Hi all, i have noticed progressively over the last few weeks that i get exhaust fumes in the cabin when the car is standing! I know that the flex joints are the culprit and i have sourced the repair kit online. Before i purchase the repair kit is this repair the best way to go or is it possible to repair the original joints on the cats? Also has anyone done this cut off and bolt on mods themselves? What is it like to get access to the bolts on the exhaust manifolds and to drop the exhaust enough to be able to cut the flanges off? Can this be done with the car jacked up at the front? Has anyone taken the repair kit to a local exhaust fitter and had this done, and what did it cost?

 

You might be best taking the car to Dave Marks in Nottingham, as they do these regularly, it being a known and familiar fault with these diesels. In fact last year or maybe the year before that I read an article by them on doing the job, with photos included. It did not look easy at all.

Obviously it will cost you in labour charges, but to get to the manifold nuts to remove the item really needs the car right up in the air. There are two sources for repair kits, the aftermarket ones on the internet, and one available by Jaguar. The Jaguar kit costs more needless to say, but retains the flexible part, whereas most of the aftermarket ones don't. When XJK were still going in Newcastle-under-Lyme, I was told that whilst the aftermarket ones work, you may get unwanted vibration after fitment. The flexible part of the pipe is there for a reason !

 

+ 1 for David Marks ... although, if I remember correctly, at a seminar he gave on the X350 last year, for the JEC, he said they prefer the rigid replacements and said they haven't had vibration problems.

However I'm sure they'd fit whichever you ask for ... 'yer pays yer money and yer makes yer choice'.