I have a 2008 VDP for about 10 weeks now. One problem I have is the heater core. I turned on the heat on the first cold morning and was rewarded with coolant all over my floorboards and mats. Anybody ever replaced a heater core in one of these types?

I also think water pump may be leaking too, I have a puddle of coolant on the garage floor. Its about 4 oz and nothing seems to be coming out since that time.

Thanks, I'm new to owning a Jaguar and many things just keep breaking.

 

Unusual for the heater core to leak, it mostly blocks-up so you get no heat ! Access is via the glove-box side. You remove this and the heater fan assembly and the matirx and pipes are then visible. It could be that somebody got in there before you and failed to replace the O-ring seals. I had mine done last January and the associated parts cost more than the matrix ! But it didn't leak afterwards.

Water pump seal failure is quite common on the V8s. Mine is the V6 engine and I've never had trouble there. Plenty elsewhere, though. The coolant header tank has a small pipe running into the side at the top, and the nipple breaks and coolant then leaks out. This is a common failure.

How many miles on the car ?

 

68,000 approx.

I appreciate your reply and it led me to look into the area around the glovebox. It does seem it could have been the area where the fluid came in. I found a Jag repair shop so I'm going to let them see if they can repair of because it isn't something I could tackle.

The water pump is also shot. Coolant leaking bad.

I'm going fix it up to fix some of the immediate problems and sell it.

 

That mileage is around when one can get the matrix blocking-up, so some previous owner, (maybe the last owner who you bought the car off !), decided to do a DIY job and flunked it. Water pumps are a fairly common issue, but again, I would not have thought at 68,000. It does sound as if the car was neglected before you got it.

 

Try to keep calm it's a used car, anything used was sold because there was an issue someone wanted not to address.
Almost everything used, i ever purchased, needed something fixed, that was just too expensive, or difficult for them to deal with.
These are great cars when put right, as well as almost affordable when you do your own work, with Ford parts where you can use them.

 

 

Look at the shop manual for your information.
Figure out a plan, gather up the needed parts & tools, then jump in.

 

 

'How to remove glove box easily'

Not difficult at all.

Making heater core joints leak proof could be a problem.

They look pathetic.

Jagmeoffmoore
I'm going fix it up to fix some of the immediate problems and sell it.

Hang on to it 60k mile is very low

 

Apart from the core itself, my Jaguar dealer also used a kit of parts that linked to the core. I believe these are the essential parts that make sure the joints don't leak after reassembly. As I recall, the workshop manual states that the O rings have to be thrown away and new ones put on. However, I didn't do the job, I just handed my car over and collected it four days later.They gave me a brand-new XJ saloon as a courtesy car too. Labour hours was not high but parts are quite costly.

 

How many hours allowed to do the job??
Just to get an idea how much time to do the job.
Then double it, to allow plenty for a relaxed pace.
I make fewer mistakes when i take my time.

 

Decided to use rubber hose and clamps over the heat core connections because Jaguar design is pitiful, and clearly would leak if reassembly was attempted.
Putting the fan assembly back in place is similarly impossible:
I adapted the air insert to fit the existing box by butchering it significantly; it works and I got it back together in 3 hours....quite frankly the designer of these systems should be hanged drawn and quartered - to quote an Olde English remedy for criminal malfeasance.
All they had to do was make the fan assembly smaller by 10%, plus make all the screws easy to get at.

I have got an X type too as well as the XJ8 L. it seems they learned nothing at all between 2003 (X type) and 2008 (XJ8). I love the cars for their exterior design and smooth running......but have now accepted that many components that are mal designed need to be modified when worked on. At least these problems make the cars cheap.
My Dad was an aircraft mechanic...I remember him in the Fifties making parts and special assemblies in similar situations. BUT if Jaguar built aircraft, it would be Comet all over again.

Overcoming Jag problems can be fun...its my hobby I guess.
Good luck if you are changing the Heat exchanger/heater core.

 

Replace the core, the orings and connections even new suck big time. How to make them leak proof????? I have for years smeared a little sealant on the orings and connected letting it cure overnight before filling and running engine. Dont put the glove box back in till you fill, burp air and run the car with heater on for awhile so you can check to make sure leak free. Never had a leaker doing this, dont do it at they leak almost everytime, its a terrible connection. Another note. Make sure the tubes have no burrs or bends, dents etc. Fix if they do.

 

Strange the way the Brits design flaws, into their stuff so it needs repaired sooner than necessary
Besides Lucas electronics, the way the head, was attached to the Triumph motorcycle engine, just was insane.
Torque the head, then torque the rocker box bolts, that thread into those bolts.
Talk about a design flaw on top of stupidity, W T F
Wonder why they ALWAYS had issuse with the heads coming loose?????????????
Honda ran a piece of threaded stock through then torqued things.
Worked SOO MUCH BETTER wonder why????????????
Simple fix that some backyard wrench's did to keep things bolted together.
Fix up a factory TRUCK UP,

 

Many thanks for giving us the benefit of your experience.

I just knew that those joints would be trouble.