When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I've posted a few questions already, and I'm sure there will be plenty more.... At this point, I wanted to give a kind of update on the journey "so far".....
I bought this 2000 XJ8L for literally scrap price after the PO had left it parked in front of their office for over 6 years (it was a corporate-owned car). All the office guy knew about it was that it had some sort of problem and wouldn't start, and the company owner had chosen to park it and rent a car when they needed something to drive clients around in. I hooked up a battery to it, and managed to get it to light up the instrument panel enough to see the mileage (101,272) and messages about restricted performance. Doing a little homework, I guessed it had a timing chain issue, decided to take a chance on it, and had it towed home.
Upon opening it up, I found the secondary chain on the passenger bank had broken but everything else looked intact. Putting a scope down the bores showed no obvious damage, so I went ahead and started the disassembly process for replacing the chains & tensioners (BRAVO! BlackOnyx for an excellent write-up). Once that disassembly was complete, I pulled the passenger head and found no damage. Nothing but carbon and soot build-up, and the bores look new. So I saved having to send the heads off to the machine shop.
So far, this is what I've done:
Cleaned up the passenger head; replaced all gaskets, seals, etc related to the removal and re-install of the head; replaced the starter (nothing wrong with it -- just easier to get at with the head off); replaced the alternator (same reason); replaced the water pump; new idler and tensioner assemblies, and new serp belt; new thermostat and radiator hoses; new timing assembly with the 3rd-gen metal tensioners; new NGK plugs; new air filter; tons of cleaning, painting, degreasing, .... Here's what it looks like at the moment:
More to follow...
Since that photo, the thermostat and hoses etc have been put back on. After all that, I re-filled the cooling system, changed the oil and filter, and tried to start it. After much cranking I got nothing, so I gave it a shot of starting fluid right down the throttle body. It immediately fired, and ran very well for about 5 seconds til all the ether burned off, at which time it abruptly died. Right now it will only run on starting fluid, so the next step is to get all the skunky gas out of it (it has over 3/4 tank...), and replace the fuel pump, filter screen, and fuel filter, which have been ordered and are somewhere en route. Then once it runs, I'll put new pads and rotors all around. It may need calipers too -- won't know til I have them in my hands -- in which case I'll also put new brake hoses on it. Finally, it will get new tires all around, and I'll finally be able to take it for a drive! To the auto parts store for a proper battery instead of the temporary, wrong-size Optima that I stuck in it.
Other repairs/upgrades going on include upgrading the headlights and foglights to LED. The fogs are done, but I'm still pondering the best way to secure the headlights in the housings (without using gorilla tape lol). The headliner is also pretty much unglued from the backing, as I've learned many are, so I'll be taking it to an interior shop to get that done. Add a few miscellaneous bits like visor clips, a new driver's door mirror, replacing the broken-off leaper, and a thorough detail inside and out, and it should be ready for its new life.
I'll add more as I remember, or add more tasks to make it right...
Steve
When my 99 XJR showed up I had the restricted performance message as well. It was related to one of the fuel pumps (you may only have one) but I also had an issue with the fuel pump relay. More specifically it was with the relay socket. Initially I found a jumper wire that someone had decided need to be in the relay box in the trunk. I pulled that out and the car would not pump enough fuel to start or run (let alone restrict performance). I took the fuel pump relays out and flashed some solder onto the contacts. That gave me enough contact force to pass electrons and everything fired up. With an older car that's been sitting you might need to check the same thing. Of course it cold be the pump or screen or fuel filter and old gas is always a good thing to replace. Good luck with your project!
Fuel pump, strainer, filter, and relay all ordered, should arrive before the weekend. My expectation is that those in combination with some fresh BP Premium will have the old girl firing on all 8. Will update in a few days -- keep fingers crossed.....
Steve
So I have all the parts I need -- new Delphi fuel pump, Spectra strainer, AC Delco fuel filter, and 2 new relays (always have a spare...). Today after work I decided to get a little jump on tomorrow's lengthy work session, and endeavored to drain the 3/4-+ tank of skunky 6-year-old gas. After doing some reading about how to do it "per Jaguar," and a few ways how NOT to do it, I removed all the trunk liner pieces and took a look for myself. Once I got a light up in there, it occurred to me that there is about an inch of space above the pump assembly. I thought, if I can release the lock ring I just might be able to pry the pump assembly up enough to sneak the siphon hose past and drain the tank that way.....
IT WORKED!! It's somewhat of a PITA, since the siphon pump I have basically requires 4 hands to operate -- one to hold the hose in the tank, two to operate the pump, and one to hold the hose in the gas can..... Needless to say, I now have a pair of tennis shoes that smell very strongly of 6-year-old Premium. Wife insisted I leave them on the porch.....
So I got 15 gallons out, and all 3 of my cans are full. I'm thinking about dumping one of them into my van, along with a can of Seafoam, so I can get the rest of the gas out of the tank. The rest of the pump-replacement procedure should go pretty easily after that
With any luck, I'll have a running XJ8L sometime this weekend! Then it's on to brakes and tires.....
Steve
Wow, you must have professional-level technician's skills to be carrying out such an extensive mechanical rebuild of this complex sedan. More power to you! I’m sure that once you’ve got her purring, she'll give you a couple hundred thousand miles of low-maintenance enjoyment.
Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Jaguar capital of the USA, there are hundreds of X-308s languishing in the back of used car dealerships, as well as in the garages of owners too elderly to drive anymore, and a bit sadly, Frankensteined into slammed boulevard cruisers with 22” wheels and garish accessories by the younger guys in the hood who discovered they could pick up a Jag in running order for a couple thousand dollars.
