So the problem with the oil leaks Lady Mary is suffering from appears to be a bad lower transmission oil coolant hose, part no. CBC4492. This, however, does not appear to be readily available.
The garage says they can make a part to replace it, but before I get that done, I'd like to just check if the real thing can still be got hold of. Or whether it's actually better to let the garage make one, in fact....

 

I am glad you nailed the leak source. The garage can remove the threaded fittings from the old hose and any hydraulic pipe mender can swage them into a new one. I am sure that if this is what they are going to do, their repaired pipe will be as good as or better than an OEM one.
This supplier seems to have one, but often when you enquire, they do not.
Jaguar XJ Series 3, XJS Gearbox Oil Cooler Lower Hose - 15" (CBC4492) - JustJagsUK.com
Also, you could try NAR radiators in Northampton UK. They make them I am sure, as they used to make them for Jaguar. But in reality, a made up one using the existing fittings will be just as good and about 25% of the price!
Products - NAR Group Ltd,
greg

 

Hi Someday

I've had Oil Coolers break on Two of my XJS V12's and have always had New Hoses made up by a Hydraulic Shop and got this done for a fraction of the price of OEM

Where the difference in Quality was completely undetectable and you can even have them done in Braided Stainless Steel for not much more money (or at least I could have done at the time)

So I would have no hesitation in letting a Hydraulic Shop make up any Hoses that I needed including for the Transmission.

At the end of the day, a Hydraulic Hose is nothing more than that.

 

Thanks. I'm tempted to just let the garage take care of it. But they have just quoted me about US$300 for making a replacement, however. Not wonderfully cheap. I've written back asking if that includes installation, because if it's just for making it, it's rather expensive. However, if it can be done fast, it might be worth it.
Terry's Jags has one for $75. Plus shipping （say $50?) and installation charges (say $100??).... Seems to work out cheaper.

 

Hi Someday

OMG!

I only paid around £50 for both Oil Cooler Hoses to be made up and they also did them while I waited in about 20 Minutes.

All they did was cut a new piece of hose to length, put a fitting on each end and then Crimped it in their machine.

I watched them do it and it looked dead easy.

If they charge that much for making a little hose like that, I dare not ask the price of an XJS in Japan.

It sounds like it could be 'megabucks'

 

Yeah, I can see 300 for a garage to do the job. Probably not prepared with material and equipment to do it. So, remove it and replace it.
The labor part at whatever hourly rate it is. Not cheap, I'll bet. And, unless well familiar with the process, loaded a bit for contingency.


And the sublet. Pay the hose shop. Add a profit.


Not to for get overhead. Errand guys cost money and the vehicle does as well.


So, tis a matter of shopping, at least to me.


And, I've no issue with the garage's proposal. Gotta stay in business.
Operating at a loss will not work.


Carl

 

Actually, the car itself wasn't too bad. Like pretty much anywhere else, E-types and Mark IIs cost small fortunes (esp. E-types), but other models are cheap. The XJS is actually at the more expensive end of comparable vintages, and is going up in price. But a standard XJ6 saloon could be had for as little as say $5,000. When new, an XJS cost about US$100,000.
One thing you won't see for sale in Japan is rustbuckets. You won't even see them on the roads. Maybe the odd work van is crappy, but personal cars are always in good condition.

But the place I get the work done at caters to high-end European imports - they work on Porsches, Ferraris, and even Lambos. So prices are presumably at the higher end. Also, from pics of the part, it looks like a bit more than just a bit of hose.

Terry's Jags has no option for shipping outside the US or Canada. So I will probably have no choice. Oh well. I budgeted for these things. But I'm still looking forward to the day when Lady Mary has spent more time in my possession than the garage's....

 

Hi Some Day

Its probably a lot easier to get that done in the UK if you are intending to fit the hose yourself but if that price includes the labour of removing and refitting the hose, then as has been already said that doesn't sound too bad.

Especially if you're not doing the work yourself.

Sometimes its better to earn the Money doing what you do.

To pay other people Money for doing what they do.

As being that time is Money, then if you did the Work yourself, then it could end up costing you far more in the long run.

 

Very true. The price does not, unfortunately, include labour, but I've generally found their labour charges to be reasonable for smaller things - a full sparkplug change, for example, was a lot less than I expected. Then again, they charged like the proverbial wounded bull for getting the transmission in and out.

And you're right about the time vs. money thing. Especially with my levels of expertise. They know what they do and do it fairly well. I know what I do, and do it moderately acceptably. So best we stick with our respective strengths. And the simple fact is that I live in a more rural city, a mere half-million people, and there isn't the range of places you'd find in the big cities.

