Hello, I would like to briefly introduce my current project, an XJR from 2000 as a future daily driver in addition to my other cars. The new XJR is almost rust free, has 166000km run and gets a new rear bumper (because of a crack) and a new front hood without leaper. She was cheap (under 4000Euros), but needs care (especially complete inspection and tensioners). Drove her home about 250km on german autobahns with speed up to 240km/h without any problems, strong, smooth shifting, no noises in or out, no sagging headliner.

My main problem currently is the instrument panel. After low voltage and defective battery, it shows all warning lights at the same time and the rev-pointer wobbles with a rattling noise at regular intervals. Speedometer, tachometer and temperature display are only sporadically active. In addition, false error message "low brake fuid". The car drives and shifts normally, all electrical functions work except the heated rear window. User Jim Lombardi had posted here years ago in his very usefull contribution a video that represents almost exactly my problem and he needed a new instrument panel. Battery in my new XJR is new and fully charged, I have not read out errors because I am missing the correct unit so far.

My VCATS number for the IPK is LJD4300LC/301 from my LHD from 03/2000; apparently this number is extremely rare. I am searching worldwide for a used instrument panel and have now found a panel of the same year with the number LJD4300HC/304 from a 03/2000 RHD non-supercharged XJ8.
What are the chances that this RHD panel will fit? Can I damage anything if I connect it for a test?
Best regards from Cologne, stay well,
bernd

Edit: here are some pictures, including the warning lights in the instrumet panel:

 

Info TSB

 

Thank you,Bob - forgot to mention that my car is not in the VIN-range of "your" TSB, that I found and studied already. Thanks for your help, as soon as I have the panel out, I will nevertheless doublecheck the soldering points!

bernd

 

If you have to install instrument cluster from another car (with /304), and if it does not work correctly, you may be able to find an instrument specialist who can transfer all stored info in the EEPROM of your original unit into the EEPROM of the /304 unit. Some have done it and reported good results.

As an alternative (I do not know if it will work), you can simply remove the EEPROM from the /304 and solder-in the EEPROM from the original unit. The EEPROMS are usually tiny 8-legged surface mount chips and should have their number starting with "93", like BR93G56FJ or 93C56SI etc., so you should be able to identify it on the cluster's PC board.

I have done a similar job on a spare radio for my Saab 9-5. This radio was removed from another Saab without "divorcing" it from the car (with the Saab scanner) so it was useless, i.e. could not be "married" to another Saab. In this case, I did not use the EEPROM from my original radio as the radio is good but I just bought a new blank EEPROM, replaced the EEPROM of the spare radio with this blank, and it made it programmable to my Saab. I now have two radios programmed to my car so it will be easy to swap them if needed.

 

Unfortunately these instrument experts here do not know much of older Jags. So far I have not found an able professional. Thanks anyway.

Has anyone here already inserted a cluster from a RHD Car into a LHD car? And: does the XJR need a specific cluster because of the adaptive suspension CATS or is a cluster from a "normal" version also correct?

 

you need a cluster from a supercharged car, other than the obvious supercharged text under the tach, I've heard using the NA one will throw an incorrect part fitted warning.

 

Thank you, that ist what I am afraid of. It could well be, that the adaptive system somehow needs an information from the instrument pack/speedometer - although I believe that I have read here a posting, where someone hast tried this with success. But I can not find it...

 

Good luck with the repair, I am sorry I can't offer any assistance but that car is a diamond in the rough!

 

Update (but no solution) related to the TSB: took out the instrument cluster today, although my car is out of the mentioned VIN Range in the TSB. Actually the cluster is the new version (backplate with "M"). The possible soldering area looks different and has obviously also been modified. There are no points as close together as in the TSB .





Thanks anyway!

 

Quick update: an exact match (software version) of an used instrument panel fixed all the warning lights issues of my daily driver XJR. And, also done: painted hood (without leaper) and rear bumper.

 

Great paint and nice color car look beautiful I have same color same wheels but gray wheels

 

Hi colleagues, todays project: new coolant reservoir and new valve cover gaskets. Plus: checking the (secondary) tensioners. What version are these tensioners shown below?










Thanks in advance, as always!

 

your secondaries were already changed several years ago. those are the current tsubaki version, made in 2004.

you’re good to go

 

Thanks for the quick confirmation. Unfortunately my predecessor only changed the secondary tensioners. These were my main concern - but I will do the rest (chains, guides, primaries) in the future also.

 

Today another drive on the highway with speed up to 250km/h (up to the limiter). In front of my garage sweet smell of coolant, quick check: the new coolant tank is OK, but the hoses under the tank next to the throttle body look a little wet. A little bit of touching/feeling here and there and the little hose of the three way connector broke off. Not very easy to reach, but doable. Partnumber is NNE3944BA, hope that my Jaguar dealer only about 5kilometers away will have the part ready to install again. Price should be about 10 Dollar (8 Euros). Lucky, that it broke off at home...