Ha...and I was seeing a Honda Ridgeline.

 

It's the special Aérodynamique package.

 

- I installed the famous battery vent tube, since car came without it. Not too easy to be honest. On my battery, the metal clamp with the two bolts falls right above the venting holes in the battery, so the holes had been deformed. At the beginning I thought the tube I bought was too wide. With a little bit of brute force I could "reshape" them.

- I also changed tyres (well, the shop did).

- Finally, I noticed the front windows both go up slightly slow. At first I thought it was only passenger, but both go up in around 4.6 seconds, seems slow (but both at same exact speed?).

The list of easy topics is getting shorter.

 

I've often had a theory the slower the windows the faster the car. Based on junk we all drove decades ago it seemed to work.

 

I found just a spray of silicon around the window frame guides helped a great deal with the window speed….

 

The only true fix when the windows get slow is to replace the channel rubbers. The fuzzies wear out and fall off, leaving a plain rubber surface which is much higher friction against the glass. That's why the silicone lube works, it alters the friction modulus of the rubber temporarily.

 

Siliconespray works awhile. It gathers dust and that makes window move even slower.

 

Window racer makes a window motor module that’ll overcome that pesky unfelted channel.

 

My concern there would be a more powerful motor will be using more current & if the wiring would take it.
Knowing how well you know these cars I'd assume that's not an issue in this case though.

 

Not very exciting in a Jag way, but handy for me. I drove my XJR to the tyre place this morning & got the two tyres on the back seat fitted to the bike wheels in the boot. Got home, put the wheels back in the bike & took it out for 90 miles to scrub the tyres in,

 

I replaced the wiper. Settled for a Bosch twin 530 U, as Bosch website said it was the one to go for this model. My local shop had the 530 cheaper, but could not find the difference between the 530 and 530 U so I listened to Mr Bosch advice.

Now this one is not touching the windscreen at the end of the wiper, but so wasn't the one I replaced, which I have no idea how much time had been in the car. Previous one was from brand called SWF, now apparently belongs to Valeo. Does anybody knows if this is the original one?

Cheers.

 

If you mean the outside edge when the wiper is parked, I've never had one that does touch the screen there.

 

TBH this seems to be a case of "if it works don't touch it". I keep it on my list but I will not investigate further for the moment. I added some silicon spray without effect, come on the car looks new, I 'm not going to dismount the doors for this...right?

 

I used to go for the XK style GJA8962CB to add the little spoiler, but it's been discontinued. Sadly the last Bosch I tried really disappointed, and replaced it with a Piaa Aero Vogue - very pleased with it, highly recommend, and the arm doesn't sit high like any beam blade. Did need to notch the blade to accommodate the longer J hook the Jag arm has, no biggie. Outer end of the blade towards park position never touches the glass for me either.

 

Warm, dry weather. Feeling better. Time to do the fuel pump.

Tank out; removed the exhaust pipe on the driver's side which gave a bunch more access without having to resort to dropping the differential cradle.


​​​​​Uhm. That doesn't look very good.

Pulled the pump and retainer plate out. Poke poke.

That's pretty grody. Scrubbed it down inside with a wire brush, flushed it out.

New pump. That'll do.

​​​​​​Test run successful. Filled the tank up. This pump is very quiet compared to the old one, which I managed to get running and drained the tank with before pulling it out. It was squealing, loose bearing noise.

Strapped the sub down (added two nice chrome marine tiedowns to the trunk floor base) so it can't go anywhere. Works well enough now.

Phil
​​​​​

 

New fuel pump fixed the problem trims.


I'm good with that.

Phil

 

It's absolutely true...new fuel pumps can really make a major difference. Of all the
issues with these ladies...the fuel pump is one of the weakest areas and the one of
the most issues I have seen. The O2 sensor is probably number 2.

 

Philip, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but, you’ll be going in there again at some point. How soon is anyone’s guess. The previous pump likely died because it was starving for fuel. That pickup screen was clogged pretty bad. Your best bet would be to source another tank.

 

The previous pump died because it drew a bunch of solids in and seized the pump up. And yes, it may burn this pump up but I know how to get the tank out, clean it and reassemble in an afternoon now. I've run worse tanks with draw-through pumps so I'll just keep an eye on it and see what the filter looks like- that's going to be a ~1000 mile item until it comes through clean.

 

Let's see, where to start? It wasn't all done today, so here goes. Bought the 2003 XJ8 base model (74K miles, PA car, never seen winter) in British Racing Green a couple of months ago. Since then I have (i) changed the transmission fluid and filter, and installed the upgraded main pressure valve, (ii) changed the air filter, (iii) replaced the headliner, (iv) fixed the rear driver's door actuator, (v) replaced the front driver's door interior door handle and cable, (vi) repaired a door speaker cone, (vii) replaced the missing door clips on the interior door panels, (viii) re-dyed the front seats, (ix)chased down a short circuit that kept blowing a fuse that locked the car in Park, (x) new AGM battery, (xi) flushed the brake fluid, (xii) same for power steering fluid, (xiii) replaced the cracked glass on the driver's front headlight, and (xiv) repaired two thumbnail-sized dents around the passenger-side headlights and repainted the fender.