Checking the oil yesterday revealed a leaking coolant expansion tank. After cleaning it off, removing the vent hose and looking, cold not see the problem but it is still leaking. I ordered a new one but noticed it has a strange fitting on the bottom of the reservoir attaching it to the cooling system piping. Does anyone know how to release this fitting? Alldata just says to disconnect it but not to remove the retaining clip. This doesn't make sense to me. Of note..when I ordered the part, the part guy told me they sell a lot of these, so keep an eye on yours to prevent overheating (the low coolant light should come on but you never know).

 

Yes remove the clip(dont drop it) and the connector pulls off. While your picking up the reservoir get a green ac compressor oring and take out the black one inside that connector, they leak like no tommorrow once you take them off and even a new can. But never the slightly larger green ones. Put the clip back on the connector before you reassemble and make sure to snap the connector all the way on. When bleeding take off the plug ontop of the reservoir and purge air then reseal.....it pays .2 warranty

 

Brutal,
Thanks much, that makes sense and thanks for the tip on the o-ring!
Brian

 

I caught your note on .2 (hrs) warranty as this is the Alldata allowance for the replacement job. It seems a little light to me. I am pretty fast and I could not do it all that quick, especially replacing the o-ring after it leaks on the first reassembly and starting all over again!

 

Yes and people wonder how we even make money....i think the people that come up with times just throw darts at a board...
A great example it this
xtype gas tank removal pays 5.4hrs
exap cannister same car pays 5.0
and heres the kicker...you have to drop the gas tank and the diff/subframe assemlbly down to replace the cannister!!!!!! Friggen morons
of course the way this induatry is they would say "thanks for bringing that to our attention, we dropped the time on the gas tank to 4.0!!!!"

 

And did i mention to lube that bottom nipple real well to ease reconnection and dont be afraid to man handle to line up connector/hose to get it to slide on

 

Thanks. I will probably have the part Thursday and try to put it in Friday morning. It looks real tight in there around the big hoses, sort of a knuckle-buster.

 

Not really, but thats what prompted my comment on dont be afraid to man handle it

 

Had my expansion tank replace before christmas, and yes it does seem to be a common issue.

 

That's because it IS an issue and on S-types too !. Why these tanks cannot be made of better material, I don't know; Jaguars are not cheap small cars after all, they cost a lot of dough.

 

Welcome to the wonderfull world of plastics, without them that parts would be even more, and you dont get cars as large as jags withall the safty and electronics to weigh in at 4200#s like the new xj without them. Hell my midsized truck weighs 5300#without me in it and is smaller than a big bodie jaguars, and its full of plastic too. I think its remarkable how light these cars are

 

Hi Brutal

I don't object to having plastic parts provided they are correctly specified and tested to destruction before being put into our cars. Jaguar are certainly not alone in this, of course. I know the part is not expensive, and it IS a secondhand car, but it is a bloody nuisance when things like this occur when a re-spec of the part could cure it. And with the long service intervals we have now, coolant loss could cause a lot of trouble because so many owners never check anything under the hood, even getting others to top up the screen wash !

 

The tank came today, threw it in after work. It went okay but I did take off the upper rad hose and vent hose to get the old tank and connectors disconnected easier and to preventy damaging the small plastic vent hose nipple on the thermostat housing, it's a tight fit in there. The sealing gasket seemed okay so I did not replace it and it has not leaked on a couple test runs. Took about 45 minutes to do and put the tools away.
This tank is fairly complex and has an electrical connector for the level sensor as well. Thanks for the help Brutal.

 

lol at least you dont have a V6 Stype with a plastic upper radiator hose matrix that breaks if you look at it wrong...A TOTALLY designed to fail point is the bypass hose "turrent" it doesnt even have a 1/16" plastic joint ot seal it to the upper pipe/ I always quote those when doing cooling system work cause no matter how carefull you are after a few years they snap right off
Just watch the lower connection oldmots, cause I have gotten a couple comebacks for that and that why I always swap them out now

 

Thanks Brutal, I'll keep an eye on the connection. The seal looked supple and smooth, so I left it in there.

 

I just bought my 07 XJ8, and the things my independent Jag mechanic warned me about as especially common problems on the X350 were these canisters, the plastic thermostat housing, and the air suspension. Other somewhat common problems include warped and leaking plastic transmission pans and A-arm suspension bushings (special oil-filled bushings that you cannot buy - must replace whole arm for big bucks).
Goose

 

Where do you get these green ac compressor orings? What size? What do you use to lube the fittings?

 

Did anyone get back to you on this question? Do you have any idea the size of the green o ring or the lube?

Also, what is the best way to take off the ring/clam on the bottom of the reservoir?.