So, I'm posting a pix of my xjs bonnet in the open position asking if this looks like the correct distance it should open. Personally, I hate the fact that I can't get to the forward components with so little room, ie., I wish the bonnet would open further. I looked at whether my bonnet pistons are the proper length but it appears that the piston part numbers are correct for this car. I do realize that much of the front end work can be done from underneath but I am sorely tempted to unhook the pistons and see how much farther I can open the bonnet before it hits something that it shouldn't and then make some sort of custom bonnet stick that would hold it in place if the wind starts blowing either way. Anyone on here have any experience with this? ..................Mike.

 

No photo posted, so can't tell, but it's probably right. They don't open as much as ideal, to be sure. Unhooking the pistons can allow it to open further, but watch the bumper top as the grille will contact it. For major work, many people simply remove the bonnet altogether.

As an aside, I've been given to understand that one of the reasons the V12 looks so daunting is that pretty much everything's on top, and there's relatively little you need to get under the car for. Assuming you have a V12 of course. Using your car model details as your signature can help in that respect.
Like this:

 

The bonnet just has an awkward opening angle. But that also depends on how the struts are made. Some will open further than others.

 

I found a pair of Tailgate struts from a Honda Civic, gave that extra 1" AT the strut, and that transposed to just enough for me.

The chrome grille "just kissed" the bumper.

Made all the difference to access.

 

To add a question on the bonnet struts, my new to me 95 Convert 4.0, I noticed the left strut is the locking strut while the right strut is not and is a normal gas strut.
Question, is the left strut supposed to be locking AND gas as well? My right is not holding, as I suspect the gas is lost and requires a new strut but what about the left side? Should it be gassed as well as lockable? .....or just lockable, and the holding is done with the right side. What is the purpose of the lockable left side if two new gas struts would probably hold the bonnet like most cars.

 

I'm personally fine with it. If you compare working on front components of the XJS to working on firewall components of some other cars hinged at the rear, the XJS has the advantage all day.

Part of the reason is that stuff at the front isn't that hard to get to to begin with, while access at the firewall is already a pain because its against a wall. The other factor is that the first foot or two of the hood contains little to nothing, so with the exception of accessing the front coil on a V12, there is no reason to work in the smallest gap. On a traditional setup the most inaccessible place, at the firewall, is also the place with least hood clearance.

That being said everyone know its can be done better, The front hinged hood on an '88 BMW is basically vertical, and the rear hinge on a mercedes will do the same thing.

 

I've twice failed to get my bonnet pix on here, so here goes one more time. ......thanks to all for what you've shared so far. I have some good ideas now. ......Mike

 

How did you know I had an 88 BMW 635?

 

Volvo RWD will go more than 90°. Then they dropped it. Ford's MK I and MK II Fiestas had 90° opening front hinged bonnets... Saab was about the same on the 900.

 

And that's only on a pre-Marelli car as well. On my Marelli, both coils are in the vee, and the only major reason to have the bonnet open further is to avoid banging your head on it, or to remove the radiator.

 

That looks about normal, and even a tad more open than most.

 

Hi Grant

Were those Honda Civic Tailgate Struts a straight swap for the Jag ones or did you have to move the bolt anchor points in order to get them to fit?

 

Ooh, hate to be the one to break it to you, but you absolutely don't need to take off the hood to pull the radiator.

It does, however, require either a friend to grab the other side of the radiator or you sitting on the intakes like a monkey

 

Fair enough. I've never actually done it, myself, just assumed it from how much room there was at the top, and reading a few threads where some people suggested it. On checking, however, what those people were suggesting wasn't necessarily removing the bonnet entirely, but removing the struts to allow it to open more fully, though some people also said even that wasn't needed.

I'm pretty sure I'd damage something trying to climb on my engine....

 

You don't need to do either, I've taken the Rad out and then put it back 'single handed' just standing by the front fender/wing

Then reaching over and grabbing it on both sides

Providing you take off the gas struts and then lift the Bonnet/Hood up as high as you can

Once it is tied to something like a nearby tree so it can't fall

Lifting the Rad out all by yourself is dead easy

 

Alex,

My original struts were attached with bolts, and a slippery spacer as only Jag could do it.

The Honda, and most other cars, have a ball stud attached to the car and bonnet, and the struts simply "pop" over the ball.

I went to a wrecker (breaker, junkyard for some) and stooged around until I found what I wanted, SAAB I think, too long ago, or was it Hyundai, no matter, they are a standard thing, just some are easy to remove, some are not.

Threaded them into the Jag brackets, and that was it. The threads were NOT exactly the same, but they tightened up just fine.

Honestly, I did not give the whole process much thought, just removed the old dead struts, and did what was needed to fit the ones I had, simple.

Never overthink a Jag, waste of drinking time, just do what is needed to sort the item as simply as possible. The wheel is already invented, no need for us to get involved.

 

With installing the different struts, does that mean you deleted the locking one on the left side?

 

Alex
There is a maximum overall closed length of strut that the OEM fixings can take before the strut is too long to allow the bonnet to close. And a max open length before the grille fouls the bumper. To find out what these are, exactly, on any particular car, what about doing this:

• Open the bonnet.
• Put a cable tie round the silver rod next to where it goes into the black cylinder.
• Close and lock the bonnet.
• Open it again and see where the tie has been pushed to.
• Measure tie to bonnet fixing length, PLUS cylinder to cylinder fixing length = max closed length possible
• Then remove struts and open bonnet to JUST short of fouling the grille on the bumper, measure bonnet fixing to wing fixing distance
• Order up a new struts to this max open and max closed length from SGS!

Greg

 

No got locking struts at all, maybe we Aussies have harder heads than others.

If the struts are working,the bonnet will not shut on its own. That only happens when they get lazy, and the lazy owner procrastinates about changing them.

Mine cost $25 each, and I nicked the ball studs, criminal that I am.

 

BMW 635 is my second most favorite car after the XJS. Wish I had one. Might be less of a maintenance challenge than the gorgeous but at times frustrating jag.