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This is a sob story of sorts and I don't know how people here will feel about it but here I go!
My father and I don't really connect. We have different political leanings. He is liberal arts and I am STEM. Our disconnection was apparent for as long as I can remember being conscious.
HOWEVER - there is one thing that brought us together: late 80s TBS movies. We watched the Deathwishes, the Bonds, but more than anything we LOVED James Dean. When he brought home a Betamax with Bullitt we watched it together over and over until the movie was worn off the tape and then he bought the tape again.
Need to back up - I grew up in a town of 2500 people and we were dirt poor. My first connection with a car was a 20 year old Pontiac station wagon (15 years old in the late 80s) that backfired all the time. I was so embarrassed by it that any time I was taken anywhere I asked to be dropped off two blocks away.
The thing is - SOMEONE in the town owned a new silver XJS. Every time my dad and I came across it he would point and say - "There is James Dean". As a young kid how was I to know any better? It wasn't an XKSS, an E-type, or anything of the sorts and I had no idea that James Dean was well dead by then but to me James Dean lived in bumblescum with the rest of us.
So I am not traditionally a car guy. In fact it wasn't until my mid-thirties that I got a license. Mainly because I have spent most of my adult life in large cities (Tokyo, Toronto, Chicago, etc.) and it wasn't necessary. For some reason though I learned a LOT about the history and lineage of Jags and grew a love for them.
I moved to Dallas 6 years ago and bought my first car; a VW GTI. I have loved it as it was speedy and loyal. I did some minimal modifications and tweaks despite the fact it voided the warranty. If it helps the reader with my technical inclination I am a mechanical engineer by trade and amateur gunsmith - so I am quite mechanically inclined and can fashion small mechanical parts easily.
The GTI is getting a bit long in the tooth and I thought, "Maybe I can afford a Jag."
I went to a dealer looking for a 2014 XFR certified pre-owned where I could put a substantial amount down and possibly afford the payments.
But there it was - a 1990 XJS V12 coupe in silver. I walked over to it, opened the door, sat down, and heard my father's voice as if he were right in my ear saying, "There is James Dean."
It had one owner and only 50K miles on it. The exterior was flawless and interior was nearly as good with light cracking on the veneer of the wood. They were asking $1k more than I had in cash.... but as fate would have it my 12 year old daughter was with me. Even though she had never shown any interest in cars she told the salesman that we were going to drive out in it.
The budged on the price and now I own it.
It is VERY tricky to start but when it does it drives like a DREAM. All the electrical components work - the dials, lights, electric side mirrors, windows, heated seats, etc.
When it gets going the engine acts like a puppy - it just wants to love and please.
The thing is - I KNOW there is more to get out of this car. I have downloaded "The Book" and read it twice over but I have SO many more questions.
How tolerant is this forum? Am I going to get annoying with my questions and problems when it comes to things as small as the motor driving the antenna?
I am WELL aware that I bought a money pit but it is worth EVERY cent to me. My goal is to move this car from 80% to 95% and show up at my dad's place on his birthday in March (if not this year than the next one) and we will drive through the mountains of North Carolina and be James Dean (accuracy be damned).
Welcome to the XJS forum, what a wonderful post. How many of our fathers set us on the same path?
I'm extremely grateful to have experienced stewardship of these vehicles.
The forum is pretty tolerant. There are a few hot button issues, such as whether to LUMP* or not, V12 vs. I6, and leaper vs. growler
*Less Upkeep More Power (the war cry of those who transplant a non-original drivetrain, most notably small block Chevy).
I'll write more later - I'm down the road in Houston. I'm okay, but gonna catch Game of Thrones and get a good night's sleep - clients will be calling in the a.m.
This is the most helpful and friendly forum I have ever come across.
Check out the 'sticky' threads at the top of the forum for lots of helpful info. Also, questions you have, may have been asked many times over, so you can learn a lot by using the "Search this Forum" function. Search for the topic you're interested in and you'll find lots of threads packed with good information and often helpful pictures. I can't count the number of times I came here intending to ask something, and found a more complete picture of everything by reading several threads in archives and ended up not needing to ask.
Any chance your new baby came with a service history? It would be really great to know what has and hasn't been done to the car and very importantly when it was done. It would be worth a call to the dealer and ask if you don't have it. Perhaps the former owner might have it.
Welcome! Nice story! I used to live in Dallas while attending grad school. Richardson, TX. Bought my first Datsun Stanza there. '83, manual. That car would just not die...
