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Being my first Jaguar, I figured I should do it right, pick one up in unknown and un-running condition with no keys. Let the fun begin!
Step 1: getting it home
After a long attempt and getting it to start and giving up we loaded the 'ol girl up and brought her home to begin investigating the cause of the no-start condition, finding the following:
1. these cars are really easy to start without a key, though I am now retrieving the ignition and new keys from the locksmith today or tomorrow.
2. no fuel is being pumped to the carburetor - Investigate fuel pump
3. carburetor leaks fuel when float bowls are full
I found the fuel leak to be the plugs on the bottom of the carburetor, less than $2.00 later at the local parts store and some finagling, the plugs are re-installed.
3' of 5/16" fuel line, a small funnel, and a helping hand (to hold the funnel straight up) she lives! if only for 45 seconds at a time.
Fantastic! I always see cars advertised that don't run. Bless you for bringing a beautiful car back to life. Have you looked up the color name yet? The tag has a three letter paint code that you can look up. Always fun to learn the names of the unusuall names. Mine is Cotswold Yellow. Now that I am in love with it a lot of cars look bland (sorry Elinor).
Your car doesn't look at all bad, far better than some. I would hope you got it at the "right price" bearing in mind its non-running condition.
Only thing I'd do straightaway is get rid of that ghastly steering wheel cover !!
The car is, of course, a Series 2 and these cars got a very bad reputation for their build quality. Having said that, most things are fixable if you've got the time, inclination, and can do DIY on cars. As somebody once said to me when I had a Series 3 - "Fraser, these are the last of the repairable jaguars". No complex electronics for a start, and virtually all mechanical parts available. Interior trim can be problematic, but most trim is done using "off the roll" vinyl and hardboard so can be DIY.
Rust is your big enemy, but this car looks pretty good, but some more photos would help incl. engine compartment and trunk with the covers off.
Fantastic! I always see cars advertised that don't run. Bless you for bringing a beautiful car back to life. Have you looked up the color name yet? The tag has a three letter paint code that you can look up. Always fun to learn the names of the unusuall names. Mine is Cotswold Yellow. Now that I am in love with it a lot of cars look bland (sorry Elinor).
Jeff
The color is Green Sand, there was a small can of touch-up paint in the boot along with a small bin of random parts including the original radio!
I picked up the ignition today and began the removal of the passenger side quarter panel, which I found the hardware to be so ridiculously rusty that I stopped and got all new Stainless Steel hardware to replace them with. So while I didn't get a ton done, it was definitely a productive day in its own right!
Your car doesn't look at all bad, far better than some. I would hope you got it at the "right price" bearing in mind its non-running condition.
Only thing I'd do straightaway is get rid of that ghastly steering wheel cover !!
The car is, of course, a Series 2 and these cars got a very bad reputation for their build quality. Having said that, most things are fixable if you've got the time, inclination, and can do DIY on cars. As somebody once said to me when I had a Series 3 - "Fraser, these are the last of the repairable jaguars". No complex electronics for a start, and virtually all mechanical parts available. Interior trim can be problematic, but most trim is done using "off the roll" vinyl and hardboard so can be DIY.
Rust is your big enemy, but this car looks pretty good, but some more photos would help incl. engine compartment and trunk with the covers off.
The steering wheel cover is definitely on my list of interior work! I plan on doing all of the work myself, and with the help of a friend when he's free, and I currently have a lot more free time than I do normally so I'm trying to make sure and do at least one thing each day! I definitely appreciate the simplicity of the car I enjoy DIY projects and working on stuff that makes you think (unless I'm thinking "WTF happened here, wheres the rest of the wiring harness?")!
The rust isn't horrible, but I've definitely found a few spots where I'll be removing parts and sanding them down then painting them to prevent future rust, I also plan on buffing the entire car and polishing it until all the small rust spots are gone before hitting it with a few extra thick coats of wax.
The trunk is surprisingly minimal as far as the inside goes, I had every-thing removed looking for the fuel pumps which were gone except for a bundle wire wrapped in electrical tape coming from the back of the trunk. Also note: all of the wire in this picture coming from the trunk are just hanging there, I have yet to find the other end,
There's some rust on the inner fender, though it didn't seem to be cancerous so I hope to sand it out and run over it with some POR15 or some form of enamel paint to seal it.
The recovery tank has peeling paint and is definitely rusty, though not leaking either, if its not too big of a pain I intend on removing it and giving it a light sanding or sand blasting and sealant as well.
So far (other than locating the fuel pump) things are coming together nicely, tomorrow I should have the quarter panel removed and the fuel tank inspected (as well as checking to see if this car has a submersible fuel pump). This also seems like a nice opportunity to try my new buffing wheel and lay down a thick coat of wax to protect any small rock chips from rusting.
