With the Weather Set fine for Tomorrow, I was planning to take the GF for a nice day out in the XJS V12 with the Top Down.

Knowing how Chaotic it is on a Saturday at the pumps, I decided to take the Car for a spin tonight and fill up with Tesco Momentum.

To Tesco and back is an 18 mile Trip, which wasn't a waste of Petrol as I wanted to test the Exhaust after making some adjustments, which is now the least of my worries, as I nearly wrote the Car off!

The Trip to Tesco's was Awesome but not nearly as Awesome as the Journey was home!

As on the way home with the hammer down, I noticed a rather Strange Smell and thought it might be a bonfire in a farmers field, except it got worse and then within Seconds a Cloud of White Smoke.

Came pouring out of the Passenger Front Wheel Arch! then when I put my foot on the Brake in order to Slow Down, the pedal went down to the floor and I lost all the Brakes!

Up ahead I saw a line of Traffic, which was crawling along very slowly, where by this time I was down to 50 mph, so I dropped down into Second on the Auto Box and then used the handbrake to Stop Her.

This was exactly the very same spot my scrapper broke down with the very same problem a few years ago.

So when I managed to pull off the road, there were Clouds of White Smoke still coming from the Wheel arch and thought that the Car was about to burst into flames and I didn't have a Fire Extinguisher with me!

It sounds like a Stuck Caliper, any ideas as to what I should do?

Should I replace just One or Both of them?

Help needed urgently please!

 

ive seen so many awesome cars burn to the ground. why on earth didnt you have an extinguisher? theyre not expensive.

about the smell, did it smell like burnt brakes or burning brake fluid? burnt brakes smells like hot stinking metal.

you could perhaps rebuild it. ive never had an XJS caliper apart. you could replace it as well. i dont think replacing both calipers is really necessary.

 

This was just a Test Drive and I don't know what burning brake fluid smells like but I will be buying a fire extinguisher now.

 

I'm sorry this happened to you, OB, but look at the positive side:
You got stopped, no one got hurt, you got it home safe, you're not hurt except for discouragement.

It could have been far worse. We could have heard a report on the International News about some Brit driving an Old Jaguar that was on fire, plowing into a line of cars at a Petrol station; the resulting explosion and fireball wiping out an entire neighborhood, including a nursery school which was just letting out at the time and many parents who were waiting to collect their children.

See how much worse it could have been?
Ya feel lots better now, don'tcha.

Now what you should do is fix it!
(';')

 

OB,
It has to be a caliper issue. So sorry to hear that after all your work!
Matters not if its a blown rubber line, or a seized caliper, your brakes need addressing. IIRC, your car sat for a while? Seized pistons in the caliper is not uncommon. I have read here, DO NOT split the caliper half's, the bolts holding them together are a special, one time use item.
Make the best of it, MOT is over, few more quirks to go! Have the GF take YOU out, play the sympathy card! SOMETIMES it works! Ya never know! ;-) Keep us posted!

 

LNrB is SO right!
15 years ago, I lost my brakes in my 82 HE. Stuffed a Oldsmobile, which stuffed a CRV, which stuffed a caddy!
The olds was a total loss, broke the driver seat mounts! My insurance payed dearly on that one!
The Jag had damage to the headlights, hood and a LOT of scuffs. But it drove after repairing a split line! Not going to change MY ugly bumpers!
Nobody was seriously hurt, but from that day forward, brakes have been priority 1!
You got her slowed in time, thats a blessing!

 

OB

Try, by inspection to determine exactly what happened. In general, I think this is a gypsie's kiss, and you should heed the warning.

My view is that if you have not done anything to overhaul the brakes, then you better do it ASAP. I am a bit of a belt and braces guy when it comes to brakes on a 155 mph car weighing a ton and 3/4. If those brakes have done no work for 4 to 5 years or more, I really think you should go through the system renewing master cylinder, calipers, pads, flexibles and unless perfect, the discs. Someone else can advise about the antilock mechanisms about which I am thankfully totally ignorant. Parts cost around 600 UKP with all new calipers.