Most of the 308s here will die an ignominious death as yours nearly did, exposed to the elements, which ruins the paint and leather, perceived basically as worthless — the British car's reputation as unreliable was the kiss of death to these cars. How ironic, considering that once their few flaws were corrected, the 308'sreliability was second only to Lexus. And at the same time, it’s been known since the 90s among car buffs that ANY German brand out of warranty is a dicey investment.
I'm on my third X-308, a 2001 XJR with factory-optional Emerald mica paint, and 155,000 miles on the clock. All the miles are highway miles — neither I nor the original owner commuted in it. And it’s almost never spent a night on the street. Despite its miles it's one of the nicest 308s in the Bay Area.
Perched on the summit of the Bay Area's highest point, Mount Diablo, my 2001 XJR with special-order Emerald mica paint
As a retiree with no mechanical skills and on a limited income I couldn’t afford to own this car were it not for my expert technician, owner of a Jag-only shop in Oakland since 1973. (He won’t let me give out his contact details!) The problem is, Juan is nearly as old as I am (68), and I fear he might retire before I expire! No doubt the car will outlive is both.
If Juan retires I’ll probably sell the greatest car I’ve ever owned and Lyft from here on out. Or ride my bike, which I still do, around 60 miles a week.
The planet's oldest Jaguar club is based in San Francisco. If Juan retires I’ll find out through the grapevine whether there’s another honest Jag specialist in the vicinity. If there is, I’ll take the trouble to ferret out a worthy successor to my car's ownership. Hopefully it'll be a young guy with a love of the brand he learned in childhood as I did at age 10, being squired around in my Dad's Mk 2. I’ll introduce him to the owner of that honest non-dealer shop and charge him a nominal price for the car. That's how I would choose to end my life-long love affair with Jaguar.
You sure are right about the X308’s reliability. My XJR is an ‘02 with 80k miles. I’ve had it four years. Once I got some things the previous owner neglected sorted out, the car has been completely reliable. Every once in a while I get the infamous ABS/Trac issue but I ignore it and it goes away for a couple months. I never get tired of admiring the car wherever it’s parked and when I get behind the wheel I always get the biggest smile on my face. I love this car!
IT RUNS!!!
I replaced the fuel pump etc Saturday. Had to remove the driveshaft from the diff to get up there and remove the fuel lines, which was a little added pain, but glad to be past it. Sunday morning I went out, poured 5 gallons of fresh premium in it, hooked up the battery, and she fired after less than 5 seconds of cranking
Settled into a nice idle, but after a few seconds the engine light came on. Plugged in the reader, got P0354 -- bad coil, #4 Bank A. OK, no problem. I kinda figured I'd be replacing at least one coil since they all looked a little questionable when I removed them. So I'm ordering a new set of Eurospares off ebay. Meanwhile, I ran it long enough to fully warm up and burp the cooling system, in the process burning some interesting stuff out of the exhaust (put there by the ground squirrel that was living under where the car was parked for 6 years...). One interesting thing I've noticed, this car runs more smoothly on 7 cylinders than many cars do on their full complement. Can't wait to hear it on all 8!
Steve
Time for another update!
New coils came last week. Installed them, and the car started instantly and settled into a butter-smooth idle. Cleared the P0354 code, and it has not come back. Problem solved...
Also last week the new brakes came (pads and rotors all around). I installed those yesterday. Everything looked really good condition-wise, with the lone exception being a small tear in the caliper piston boot of the right rear caliper. I've ordered a rebuild kit from Rock, and will replace the boot right away.
I still have not driven it, other than back and forth in the driveway while working on it yesterday. It's maiden voyage will be 6 miles for new tires the end of this week. Looking at Michelin Premier A/S, even though Tire Rack says I shouldn't. The only reason I can see is that they're only rated to 130 mph. I kinda doubt we're gonna push it even that far, let alone past...
Meanwhile, this week I'm tending to a lot of little things -- putting the new leaper on the hood, finishing the LED headlight upgrade, re-installing all the engine compartment plastic, putting the hood back on, ..... seems like a never-ending list.
This time next week I expect it will be ready to start driving!
Steve
Steve,
Good to hear your project is progressing along so smoothly.
Can I ask what coolant you used?
I'm setting up to replace all my hoses and pull the supercharger on my XJR and wanted to know if there was a specific coolant that I should be using.
Thanks.
Pentofrost SF is the preferred/approved OE Jag antifreeze, available at most auto parts stores for around $14.00 per 1.5 liter.
Dilute 50/50 with distilled water.
I used Xerex G-05 50/50 premix. Both Amazon and Advance Auto Parts said it's correct. Pentosin is also correct, and may well be what they put in it in Coventry, but Xerex is a lot less expensive..
Steve
Time for another update....
It's on the road! Put new tires on it Sunday, and have put about 200 miles on it since. The only issue that has cropped up so far is a P0443 code after I filled her up with gas. I didn't overfill, so I know it's not the common 'too-much-gas' situation. I haven't checked the 2 larger hoses going to the valve yet, but the small vacuum line is new. If the hoses are tight, I'll probably just buy a new valve and be done with it. Other than that, I'm really enjoying driving it. These are wonderful automobiles........ (seems to sell it short to merely call it a car...)
I stopped by a local park on the way home today and took this pic. I haven't even really cleaned it yet, let alone detailed it as it deserves, but here it is:
Been rainy since Sunday, so it's not "Beauty-shot" clean but I'm lovin' having it not be in the driveway on jackstands...
Steve
09-10-2018, 06:56 PM
Resurrection of an abandoned cat
