I have always tuned my own cars. Looking at perhaps getting a 2000 XJR.

Is there a hardware/software package out there for DIY Jaguar tuners?

 

You need an OBDII reader. There are many out there. Some will sit in the cabin so you can see what is going on in real time. There is an Android app called Torque that you can run on an android phone or tablet and connect to the OBDII port on the car via blue tooth. There is also the UltraGauge that plugs in. Check around, there is info on here somewhere in the archives. There are more expensive options that will read body processor codes, and ABS codes, and maybe even climate control codes. But, you need an OBDII reader to read codes and reset them.

 

Thanks Jimmy, That will just allow me to monitor. I will want to remap the ECU to adjust fueling and timing and such. Curious if anybody has come out with a DIY hardware/software package similiar to what HPTUners, Diablo, Autotap, etc... do for GM, Ford, Dodge vehicles...

 

Welcome to the forum. I think you are being ignored because the concept of a tune up, in the traditional sense, does not really apply any more. Oil and filters, coolant need changing on a routine basis, and the half shafts have grease fittings. The plugs are good for 80K mi or so. Not much else needs to be done unless there is a problem. Just standard maintenance and replacement of bushings, etc.

 

Blackbird is looking to re-map the fuel and spark maps in the ecu. Thats the modern meaning of "tuning".
And no, Blackbird, there have been no DIY tuning kits offerred AFAIK. Probably due to lack of demand because few are interested, and without intake, engine or major exhaust modifications, Jagiar probably got it pretty much right to begin with.
Now, if you are considering beefing up the blower, look for posts in the archives by Avos. He is probably the de-facto expert in the amateur Jaguar performance world.

 

+1

There really isn't any DIY software for tuning these cars. There are a few canned tunes for stock and cars with overdrive pulleys. And there is at least one place that can do a Dyno tune, and there is a fairly recent write up in the S-type forum.

But, for the ultimate performance upgrade check out Avos DIY Twin Screw kit. It is a more expensive path, but will get you AT LEAST 100hp and it just goes up from there depending on how far you want to take it.

 

The cheapest way to do what you want to do......... There is no cheap way..... Not on these cars.....

Unfortunately they are not a Japanese pocket rocket where there are "umpteen" amounts of software packages to allow you to play with the ECU, nobody does one for Jags, the simple reason why is because there is not the demand, this why there are plenty of bolt on goodies, unless you get an 8 then you have had it from all angles unless you spend a small fortune...

 

thanks guys, kinda figured, most I would do is open up the intake side of things and exhaust side and a pulley to up the boost a few lbs. if I could get it up close to 400 to the ground I would be plenty happy.

car will likely adapt ok, but based on experience with my other cars I know it would ultimately be better if I could tweak fuel and spark.

might be for the best so I don't go and screw up what I would get the car for and that is wanting a nice turn the key, put it in D and cruise comfortably kind of car with enough oomph to get out of it's own way and I suspect it does just fine in an unmodified configuration.

 

Unfortunately, 400 to the ground is not going to happen that easily. 400 at the flywheel yes.
My 2002 XJR with 92mm Mass air meter, 3.5" intake, + 1.7 lb upper pulley, 83mm TB and elbow, did 299.4 rear wheel hp on a dynaflow
which would = 365 rear wheel HP on a dynojet. That car ran a 13.2 1/4 mile at 105 mph.
as seen here 2002 Jaguar XJR quarter Mile 1/4 13.233 105.34 mph - YouTube <-- all the noise in the video was being made by the Firechicken next to me. I like my cars to be sleeper quiet The guy I raced was soooo overconfident before this race, but would not even make eye contact the rest of the day after this race. heh

You will find that many of the sellers of performance upgrades for these cars flat out intentionally lie about their results. If they are a professional retail shop, like Eurotek or Eurotoys, etc, they do not have before/after video taped dynos or runs down the 1/4 mile, then there is a reason they do not have the videos or dynos. Anyone can fake a dyno sheet. I have talked to the major suppliers of upgrade parts and they generally talk a good game but quickly "change their tune" and flat out REFUSE to put their "guarantees" in writing as a condition of the sale. A 5 minute phone call with any of them who make these claims will verify this. Just ask for a written guarantee, or at least a video of their product being tested. They have been selling these products for more than 10 years, and every smart phone can record video, but they do not have a single piece of evidence of actual HP gains?? Hmmmmmm....

 

Oh! Sorry I forgot to mention the Water Dragon as a source too...

 

Though my own experimentation, I have proven that the Eaton has a lot to offer, once you understand it's strengths and weaknesses.

The Kenne Bell kit that AVOS has built is a much more expensive, but FAR superior compressor than the Eaton could ever hope to be, and AVOS has a much deeper and broader understanding of Jags than I, as I am just a hack, and not a mechanic.

So if you are going to go big guns, AVOS is your man, or if you want go faster on a much smaller budget, I hope you would benefit from my successes and failures as I have posted them on this board.

 

Thanks WaterDragon. no problem on no 400rwhp, thats what my Firechicken is for (500 rwhp) but I have a problem and HAVE to have more than stock :-)

If I get one, I will open up the intake and exhaust and overdrive the blower another 3-4 psi and see what it gets me. I am good at doing things on the "cheap" that work and will be happy to share my findings with folks.

 

"I am good at doing things on the "cheap" that work and will be happy to share my findings with folks."


Ah, another Jaguar brother with the same aim

This is what makes this such a good board.


If I had to do my supercharger upgrade over again, I would do another 5th gen eaton, but this time try the Stiegmeier Snake bite kit where he re gears the super charger internally. This makes for a very easy mod and + 4-5 psi is easy to achieve this way.

 

I always like to do things as cheap as I can too and then offer the ideas up, I wanted to make an XK8 faster than an XKR, not cheap though but do-able......

But seriously the best way to make an XKR faster without changing the mechanicals to a large degree, dump the ECU for a stand alone system, this of course creates other issues like with the TCM, so whilst you are at it dump that as well, you don't have to go manual just more simple......

Here's a story I have told before but an interesting one.....

Years ago I had an employee, a nice young lad and he decided to go to university and learn Race Technology, good on you I thought and off he went........ On one of his many outings to various high end car companies he took a trip to the Ford Development Centre, there they had a AJ26 supercharged engine on a test bed, my young friend spoke to the guy doing the testing and what they were doing was testing the engine to destruction, basically how much power could they get before the thing went pop!

Now he also said all that was done was the removal (basically not fitted) were the cats, the air was fed externally from a cooler, the internals were all stock and he ran the whole thing from a laptop...... The result was 750BHP before the engine started to undress itself, very impressive I thought....... So what does his mean to us.... Go for as small a cat rating as possible which is probably a 200 cell with a good exhaust system, either a killer chiller or water meth and a stand alone system, then maybe much bigger BHP could be achieved, then imagine bolting on some other goodies as well

Just for fun here is my XK8 engine, I really need to take some newer pics

 

I have Arden additional ECU for 4.0/4.2 SC cars, which is off now since the tune is made for more stock engine. Arden has rated the box as +35bhp ( they dynod 423bph from 4.0 XJR with this box, high flow cats and catback when car was new ). It's optimised for 98 (Europe) or 93 ( US ) fuel. Easy installation. Takes ~2h. If anybody needs such a box, just PM me. It's ARDEN - it's not cheap But it works without any question.

 

NIIIIICE!

My "XJ8" IS faster than most XJRs, but that is mostly because I changed the rear badge from XJR to XJ8......because I am a sneaky *#%^@&!