And thank you both for your input, this car is definitely going to be an adventure!
Fuel pumps should be in the spare tyre well.
Remove the spare wheel cover(boot floor) , then behind the spare( rear of the car) remove the rest of the boot floor to expose the fuel pumps. 4 scews.
Fuel pumps should be in the spare tyre well.
Remove the spare wheel cover(boot floor) , then behind the spare( rear of the car) remove the rest of the boot floor to expose the fuel pumps. 4 scews.
there isn’t anything there but a bundle of wires that’s been taped up for years by the looks of it, I found the transfer switch in a box in trunk aswell, I’m wondering if it was converted to another setup or they were pulled out and never replaced, though there are no fuel lines in the rear area either
Like all cars getting on in years, one finds that Charlie Allthumbs got there before you ! However the engine compartment looks pretty well untouched.
My Series 3 was a 1980, the worst year for quality in Jaguar, although the good years weren't good either ! I had the car 14 years and must have spent most of that time doing jobs, and many of them to correct Jaguar's bad assembly and parts.
No fuel pumps to the carbby's. Mayber the fuel pumps are missing.
That's what I'm wondering, though someone informed me some of the cars have submersible fuel pumps so that's something I want to check, plus I'd like to verify fuel line routing since it appears the only fuel lines I can find are the return lines.
Originally Posted by Fraser Mitchell
Like all cars getting on in years, one finds that Charlie Allthumbs got there before you ! However the engine compartment looks pretty well untouched.
My Series 3 was a 1980, the worst year for quality in Jaguar, although the good years weren't good either ! I had the car 14 years and must have spent most of that time doing jobs, and many of them to correct Jaguar's bad assembly and parts.
He most certainly did! theres some weird stuff thats been done to the car but so far everything is reversible.
How did you like their EFI system? I've contemplated making a new intake manifold and going for an EFI conversion but I'm not sure it would be worth it
I'd stick to the carburettors ! The Bosch-Lucas L-Jetronic works OK, but its an analogue system and hard to work out where things are going wrong, whereas this is easy with carbs. Only problem with carburettors is spare parts as they've not been mainstream for a long time now. However, Burlen Ltd make and sell spares for your carbs
Very nice car. A lot good and a lot not so good. Not unusual. But, a solid car to explore fix and enjoy.
Carl
Thanks! I was actually pleasantly surprised to find almost everything at my local parts store! The only thing I have yet to confirm is the thread size for the oil drain plug, before I take it off and go searching for a crush washer. I got one from a cross referenced part number but I don't know if its the right size yet, ill keep looking.
Originally Posted by Fraser Mitchell
I'd stick to the carburettors ! The Bosch-Lucas L-Jetronic works OK, but its an analogue system and hard to work out where things are going wrong, whereas this is easy with carbs. Only problem with carburettors is spare parts as they've not been mainstream for a long time now. However, Burlen Ltd make and sell spares for your carbs
I was thinking of using a FiTech or Sniper TBI style setup, but when I found a handful of complete rebuild kits for the carbs in stock I changed my mind on that and bought those instead!
Originally Posted by LnrB
I'm told that's what love does; makes one Blind to reality! LOL
No worries, you can Love your Yellow car and I'll Love my BLACK one.
(';')
Black looks good too, I'd even go for silver! I found some really nice looking silver XJ6L's, one with a black roof and thought they looked great
Before I go entirely home-made on the plumbing for the fuel lines, does anybody have a diagram showing how the fuel lines were meant to be routed? currently I have what I believe to be my return lines in the trunk and some hard lines under the cab, planning on putting the car on jack stands tonight or tomorrow morning and starting that project
Before I go entirely home-made on the plumbing for the fuel lines, does anybody have a diagram showing how the fuel lines were meant to be routed? currently I have what I believe to be my return lines in the trunk and some hard lines under the cab, planning on putting the car on jack stands tonight or tomorrow morning and starting that project
I can post some pictures of the pumps & plumbing when I get home from work.
If you have carby's you shouldn't need fuel return lines.
I can post some pictures of the pumps & plumbing when I get home from work.
If you have carby's you shouldn't need fuel return lines.
Thanks, I suppose the fuel line I did find could be the main line, but with the being located so much higher than the tank I assumed they had to be return lines. It comes out of the top of the top of the trunk and makes a 90 degree turn straight towards the front of the car and I assume connects to the hard line that comes down near the rear tire. tomorrow afternoon should provide a break in the rain, hopefully long enough to get some quality time in with the jag
04-11-2018, 04:28 PM
1976 XJ6-L Project
