I have a dark green jaguar xj6. i am looking for projects to do with it. Like fun cool new things not alot of people all ready have. cosmetically and proformance wise. i was thinking about green underbody leds that would be on a classic james bond chrome switch that i could put above the radio but i am on the fence if it would take away its classyness persay. also first day on reforum hopefully not my last

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Welcome, 98kidwith92xj6:
If you plan on hanging around, you should make sure to introduce yourself in the 'intros' section. We try to be a really friendly forum.

Your question strikes me as one of taste and opinion, which isn't bad. But for example, I have always felt that pretty much anything that didn't come stock on these cars takes away from the classiness - even an aftermarket stereo! That said, many of the XJ40s that are still on the road aren't exactly being kept as museum pieces. (Mine is, but I'm a dork.) Lots of them are 'beaters with a heater.' (And, depending on how one's blower motors have held up, maybe not even that!) So, it doesn't make all that much difference in what one does or 'mods' on these cars - so long as you like it and it is safe. If you like the underbody LED look, what the heck. Go for it. I wouldn't… but, to each their own.

Enjoy the car and enjoy the forum!
Scott

 

Hi 98kidwith92xj6,

Welcome to the Jaguar Forums. You ask some great questions!

In terms of performance, the best thing you can do with a Jaguar is to learn to service and maintain it properly to keep all its systems operating as they were designed. Our XJ40s are all at least 20 years old now, so there's almost always some part or system that can be renewed to help keep your Jaguar performing at or near factory specification.

Basic tuneup items are mandatory (plugs, wires, distributor cap & rotor, air & fuel filters, thermostat, engine oil & coolant, transmission fluid).

But plenty of other components are probably no longer operating as well as they did two decades ago (O2 sensor, Coolant Temperature Sensor, EGR valve, etc.).

BTW, the Champion plugs specified in your owner's manual are not only fine, they're really good. Many long-term owners who have tried all the expensive options have come to agree that the Champions are actually the best plug in an AJ6. I tried Bosch Platinum 4s with no discernible improvement in performance. See the Champion vs. NGK comparison test below by my friend Bryan N:

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Jaguar saloon (sedan) suspensions have always been among the very best in the world, but their unique balance of excellent handling and exceptional ride depends not only on the proper upkeep of suspension bushings, but on basic but oft-overlooked things like wheel alignment and tire air pressure. Running your tires at the higher end of Jaguar's recommended range will improve handling at a slight expense to ride comfort: on our '93 I run the fronts at 33 psi and the rears at 36. Having a proper wheel alignment will minimize tramlining and improve steering.

In general, the AJ6 engine is very conservatively designed and with proper maintenance will easily last 300,000 miles or more, perhaps with a new head gasket every 100,000 miles or so. Jaguar straight-six engines are among the silky-smoothest ever designed, but low-end torque is not their strength and is not easily increased. There are a few companies, such as AJ6 Engineering in the U.K., that offer performance exhaust systems and other upgrades for the XJ40.

Do a full transmission fluid and filter change: drain the pan, refill the system with fresh fluid and drive for 20 miles or so; repeat; drain the pan a third time, remove the pan and replace the filter, clean the pan and reinstall it with a new gasket and refill the fluid gradually until the fluid level after a long drive is exactly at the HOT line on the dip stick. Only about 4 quarts will drain from the pan, leaving another 4-5 quarts in the torque converter, so you have to do multiple fluid drain/refill cycles to replace most of the old fluid. The best fluid I have found for our XJ40 with the ZF 4HP24 transmission is Redline D4 ATF, which seems to have the correct viscosity and other properties to function like the Dexron II or III fluid originally specified for our cars. I have not had good performance from Dexron VI, Dex-Merc or other newer "backward compatible" fluids, which have a lower viscosity index than Dexron II/III. Using Redline D4, gear shifts are nice and smooth, but most noticeably, the torque converter in our '93 locks up beautifully, providing better acceleration, much better performance in Sport mode, and better engine braking when descending a hill. You can order D4 directly from Redline or from other vendors like Summit Racing. Don't be tempted into ordering D6 instead because it's "newer"; its viscosity index is lower and not what our gearboxes need. You'll need 3 gallons to perform the procedure outlined above:

http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=51&pcid=9


One easy "performance upgrade" is to check your throttle cable for slack. Over time the cable stretches, resulting in a loss of immediacy when depressing the throttle:

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Mid-range performance can be improved slightly by installing a higher-flow cold air intake, but I'm not personally a fan of the oiled cloth filters for two reasons: a filter that can allow more air can also allow more grit, and the oil necessary to improve the filtration of the cloth can foul the hot wire in the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF). The solution I opted for was to replace the tapered air filter/cleaner housing inlet nozzle with a straight hose, which significantly increases air flow at a minor expense of increased induction noise:

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I don't know if Andy Stodart offers a timing advance Crankshaft Position Sensor bracket that will fit a 1992, but on our '93 his bracket not only improved mid-range engine responsiveness, but also increased fuel economy by more than 1 mpg:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...engines-66536/


Clean your throttle body (TB) and EGR port:

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Clean the electrical connector for your Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) and drill drain holes in the case and flush it with zero-residue electrical contact cleaner:

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Clean all your battery power connections and grounds and service your fuse boxes:

http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1388161991
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1388131684
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1388098570
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1388091656
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1388071677
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1388068907
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1388009913
http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap...?id=1388005692


I've developed a DIY reproduction of parts that were only available in the limited Sport package that tighten up the XJ40 steering a bit. I hope to post photos soon.

As Scott mentioned, please visit the https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/n...-intro-must-5/ and post an introduction so we can know something about you and your car.

And finally, your other question: Green underbody LEDs... Really? First of all, when will you have the time or money to install them? You first need to do all the things listed above. And secondly, wouldn't green underbody LEDs make your Jag look as common as a pimped-out '80s Chevrolet Caprice? Come on, you and your Jag-u-ar are better than that!

Cheers,

Don