, that sounds like solid advice. I remember reading on this forum about the potential engine damage mixing coolants could do. I appreciate this explanation as I always like a second opinion from a forum expert on anything done to this vehicle. It gives me confidence to know that I am not running the "wrong" coolant.
Interestingly, I was watching some short videos of various classic vehicles shown by their owners as part of the Classic Car Club of Ceylon. Some very interesting vehicles indeed! My primary interest were a couple of Jaguars on there, but one owner was discussing classic car ownership, and how it is important to know your car, and collaborate with a mechanic who may not know some of the intricacies of a model of car they seldom see. After owning this for a couple of years, I am getting more selective about who services what on it,
Thanks again for your sage advice, Don and Jerry. I'm still working on the hood latch issue, but plan to get to that issue soon. The main focus at the moment is a coolant leak that seems occur after the vehicle has been driven. This issue developed after an oil change last year. I have no idea if that is coincidence or not, but at the time, I assumed that the orange coolant on the garage floor was oil. I was not aware of the coolant ever being available in orange and blue. Getting a diagnosis and efficient service from my limited choices of competent garages last year was impossible, so I drove the car minimally until I had the patience and focus to address it this year.
The original diagnosis from the import shop was an oil breather; Thermostat; and might need a valve job / head gasket replacement; fan. But I am not certain this is accurate as I am not confident that they actually looked at the car. The current shop is doing a cooling system test, and the thermostat area is absolutely dry. Now they are collabortaing with a dealer about possible issues and required parts. If there is significant work that needs to be done on the cooling system, is there any sort of preventitive maintenance that our XJ40 pros here recommend? I actually have a OE Jaguar theromostat from a dealer...would it make sense for them to just swap the old one out? I'm still a bit int he dark about the exact issue as I get more information, but any comments based on this limited (and confusing!) information is most appreciated! Thanks gents (and any ladies out there if any are on here).
Compared to later cars, the cooling system on the XJ40 is relatively simple. Most of the places coolant can leak from are relatively easy to see with the naked eye and an inspection mirror. The exceptions would be the edges of the radiator, the water rail hose (Part 3 in the diagram below), which is often referred to in crude terms due to its location on the left side of the engine block, and the heater return hose (Part 5) and coolant-heated restrictor hose (Part 16) that run under the intake manifold. You and your mechanic can view parts diagrams like this at parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com :
In my experience, if an XJ40 is losing coolant due to a leaking head gasket, it is more likely to leak coolant into the combustion chambers than to the exterior of the engine (as Land Rover engines will do), but if your head gasket were leaking to the exterior of the engine I would think a shop would have no trouble seeing the leak point. At worst, an inspection endoscope might be required to see a leak at the rear end of the cylinder head, but most shops have endoscopes these days.
It's a great idea to replace the thermostat preemptively, especially when other services are being performed, such as replacement of the water pump, radiator hoses, etc. But I would have the shop concentrate on locating the leak before you worry about having the thermostat replaced.
Compared to later cars, the cooling system on the XJ40 is relatively simple.
Hi Don, THANK YOU! This is all excellent information. I really appreciate the help, and I'll forward it to them. I researched these cars for years before I bought the right one, and the one thing I read on a consistent basis is that the mechanicals are not especially complex, but durable. I had to laugh when I was watching a youtube video from a dealer Autohaus Naples presented by "Bill" and who goes by the channel name "Curious Cars'. He was presenting an XJ6, and referred to the "Jaguar Tax" that mechanics charge. As if the cars are so complex that there is a necessary surcharge to perform the work. My perception is just familiarity with the particular engine. It's not a Chevy 350 that they can repair in their sleep. Again, thank you, Don. The case of beer (or are you a wine drinker?) is on its way UPS. -Phil
Hi Don, THANK YOU! This is all excellent information. I really appreciate the help, and I'll forward it to them. I researched these cars for years before I bought the right one, and the one thing I read on a consistent basis is that the mechanicals are not especially complex, but durable. I had to laugh when I was watching a youtube video from a dealer Autohaus Naples presented by "Bill" and who goes by the channel name "Curious Cars'. He was presenting an XJ6, and referred to the "Jaguar Tax" that mechanics charge. As if the cars are so complex that there is a necessary surcharge to perform the work. My perception is just familiarity with the particular engine. It's not a Chevy 350 that they can repair in their sleep. Again, thank you, Don. The case of beer (or are you a wine drinker?) is on its way UPS. -Phil
PS Don, I shouldn't assume you even drink alcohol! Ironically, I am a teetotaler, but feel like I am a lone wolf and assume everyone else does.....the carton of gatorade is on its way.....
