I have an excellent (competent!) mechanic, but the only challenge that prevents my vehicle from a quick return to the road is spare parts. I have some spare interior parts that were given to me by a woman who sold her XJ40 for another Jaguar, but does anyone here suggest certain things that are difficult to obtain either quickly or even at all, or items that are likely to fail, etc.?

 

Hi Phil,

That's a really great question. Over the years, I came up with a selection of spare parts that I kept in the boot in a shallow plastic box. Some of the key items included a new or known-working Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS), new distributor cap and rotor, new spark plugs correctly gapped, Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS), various light bulbs, known working 4- and 5-pin relays, fuses in all current ratings used on the car, 14-inch zip ties, JB Weld and 5-minute epoxy, etc. Also in the boot I kept jumper/booster cables, a roll of duct tape, a rubber strap wrench to loosen the coolant and power steering fluid reservoir caps when they get stubborn, a quart or two of Castrol GTX 20W-50 oil, paper funnels, old towels or a roll of paper towels, and a set of ratchets, sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.

The large images are still missing, but you can see the thumbnails and descriptions of my breakdown kit at this link:

Don B's Roadside Breakdown Kit

BTW, one of the first things we recommend to folks who acquire an XJ40 is to replace the CPS with a new one and put the known-working old one in the boot as an emergency spare. Also, replace all the blue Hella relays with new good-quality sealed ones of appropriate current rating (Bosch, Tyco, Hella, Siemens, etc.), and put a couple of the known working ones in your spare parts box in the boot.

In terms of keeping other spares in my shop, most of the components that fail are still relatively easy to get in a few days, so I wouldn't usually bother to keep extra belts, hoses, brake pads, thermostats, water pumps, etc. But it's not a bad idea to have a new brake booster hydraulic accumulator if you find one at a good price, and if you want to keep the car long-term, watch for good salvaged interior and exterior trim parts, switches and such at bargain prices on eBay. My experience has been that if I don't buy them when they're cheap, they'll cost a fortune when I really need them.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thank you so much, Don! This is very sage advice! I'm keeping a running list of "do's" and "don'ts" / instructions for proper maintenance. I will make sure I cite properly sources before your "Definitive Guide to XJ40 Conservatorship" is published! Of all this, all I have is the Castrol GTX 5W 20 I use exclusively. (Hint: Dollar General became a store of choice when I learned not only do they carry this, but it is frequenly on sale for $4.50 a quart or so, and if you buy on a Saturday, you can use a $5 off coupon. That adds up when you use 8 1/2 quarts each oil change!) Another mental "light bulb" went on when I see the recomendation to replace all the relays. That never occured to me. I have a battery drain that I need to address next, but as the car is always on a battery tender / trickle charger in the garage when not in use, it is on my "to do" list. Could replacing all the relays be the solution to the battery drain?

Off on a tangent as we discuss spares and such has me thinking about tires, I had four General Altimax tires installed a couple months ago, which are adequate as I don't drive more than 75 MPH, I want to keep my '93 bone stock, so I didn't want a set of the 16" Kiwi wheels. As you know, there isn't much choice for the 205 / 70 / 15R size as the market focuses more and more vehicle wheels that get absurdly larger, and also producton and supply chain interruptions. I considered biting the bullet and importing four new OEM Pirelli P4s from the UK as these tires have returned to production (for now) through Borani, but thank goodness I did not. Backing out of the garage a couple weeks ago, the left rear tire made its last gasp when the sidewall was punctured by some very low fencing around side garden. Extremely annoying, but I was absolutely grateful it was a tire and not any damage to body work. Fortunately, I went with the Generals because I could get a replacement the same day, and the purchase had a road hazzard warranty. Also, damage to one of four tires with less than 100 miles of use, replacing only one was all that was necessary. I also had some experience with that car's spare, which had not been used, though needed some inflating with the air compressor I have.

But as far as tires with the correct speed rating, I see that Vredenstein offers these in the USA. I would have seriously considered these but was unaware that this correct size and type was available. Now I know!

As a person who firmly believes in preventative maintenance on a car, especially one that is cherished, this is especially appreciated information. Thank you, Don! With all these helpful answers coming my way you may have to start declining any more gifts of Powerade due to any storage limitations!