As Grant says, do it once, do it right and forget about it.

Greg

 

Will you come and Direct my next Disaster Movie!

It was scarey at the Time but I can laugh about it now!

These things seem to be 'Par for the course' when you drive an XJS

 

The Sympathy Card is something I would never play, or the GF would lose all respect!

I think I'm Starting to 'get it' now, just 'Man up' and get on with it!

Good tip about the Calipers though, not sure whether to buy a new one or two new ones, or buy a repair kit?

 

Yes! and it was quite a 'hairy drive home after that!'

 

You are absolutely right Greg!

I'll just have to get the plastic out (again!)

The Road Wheel was so hot you couldn't touch it!

I was very lucky that She didn't burst into flames but that does explain the strange handling, after the MOT.

 

Yes, after all the fear, terror and adrenaline are gone, in the clear light of day, it's easier to see the Big Picture and how humorous the situation was.

Before last Fall when I got my first Jaguar, I had no idea really what was required to keep one running, except that they had a reputation as unreliable cars and their owners were almost always working on them.

After hanging around these forums I have learned that not only is that true for those allergic to wrenches, but also that it takes a special kind of person to own a Jaguar XJ-S V12, unquestionably the Most temperamental of the breed.

Someone in here mentioned a few weeks ago that owning a Jaguar is like keeping horses; you have to enjoy taking care of them or there's no point. I think that applies to XJ-S owners (or rather, those OWNED by their XJ-S) in spades.

I have no doubt you'll get your brakes repaired, with at least one of your epic tales along the way, for which we all wait with eager anticipation.

As I mentioned yesterday, this group is just plain a lot of fun to watch!
(';')

 

If the brakes got that hot, it is time for replacement or full rebuild of the front calipers on both sides, new front pads, replacement of the involved soft line(s) on that corner, full brake fluid flush front and rear.

That's the absolute minimum. Replacement of all soft lines might be in order.

 

Hi Elinor

I'm starting to think that 'Traumatized' should be my middle name but I'm over it now!

Its all good fun providing that no one gets hurt and it was a bit of an 'ego boost' when everyone just left me to fend for myself at the side of the road and then my Mate turned up in his Ferrari!

Escorting me home while I was using the Hand Brake and he was trying not to Stall his engine!

When we were Safely back at base, he took me for a 'Spin' in his machine
OMG! nuff said!

Though to tell the Truth, I much prefer my Jag! as for one thing the Ferrari has got a heavy clutch and I hate the manual gearbox with a passion, as the novelty of changing gear, wore off a long time ago.

The XJS especially mine! is a very, very, Classy looking motor, which until it nearly caught fire (I've got a 'Big' powder extinguisher now) I much prefer to 'under drive' at 50mph.

I am going to be honest here and say that its a Privilege, to be driving one of 'Browns Lane's Finest' and I really get off on the number of Cars that never seem to want to overtake me!

All they want to do is look at it! and follow along like in some sort of stately procession, no doubt hoping that I will open her up!

My mate in his Ferrari, is a different kind of Dude, who is happy to oblige, at every opportunity he gets!

But with or without his Ferrari, I would rather be me.

 

That is exactly what I have been thinking! as if not the next time I might not be so lucky!

I can do the job for £200 and that's without a discount, so I don't want to spoil the 'Ship for a Hapeth of Tar'

If you can't afford the repair bills, then you shouldn't buy one in the first place!

Although I always like to consider the options.

 

Sorry to be pedantic; was it the car or the GF that you intended taking out with the top down?

 

Preferably Both!

There are loads of these Girls in the 'Nail Bar', every Friday night, so in order to help the environment, I only go for those that are Silicone Free!
(and easy!)

 

You bought a jaguar xjs without a fire extinguisher ??

 

Check both calipers obviously youll need the left side new pads and rotor so you might as well do both I would also do my bearings in the front as well .

 

I've got a fire extinguisher now! and its a great big powder type one!