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My car is now on 89k so very similar to yours. I am sure it is Jaguar Racing Green, as BRG is a much darker green. I have the 2003 catalogue and the two colours were available. The BRG looks as if it is non-metallic, and if so, that is correct as the original BRG was never metallic. I found it a bit dull to be honest !
What are sure to be worn out if not previously replaced are the lower shock bushes at the bottom of each air spring. You need a lever to show any play as the spring exerts pressure so a hand test is not sufficient. I replaced all my air spring units early last year with new-old stock I found on the internet, because I wanted Comfort rather than Sport spring rates. So doing this meant I got new lower bushes at the rear. However the bushes for the front springs were shot, but these are mounted on the wishbone arm, not the shock like the rears are. So I had new ones when the shop fitted the new air spring units.
Main thing to get fixed asap, is new boots on any split or damaged steel ball joints so they don't get salt-laden water and grit on them. With split boots they will deteriorate very quickly. Have a look here, (a UK supplier), there will no doubt be US suppliers : -
Another excellent photo, if I may say so. Your pic certainly does show some oily stuff on the air spring. The only way you can see if it is the shock seal, would be to remove the shock, loosen off the clips, drop the rubber boot and look inside. The boot is there just to protect the spring diaphragm from damage, it is not the pressure seal. I have never seen a photo like this before, but certainly cannot think of any alternative source for that oil, maybe others can suggest alternative sources.
Best thing, IMHO, is to maybe clean it off and inspect again in a months time. If it appears in the same place, it may be new (including new-old stock or used) time. There are used units on the internet, even new-old stock.
As for the lower shock bushes the only thing you see is up & down play, but have to lever the shock up to see it. There isn't much dismantling for the rear bushes, in fact I think some Jaguar shops have a tool to do it in situ having disconnected it at the bottom. The fronts are a whole lot bigger ballgame, as the shock is secured through a bush on the straight part of the lower wishbone, and this bolt can be an absolute PITA to remove if it is rusted in. My local shop tell me they sometimes have to remove the lower wishbone with the shock still connected, then get it to a bench for sawing off the bolt. On my car, both bolts came out OK, so their estimate worked out OK, but they wouldn't quote a fixed price because of this. These bushes are cheap at around £20-25 each.
This thread is about to make a hard right turn, I have found the reason why the car was so cheap.
This is what a regular control arm mount looks like, my front left.
You adjust this bolt position to align the camber in the front wheels. (Just for folks who don't know).
This is my right front subframe mount for the lower control arm. Going to have trouble aligning this. @#$%^
The engine mount is banged up superficially as well.
Man, huge bummer. Discovered this today while at the alignment shop. Again big bummer.
On a lighter note that tire rod is leaking as well.
You can see the heat spots where someone tried to bang that back out strait. The camber on the front wheels is like this / / . That bolt can not be moved any further to the right (OBVIOUSLY), so the cars front wheels are off permanently until that is addressed.
CARFAX shows accident in September 2004, on the opposite side, moderate damage, no frame damage. No other reported accidents.
Last edited by Naso--Lituratus; Jan 21, 2015 at 09:55 PM.
A subframe-out job, I reckon. It might need a replacement subframe when it's examined closely.
Sorry to hear about your problem. That side must have got a fearful whack to bend like that. It could be possible to straighten it out but off the car, I reckon, unless you have access to hydraulic tools. I would get it to an accident repair shop for a prognosis. They must see similar things when they get cars for repair.
In terms of labour time, I reckon 2 full days work. These front suspensions (as are the rear) are put onto the car body from underneath, and secured by four bolts, one per subframe mount. There will be some other dismantling to do, but basically once the ancillaries that get in the way are removed, one supports the subframe on a jack, removes the four bolts and let it down to the workshop floor. Previously, one would dismantle the suspension on the damaged side, or even on both sides if it is a subframe swap.
All very do-able, but a PITA for the wallet.
Last edited by Fraser Mitchell; Jan 23, 2015 at 04:31 PM.
A subframe-out job, I reckon. It might need a replacement subframe when it's examined closely.
Sorry to hear about your problem. That side must have got a fearful whack to bend like that. It could be possible to straighten it out but off the car, I reckon, unless you have access to hydraulic tools. I would get it to an accident repair shop for a prognosis. They must see similar things when they get cars for repair.
In terms of labour time, I reckon 2 full days work. These front suspensions (as are the rear) are put onto the car body from underneath, and secured by four bolts, one per subframe mount. There will be some other dismantling to do, but basically once the ancillaries that get in the way are removed, one supports the subframe on a jack, removes the four bolts and let it down to the workshop floor. Previously, one would dismantle the suspension on the damaged side, or even on both sides if it is a subframe swap.
All very do-able, but a PITA for the wallet.
I would reckon as well, but, 'Aint Nobody Got Time Fo Dat'. Here is a solution to the problem without making me cry. I went to the best body shop in town and they sent me over to a guy who specializes is alignment, an old salt. He suggested to me that yes, like you said you could spend a boat load dropping the front end to straighten it out and get it back the 16th of an inch it is off...
OR
We could just remove the arm and then modify the bolt hole so that the arm can be moved to where it needs to be.
Here is a print out of how bad the alignment is out, it is not that bad, and actually when it is just me sitting in the car the camber is in the acceptable range. PITA problem like you said, but definetly not a back breaker of a job, few hours labor at most, and it can just be done when I put the bushings in.
I was going to go back and edit some stuff, mostly add part numbers for the items that you and I have been chatting about, but I guess I cant. SO next post I will do that.
Who's bright idea was it to make the rear end camber non adjustable...
Last edited by Naso--Lituratus; Jan 27, 2015 at 09:34 PM.
Reason: I make words like a child..
and the decimal point has shifted to $1,300 per pair.
I wonder if any were ever sold for $130; definitely not recently if you look at the completed auctions and sold auctions.
