So a mechanic let me know that the brakes were going thin, so I picked up a set for each end of the car, figured 'how hard could it be?'. Rear end, no problem, new rotors and pads didn't' take very long, but then when I moved to the front of the car the 17mm caliper bolts do. not. budge. I flexed my breaker bad, soaked in penetrating oil, even tried a smaller impact hammer that I can weasel back there. No joy. Any tricks to try before I call a mechanic this week?

And the Whammo- hooked the battery back up and the car turns over but does not start. It reads a bit low while turning over (sags to 11 volts). It feels like no spark but it's turning over almost normal speed (it's always felt 'lazy' on the starter). I figure I should ask since that's beast of a battery.

And last, digging in the drivers door to free up a stuck window regulator I noticed that I cannot get the top of the door panel to release. It looks like there is a fastener in the door handle, but I'm not seeing it- Is there a decent manual anywhere for little repair stuff like that? All I have seen online is seriously sketchy looking PDF files for $15 or so...

Thanks in advance- glad I stopped in - saw some good things to check later!

 

Behind the door handle there is a little round screw cover. Pop this open carefully with a sharp knife or jewellers screwdriver.

Can't help with the others, sorry

 

Are you talking about the caliper carrier bolts? The two bolts that hold the bracket onto which the brake caliper assembly mounts?

If so, they are torqued to over 100 ft. lbs. so yes, they are tight. I put a ratchet on them and then used my breaker bar as a lever, putting it under the frame of the car and applying pressure on the ratchet. I learned that trick the first time I replaced the rotors on my first X308. Whenever a breaker bar alone doesn't work that's what I still do to remove those bolts.

 

Door card removal. Below is a link to jagrepair.com where you can download the Jaguar XJ8 1998 Technical Guide. Page 18 shows a detail of the components.

JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

1. Remove the finish piece behind the door handle. You should see a plug or a screw behind the door handle. If the plug is in place pry it out and then remove the screw and remove the trim plate.

2. Remove the wood trim panel.The photo shows straight tabs that you just would pry the panel off. If I remember when I did my drivers door cable you have to, A. Using a thin plastic lever, carefully ease rear of veneer panel inwards to release the two rear securing tangs.
B. Slide veneer panel rearwards to release front
retainers.

3. Remove the large screw located underneath the arm rest.

4. You should now be able to pry loose thee perimeter connector snaps and then using the arm rest pull the center of the door card away from the door. It is still in a pin and clamp and takes some tugging.

5. You should now be able to lift the door card straight up to remove it from the top lip.

 

With regards the battery how old is it? It sounds like a new one is in order, they need a min 12.5 to avoid electrical issues, like ABS/TRAC/STABILITY warnings on cranking etc...

Are you aware of the 'petrol washing' issue these cars suffer from? - a very common problem. Starting, moving then shutting off, then starting again leads to flooding and loss of compression. The fix is to remove the spark plugs and add a drop of engine oil into the bores.

 

Door card, all the advice you need, in responses above.

Starting sounds like classic bore wash: Sean gave the right answer, but first try this trick: hold the accelerator all the way to the floor and crank it a few times. This cuts off fuel that is washing the bore and allows oil pressure to build and coat the cylinder walls. Sometimes works. But you will need an adequate battery.

If you have an impact wrench, you know about all there is to know about breaking open recalcitrant bolts. Try tapping it to break the rust bind; keep Blaster or another penetrating fluid on it, switch to heavy duty - black - sockets and a bigger, heavier, longer half inch breaker. Not a fan of using the car's weight to break bolts, but at next to last, might work.

Then heat, if you are careful, would be the last choice. You will take it over to a shop and they will reach in and pop it and look at you with wonderment -- not realizing all your sweat and tears had just about broke it open. I had some lug nuts on my 08 RRS/SC that would not give, broke every socket and wrench I had trying to free them up; took the dealer a couple of minutes to loosen them all with a air impact wrench.

 

Door panel - That you all, I thought that had to be a screw hider on the inside of the door handle, but it's been there so long it seems joined to the trim plate. I couldn't get an exacto blade in there. I'll just get a replacement on hand before removing it, on the assumption that I'll need to replace it.

Avern1 - Thanks for the link! I thought I had grabbed that already, but I just have a parts list somehow.

Starting issue - Thank you all, I'll check the petrol wash tonight with a new battery and a jump on standby. I thought that the battery was new when I bought it, but then again the guy was cheap as heck and not very car knowledgeable at all (he destroyed the mast assy. cleaning the car). Probably just a cheap battery that he got from a junkyard.

 

And the winner is: Bore wash!
and a new battery.

Thank you all, there is no way I would have cranked that long (had to be two full minutes), and I had the car backed up to the open garage which now stinks of fuel. But it's all worth it. And I thought my old Wankel hated being shut off while not fully warmed up!