i was talking with an old man here in AUSTIN TEXAS, he is a retired police officer,assistant police chief!

he said he didnt like Jaguars , the story in 1980s , some people from UK/GB sent an ontorage of a Royal Prince and company, to USA , a stop and parade to Austin TX.

they brought 4 new Jags, three series XJL V12 , and some big tank bullet proof, Jag sedan, V12.

well central TX in JULY aint cool weather, 100*+,, and driving slow in slow downtown traffic , all four cars overheated( of course A/C blowing full tilt), had to stop , steam justa pouring all over the street, coolant burping out on ground!

he the police guy had to open some side streets to reroute the parade, couple cars were left and tow picked up later.

seems jag never really figured out how to cool engines , until FORD took over, and now Ford/TATA cars are finally reengineered things and dropped the V12s altogether.

more useless information about our love childs!!

 

All of my old Jags have struggled a bit coping with high ambient temps....95-100ºF or higher, particularly in stop-n-go traffic. Never actually overheated (in the 'boiling over' sense) but I've oft watch the temp needle creeping upward more than I'd prefer.

The "dummy" temp gauge on my 1995 XJR protected me from worry....which of course was why Jaguar threw in the towel and joined the ranks of others who use such a gauge. Ignorance can be bliss

Cheers
DD

 

Some tales are well embellished. Sorry, Chief, but your story is flawed.
I don't believe that all those Jaguars got so hot so as to blow into the atmosphere or ground. that catch can thing. But, yes, under those conditions, indeed, engine temperatures can soar. You think the official jaguars were poorly maintained and as such got super hot?? Nice (?0 story though...Oh, how did the "domestic" cars fare????


My tale: some months ago, I was having trouble with starters in my lumped Jaguar. swapping them out in my driveway!!! The USPs guy was a friendly sort. And efficient for a change. I complimented him for it. "Those Jaguars are known to be problemsome. I am a Cadillac guy". I replied, Cadilac makes great cars, this Jaguar is Cadilac powered, it is the Cadilac part that is giving me fits". We shared a laugh, He is gone, retired, I suspect.


Carl

 

i thought your Jag was lumped with a chevy v8,(Cadillac version??).

and all i can say is he said Jaguars, espcially V12s. overheat easily,my opinion is they are borderline designed.

excerpt from TWR racing , read it and make an opinion(ofcourse Walkinshaw did not know much about Jag V12. LOL,LOL.

and reviews say that 75/80% of jag V12s went down because of cooling problems, i seen personally at the daytona racetrack.

 

Alas, the thumbnail is far too small for my aging eyes to read, even with my best spec's!!!


And, yeah, one if my favorite sayings is that Jaguar cooling was designed for the fog and cold of the UK.


And, alas, the DOHC in my car succumbed to heat in 2001!! Even thought, I watched the gauges carefully on that hot October day in CA's hot central valley, they lied til it was too late!!!!


And yup, the donor car was a 94 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. LT1 and 4l60e driven.


A great match


Carl

 

I've had Way more trouble with the Chevy parts of Nix than I've Ever had with her Jaguar parts.

That HEI distributor was a Terrible idea! Coils last about a year; in 4-1/2 years ownership I'm on the 4th coil. I now carry a spare cap/coil in the trunk, easily changed on the road.
(';')

 

Mine has a device known as an Optilite. Supposed to fix the HEI issues.
Mounted in front and driven of the nose of the camshaft. Shades of my flat head Ford days. Access a real bear... During the conversion process, I replaced it proactively. the original is a spare.


I have a dim recollection that the AMP and coil can be removed from the distributor cap and mounted in a remote location with an after marked adapted. That heat thing. electronics don't like it.


Carl

 

I figured it was heat related. Every time it's left me stranded except for the first time it was a HOT day.

Last time, not only was it a HOT day, but I had about a 4 mile straight ahead with NO traffic so I stuck my foot deep into the carburetor. When she died, I had enough speed to coast safely for a good mile into the Strip Joint parking lot to wait for the flat bed, the driver of which knows Nix well.

Hence the spare cap/coil in the trunk.
(';')

 

is Texas below sea level? that's why everything is overheated there. Like in the Death Valley, and Sebring in Florida. Just don't go there.

 

Austin TX is around 900 ft above sea level, but it can get really hot.

100+ is quite common in july and August!

west TX goes up higher ,right next to New Mexico!

i belive the highest speed limits in USA are a steady 85mph ,I-10 interstate, but many cars run a constant 110/120mph, and some have been clocked at 150mph!

Hennessy has done over 200mph on rt 130, with road blocked for speed runs.

the problems after runs is plenty of cooldown time, not just pullin in and shut down a hot engine! altho it has to do with the engine designs,and cooling systems!