another congrats from me as well! now you'll be a permanent fixture around here, I assume <- that''s a good thing, learn and share!

 

Buckhead Imports is who services my XJR. I've known Jason for 15 years. They are the best indy Jag (and BMW, Merc) shop in Atlanta. Good choice.

 

Yes, we clicked right off the bat, finishing eachothers sentences, etc. His quote did include all the appropriate gaskets, and spark plugs will be installed free if they look to be original. If she does well enough on the inspection I'll have her towed to Buckhead on March the 7th so they can run though the car, then I fly in on the 10th. Then begins the epic voyage to Amelia Island for the concours, then a Southern route home stopping in Pensacola, New Orleans, Paris Texas (have family there), and eventually back to doo-dah land Wichita, KS.

What I'm wondering is while I got the cam covers off how deep do I go. I see there's plenty of problems with the sliders as well. I don't want to have to do this all over again in a few years when more people start having issues with sliders scaring me into replacing those. I did a valve job on my 1985 Mercedes 500SL in 2002 and I'd rather not go through that massacre any time soon. I could have bought my XJR 4 times over with the money sunk into that car, but I think I'm finally at the point where its running out of things to break... wishful thinking most likely.

The car is joining an eclectic collection. The '85 SL was given to me by my grandmother at age 16. The other currents are a 94 Roadmaster Estate Wagon with the Lt1 V8 and a 91 GMC 1500 Z71 with the 6.2 diesel. This car will likely replace my '95 E300 diesel as the fair weather driver.

 

Dang. SL at 16? My great grandmother gave me her baby blue 78 Oldmobile Omega. Tough for a budding car guy to enjoy that.

 

Ask how much it would cost to replace all timing parts, upper and lower tensioners, chains and guides? are the full kits available at reasonable cost in the USA? The kit runs around £250/$400 here in the UK.

I think it depends on how your guy goes about changing the uppers, by lifting the exhaust cam, or taking the timing cover off. Big difference in time. Are you planning on doing big miles with the car?

 

Good call, if its under $1000 extra I would probably go for it. I don't want to cross the line between fastidiousness and frivolousness.

 

To answer your question that I previously did not address, no, I don't plan to after the long trip home. I have other cars.

 

Amusing day.

I was jarred by an early morning phone call from the auction house working as an intermediary between me and the dealer to report the results of their sale inspection. The car had flunked due to "an engine noise". I asked if she could be more specific, so she put me on hold to possibly get in contact with the person who looked the car over and let me know. The problem: Noise on startup and whiny engine on acceleration. The first had me concerned, but when I heard the second part I couldn't help but laugh. Ever heard of a supercharger?

I gave the seller a call, who had gotten the news and was clearly dejected, and invited him to take the car over to Buckhead (the Jag specialist I planned to farm the tensioner job out to) for a second opinion. Jason did a thorough inspection and drive, more or less acing the car mechanically but obviously wants to pull the cam covers and replace the tensioners, and noted it a bit overdue for its standard oil servicing.

 

that's funny - good news on the report, kind of killed two birds with one stone getting it were you want it serviced, so the deal is still on, even tho it's got a supercharger!!!!?

 

Looks like a great car.... congrats!