PS Don, I shouldn't assume you even drink alcohol! Ironically, I am a teetotaler, but feel like I am a lone wolf and assume everyone else does.....the carton of gatorade is on its way.....
Actually, I prefer blue Powerade, which I drink when I play tennis!
Welcome to the Forum. As the Americans would say "Thank you for your service." Sounds like you need help and the other Forum gurus have chipped in already above.
From the sounds of your situation with coolant shooting out from under the hood, you've a major leak. The good news is that the Jag's coolant system is very simple plumbing with big black rubber pipes at the front of the engine. If you look under the hood, you'll probably be able to spot something broken on all the pipe work. From your description I would guess that you still have the plastic thermostat tower on top of the engine and it's split or the top cap has broken off. There is a common modification, virtually all of us have done, to switch it to a metal tower as this is a known weak point on the car.
This is just an update on my "charismatic quirks" of the coolant leak and the hood latching issue. I found an exceptional repair shop that replaced the thermostat, the water pump, various hoses, gaskets and clamps. I don't have time to sort out these things personally despite a desire to do so, but once the mechanic started looking for the leak, I decided to replace the other parts. Thanks everyone, especially Don! How was the Powerade.
Regarding the hood latch problem, the shop addressed that issue. As the service manager did not know if that had been done as the mechanic apparently did not mention the fix, I am unaware how it was righted, so unfortunately I cannot impart any useful information for DIY work on this issue.
Phooey... I read through the thread, looking for the hood latch solution... and was left hanging! I'll move along... my driver's side hood latch - is not latching.
Phooey... I read through the thread, looking for the hood latch solution... and was left hanging! I'll move along... my driver's side hood latch - is not latching.
I agree - the discussion does rather ignore the thread title.
WARNING: I'm an Englishman - I don't use 'hoods' or fenders'.
Here is the latch assembly:
The lever (arrowed in blue) is withdrawn by the release cable (item 3) to free the lock striker (item 1). When closed, the flat top face of the lock striker (arrowed in red) sits beneath the lever. If your bonnet is popping open when driving, it means the striker is not fully engaged under the lever.
Assuming no damage to latch or striker, it is almost certain only to require adjusting. The lock striker is threaded and has a locknut. Screwing it out gradually and testing should get to the point where the bonnet stays shut. If you go too far out, the shut line will not look right with the bonnet line higher than the wing in the closed position. Tighten the striker up again to the compromise point where the shut line is good and the lock no longer pops when driving.
Over time, both the flat top of the striker and corresponding flat bottom face of the latch lever can wear which will allow the latch to pop open regardless of adjustment. Attention with a flat b*****d file will rectify this.
Meanwhile, whilst the bonnet is open, you will have the opportunity to follow the excellent advice on coolant given earlier in the thread.
Triple G, thanks for the reply. Not sure why my signature (w/ car description, 1996 XJS 4.0) did not show on my earlier (quick?) reply. And apologies in advance for posting on the XJ40 forum, it's just that I searched for the subject, hoping the mechanism would be the same... but not.
My XJS hood latches, bi-lateral, on the firewall, are different from the one pictured.
(Aside, I did go ahead and change out my transmission fluid yesterday. What a pleasant surprise that I was able to use the ubiquitous Dextron II / III. Much better than German cars which require non-ubiquitous (in Florida) expensive fluids.)
Triple G, thanks for the reply. Not sure why my signature (w/ car description, 1996 XJS 4.0) did not show on my earlier (quick?) reply. And apologies in advance for posting on the XJ40 forum, it's just that I searched for the subject, hoping the mechanism would be the same... but not. .....
I'll leave the XJ40 reply here as others may make a search for the topic in future.
YES - the XJS is a very different mechanism. Here's the equivalent drawing for reference but I suggest you ask the question in XJS forum where I'm sure members with that model will be able to help.
There seems to be many more possibilities for cable, catch and mounting bracket adjustment than the simpler latch on the four door models.
Graham,
Many thanks, that is a helpful diagram of the complicated XJS hood (bonnet) latch mechanism. As a mechanical engineer, I'm left scratching my head as to how that design made it into production. My (perhaps unfounded) fear is that tinkering w/ this latch adjustment, it subsequently fails to release... thus leaving me in a pickle of how to then open the hood! Wringing my hands here in Ft Myers, FL :-)
hood latches poorly
