Helpful Fixes and Simple Mods Thread
 

Hello!

As you might be able to see in my signature, I recently purchased a 2002, 3.0, V6, Manual transmission Jaguar X-Type.

I purchased the car for £370, the previous owner told me it needed an new clutch and it had 2 slow punctures in the rear tyres and the ABS light was on. I was told the rest of the car is in great condition. I bought the car and had it delivered to a relative of mine who lived close by to the seller. Well, as with anything these days, people cant be trusted. These are the faults that were immediately apparent:

• 5 Flat tyres, including space saver
• 2 metal dustcaps had siezed onto the valves
• Boot wont open
• Key fob isnt working
• Rear door handles sticking open
• Ashtray broken
• Outer sills corroded
• Clutch slipping
• Abs light on

After cutting off the valve caps, I threw in 4 cans of tyre weld (£40) one in each tyre. One of the valves had been damaged from where I had to hack off the valve cap, meaning half the can went into the tyre and the other half went.. well.. everywhere else. A trip to the petrol station and correct tyre pressure in all but the 1 tyre with the damaged valve, and I drove it back. Soon after driving on the motorway I came across more faults

• Cruise control not available
• Engine temp warning, guage maxed out
• Thermostat housing leaking

I pull over and expect to see all the coolant gone, but it was still there and not under excessive pressure. I re-checked for signs of head gasket faliure. All seemed ok. I noticed a slight leak of coolant from arounf the thermostat housing, but this had clearly been here for some time and was very small. I was a bit confused at this point. I allowed time for it to cool and decided to move it to the next services. Just before I get there the same thing happened, Cruise control warning, then shortly after, Engine temp rockets up suddenly. This made me feel a bit better as it indicated it was more likely an electrical issue. I pulled in, turned off the car and ignition. Waited a few seconds, turned ignition back on and temp guage was showing normal. Happy that it wasnt overheating I drove it back.

The plan was to get it on the ramp and have the clutch done the following weekend and video pur work. I bought a brand new 3 piece clutch from someone on a jaguar social media page (£155)
The guy with the ramp let me down continuously over the next week, I'd turn up to do the wotk as planned, and there was nobody there, disapearing for days with no contact and then when I got hold of him, we agreed he would do it himself as he'd messed me around, I we agreed the thursday it would be done, and again, he went off the radar, finally heard back making the excuse he couldnt access the locking wheel nuts in the boot to take the wheels off... strange as it has no locking wheel nuts.. and this could have been determined over a week ago if he'd even looked at the car... he just didnt want to do the work and I had wasted enough time. I contacted a friend from boxing who agreed to do it for £300. So I agreed and I recieved a message last night that it should be ready to collect this morning. I did have to get a new crankshaft end seal as he told me it was leaking so it would be stupid not to replace it. Jaguar couldnt get the part in time, so I had to do some digging and cross referencing, and finally found one under a ford part number. (£23.42)

For something to do whilst waiting for the clutch to be done, I purchased an ashtray and gear shift gaiter section from another guy on social media (£15) and also some 3M Carbon look wrap. I'm not a fan of the wod effect trim on the dash so this all got wrapped. I did make a video of all this, but then accidently deleted it off my phone, I tried recovering the data using 3rd party software but the basic function couldnt get it, and if you know anything about phones, I would have had to put the phone into recovery mode and risk bricking it. (which i did before and luckily managed to re-install the drivers.. but thats another story)
I can however add some photos when on my phone (currently on laptop) and I may even do another video using the old parts still on the car.

To add to the list of fixes above I have this list of basic mods to do:

• Full service
• Uprated battery (peace of mind)
• Mechanical boot release
• Upgrade headlight bulbs
• Grille upgrade using non facelift grille
• Tidy up paint work
• Finish wrapping interior
• Intake resonator delete
• Exhaust resonator and silencer delete
• Coolant bypass on throttle body (did this on the RX8 as it makes sense to)
• Remote start from key fob
• Android install
• Uprated brakes
• Braided brake lines
• KW Coilovers
• Some staggered 8j and 8.5j wheels

I'll post updates with photos and links to the vidoes that I'll put on youtube. The idea is to update weekly. I hope this ends up being useful to others.
And as if by magic I just got the call that it's ready to collect,

Picked up the car, clutch all done and on the way back I stopped off and got 4 new tyres fitted. I got budget tyres (£159 with discount (RRP = £200)) because later down the line I'll get a new set with the new wheels. Tyre fitters informed me the rear brakes are almost down to metal. And since having the clutch done, the brake fluid reservoir has blown off!! So 3 problems solved today, and 2 more discovered. But it's progress nonetheless. I'll be jumping forward a few steps and ordering uprated brakes, lines and obviously a new reservoir cap. Unlike the tyres which are cheaper, easier to change and can be kept as a spare winter wheel set, I don't want to spend out twice on brakes, or to do the work twice. ��
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...9f30ccc889.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...fbff089edd.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...5929637b11.jpg

Whilst the car is back off the road, tomorrow I'll get on with the exhaust resonator delete and order the brakes.

