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Car looks good and the engine sounds ok. good that the low oil pressure light is off, although if the car is cold, it may come back on as the oil thins out.
That said, I think you need to be a bit systematic here. If you are committed to this car, which it seems like you are, I'd do the following:
1. Check all fluid levels. Oil when engine is off obviously, coolant when car is off and cold, brake fluid for level and color/water %, powersteering etc. If coolant level is low, its almost guaranteed to be a leak as these cars have 40 million hoses, all of which tend to fail after a while. The best way to test that is a pressure testing kit. If it isn't low, use chopsticks or similar to stir the coolant in the tank and to push up and down on the coolant float (front of the reservoir towards the drivers side fender). see if that turns light off.
2. Change all fluids...and yeah I mean all of them. Engine oil, transmission oil, powersteering, rear diff, coolant, brake fluid, etc. Unless you have records of this being done recently, assume it hasn't been. Also, I would grease the rear half shafts.
3. The plastic smell. The area you're looking at seems to be in the vicinity of the electric cooling fans. I'm not sure of the temp where you are and whether the fans should have been running, but a fan motor that is drawing too many amps may very well cause some plastic burning smells from that area. I would pull the fan panel (2 10mm bolts at the corners and the 2 fan electrical connectors) and see if the fan spin freely. You can do a visual inspection as well to see if you see any burnt plastic. With the fan off, even if thats not the problem, you can get a look at the radiator and see if you have some plastic debris sitting in that area or something.
4. The oil on the top of the upper pan. Could be valve/timing covers, crank seals, VVT seals, etc. I would clean this up and check it after a drive if you can see oil accumulating again.
5. Tensioners. If you don't have evidence that they were done. I would really go ahead and pull the valve covers. Its an easy job (start with the passenger side imho) and see what secondary tensioners you have. Plastic bad, metal good.
5. Looks like you have new front upper shock mounts, which is good, but also the easiest and cheapest fix for a suspension that feels worn. If its not that, you may have to dig into bushings, ball joints, or sway bar endlinks/bushings.
Thats a start. During this, you'll likely find more oil or coolant leaks and something else to do (pads/rotors, spark plugs, fuel filter, etc.).
Basically, you can have a car that runs and drives for not much time and effort, but if you want reliable and performing properly, there is a lot more to it.
Thanks for your input. What do you mean by "The engine sounds ok"? Could it be better?
I checked all the fluids and they look okay, except for the oil obviously. At cold its about a centimeter above MIN so I will add a quart or two in there.
I will definitely change all the fluids because some, like the coolant look dirty. But for now it should be okay to drive right?
As for the burning smell; I will do as you say later today to try and see what I can find. Thanks.
The oil on the upper pan; I will also do as you say and update if there are any signs of oil there after.
Suspension; Im taking the car to a mechanic this weekend to see if he can figure something out. I will also ask him to plug the car into that monitor thing they use to see what pops up. Thanks again.
Last edited by ericnunez; Mar 24, 2023 at 12:22 PM.
Sounds right; looks right. Maybe a qt of oil to top off. Air cleaner is super dirty; cheap. Suspension has had work: the upper shock mounts are new! Check fuses for left headlamps; but bulbs are easy replacement. The leak up front looks like a weeping (leaking water pump): easy repair, cheap too (AC Delco), but tough on the back of your hands; if it is weeping, it is burnt antifreeze you are smelling. Drive belt looks good. Top off coolant; top off oil. Use WD40 in the keyhole for the drivers door, then work the key until it frees up. I would bet getting your wheel sensors cleaned will ease up trac control; your tech should be able to qualify that reading the OBD codes. A hard battery reset might also miraculously fix some issues (these cars have a s...t pot full of electrics that can act up . . . a hard reset often fixes many.
Get a chance, add your location in the upper right name block (from plate, CA, ne?).
Looks like a good buy: swapping engine makes no sense to me.
Uh oh guys, this isn't good news is it. Just powered it on and the car went from 1.5k RPMS down to 500rpms in about 10 seconds, then "low oil pressure" "transmission high temp".
