Would like a little help please
#1
10-21-2009, 10:09 PM
Guest
Posts: n/a
Would like a little help please
I signed on today because I am thinking about buying a 1972 Jag XJ12. It is a friend of mine that has it. I know that has mostly sat outside for the last 15 years. But it had all the rust and new outer skin done 15 years ago and a complete engine rebuild at that time with the trans. My questions are as follows.
1. I know they are prone for rust but where and I supposed to look?
2. Sense the engine has not been turned over in 9 years maybe 7 how should I do that in the most correct way.
3. Electical what should I look for?
4. Transmission is there anything that I should do?
5. Replacing all the leather on the seats and reburb the wood dash how hard. BY the way I have all new leather for the seats in boxes for the car if I buy it.
6. Brakes, how should I deal with these? Pull the cal's / Drums apart and clean them and put them back together with new gaskets?
Thanks all on all your input. I just finished doing a few older Mecedes Benz But those are in a class that is different from Jag so I want to make sure when I go over and and look at the car I don't miss anything. I know that this person is the 2nd owner of the car and I am a family memeber and I know that I might get a great deal but I want a great winter project that isn't going to drive me to drinking. The last 2 Benz that I restored was a 71 220 and a 77 450SEL complete off frame in my garage at that house and sending parts out to be media and fixed and primed then brought back. All the engine and drive train except the trans was redone by myself so I am very handy.
Thanks again
Edward
1. I know they are prone for rust but where and I supposed to look?
2. Sense the engine has not been turned over in 9 years maybe 7 how should I do that in the most correct way.
3. Electical what should I look for?
4. Transmission is there anything that I should do?
5. Replacing all the leather on the seats and reburb the wood dash how hard. BY the way I have all new leather for the seats in boxes for the car if I buy it.
6. Brakes, how should I deal with these? Pull the cal's / Drums apart and clean them and put them back together with new gaskets?
Thanks all on all your input. I just finished doing a few older Mecedes Benz But those are in a class that is different from Jag so I want to make sure when I go over and and look at the car I don't miss anything. I know that this person is the 2nd owner of the car and I am a family memeber and I know that I might get a great deal but I want a great winter project that isn't going to drive me to drinking. The last 2 Benz that I restored was a 71 220 and a 77 450SEL complete off frame in my garage at that house and sending parts out to be media and fixed and primed then brought back. All the engine and drive train except the trans was redone by myself so I am very handy.
Thanks again
Edward
#2
10-22-2009, 06:37 AM
Senior Member
Hi Edward. Welcome to the forums! Congrats on wanting to buy the most problematic car in history...lol. I'll answer what I can, and leave the rest for others.
1. FUEL TANKS!!! Remove the bottom rear panels and side bumpers to get to them, and remove the fuel filler lids to remove them. My 76 XJ12 had some serious rust (even had a rust hole in one of the tanks). Removing these will help you in three ways: you'll find out if there's rust, you can clean and check the tanks themselves, and you can get to know half of the fuel delivery system better for the XJ12.
2. Start with cleaning the fuel cells. You might even want to get a rinse that will seal the insides of the tanks before actually putting fuel back in them. My tanks had a lot of rust (as I said), but also had some weird scaling (rust also?) inside them when I rinsed them out. Also, make sure to change ALL the gaskets when you do this. It'll save you major headaches in the long run.
Once you have cleaned the fuel cells, you may want to remove and clean the injectors one-by-one, as well as the fuel rails leading to the engine. When you have the fuel rails off, pump some HEAVY duty fuel line cleaner through the fuel lines that lead from the fuel cells to the engine. When you've done all that (it'll probably take a week to do everything as described above), do your typical tune-up (plugs, wires, oil, etc), prime the fuel lines, put in a new battery, and start troubleshooting it if it doesn't start after about 5 minutes.
3. Gauges, window switches, fuel tank switch, interior lights, door panel light switches (the ones that light the interior when you open the doors), headlamp switch, dashboard light knob (under the dash board, above the accelerator), window wiper lever (right side of the steering wheel), electric door locks, and electric window motors (if your car is equipped). Those were (and ARE) the problem points on mine.
