Hello, I am not sure but may be in trouble. I finally started working on a 93 VDP I got just before winter. Put a new battery in and attempted to put the code in the radio, while doing that everything lost power, nothing there at all. Is it possible that the radio is connected to anti theft that may cause that? If not maybe I didn't get the battery terminals tight enough. Also is there a trick to get into the trunk with no power??? Any help is very much appreciated

 

Hi Greatdane,

I'm sorry to hear about your trouble. If you can open the hood/bonnet, you can connect a battery charger or jumper cables to provide power to the vehicle. On the firewall, near the row of relays, is a large brass jumpstart terminal behind a black plastic cover. It may or may not have a label attached. You can see it in the third and fourth photos of this photo album (I'm sorry only the thumbnail photos are currently available):

XJ40 Battery Power Connections

Pry up the cover and connect the positive cable from your battery charger or jumper cables. Connect the negative cable to a good ground point - there's one on the inner right fender near the windshield washer fluid reservoir with several wires attached. There may be one or two others along the inner fender with plastic caps on them but no wires attached.

Also, there should be a key hole in the chrome trim on the trunk lid - I can't remember whether the hole is in the vertical surface of the trim or the horizontal surface above the license plate recess.

Cheers,

Don

 

Don,
Thank you, your info will be very helpful. I did try the keyhole on the back, no such luck. This Jag has sat for about a year. I have a lot to do. Do you have any suggestions for a degreaser for the engine compartment and a best practice for pressure washing it? Had a lot of smoke that smelled like oil, would like to clean it and find the source.

 

If you remove the license plate there may be rubber bungs which stop the plate rubbing, remove the right hand own and you can insert a long thin screw driver at about a 30 deg angle upwards towards the left side of the boot/trunk. With a it of fishing around you should be able to trip the boot/trunk latching mechanism.
On my ‘40 I had to resort to drilling a hole

 

Thanks Robman, I can use all suggestions anyone can give. I'm learning as I go.