The car is losing power on startup. This happened after I swapped out the air filter. It's a cold start by the way. It acts as if it was warm already instantly but it's not. It hasnt been powered on since yesterday.
Update: I just opened the air filter case and closed it tightly and the high temp transmission message went away, however, the sudden loss of power remains.
Last edited by ericnunez; Mar 24, 2023 at 09:09 PM.
Uh oh guys, this isn't good news is it. Just powered it on and the car went from 1.5k RPMS down to 500rpms in about 10 seconds, then "low oil pressure" "transmission high temp".
The car is losing power on startup. This happened after I swapped out the air filter.
Eric, given the car has been parked outside and not driven, it’s not good news but might not be bad news. To start if you don’t yet have a code reader so you don’t have to rely on the car’s messaging, you should. Make sure it can read Jaguar codes but they’re pretty inexpensive. You should also buy an inexpensive volt meter so you can check the state of the battery - these beasts are full of demanding/sensitive electronics and anything less than a good battery in good shape can play havoc. Sometimes a “hard reset” as alreadysuggested above can also clear some codes.
please use the search button and watch some chrisfix videos. it will take you a while to figure out what you're doing, if you need to be spoon fed this is not the car for you
please use the search button and watch some chrisfix videos. it will take you a while to figure out what you're doing, if you need to be spoon fed this is not the car for you
Will check him out, but I'd rather get spoon fed than try to figure things out on my own. I'm not trying to break or ruin anything. Much less knowing the car is fixable and runs. And I'm already in love with the car, no turning back now.
Eric, given the car has been parked outside and not driven, it’s not good news but might not be bad news. To start if you don’t yet have a code reader so you don’t have to rely on the car’s messaging, you should. Make sure it can read Jaguar codes but they’re pretty inexpensive. You should also buy an inexpensive volt meter so you can check the state of the battery - these beasts are full of demanding/sensitive electronics and anything less than a good battery in good shape can play havoc. Sometimes a “hard reset” as alreadysuggested above can also clear some codes.
Yes I believe it has something to do with the battery actually, as yesterday it wasnt doing this. I noticed when revving the headlights dim a bit and so does the power in the car. I believe that little noise behind the dash, whatever it is, is draining the battery. I will buy a voltage meter first thing tomorrow morning and let you know what it reads. Thanks for everything Ken!
Eric: first, thanks for the photos and videos….the car is not nearly as bad as you described! I have owned a lot of Jaguars, an X308 included, and nothing I saw or heard on the videos alarmed me.
I strongly suspect that you have one underlying problem: the battery!
Random warning lights are a known symptom of insufficient battery voltage, as are random failures in the electrical components. You have been given a lot of valid advice, but I would urge you to first put in a new, fully charged battery. Let me repeat: fully charged! Next, do a general servicing as has been suggested: oil, filters, etc. That done, you will be able to properly and calmly assess the overall condition.
Check the fuses for inoperative systems: the left hand headlights….
finally, I repeat that nothing I have seen or heard scares me. Not far down the road, however, is the replacement of timing chains and tensioners, a quite “normal” bit of one-time servicing on this model.
Overall, this is a very attractive car, well worth bringing up to standard.
Well I like to run my high mileage xj without themrostat in summer personally I believe it extend the transmission life on the highway the temp goes down to 170f I like it this way no issues also less coolant leak I run my Nissan no thermostat too 150k Miles no problems except uses more fuel
Yes I'm being serious. I'm no mechanic. I'm not about to mess my car up because I watched a YouTube video telling me to do this for that issue when in reality the car had this issue and now I made it even worse. Logical. If you have a problem then literally just leave. Nobody is making you stay here and respond. Other people are being so kind and helpful and they're giving me hope for my car while you're just here judging everything.
Yes I'm being serious. I'm no mechanic. I'm not about to mess my car up because I watched a YouTube video telling me to do this for that issue when in reality the car had this issue and now I made it even worse. Logical. If you have a problem then literally just leave. Nobody is making you stay here and respond. Other people are being so kind and helpful and they're giving me hope for my car while you're just here judging everything.
Eric, you might want to rethink what you’re saying and how you’re saying it…
You’re not a mechanic but contemplated doing much of the work to complete an engine swap...