Welcome to the forum. Some quick comments

????
The photo shows a split cap. Probably split in an earlier life.
I would not drive a car if the cap had really blown off or drive it with a new cap until the reason is found.
Lack of a sealed reservoir is a good reason to test for water in the fluid and/or replace the fluid.

I have read this and other Jaguar X type forums for several years.
May I suggest you have a search for the topic you are interested in

If the regular suggestions do not work and it is mechanical ...
This could be a big problem. Hacking about the rear seat and cross member
Crowbar and a new boot lid?

I have never read of any attempt to introduce this.
Lack of a key operation for the boot is one of the very worse " features" of the X type

I assume you mean the buttons on the fob.
Do you have two working keys ?
A vast amount of great details all over the web

From what I understand this is a feature on some other car brands especially in very cold areas - Canada, USA etc.
It has been discussed. The first problem is that it would need the PATs security system to be disabled

It is a Jaguar and it is real wood NOT plastic

The only mention is fitting FOCUS calipers.
Some say it alters the un- sprung weight and affect the suspension
Many consider the brakes are sufficient and other factors such as tyres limit the braking

Certainly others suggest replacing the flexible pipes as they can swell with old age.

One of the most discussed items
Brighter "legal" bulbs, HIDs or LEDs were the possible options
The dip beams very poor.
With the recent MoT changes re headlights only brighter bulbs seem to be legal.
A thorough MoT tester may fail HIDs or LEDs
Many folks meanwhile have fitted HIDS.
n.b Headlamp adjusters, inside the light units, crumble away.
Jaguar not not supply spares but they are available online but headlamps need splitting apart to fit them.

IMO a good battery is all that is needed with the vent tube
It appears that X Types do not like batteries that are on their way out and all sorts of spurious error codes/warning lights appear.

Thanks for your comments.

Yes the cap has split, its just another term for it, the pressure has pushed it an caused it to split like it did. the same way pressure in the atmoshphere pushes air, i.e wind blows, or an explosion blows up... something like that anyway. :icon_beerchug: I could see by the paint bubbling off the servo that it must have been split prior to the clutch change as you mentioned.

When i picked up the car from my friends workshop, he said that after he reconnected the battery, the boot opened, and i have opened it twice since as did the tyre fitter. So I will investigate the earths on that and keep an eye on the solenoid speed etc. What I mean by a mechanical boot release, is to have something to pull from inside the car if/when it fails next time, if ive not fitted a new mechanism by then. I will hopefully get around to doing that tomorrow and do a write up with photos here.

Yes, the buttons dont work on either keys, when the car is unlocked with the key the alam goes off until the ignition is turned on. I have repaired this on the last one so if its not just the batteries, again I'll post it here.

The remote start: Thanks, I admit I have not looked into this much, well.. at all on this car. But I will have a good read around before spending any cash.

Not sure if the real wood bit is serious or sarcasm.. :icon_shrug:

Re: the brakes, I'm talking grooved disks, quality pads and braided lines.

With the bulbs, I had L.E.D 501's in the last X-type and some xx% brighter main beams from halfords :icon_redface: but this time I'll explore all the options and read what others have found before making a decision. I've fitted H.I.D's to the GF's 08 Audi TT, but theres alot more space in those.

In the RX8's we used to run Optima Red Top batteries, so I will be looking to fit one of those if suitable, or something similar. Again, the research will come closer to the purchase.

Thanks for your replies and comments. :icon_biggrin:

The wood is sapele.

sa·pe·le
/səˈpēlē/
noun
noun: sapele; plural noun: sapeles

1. a large, tropical African hardwood tree with reddish-brown timber that resembles mahogany.

I've had the panels off, are we talking less than mm of it stuck to a plastic panel and then covered in a laquer/varnish? Is it a wood panel in the same way a wafer thin piece of ham can make a ham sandwich?

Many years since Jaguar used wood veneer over a plywood base. In those days the wood parts were mainly flat but the curves on modern dash sets and door cappings need a different process.

I haven't had the dash set off an X-Type but the XJ and XK are thin wood veneer finished with laquer on an aluminium base. Don't see why the X-Type should be a different manufacturing process.

Graham

It is aluminium. Just had to move the car and took the airbag cover off to check again.

Veneer over a substrate (aluminium orin some cases plastic) is the composition used in all cars - including Rolls and Bentley. The complex curves used in modrn cars precludes the old process of putting veneer over wood. Veneering is a very old process, used in fine furniture construction for centuries.The last Jaguars to use vener over wood were the Series III XJ cars (the last one built in December, 1992)- but the dashboards were a flat piece as were the door fillets. But the console piece which housed the trip computer used a new process - wood veneer over a metal substrate - but there was only a minor "step" to deal with:
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...837acfefc0.jpg
Later Jaguars had curves convex and otherwise (as on the X-Type). Here, an example from an XK:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...a98fc1e5d2.jpg


So yes, it is real wood in an X-Type. Every Jaguar with wood trim is unique in the colour and the graining of the wood - there are no two identical.

