Taken off the front doors before and not had issue replacing, but this time I took the hinges off both from the body and the door itself, now the doors close and refuse to open without much fiddling with the locking cables.
wondering if this is a matter of having to get those hinges back onto the door itself at exactly the right angle to close and open OR whether this is a matter of the locking mechanism not liking something I am doing.

 

I too have a small problem with my passenger (RH) front door. It closes smoothly until the last 2 inches then it drops by 1/4 inch. Seems to me like wear in a hinge pin. I can hold and lift the almost closed door by this amount. I don't feel any such movement when the door is fully open. Is there anything in the hinge that is replaceable if this in fact is the issue?

 

Ouch . . . common enough error Aden, but having done so, I guarantee you will never repeat it. All Jaguar hinged panels be they doors, bonnet or boot, have adjustment available at each hinge face . . . ie door to hinge as well as hinge to body . . . this is how Jaguar can provide such close fitting gaps, but does give rise to a smart set of precautions . . .

• first scribe around any hinge plate that is to be disturbed;
• unless replacing hinges, never disturb both hinge faces at same time;
• so, leave hinges attached and undisturbed on either door or body;
• to refit, fasten with hinge plate precisely registered to scribed marks.

OK, that said, I advise as follows . . .

• get helper to avoid paint scratches;
• remove door and each hinge;
• look for unfaded paint for original hinge position;
• fix firmly and repeat for second hinge;
• repeat for other faces of both hinges;
• check fit of door, measure clearances, and adjust.

As I said at beginning, most of us only ever err once without scribing . . . that's why it is emphasized in the service manuals . . . you will now have to rely on unfaded paint coupled with trial & error.

Best wishes,

Ken

 

Helps to drill small holes in a couple of places through the hinges and then put a nail or something in the holes to help align things... but must be done first.

 

that's a good tip Roger.

Same to cat-as-trophy.