Hi

The radiator on my 1990 XJS V12 5.3 which hasn't been Started or Turned over since the Year 2000! has a radiator leak. (caused by a flying stone)

This Car has only done 24,000 Miles from new but I dare not try and start her up with the Rad in this condition.

A new Rad is about £400 but they can put a new core in the existing one for about £250 (if I get it out first)

However I do have a 1988 V12 hard top scrapper in my yard, which is literally rusting away but the Radiator on it looks in good condition.

So before I go splashing out £250-£400 for a new or re cored Rad for the 1990 V12 Car which for all I know may well be seized up after 14 years!

I think it would make sense to transplant the Rad from the 1988 car into the 1990 car, so at least I can try and see if she starts.

For all I know, this Rad might be fine and then I can always have the broken one, re cored to keep as a spare.

On the 1988 I have removed the top plate with the steel pipes on top and disconnected the left and right top hoses and the top hydraulic hose on the left hand side (as you face the windscreen)

Next I've got to jack her up and remove the bottom Radiator hose and the bottom hydraulic hose on the left hand side.

Is there anything else that I need to undo that bolts the radiator into the car as even with all the stuff I've undone it doesn't want to move and seems stuck fast.

Or will releasing the bottom hose and bottom hydraulic pipe be all that is required?

Thanks

Ajay

 

My experience is with a 1991 model so some details may be different but, as I recall, if you have everything free on the top end of the radiator all that mechanically holds the bottom end are the radiator hoses and transmission cooler (hydraulic) hose. I say hoses as mine has the large lower hose and a smaller hose teed from the bottom radiator outlet. It sounds simple but it's pretty awkward to get to some of the stuff. I took off the air dam, which helped, but it was still cramped.

Another thing that may make it hard to remove - the foam that surrounds the radiator was pretty well bonded to the radiator and the car on mine.

There were no bolts or anything like that on the bottom of my radiator, only two pegs that go through rubber grommets to secure the base, and I think all the xjs radiators are the same in that respect.

One other thing to consider - the trans cooler hoses on mine have threaded hydraulic fittings to connect to the radiator - I believe older ones just clamp the hoses to barbs on the radiator - but I don't know when that changed though. If your two radiators aren't the same there it may be a hassle to adapt. I put in an aftermarket radiator with different fittings for the cooler hoses and had a lot of trouble finding jaguar compatible fittings to make the hoses.

Hope this helps!

 

Yes that certainly helps a lot!

The Rads look exactly the same to me including the hydraulic screw fittings
the 1990 is on my 'Hydraulic Ramp' so it was pretty easy to undo all the hoses that were underneath.

The 1990 has been on the Ramp since I drove it on there in the year 2000!
and I want to leave it on there, while I do the Rad swap, as the 1988 Scrapper is in the dirt on 4 perished tires.

As such getting underneath it, is a bit of a nightmare, as its so close to the ground that I cannot get my 3 ton jack underneath and so may have to get it up with a smaller jack first.

The Rad that sits in front of this rad (The one with the Tube thing on the top that bolts to the top panel, has connections that are so corroded that they cannot be undone) which is really adding to the problem.

As it would be a lot easier if I could get this out first, as at the moment I have got a radiator 'sandwich' with the one I want to remove stuck between the cooling fans and this other rad.

Its already starting to look like its time to get out the angle grinder, rather than risk damage to the fins on what looks like a good Rad.

 

I recently stripped and rebuilt the cooling system on my 85 5.3HE. I can confirm that the top bracket does hold it in place mechanically. The bottom is only connected by the bottom hose (bottom right) and hydraulic cooler (bottom left), but it also has 2 studs that insert into corresponding holes (just by the rubbers) - these were caked in crap on mine and had welded themselves in comfortably - this may be you problem.


Its a tight fit but to make things easier to work on I removed the bonnet, front grill and bottom spoiler this dramatically improves access. Be very careful when removing the hydraulic cooling hoses - the rad connections are barbed and made of soft copper you will 100% strip the end off them if you use brute force - I used the 2 spanners trick or be prepared to be gentle and patient. You can leave the oil cooler and all other gubbins in place after disconnecting the fan cowl - make sure you keep the foam from around the sides which may well be knackered but is essentially to force the air through the rad properly.

I did the hoses at the same time as they were perished to buggery and the bottom hose in particular was caked in oil, which I understand is pretty common. The single best piece of advice I can give on removing/refitting the hoses is PRETIGHTEN you hose clips before you put them back on so they don't swivel round on you - the required angles for some of them defy even the most sadistic imagination!

 

Good that you have a spare rad, those parts cars are handy!!

As the car hasn't been started for 14 years, I would start by putting a few drops of oil down each spark plug hole and letting it sit for a while. Then try to turn the motor over by hand. If the motor won't budge, you have bigger problems than the rad

 

Hi Allan

I have 2 other XJS 5.3 V12 One had not been started or turned over for 8 years and the other one not started or turned over for 10 years!

I put a battery on each one and they both started and purred like kittens after only 4 spins of the starter.

Unbelievable I know but I'm telling you its true!

 

Hi Tyran

Its been a day of frustration, its taken all day to jack the car out of the ground, as its literally falling to bits but in all the wrong places!

Is the Bottom Rad Hose on the left or on the right, when you are facing the windscreen?

The thing that has really been holding me up is the plastic expansion tank
behind the front wing on the drivers side, its only held on by one hose clip but the blinking thing won't come undone, as it is the only one not made of stainless steel.

And I can't pull the neck out far enough to get the mole grips on it and with this big plastic tank hanging there, I can't get under the car far enough to even see the Rad hose, let alone try and undo it.

I 'almost' vowed I'd never buy another XJS as they are a nightmare to work on and this one is a total 'basket case'

The only thing that keeps me going is knowing what an absolutely stunning Car it is, or at least will be when I have done the rad swop and got her back on the road, though knowing my luck at the moment.

This one may leak like a sieve, so I will test it out before I do the swap, if I ever manage to get the blinking thing out!

 

Ha ha, actually not unbelievable at all Both the V12 and I6 engines are incredibly strong and resilient.

There's a saying I learned when I moved from England to the US, "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes"

I just meant that you might want to be cautious. Trying to crank an engine that has seized or is stuck can cause all manner of problems.

But then again "in for a penny, in for a pound" and "bombs away"

 

Hi Allan

I didn't really have much choice in the matter owing to lack of space to get round the car.

It was a bit of a 'Catch 22' situation, 'darned if I do and darned if I don't', So I did! and managed to get away with it.

I'm sure you will be pleased to know, that I've now thrown away all the Junk! and completely cleared out the garage.

Plenty of room for the Jag now, including Tools and spare parts!