4. I have no idea, because I have a Chevy 350 with a THM350 tranny in mine.
5. Replacing anything on the dash of this car is easy (if you have your Haynes or other manual handy). Almost all of the screws are visible, and of something doesn't come off due to a possible invisible screw is more than likely not a screw, but some sort of sliding bracket type thing (such as with taking the door panels off). I don't know about redoing the seats themselves (never done automotive upholstery), but removing and resetting them are easy, too.
6. The brakes shouldn't need too much attention. The only thing you should look for is that the vacuum and other lines going to the master cylinder are in good working order (once you get the car running). Typical brake shoe/pad replacement should only be necessary.
7. (yea, I know you don't have a 7, but I thought I would put an extra two cents in) If you do ANYTHING with the doors (as in taking them off), make danged sure that you have either another person or a jack and jack stands to put them back on. They are heavy, and will take a while to put back on in the correct position. If you don't put them back on in the correct position, you'll mess the chrome pieces up on the door jambs (I know because whoever did the 350 conversion on mine, didn't get the doors on correctly, and I'm having to redo them to put them back on properly so they sit right).
Enjoy your XJ12, and let's see some pictures!!!
1. FUEL TANKS!!! Remove the bottom rear panels and side bumpers to get to them, and remove the fuel filler lids to remove them. My 76 XJ12 had some serious rust (even had a rust hole in one of the tanks). Removing these will help you in three ways: you'll find out if there's rust, you can clean and check the tanks themselves, and you can get to know half of the fuel delivery system better for the XJ12.
2. Start with cleaning the fuel cells. You might even want to get a rinse that will seal the insides of the tanks before actually putting fuel back in them. My tanks had a lot of rust (as I said), but also had some weird scaling (rust also?) inside them when I rinsed them out. Also, make sure to change ALL the gaskets when you do this. It'll save you major headaches in the long run.
Once you have cleaned the fuel cells, you may want to remove and clean the injectors one-by-one, as well as the fuel rails leading to the engine. When you have the fuel rails off, pump some HEAVY duty fuel line cleaner through the fuel lines that lead from the fuel cells to the engine. When you've done all that (it'll probably take a week to do everything as described above), do your typical tune-up (plugs, wires, oil, etc), prime the fuel lines, put in a new battery, and start troubleshooting it if it doesn't start after about 5 minutes.
3. Gauges, window switches, fuel tank switch, interior lights, door panel light switches (the ones that light the interior when you open the doors), headlamp switch, dashboard light knob (under the dash board, above the accelerator), window wiper lever (right side of the steering wheel), electric door locks, and electric window motors (if your car is equipped). Those were (and ARE) the problem points on mine.
4. I have no idea, because I have a Chevy 350 with a THM350 tranny in mine.
5. Replacing anything on the dash of this car is easy (if you have your Haynes or other manual handy). Almost all of the screws are visible, and of something doesn't come off due to a possible invisible screw is more than likely not a screw, but some sort of sliding bracket type thing (such as with taking the door panels off). I don't know about redoing the seats themselves (never done automotive upholstery), but removing and resetting them are easy, too.
6. The brakes shouldn't need too much attention. The only thing you should look for is that the vacuum and other lines going to the master cylinder are in good working order (once you get the car running). Typical brake shoe/pad replacement should only be necessary.
7. (yea, I know you don't have a 7, but I thought I would put an extra two cents in) If you do ANYTHING with the doors (as in taking them off), make danged sure that you have either another person or a jack and jack stands to put them back on. They are heavy, and will take a while to put back on in the correct position. If you don't put them back on in the correct position, you'll mess the chrome pieces up on the door jambs (I know because whoever did the 350 conversion on mine, didn't get the doors on correctly, and I'm having to redo them to put them back on properly so they sit right).
Enjoy your XJ12, and let's see some pictures!!!