My dash panels are covered with a thin slice of nicely marbled Boar's Head Honey-Maple Ham.

Was that from your meat bag?

Rear brake change
 

I decided to stick some budget brakes on for the time being

Another fix video for people. If you can't get in your boot. Here's how to get the back seats out. Took me about 5 mins including trying to film it. (Different if you have fold down seats)

So I got started on the single exit exhaust.
Unless the whole system is a dual exhaust, the twin exit at the rear is only really for aesthetics. The correct sizing on a single single pipe is near enough as good as as 2 separate pipes. The added benefit of a dual pipe system, is that you can feature an X pipe for exhaust scavenging. (Anyone want an X-Pipe X-Type :icon_biggrin: )
The idea was to chop off one side and use the existing exhaust as a guide for a new single exit stainless system.
The subframe needs to be dropped in order to remove the rear section exhaust. I didn't want or need to do this so I cut it out.
I wish I'd had a reciprocating saw with me, as it was a bugger to get any decent cuts with an angle grinder and hacksaw.
Once the pieces were out I cut and tack welded a couple of bits, hoping I could feed them over the subframe. But there's just no room with all the angles. If I can't get over, then I must go under. I might end up making the stainless to go through the original route, if it fits with no major restrictions. But for now we're going under.
I cut the tip off the o/s silencer and welded it to a piece of straight pipe. I needed a longer exhaust rubber to get it to sit correctly. The straight pipe was cut and a section of flexi pipe was fitted out of ease. To mate it up to the original centre section, I cut an angle out of the old pipe and the original coupling end, wlded them together and the whole thing fit together nicely.
I've not added and fixed hanger brackets as the design will change. But all that will be sorted going forward along with a new shape exhaust tip. I will also be making free flowing manifolds going into high flow cats, both feeding into the final 2.5" straight pipe. I understand this is not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm sure you'll like it when it's finished :icon_beerchug:

Popped down and grabbed some oil and filters earlier. Will get a video of that up
on the weekend once I've done it. Will also cover the correct oil specs in the video.
Since fitting the new clutch it's highlighted another issue which is getting progressively more noticeable. When the clutch is engaged at idke or low rpm, or when the throttle is let off. There is a looseness in the transmission somewhere.
The dmf wasn't perfect when it was taken off but it didn't seem like it needed replacing urgently. So that may have been overlooked and the new clutch has made it worse. There could be a mount that has failed, or potentially the bearings in the transfer box have finally given up. So this will be investigated next week. If it does turn out to be the transfer box. I will make a video of How to strip it down and replace the bearings. Another pain in the backside is that it grinds going into 3rd. It'll get a gearbox oil change and hope that masks it for the time being until I can warrant getting the gearbox rebuilt with new syncros.
I have also purchased a kit to polish up the headlights so that will be coming soon too, hopefully on the weekend.

Also the false overheating hasn't returned, nor the cruise control not working error message.
However.. The cruise control does not work. :icon_shrug: I'm not too fussed about this right now and am not going to look into it. I get the best mpg from rpm monitoring not speed so its of no use to me really. But if I get everything else done I might address it.

Changed out the air filter this evening. The old one clearly hadn't been changed for quite some time. Just as well it's getting a full service and new coilpacks. Here's the video of changing the air filter, hopefully this thread will be full of helpful diy videos so that people who aren't familiar with cars, and those who have a bit of know how. Can get stuck in and also save themselves some money at the same time.

Oil and Filter change
 

Another weekend and another job done. I changed the oil and Filter on the 3.0 X-type, it was extremely low on oil. I changed the oil and Filter and only 4ltrs came out, and the filter itself was rusty. I noticed a very slight oil leak, it appears to be coming from the sump gasket, so another thing added to the list. But it's so minor it can wait. Another problem that's arisen is that when I stop the car, the central locking doesn't unlock, and the drivers door can no longer be opened, I have to put the window down, lean out and unlock it, and can then open the door. Neither key fobs work and the alarm goes off everytime I go to unlock the car. Instead of leaving the car unlocked and now I can't get out after driving. I've decided to address this problem next, maybe even today along with the rear door handles sticking open. Here's the video of the oil and Filter change for people to check out.

Key fob and central locking fix
 

Today I fixed the central locking and Key Fob problems.. Every time I unlocked the car the alarm would go off, after a journey the drivers door would not open, the boot would not open and the key fob wasn't working at all.. I started with the ignition barrel, got a pick in the gaps and cleaned out metal filings from the key wearing against the barrel and vice versa, also general grime and dirt. Sprayed some wd in and cleaned it up a bit more. That fixed the locks not opening after a journey and the alarm going off when unlocked with the key, also it appears to fixed the boot not opening. I then changed out the batteries in the fob and got everything working as it should.

The video shows things in more detail.