You belittle the resources available to you on YouTube and elsewhere saying you’re afraid their advice might make matters worse yet you want to be spoon fed advice here from people you don’t know that have never seen your car…
You suggest that one of the people who has been here for years and posted hundreds of times including giving you good advice early in your quest should “literally just leave”..,
Nobody here is judging you but the street you’re on is a two way street if it is going to successfully take you anywhere.
If you want to be spoon-fed fair enough, but in the process you shouldn’t bite the hands that are feeding you.
Eric, you might want to rethink what you’re saying and how you’re saying it…
You’re not a mechanic but contemplated doing much of the work to complete an engine swap...
You belittle the resources available to you on YouTube and elsewhere saying you’re afraid their advice might make matters worse yet you want to be spoon fed advice here from people you don’t know that have never seen your car…
You suggest that one of the people who has been here for years and posted hundreds of times including giving you good advice early in your quest should “literally just leave”..,
Nobody here is judging you but the street you’re on is a two way street if it is going to successfully take you anywhere.
If you want to be spoon-fed fair enough, but in the process you shouldn’t bite the hands that are feeding you.
Thanks Ken.
Eric, this is a friendly site with sometimes a little good natured ribbing. I did make my popcorn comment but then addressed all of your questions.
If you searched the site you’ll find dozens of threads addressing your question. The thing to do is read those first and if you still have questions add a reply to the thread. That moves it to the top of the thread list and someone will pop in with an answer or clarification. YouTube is also a great resource.
I’d rate myself as a somewhat talented amateur mechanic with a couple years of Jag experience. There are guys on the site who have been working on Jags for many more years and even some retired Jag mechanics. They are here to help but expect more effort on your part.
Hope you get your car fixed and turned into a reliable daily driver.
Eric, you might want to rethink what you’re saying and how you’re saying it…
You’re not a mechanic but contemplated doing much of the work to complete an engine swap...
You belittle the resources available to you on YouTube and elsewhere saying you’re afraid their advice might make matters worse yet you want to be spoon fed advice here from people you don’t know that have never seen your car…
You suggest that one of the people who has been here for years and posted hundreds of times including giving you good advice early in your quest should “literally just leave”..,
Nobody here is judging you but the street you’re on is a two way street if it is going to successfully take you anywhere.
If you want to be spoon-fed fair enough, but in the process you shouldn’t bite the hands that are feeding you.
I contemplated the idea of having someone else doing the swap. I'm not stupid. There is no way I'm doing a swap. I considered it because I want a more reliable engine. Not because this one is too messed up to fix. And yes, videos may be useful to me, but I have no idea where to start or what is causing the issues on my car. Simply stated, I want you guys to help me diagnose what's wrong with the car and then link a video from which I can learn and fix my car. Or, if no videos are available, teach me themselves how to fix the car. I see absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help with every little issue. Like I said before, I'm not stupid. I already tried going on google with the car's symptoms and found nothing AS similar as the major issues MY car has. Some minor issues are easily fixable, judging by what the videos explain. But I can't fix everything on my own. I need help. And knowing that there's people on here that want to help and have my back feels a lot better than me trying to figure it all on my own with videos I THINK are related to the car's problems. I'd rather have someone with experience and knowledge lead me straight to the finish line than me try to get there on my own going the wrong way. I hope you can understand that.
As for pcolpacker's situation, I did not mean to tell him to leave. I meant, IF he has an issue with me asking for help, he is FREE to leave. I never understood why people get upset over something online. If it is bothering you, you have all the freedom to just click off the forum or back away from your computer. There is no need to come here and tell me I act like a spoon-fed child. I'm not. I just want to know exactly how to do things so I don't mess anything up. Would you rather have a teacher teach you how to read and write, or would you rather find a book about reading and teach yourself? We all need teachers and instruction. That is what I am looking for. Not just the materials to learn, like pcolpacker wants me to, but the teachers and instructions as well.
Sorry if I came off as angry, I'm not. I'm just asking everyone here to be extra patient with me here. I don't know a lot about cars, much less a complicated Jag. Thanks.