 

In the words of the song "But just remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a Hose is just a Hose". It is no more than a piece of hydraulic hose with two crimped (but application-specialised) end pieces. Your garage will be sending the old one to a hose place who will cut them off and crimp them to a new piece of hose. I completely agree that as you have neither the time or the tools or the hose place, you have no alternative! But don't kid yourself, a hydraulic hose is nothing more than that!
Of course, now you know why whenever anyone wonders about buying an XJS, the Forum always says "be prepared to do the work yourself, or be prepared to pay substantial sums to someone else"!
You have a lovely car though, so it is worth it for you, I hope.
Greg

 

I thought the quote was "A hose, a hose! My kingdom for a hose!"

Having decided it makes no sense to rush the matter (I was planning on taking Lady Mary to the big city for her first extended cruise, but she wouldn't have anything to actually do there other than decorate the hotel parking area), I have contacted Terry's Jags, who seem to have one, to see if they ship anywhere other than the US and Canada. If they don't, I can get them to ship it to a relative in the States I suppose. It just seems silly to pay four times as much for non-OEM just to get it done faster.
Assuming, of course, that the Jag place replies....

And yes, I did know going into this that I would have to either do the work myself or pay someone specialist prices. I don't mind paying someone to do the work, as I made sure not to buy my car until I knew I could afford to keep her, but I do mind paying them four times what the genuine item costs (not including shipping, mind...).

 

not sure what the exchange rate would be,

CBC4492 | HOSE | Jaguar | | Britcar (UK) Ltd

 

Points:


1. As I understand it, rules in Japan are stacked so as to keep "old" cars off the road. So, many are exported with much service left to "nearby" Australia and New Zealand. RHD as well.


Many are parted with engines and transmissions still very serviceable.
Exported to the USA. Very popular way to fix an ailing Honda or Toyota here!!


2. Yes, a former business colleague and I agreed on the "do what ewer do best". He embarked on adding a cover to the pool in his yard allowing all year around use. I to getting the house and out buildings new coats of paint.


3. I agree on the a "hose is still a hose" analogy. Crimping in new
material is indistinguishable from buying an OEM. Jaguar did not make them in house, they outsourced them1


4. When I swapped in the GM V8 and auto box, the trans cooler lines came with the package. Hard lines from and back. Engine movement accommodated by the length of the line. Too long for my car. So, up front I cut them. The last two 90 turns were done with flare fittings.
flex hoses joined them. Neat looking and do trhe job perfectly.


5. In past critters, I've added cooling in front of the maple radiators.
Flex hose again with barbed fittings. No leaks, functioned just right.


6. I expect that "high end" shop could make new lines from scratch in house, using available materials. Hard lines, flex hose and fittings.


7. But, in the "boonies" in a foreign land, tis an issue. The kind usually solved with money....


8. You suppose that shop would give you an "out the door price"?


Carl

 

Yeah, the vehicle tax system in Japan has recently been amended to include increased taxes for vehicles over, from memory, 15 and 18 years old. Other than that, however, there's no particular system to keep older cars off the road other than the general "get something new" desire of most people. My wife's car is an 18 year old Subaru (which she loves) and while the tax has gone up thanks to that new system, the biannual inspection charges remain standard (not including parts that need replacing/fixing of course). But as older cars (anything over 100,000 km is basically worthless - unless it's an air-cooled 911 I guess) are not too popular mainly as they're older, they do indeed get shipped overseas a lot (in fact that also applies to things like Jags: Brits come to Japan to get rust-free examples). Australia not quite so much, but NZ has no import restrictions so basically any JDM car that meets its safety standards (no older kei cars) can be imported.

I suspect that the shop would fabricate them in-house. And of course, as you say, money will solve most problems. It strikes me that the lack of reply from the shop, too, is probably due to Americans having their Thanksgiving holiday, which I completely forgot about.

 

BTW, consider the fact that a factory hose might have sat
drying out on a shelf for many years. A fabricated hose will
be made with much younger hose.

 

Very good point. Not much sense in buying a hose that's about as old as the original, even if it's not been exposed to as much wear.

 

Still looks like the local solutions are best for you. Clear path to "done".
Favorite and enjoyable word around here.


Carl

 

I talked to the garage about what exactly they would do. It would be a stainless-steel mesh pipe with welded rather than crimped adaptors, designed to take any amount of pressure or heat. The guy said it would basically be the best pipe possible. I told him I'd see if there was any contact from the Jag place in the States and let him know Monday. There's no rush: apparently the noise I thought was a slipping fanbelt on cold mornings may turn out to be bearings noise....

Incidentally, I don't know if any of you are familiar with the Japanese "itasha" concept (Itasha: Japan's Creepiest Car Fetish) but there was a Ferrari itasha in the garage yesterday - though in its defence, it looked like it was more about advertising a company than just sheer bad taste.