Next: The climate control (the reader truly has no idea how happy I am to be at this stage).

Okay -- current status on cooling: the AC compressor is seized and its belt removed. That'll be a separate project, probably handled at the same time I have to pull the dash to replace the cracked one and the wood.

Heater:
I turned the temp switch to 85, and turned the fan on 'high' -- then let the car run for about 5-10 minutes. At that point, the coolant temp read (just barely) 50C and there was no perceptible heat coming out of the vents.

So -- an 85 has delanair mk II (if my quick googling is to be held as correct), and I've pulled the diagnostics from AllThatJazz -- can someone recommend some low-hanging fruit to start targeting when debugging the system?

 

Is the climate control system hooked up to the vacuum? I think there are two small vacuum lines in the engine bay on the right side lower firewall/upper trans tunnel that feed the climate control system.

Also, is your heater valve operational?

Is your coolant level correct/high enough?

This is all really really low hanging fruit - I don't know/remember much about the Jag climate control system.

 

First, and this is the easiest first step you'll ever have......

When you select "85" do you hear some whir sounds and feel the air flow switch to the footwell vents? If so, the system recognizes the request for heat and is trying to comply.

Cheers
DD

 

have someone sit inside the car, so you can watch the heater valve in the engine compartment, (at the firewall in the center); Tell them to turn the TEMP knob to 65 and then to 85, watch the valve to see if the linkage below it moves, opening and closing the valve.

But before you do that, in the Series 3, the system will not operate the heater until the engine has reached a good operating temperature, you have to let the engine warm up and stabilize the coolant temp, then the heater will work and you can check the heater valve actuator. If the coolant/engine is not hot, the heater won't heat, you're just running the blowers. I installed seat heaters in mine when I lived up north for that reason. It's better to drive away after starting than to let any car idling, it's not good for the engine. With seat heaters my behind and lumbar are toasty in 3 minutes. Like SAAB says, "a warm driver is a safe driver".

when you decide to replace the a/c compressor, install one of the new re-designed Harrison A6 compressors which are lighter. I have a friend in Australia who ordered 6 of the new ones for his cars and friend's cars. (Fazal, he's also a friend of Doug).

He ordered them from Mr. Jaguar at Porsche Air Conditioning & Jaguar Air Conditioning

 

Outstanding. Post-Turkey, I'll give these a shot.

 

On a side note: how long should it take (in ambient 40 F temp) to warm up with the hood open?

 

I would guess about 15-20 minutes, in my car the thermostat needs to go through at least 3 open and close cycles for coolant temp to stabilize. That does not mean you have to wait that long to get heated air, but these cars have an enormous amount of coolant that must be heated from cold to normal.