Last edited by ericnunez; Mar 25, 2023 at 11:36 AM.
We are all patient: often we get hurried and harried. You would be surprised how many times new issues pop up because we screwed up something we were working on. Latest issue: go back to the air filter housing and check your work (like math class!). If any pins are broken to the MAF, you will get a **** pot full of errors, plus air leaks. All your problems are fixable -- if you like the car! But like algebra class, you have to separate the variables! Frustration is one that can easily be cancelled . . .
Again, where do you live in CA? There are some great independents and junk yards with lots of crapped out Jags for parts . . .
Update after adding oil, replacing fluids and air filter.
Hard reset fixed ABS light. Did not fix low coolant and oil pressure message.
Hey guys just added a quart of fresh oil into the car, fixed the air filter, and did a hard reset. Took it to a mechanic who plugged it into an OBM and found no error codes. (Weird to me.) The car still smells burnt sometimes and will sometimes lose power (Will go from 1k RPMs to 5-600 suddenly while idle. The battery WAS discharged and will now be waiting for AutoZone to recharge it. Maybe this is what's causing the loss of power.
We are all patient: often we get hurried and harried. You would be surprised how many times new issues pop up because we screwed up something we were working on. Latest issue: go back to the air filter housing and check your work (like math class!). If any pins are broken to the MAF, you will get a **** pot full of errors, plus air leaks. All your problems are fixable -- if you like the car! But like algebra class, you have to separate the variables! Frustration is one that can easily be cancelled . . .
Again, where do you live in CA? There are some great independents and junk yards with lots of crapped out Jags for parts . . .
Hey thanks for your response. I live in Ontario CA. From what I've seen there is a substantial amount of Jag parts here. And yes! I absolutely love the car. Stunning car
Simply stated, I want you guys to help me diagnose what's wrong with the car and then link a video from which I can learn and fix my car. Or, if no videos are available, teach me themselves how to fix the car.
So just so im clear here, you want people to help a guy with no experience by virtually diagnosing every issue your 23 year old 70k mile used british luxury car has and providing step by step instruction on how to repair anything? Probably want to know exactly which tools you need also im assuming. That is a pretty tall ask given that people have already spent a lot of time and effort to help you. Perhaps you should consider going to car meets near you to see if you can find a more experienced person that can see the car in person and mentor you on repairs...and yes you should absolutely compensate them.
Sorry if I came off as angry, I'm not. I'm just asking everyone here to be extra patient with me here. I don't know a lot about cars, much less a complicated Jag. Thanks.
Patient we are, but in reality no one is going to walk you through every repair. You need to help yourself by trying to figure things out on your own. There are plenty of books on auto repair that will guide you.
Eric, those who have responded to your queries do so because they want to help you. As for me, my long experience with Jaguars has taught me that seemingly complicated issues very often have a simple source.
So I can only repeat this: a very, very likely source of at least some of the issues is your battery! If the battery is more than 4 years old, or if you do not know its age, it is best to replace it with a NEW, FULLY CHARGED battery.
While I suspect that ensuring a constant full voltage will eliminate most if not all of those pesky warning lights, it will not obviate replacement of all fluids, lubrication of locks, etc.
You are getting closer: unsteady idle speed is probably no more complicated than dirty injectors and throttle bore/plate. Run through the last couple of pages on this forum and you will see instructions to others. I like SeaFoam (smoothed my 2003 out in about 100 miles -- one or more injector is spitting instead of spraying due to dirt); Throttle cleaner to clean the bore and plate. No codes means you are not running too lean or too rich to set a code: you are probably leaning out, tho. Carefully check that tube from the air filter housing to the throttle . . . You likely need to clean the MAF (Google it), with MAF cleaner. So you got enough oil, finally; howzabout the coolant. If the coolant is too low, you might be overheating which will trigger transmission faults or a blown head gasket? What did the tech say about the water pump leak?
These cats hate sitting: some new juices and a bit of mileage and they often sort themselves out (or ID a real issue!). Another trick for bringing old cars back to life -- go back to your very first post and reread it and all subsequents -- nothing creates frustration like chasing down rabbit holes . . .
