Hi all,

Firstly, thank you for the very kind works from some of you lovely people when i joined the forum. I have a few questions regarding my car and i'm sure you will be able to answer them with the wealth of knowledge in this group.

Tyres: Currently the car has Pirelli P6000s on the front and Dunlops on the rear and ideal i'd like to have Pirellis throughputs, as the Dunlops look old and the tread is legal, but worn. The dunlop are 215/70 ZR15 and i've looked around for this size in Pirelli and cannot find them, can anyone help/advise?

Starting: When i turn the key i get get a prolonged grinding noise before it starts. Is this normal, or do i need to change/address something?

Fuel Gauge: It is stuck on empty, so i can fill it up and reset the mileage counter, but is this an easy fix?

Under the carpets (floor pan): They seem pretty sound, with minimal rust, but i'd like to treat them, any ideas?

There are about four small areas of rust bubbling coming through (inch or so diameter), does anyone know the best way to tackle this (leave until rust comes through, treat now and maybe an idea of rough costs?)

Last one, and is pretty trivial, car stereo: The stereo does work, but is pretty poor. Ideally i'd like to keep it where it is and maybe fit a bluetooth enabled one in the boot with a remote control. I would also look at replacing the four speakers. Has anyone done similar?


This is all for my XJS HE (1984) V12.

Thank you in advance for all your help.

Kind regards

Mark

 

For many years now tire manufacturers have been reducing their selection of tires for 15" wheels. Here in the 'States, finding 215/70 tires is easy.... but not if you want a performance oriented tire with a high speed rating. The only choice seems to be the Michelin XWX at about $400 each.

Pirelli may have abandoned the 215/70 size altogether. However, they still make the 235/60 size used on later XJSs...but apparently only in limited production runs so availability might be iffy.

Some go to 215/65 or 225/60 to get more choices. Or move up to 16" wheels.

Lots of prior threads on the subject.


Not normal. My guess is that you have a starter or flywheel problem


Usually it's just the tank sending unit; easy to replace, not expensive.

However, the gauges themselves are known to give flakey read-outs...almost always caused by poor/dirty/corroded contacts at the printed circuit board at the back of the instrument cluster. Removing the cluster to clean the contacts (and add an extra ground/earth wire) is virtually standard practice with these cars.



There are many 'rust kill' products out there that will arrest minor rust. I use 'POR 15' products, personally

In my experience the only fix is to cut out the rusted area, weld in new metal, repaint. It's almost always worse below the surface...so be ready!

Cheers
DD

 

Hi Doug,

Thats awesome, many thanks. We have a Jaguar specialist nearby that can look at the starting issues/tank sending unit. As for the rust killer, i'll head to the hardware shop and tackle that one v-soon. I shall see what tyre options there are for the rear, as it looks like i cannot have Pirelli P6000's, as per the front two.

Thanks for all your help.

Kind regards
Mark

 

I went to 16" wheels for this very reason, I could not get 215 65-15 for under $500 each in V rating, which I had to use because our laws prohibit fitting tyres of lower speed rating.

With the rust in the floor pan - if it's not compromised the structural integrity of the floor pan I would use POR15 rust prevention paint.

As Doug said rust bubbles are always worse underneath, and cutting out the effected area and welding in new metal is the best way to repair. There are alternatives POR15 has a rust hole repair kit that uses composites to repair the section.

 

Hi Mark

Although my Car is a 1989 (Marelli) with a Pull out Radio and yours is a 1984 (Lucas) with a Fixed Radio (I believe?)

I too got a bit 'Jarred Off' with the 'iffy' Quality of the Sound, so I decided to fit a Modern One with 'Bluetooth' as well as all the other Bells and

Whistles, including the Remote Control you mentioned.

(1) Better Sound Quality

(2) Not so easy to Steal as a Pull out Radio

(2) NO Mistake I'm NOT using my Phone when I'm driving, even if I'm only using it to play music (Through a Cassette Adapter) as they are

cracking down on people who they think may be using their mobile phones.

Although I have never fitted a Radio in my life and as such didn't have a Clue about what I should do, I asked myself the question: 'How Hard

Can It Be'

Because the one thing that I didn't want, was some 'Wannabe' Radio Fitter, who may have never fitted one in an XJS or maybe never seen one

for that matter, using my Car to practice their Skills on.

Because I know from past experience on an earlier Car just what can happen, not just when fitting Stereos but also doing Mechanical Stuff as

well.

Which is the reason why many of us would rather 'Walk on Broken Glass' than let a Garage Mechanic within Ten Feet of our Cars!

Apart from the 'Possible' Flywheel grinding noise problem, none of the other things you mentioned are very hard to do, although a 'Shop' may

charge you lots to do them.

And that is money that could be much better spent on Tyres.

Where my own preference would be: Pirelli P600 235 X 60 X 15 although that choice is up to you.

Anyway back to fitting the Stereo.

I bought one off Amazon for about £18 working on the 'Theory' that as I drive a Convertible, any potential Radio Thief, would not want to risk

getting caught while 'nicking' a Cheap One.

When it arrived it didn't feel as if it weighed much more than the little cardboard box it came in and so I thought that I would be a little

disappointed. (if you get my drift!)

So nothing could prepare me for the shock that I received when I turned it on!

The Sound was just so Awesome and of such high quality, that if I were to close my eyes it would be hard to tell that I was not listening to a more

Premium Sound System.

With no previous experience, fitting it was easy although I didn't rush it and as such took my time.

Since I couldn't find any info on fitting one in an XJS I decided to do a Step by Step Guide in my 'Cherry Blossom Restoration Thread'

And this is a Link to the Page that I wrote it up on.

Yours may be a little bit different but probably not by much. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...122634/page20/

 

I installed a Jensen Bluetooth radio that fit in the OEM hole no cutting required.

Speakers - I had a pair of 4" Alpine lying around so I used them in the front. If I had to buy new speakers I would be looking at a set of Full range home audio speakers.

Something like these
Visaton Hifi Full Range Speaker 13cm 5" 8 Ohm broadband / BG13 P Art: 3011 | eBay

Rears - I have used Response 6" bass/mid drivers crossed at 200hz in the original position with separate amp, this provides good bass and pretty good overall sound.

 

Rather than replacing the stereo, I bought a Bluetooth to FM Transmitter. Plugs right into the cigarette lighter, plays your phone and Bluetooth through your existing stereo. Cheap, effective, no wiring required.

 

We've got one of those in my wifes Ford, they are ok, not as good quality as the dedicated BT in my car, and the biggest issue for us is having to constantly re-tune FM frequency on trips, but the Ford has integrated stereo so can not be replaced.