I bought the 1985 that I was looking at. 77K miles and everything seemed to work. One thing I neglected to notice before I bought it that this nice low mile car doesn´t have a functioning speedometer. So much for the low miles.
One person told me they need a speedo cable. Another says it´s a speed transducer on the tranny. That sounds more reasonable. Is it a hard fix.
Well now there are four.

panza
2002 S type
1993 XJ40 Sovereign
1992 XJ40 Sovereign
1985 XJ6
2004 Lincoln LS

 

Yes, you have an electric speedo and the transducer is the most common failure point. It's on the right side of the transmission, towards the rear. One wiring plug to undo then the knurled nut and wiggle it out. Piece of cake.


Cheers
DD

 

Thank you Doug!

 

Congrats on picking up a classic! I trust you will enjoy it every bit as much as the rest of your fleet. Don't feel bad about the mileage, I wish mine had more on her....they like to be driven!!

 

Mine has 135k on the clock. Whas is reasonable to expect with regular maintence? 200k? 300k?

 

What to expect from the engine? 200k should be doable with good servicing. It'll need a head gasket eventually if it hasn't had one already. A lot depends on the type of care it has gotten so far. Wear from poor servicing so far can't be corrected with good servicing in the future.

The trans is weaker than the engine. You're on borrowed time as it is

The differential will go forever if you keep the fluid level up.


Cheers
DD

 

I´m making progress with the car. It´s still in the shop. I´ve continued to look at other ones just in case, but this has the nicest wood and interior that I´ve seen so far. The condition of the wood , especially the dash is important to me, since now I unwittingly became a Jaguar collector.
It runs well, but the tune up parts are in miserable condition. Also one gas tank had contaminatinated gas. Water and rust in the gas. The mechanic drained it and is going to drain the other tank.
He thinks he can fix the non operating sending unit by cleaning it up with wd40. He said the fuel tank contamination probably caused it to get damaged and he might be able to repair it.
The speed transducer is indeed the problem for the speedometer and I have one order.
The starter occassionally makes a grinding sound when engaging and I´m going to have the bendix replaced in the starter.
Once these details are handled I´ll bring it to get smogged and hope for the best.
I put the car in my name but can´t finish the registration and change of ownership without the smog. The last owner bought the car in 2004 but never registered it. In April he paid the state $636 in fees to get the reg current and a month later donated the car to Father Joe´s. Pretty strange. I only paid $8 for putting it in my name and in July it needs new registration again for $77. I was super relieved that the papers were in order because I wasn´t about to pay $700 to get the registration set for 2010. What the guy did with the car for the last five years I have no idea. I would assume that even with the non functioning speedo that very few miles were put on the car during that time. The title was signed over with 74K on it in 2004 and it shows 77K now, but I don´t think the guy used the car in the five years that he had it or he would have registered it.
Who knows?

 

you picked up a nice jag..i just hope that slight problem be fixed asap..i also had a slight prob with my jaguar Pinion Bushings but good thing I fixed it already..