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Another question: What is the compression ratio of the 2003 4L XJ8 engine? Will it knock on 87 octane fuel? Online chatter seems to settle around 95 RON, which would equate to 91 octane in North America. Correct?
The Engine Control Module can adapt for 87 octane fuel, but it does so by retarding ignition timing, which reduces both fuel economy and performance. So in my personal opinion, it's a false economy.
Plan on using at least 91 octane. If you're only going to drive the Jag for pleasure anyway, the difference in fuel price will pay for itself in improved fuel economy and greater driving pleasure.
My two cents: don't cheap out on fuel. Go with some variety of Top Tier 93 octane. I use the Fuel Rewards program in conjunction with a grocery points program for Shell's V-Power stuff. That's not because I can't afford 93 octane but so I can beat big oil out of a few bucks. So far: I've saved about $1,500 over the past maybe five years, at times getting just a dime off the price, but a times over $1.50 per gallon. On a car with a big tank it adds up. I also advocate 93 octane top tier fuel from the perspective of having at least one of two replacement heads with burnt valves on the predecessor AJ16 engine directly due to cheaping out and trying to mix 93 and 87 octane gas to save a few bucks. Pinging under load going up a long hill is just not something you want to hear. Trust me.
Costco has 93 octane Top Tier fuel at very good prices, generally 20-30 cents below name brand stations. For me, the cost of driving to a Costco consumes what I'd save on a tank. I have a Shell station six miles from me that's the lowest in the area and can be nearly a dollar below the Shell station a mile from my home to which I add the Fuel Rewards savings to screw big oil.
Agreed. I have two 5.7L LT1 GM V8s where the PCMs are modified to require 91 octane. The timing advance and performance that this allows is worth it. These cars are my toys, and fuel cost is a rounding error. I just wanted to make sure that the sticker on the XJ8 was put there by engineers, not the marketing folks.
I can run 87 octane in the above GM cars, but I need to drive with a egg under my foot or the knock sensors go crazy.
[QUOTE=Len Apcar;2799965]I where can I find new front wheel bearings for my 2001 XJ? I admit I havent looked every where, but I am hearing they are scarce.
OK, based on the above responses and some additional scrounging of posts from this forum, this is my understanding. Please correct me if I am wrong:
1. 2001, 2002, and 2003 XJ8 engines came with the updated metal chain tensioners.
2. 2003 XJ8 engines also had an improved thermostat and housing (tower?).
Did anything else of note change between 2001 and 2002, or 2002 and 2003?
I'm having more success in finding lower mileage XJ8 base models than a Van den plas, and so that third passenger might just have to suck it up on longer rides, if that ever happens.
I'm selling my 1993 Volvo 240 Classic wagon to fund the purchase, so this is a quantum leap forward in tech and comfort, if not durability (any takers here???).
Is that the one that runs like a performance bat outta hell race car? I've wanted one of those. A station wagon is needed.
There's not much you can do to a normally aspirated Volvo 240 that will make it go like a bat out of hell except an LS swap. This one has several performance enhancements that boost performance without degrading drivability, but I'd never call it fast. It will do 0-60 in less than 12 seconds.
I've decided to buy an XJ8, and have read some of the online chatter about common issues among the various years of production, with 2003, and last year of production being the most bug-free. In a perfect world, that's what I'd get. But, there are always tradeoffs. I'm looking for a rust-free likely southern US car in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition. If I extend the search down to 2002, there are twice as many options. So, what are the principle advantages of the 2003 over the 2001 or 2002? Were there issues that were solved with each successive year of production?
I also prefer the Vandenplas longer wheelbase model, which further restricts choice.
Any on this forum have one such car that needs a new home? I'm in upstate NY, but distance is no object. I've bought cars all over the US and either flown out to drive them home, or had them shipped on a truck.
I have other vehicles that can run on 87 octane and I admit that once I absentmindedly put some 87 in the XJ8, or at least I realized my mistake by the time the tank was a little over half full. I filled it the rest of the way with 93, but it was probably average 89. XJ8 did not like it at all. I bought a couple of bottles of some kind of octane booster additive at the auto parts store to try to get by but basically had to really baby it for the next hundred miles till I could put another half tank of 93 in. Sadly what we get here to choose from is 87, 89 & 93. We don't get any 91. And gone are the days when each premium grade step was just 10 or 15 cents more a gallon. 93 is usually about a $1.00 a gallon more than 87 today where I am. That adds up. When prices spiked, I did put a quarter tank of 89 in the XF on purpose to see if it would tolerate it and discovered that it does just fine. But I'm sure its newer, more sophisticated engine management.
@dmg4 I don’t know if you follow Bring-a-Trustfund, but here’s a 2002 VDP in what looks like pretty good shape. I would think the real open question is the timing chain status if the engine was built before 8/13/2001. I had an ‘89 XJ6 (XJ40) in the same Westminster Blue and loved the color. You could reach out to the seller to see if they know that chains’ status or can get the car up on a lift and get the engine number off the block to settle the yes/no question.
Does anyone know what percentage of 2003 production of XJ8 were the Vanden plas trim level? They are scarce even in a national search on multiple sites. I've finally found a really nicely pampered 2003 XJ8 base model that's affordable, relatively low mileage (74K), good user history, FL origin and garaged since moving to PA and never driven in winter, plus it is British Racing Green and the paint shines like the sun, and I can drive to see it in 4 hrs, and drive it home. So, I may just back off on the Vanden plas search and buy this one. A 2003 Vanden plas may appear moments after I register this one, but I could always flip it with minimal cost. I'm not getting any younger, and so I'd really prefer to have this car NOW NOW. So, what say the vox populi?
Well, someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse and now I own a green 2003 XJ8 with 73K on the clock. I am happy. Drove down to Hershey PA to inspect he car and pay for it. Today is off to the DMV for plates, and sometime between Tuesday and Thursday of this week, I'll drive down with a friend to Hershey to pick it up for return drive to Geneva NY.
The headliner will need to be replaced. This car is too nice for the safety pin hooptie.fix. I found someone local who is old enough to know how, and comes highly recommended. I need some input on upgrading the transmission pressure relief valve. I'm a certified YouTube mechanic with my own lift, but if the labor required is not several hours, I'd be happy to pay someone else to do that job, as it might also be the time for a complete chance of the AT fluid. Any advice? Anyone have a shop in the area between Syracuse and Rochester NY?
The XJ8 is now in my garage and now the fun begins. The previous owner sold it to me with a list of stuff "I could fix". So, off we go:
1. The actuator on the driver-side rear door is either disabled, or removed and the lock is now manual. A royal PITA. It needs fixing. I found a source for the necessary parts. I just need time.
2. The headliner needs removal and replacement. Seems quite normal for these cars. Found an "interiors" tech with good references that will do the job for $500 in Rochester NY. If anyone is interested, I'll share the contact information after he completes the job satisfactorily: complete removal and new matching fabric. The price seems very reasonable to me.
3. There is a parasitic draw of 0.26 A on the bigass battery (despite size, it's dead in 10 days). I'd like to chase down and fix the draw, but the one booklet that would reveal the location and function of the myriad fuses and relays was not included, making it impossible to systematically isolate the draw. And so... 4. Does anyone have a copy of the attached "Vehicle Care" booklet for sale or scanning?
