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It’s time to drag the XJ12 into the barn and get it ready for the road.
It needs:
1. New front suspension bushings. (I have a mid rise lift so this will be a subframe-off job)
2. Power steering pump rebuild (Hopefully by Jay’s BMW Parts because it likely needs a new bearing I’ve run it dry so often)
3. Power steering hose rebuild (by https://www.autohosesolutions.com/ perhaps? )
4. Crank damper rebuild (damper doctor)
5. Fan motor resistors so it’s not always on high
6. AC Condenser… looks like I’ll be having one made.
7. Fix rust hole in the side of the sill
8. Put the panel back in that has sunroof headliner attached.
How’s that for deferred maintenance?
Future:
1. Rusty rear wheel arch lips
2. Bad clearcoat on trunk lid
3. Floormats
4. Jacking damage (floor pans are dented UP badly)
5. Get traction control lights off
6. Get airbag lights off
Now that it’s all written out I”m not sure it’s worth it!
My "XJ12 problems/to do" list currently has 33 items on it. Some are more critical (transmission light sometimes pops up when car hits a sharp bump) and some are trivial (hatshelf seatbelt escutcheons dusted). The list also has 76 COMPLETED items on it, so that's... something. Having an example with fresh paint and no rust goes a long way in justifying a lot of addressing of deferred maintenance.
I ordered the front suspension bushings, and went with OEM over URO for everything but the V-mounts. We’re talking $1100! If I used OEM V mounts that would have been another $500. Hefty prices!
My project list is in my head. That allows me to forget about how many things I want to do.
Right now I am planning a cooling system refresh with new hoses, coolant tank etc; a small leak is coming from under it at the hose connection. The weep is destroying the new upper shock bushing.
The next oil change will include a new oil pan gasket.
My brakes need refurbishing soon. That's as far as my list goes!
Oh, and I want to get more ceramic coating on to preserve the original only slightly-weary finish as much as possible.
Just to clarify in case you are being sarcastic…. If the aftermarket bushings fail, are they easily replaced?
Maybe not as buried as engine mounts, but you do have to drop the subframe (and support the engine somehow). Not sure about the details, but I know it was a very expensive job when I paid to get mine swapped.
Genuine in Jaguar bag on right, repro on the left. The only bushings marked Metalastik was the lower shock bush. Overall length of these upper bushes are the same, but Jaguar version has more sticking out the top and less sticking out the bottom.
Maybe not as buried as engine mounts, but you do have to drop the subframe (and support the engine somehow). Not sure about the details, but I know it was a very expensive job when I paid to get mine swapped.
Project List
