Well since my Government decided to furlough me for a couple of weeks I finally decided to pull the trigger on detailing the engine/bay. I usually get to that on a car ASAP after purchase but I have to say I was a bit overwhelmed by the task so I kept pushing it off. I'm very pleased with the result!

 

Thats looking really nice, and very clean, great job.....thanks for sharing.

Whats next?

 

Thanks Jim, I think that's it for awhile I also did a complete DA rub/polish on the outside and changed out the sway bar bushings and front shock mounts. Winter is driving weather in Florida so now she's ready for the Slalom this weekend!

 

Beautiful, nice job. The air filters look a sensible improvement.

 

Nice work

Cheers
DD

 

Arrrggghh!!! You had to go and post that, now I'm going to have to add that to my growing list of winter projects!!!

Seriously though nice job!

Cheers,

Allan

 

Nice Job. Beautiful engine.
RagJag

 

Thanks all! I've never found the 5.3 to be a particularly good looking power plant (sorry, no daggers please! the 4.2, 6 is BEAUTIFUL! and the 6.0 Jaguar got the V-12 appearance right IMHO) and was shame-nd into cleaning it up by my son at last months cars an coffee when I was challenged by my buddy to pop the bonnet and my son asked if I wouldn't mind closing it! I spent way too long in ownership of this XJS to have waited so long to detail the bay. Another pet peeve of mine is when one pulls up behind a nice car and from the bumper down and fwd underneath it looks shameful or has careless re-spray/over spray on the pipes and muffler! When I buy and clean/detail a car I always set mine in the driveway and pull up beind it at night with my DD'r to see how she looks on the bottom....now that's going too far

 

Yeah, the 5.3s are a bit messy looking. The 6.0 was a huge improvement aesthetically.

 

That's on my to-do list this winter. I was thinking engine degreaser, lots of rags, toothbrushes, and Aerospace Protectant for the rubber hoses and wires. Any advice?

 

believe it or not I used lots of regular old 409 and on the wires and electrical plugs I used very fine steel wool and MAF cleaner sprayed on the steel wool also same for striped vacuum hoses. Anything rubber I used AutoGlym bumper care, amazing stuff. Mr clean magic erasers work wonders too. I also used nano spray wax on the body color paint areas and a fine wire wheel on a cordless on the intake manifolds. I used satin black paint on the brace bars and aluminum paint on the fuel cooler plus I blacked out the x over pipe and breather pipe and high temp red on the oil cap ( keeps me from miss placing it!)

 

Excellent job. Looks great. Did you make the air filter housings? Or were the bought somewhere? I would like to do that to mine.

Jim

 

Those are "Growler" intakes from "FasterJags" but I think they are now listed as "Quick Cat" intakes and the sites now "V12 Performance" you can google either and get to their site. i know some have had delays getting items from them so I reccomend anyone ordering from them to call ahead first.

 

Thanks for the info.

Jim