Most of the jaguar tasks assigned for up on ramps work went well.


Remaining:


1. Out board lamps to 7".


2. Restore instrument lighting. The gauges. Speedo, tach, volts, etc.


I ID'd the fuse in the driver scuttle. I noted one from the right shared with the backups. I out smarted myself. If the backup's light up in reverse, the fuse is good. Added another chock. Don't ask. Yup, they light up in R, just fine. alone, so no observer to assist.


Ugh, just mebbe, I found another ign on source when I installed the XJS tower!! Inconclusive. Realized after car was off the ramps, and scuttle lid closed up.


OK, let's look at the rear of the dimmer rheostat. Trip computer came out easily. Can't palpitate the connectors at the switch. Got the knob off. I was a bit concerned, I'd bust something. It does fit tight, but off it came.
So, wet it down in contact cleaner. No change.


But, as long it was up, I vacuumed the driver foot well. It sure did need it.


Put car in the street. whacked some weeds along and in the drive. Fired up the electric leaf blower. swept the breezeway, porch, garage and driveway.


Put many tools away.


Gotta research, how to remove the dimmer from the fascia for "service'
of some type


Done for today....


Carl

 

As I recall the dimmer rheostat is held on from behind with a nut. I don't see any way of removing it without removing the panel.

You might be able direct a few streams of electrical contact cleaner into the rheostat in situ, via the trip computer opening. Might help, might not

IMHO the dimmer just lets us choose from too dim to very very dim. I just jump all the wires together....which inevitably brightens the bulbs to a decent level. Of course, then there's no adjustment or turning them entirely off, either.

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks, Doug.


I did give the rheostat a copious dose of contact cleaner via the trip computer opening. Nada!


My effort to ID the two wires, I expect at the rheostat either by eyeball or by fingers flopped. Can't tell which are TC and I know one red one is a hot I moved into the passenger scuttle to power the Dakota Digital pulse converter for the speedo signal.


SO;


1. Back to the fuse box, no deducing, remove it, test it and the clips.
2. Go to S57 and ID the color codes for the instrument lamps. Snip then and join them by solder or connector.
3. ID the lamp wire and splice it into my known red hot with ignition on wire.


However, take a day off and ruminate some more. Mebbe even a bit more exercise on the contact cleaner soaked rheostat. Albeit, it just doesn't "feel right". It may be just 'done for". That heat thing. After
all rheostats are merely variable resistors. Heat just a part of the function.


lights, not laights!!! I can spell, merely clumsy fingers.


Carl

 

The great enlightenment!!!!


I spent some time in the shop yesterday AM. Headlamps in random response again!!! Removed each fuse, examined it carefully. Gave each clip a shot of contact cleaner. Replaced the fuse and rolled each in it's holder a few times. to get a wiping action. Back to OK Lights respond toe the stalk commands correctly, each and every time.
Probably til the next time!!!


Got out my S57 to check wire Id for the instrument lights. Pulled the
trip computer again. ID'd Red/blue, but not red/white??? Opened connectors and closed them even if they seemed to be TC wires and not lights to and from the rheostat. Minor mess with the fuse in the scuttle. Ugh, need the ramps again...Naah, next time. Put it together again. Lunch time.


Awoke extra early this morning. Dozed off early in my recliner last night!! OK, its dark. Coco and I went out. Parked him on his front tether.


Got out the Jaguar. Wanted to see what my fresh Halogens on he inboard nacelles looked like. OK, The H's are just a tad brighter than the old ones!!


Next whim? Do I see instrument lights???? Nope, not a hallucination.
Twist the rheostat. Yup, as Doug describes and as I recall. Dim and dimmer. But, in full bright, I can live with that.


How did I get there. Contact cleaner. Wire fiddling. I suspect the latter, but have no proof circumstantial or otherwise.


Yahoo!!!


Carl

 

After thought.


My son was chiding me as to why I was even messing with the lights
on my Jaguar, if they worked? True, no good answer.


But, he says I might have wire, switch, fuse or relay issues as the Halogens draw considerably more juice. I don't know. Somewhere in the weird world of cyberspace there is a comparison of amp draw on conventional incandescents seal beams and the newer halogen version.


A decade or more ago, I swapped out the ones in my 85 Ford f150 with only good results... better lights, no issues.


Carl

 

More on instrument lights!!! I went shopping in the Jaguar yesterday. One of my stops included parking in an underground garage. Dark, Folks use head lights there. Ugh, no instrument lights. On a whim, I turned the headlights off and then back on again. Eureka, instruments lit up.


Conclusion: That exercise thing. gotta do that with the light switch as well. Hopefully, it isn't going the way of the ignition switch???


If it fuses again, I'll remove the knob and treat it to a dose of contact cleaner. Might do the "fog light mod" at the time???


O'wise, it is pouring.


Carl