I'd also add, in addition to PB Blaster, two other penetrating lubricant ideas I've used over the years (in restoring a brace of other the marques' cars from the mother land...).

1. Deep Creep. Made by the Sea Foam folks; when PB hasn't done the job, I've sprayed the recalcitrant fitting with this elixr a couple times, let it sit for an hour, and it's usually helped the job along.

2. My own concoction of Dextron ATF and Acetone, mixed in equal quantities, and drizzled onto the said really recalcitrant fitting. But only as a last resort before breaking out the blue wrench and splitter.

Of course, with any of these, be careful (especially with the second) for sparks, open flames, and ensure good ventilation.

HTH

 

Bryan,

Thanks for the tips. With your own concoction, it would also be prudent to avoid any painted or plastic surfaces since Acetone can quickly eat through most paints and can also dissolve many plastics.

Cheers,

Don

 

I have an 04 XKR I wanted to put on new rotors but I could only remove the bolts holding the caliber on half way and it was tough even moving them (with a breaker bar). they were just too tight whats the best way to get them off? Is heat the answer? I tried BP blaster no joy.Thanks guys.

 

Some models have threadlock on the caliper mounting bolts.

The loctite literature states that heat is required to undo fasteners where loctite red has been applied.

One technique is to alternately loosen and tighten the fastener once it has been broken loose to clean debris out of the threads. If you have exposed a couple of threads, then shooting lubricant down the thread is definitely helpful in the process.

This is the X308 forum section. Help specific to the XK is more likely to be found in the XK section.

 

You are, of course, absolutely right. Though, in tearing down more of my other marque's cars over the last decade than I want to think about (let's say that I have a 10x20 storage shed filled with parts for the Europa...), I wasn't worried about things like that...

Advice well stated, if you need to be careful...

 

Bryan,

I've always admired Lotus sports cars, but as of yet I've never had the opportunity to drive one. As a kid I built my own go-cart, and my first two cars were Brit roadsters (Spitfire & MGB), so Colin Chapman's design philosophies have always resonated with me:

“Simplify, then add lightness."

“Adding power makes you faster on the straights, subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere.”


Cheers!

Don

 

For those bleeding the brakes themselves, the engine must run on idle when bleeding the rear brakes, at least on my 1991 XJ40!!!... Just a reminder...

Great thread!!!

 

Hi, I'm a new guy and have yet to read all the guides, rules , regs, and options. Thanks to princemarko for info on brakes. I have a '95 XJS with overheating and locking of both rear brakes.
Replaced rotors, pads, emer. brake pads, adjusted ebrake cable tension, and replaced 32 oz of brake fluid. Still locking and heating: calipers replacement?? Maaster cylinder replacement? Please advise. .


jusaskin

 

Great write up
But jaguar has snookered me, as on a 2011 XK a 7mm key too small and 10mm too big, what now? New pads in hand and I can't get it apart to get old ones off.
Yea, lmao, only after accidentally discovering that a 9mm Allen is needed for the caliper guide pins, I searched high and low this forum but all said 7mm was needed. lol, after completing the project I run across thread "low pads" xkr mentioned 9mm needed front 7 mm rear.
What amazed me most was after 65 k mi, pads were down not quite half and rotors looked great, just faint ridge on the outer most edge and near hub

 

Fast Cat
I have the same wear on my 1993 XJS with about 61000 miles. I wonder if it would be wise to install new pads now,front and rear, and leave every thing else alone?

 

JUSASKIN
I would look to the master cyl as the culprit. You can't compress a fluid so look at your brake lines as solid bars of steel pushed by the master cylinder. When pressed against the caliper cylinder and can't release any cylindar then it is probable the master cylinder

 

well, if all looks good, yes.
I also saved $120 not having to replace the pad wear sensors

 

I think this is the problem I'm having now - those brembo caliper bolts just will not budge. What's the best method or tool for heating these bolts? I dont want to overdo it, but buying a small torch is bound to be cheaper than taking her to my shop just to have the rotors removed and swapped.

 

Please ignore. Wrong forum.

 

do any of you have a pic of drilled or slotted rotors with asteroid wheels?

I am about to buy some rotors and pads and have been thinking about making this change

Thank you,

 

Need to buy my pads and rotors very soon... Anyone with pics?

Thank you,

 

I find this a little amusing... choosing replacement disks based on cosmetics :P

Google wasn't much help, other than a few pictures of dimpled Brembo rotors, but none of them run Asteroids.

If you're doing this for looks only, just make sure you're still buying a quality disk.
If you're doing this for improved performance (deglazing pads, clearing gas/dust) then it's probably not really worth it over a good quality standard rotor. Upgrading to better pads is a much easier way to go.

 

Thanks Grandell if I have the option to do it now, why not? I would never buy the cheap drilled rotors. I would only buy a high quality product.
I have searched google and have turned zero results. I am more curious than anything. I don't believe that drilled rotors would make any difference in the way I drive so at that point it becomes an aesthetic thing. Maybe it gives the cat a sportier look, like the Brembo equiped ones or a E55 AMG.

In the end I'll probably just get factory since my curiosity has not been fulfilled.

Whats the best pad / rotor combo people are using, aside from buying from the dealer?

BTW I was in New Zealand for a couple of weeks. Lovely place!! Wellington is quite the windy city. Chicago has nothing on it.

Cheers!

 

My rotors were stuck on like crazy (R1 Brembo discs). Hammer, torch, wd40, air hammer... nothing worked. Got a 3 jaw puller and hooked it to the rotor, and placed a metal place on the outside of the hub rim. With an air impact i drove the bolt in and it popped off like a gunshot.

 

Silly question, but are you sure the handbrake wasn't on?

It is a good reminder to use some anti-seize goo when changing rotors