I have to say, I'm really enjoying my '94 XJ6. It's as much fun to look at as it is to drive. However, it does look like I have a good-sized oil leak, possibly coming from the oil pan gasket, though I'm not sure. The valve cover gasket also should be replaced, though the bolts for it were hardly torqued down at all...they were finger loose!

Anyway, the reason I was posting was a question regarding the ABS lamp. I started the car up and all the lights flashed and went. I pumped the brake a couple times while it was on, but it made no difference. The ABS lamp stayed on about 5 or 7 seconds after the car started and then went off. There didn't seem to be any problem or difference with the braking ability of the car either. I suppose I'm not very worried, so much as I am puzzled.

EDIT: After some research, I found out that the ABS light will display a few seconds after starting the car while the system pressurizes. This is perfectly normal, apparently.

 

Yup, that's normal
Just a tip for you just in case , if it doesn't go away after 7 secs , turn off your engine ans restart it again . This time it should go if not there is a problem or glitch with your system

 

And if it ends up staying on more permanently it may be just one of the many dirty/dusty old ABS wheel sensors. My 93 XJ40 had an ABS light on for hmm...2 year or so. It was a summer car so it didn't bother me at all. Sometimes it would be on, other times not. By time I changed my wheels out I did replace the two front ABS sensors and that did the trick. Couple months or so later was back on.

Nothing to lose sleep over though!

 

Here's a little tidbit for those of you that have a '90-'94 XJ40 or a '89-'95 XJS, as the ABS/Brake Assist systems are similar. Yes, on start up you will usually see the ABS Lamp for a few seconds, but that is not the whole story. You can be seeing that and assuming all is well when you may be on the verge of a major expense. That lamp comes on when hydraulic ASSIST pressure falls below a certain level. When the electric pump gets the pressure close to normal, the lamp goes off. The pump runs to pressurize what is called an accumulator. That item stores enough pressure to apply the brakes 4-6 times if power fails. [this system works even if the engine is off BTW, it only needs power for the elecrtic pump] If the accumulator fails and can't store pressure correctly, what results is the 6-7 second ABS Lamp on key on [start-up]. When that happens, the only pressure available is what is built up immediately by the pump. That means the pump has to run every time the brakes are pressed. That will cause a worn out pump, which can be a $3000.00 item.
The way to test it is pretty easy, with the key off press the brake pedal really firmly 20-30 times, this will exhaust the accumulator completely. Now start the car and watch the ABS Lamp. On a new accumulator it should take 30-45 seconds at least for enough pressure to be stored and kill the light. If it can't store pressure, that light will go out in the USUAL 6-7 seconds. That's a problem because it will wear out the pump, an expensive item.
Let's see, a $600.00 Accumulator.......or a $3000.00 pump assembly. Not a hard decision for me!

Cheers,

 

I had my '91 XJ40 checked out by a Jaguar service place. They said I need my brake accumulator replaced "soon". Any advice on how soon? They said it would be $325 installed.

 

That's a pretty good price actually. You can test it for yourself as I described in an earlier post. I wouldn't put it off too long if it was me.

Cheers,