Replaced boot lid button 1998 XJ8 LWB. fixing the button was easy. But what a job to remove the housing.The boot housing is plastic. I was a amazed to find that the screws were moulded plastic with metal nuts. These promptly sheared off. I stuck the housing back on with epoxy resin, it seems to be holding. Very surprised that jaguar would use such a cheap component on their car.

 

Especially since the X300 used a metal plinth. Heck, everything 'chrome' on the X308 is plastic. You can really tell how much they were skimping on money. Details...

 

Went to take a 400klm round trip yesterday but felt something wasn’t quite correct, certainly different from a warped disc!
Odd that it happened on Sunday but wife and I were in seperate cars and she forgot to mention that something didn’t feel right
Changed them out today cleaned up the old ones for now and replaced the pads while I was in there.

I also changed out all the coils for new ones from China (because I could)
Old ones will be in the boot for a while just in case.

 

Its for lightness as much as cost. Plastic weighs a bit less than steel

 

My VDP plinth is NOT plastic ...

 

I was talking about Jaguars... Not Daimler rebadgings

 

I highly doubt that Plastic is easier to shape. Metal requires regular press replacements. On the X308 at least in Jaguar form, all is plastic. The grill weighs less as a steel part than the plastic equivalent...

 

Not wanting to get into a war of words but what grill have you of the same model in both steel and plastic that you have weighed?

 

Finally replaced my front/shared muffler with the one I got from the junkyard, no flex joints on the junkyard one but it seems like it will get by without them. Reused the old cat flange gaskets and they leak with the exhaust, big surprise, but at least that's hopefully an easy replacement part to pick up from the local auto parts store. Finally fixed the damn rattle I had though, with the old muffler it sounded like the engine was about to explode itself all over the road, while now it just sounds like an old muscle car with the cat flange leak. I can live with that for now the improvement is already massively noticeable.

 

Had more electrical gremlins recently due to the boot loom getting mangled up and shorting out. Having patched it up a couple of times i decided to start fresh and replace it with a good loom salvaged from another car. As there is no plug between the boot loom and main car loom there was only one option *snip*

Bunch of spade connectors were used to attach the new loom. I also opted to keep the excess cable length in case i need to repair the loom in the future. Having the ability to cut a damaged section out and shorten it will make the job much easier.

 

I compared the X300 steel pressed grill to te standard plastic x308 chrome plated one. For some reason the steel one, which is magnetic and on my car, weighs less.

 

Wow not what I would have thought. Thanks

 

Had a late night Jag fueled E-Bay spree :

Belt Tensioner #NCA7739AE
2 Sets Timken rear wheel bearing JLM1708
Door Switchpack Bulb DBC6244 x3
Wire Mesh Grill Inserts

Also made an offer on a clean SDZ half wood VDP wheel, we shall see if they bite !

Hopefully this coming weekend will prove productive !

 

I
- cleaned and lubricated bonnet latches as right one tended to get stuck open
- greased driveshaft U-joints - took several presses grease each joint

 

Haven't done it yet but I have ordered and already received some more parts:

1x new water pump
3x 1l of Prestone universal coolant concentration (been using this for the last 3 years with no problems)
4x inner door handles with bezels in brand new condition for basocally nothing
4x exterior door handle (want to try something)

Had some fun this morning for the first time ever: key in ignition, turn to start: nothing. Again, key to start: nothing. Thought my battery was dead but every system started correctly. All noises sounded correct. Starter didn't click or so. About 10x turning the key and it started. So I assume it was the immobilizer. Do they go funny on the X308 sometimes?

 

Mine does this sometimes, esp if I'm in a hurry and immediately turn the key to ignition. I've had very good success with turning the key to "on" but waiting until the system check message disappears before turning the engine over.

 

Do that every time I start any car... Wait for the fuel pump to prime and then turn. Didn't want to this morning.

 

This weekend's game plan :

Replace serpentine tensioner
J-Gate & Sport mode switch bulbs courtesy of our very own A.J.P !
Replace the black bezel J-Gate trim that was broken trying to install the ill fitting previously acquired J-Gate bulbs.
Climate Control display bulbs.

 

FYI in case you haven't been there before, those radio and climate control mounts are made out of chocolate, be very gentle with em.

 

Yea most everything in that region is lol. Radio's an aftermarket professional install I shouldn't have much trouble there. Key word being "shouldn't" .