Anyway, XJS is a different breed. It likes attention and to be pampered. But, as you said, it is worth it!
Very SMART daughter you have there, she will go places for sure.
Annoying, NAH, only that you have an XJS, and I dont anymore.
Always remember:
Lots, and I mean LOTS of catch up items that need doing NOW, and we all mean NOW.
ALL XJS's are Female, you can do the Maths on thet one.
Doug stated it many years ago: "do it ONCE, do it ALL, do it PROPERLY, and repeat in 20 years", and this is more true than anyone much cares to admit.
Ours was the daily driver for 16+ years and did some very serious kms, at very serious speeds sometimes. Biggest trip was the coast road of Aus, about 25000kms, which took us 12 months, and we enjoyed it so much, that 2 years later we did it again, the other way round.
Welcome and great decision. As Grant said, What a girl! The car will be extremely reliable providing you have the patience, and make the effort, to make it so. Remember, it is a 30 year old supercar and (whatever the service record says) will need parts renewing many vital areas to be reliable.
Do you have a garage to work on it in, and how are you off for tools? Decent tools are not expensive these days, but you will need them. In my opinion, a covered space to work in, that you can just shut the door on until tomorrow, is absolutely essential, as is learning all about how to fix the car yourself. Garages do not exist that can fix a V12, and if there is one, unless your name is Gates they are unaffordable. happily, parts for the XJS are extremely reasonably priced, and easily available.
As for the forum, the only thing that annoys most old hands (and they will not shout at you, just quietly tiptoe off the thread), is when people refuse to work through problems methodically, or claim they have properly been through a system (eg fuel, cooling or what have you) when they actually have not, and subsequently blame the car for their own impatience and poor workmanship.
Great backstory on the jag! But surely there are pictures! Everyone loves pictures. Especially when they have lovely jags in them!
You will find that the posters here are incredibly knowledgeable and very helpful and could talk a monkey through landing a plane, or talk a jumpy owner off a ledge.
Do you have manuals? A lot of info is available online, but there's no good single repository to point you to.
Do you have a garage to work on it in, and how are you off for tools? Decent tools are not expensive these days, but you will need them. In my opinion, a covered space to work in, that you can just shut the door on until tomorrow, is absolutely essential, as is learning all about how to fix the car yourself.
I have tools out the wazoo and no problem buying more. I have a half barn that it set up for metal working - mill, lathe, etc. It has a 100 gal 12hp air compressor with outlets along the inside parameter and two on the outside.
I do NOT have a garage. The house did have a two-car but I converted it into additional work-space walling off the doors, adding HVAC, and 220V lines for a side business.
I do have plenty of driveway and no issue setting up a canopy. I have also purchased a padded cover for the car as it will be a weekend driver.
The forum is something I certainly couldn't live without and so many people here are so knowledgeable and willing to help, from a simple description of an issue I've had people here suggest something I wouldn't of thought to look at...and going on that advice found critical issues with my car that would of ended in violent fuel hose related explosions. Really it is the best place to start and with some time *cough* and blood, sweat and tears you'll be able to help others to.
I see your from Texas I'm sure there is a shop near by that sells Archoil, I'd start by picking up a bottle or two of fuel system flush/cleaner and the oil flush to, and while your out get a can of electrical socket cleaner and start going over every plug and resistor pack in the engine.
I've burned through two fuel filters in less than 3000 miles with good products (Archoil/LiquiMoly) and each time there has to be half a pound of crap inside and another leap in overall performance afterward.
That should help and if it still struggles to start somebody here will know probably know why.
edit: forgot to mention you should clean out the surge tank if equipped on your car and rinse or replace the super-fine sock filter in there to if doing any fuel sys work.
Last edited by VancouverXJ6; 09-02-2017 at 09:10 PM.
A genuine Jaguar workshop manual and supplements, and a methodical approach.
A good DVM, most of the problems will be electrical.
At least you are ahead of the game with a workshop.
I would suggest as a first step to do a full service. As long as there are no major issues leave it at that.
- New plugs and HT leads
- Run some injector cleaner through the fuel (for now)
- change fluids, engine and trans oil and filters, coolant and brake fluid.
- Check condition of injector hoses.
- Pull distributor off and check cap and rotor.
Once the service is done drive it for while and take a note of all the issues you come across, prioritize them, then work through each issue ONE AT A TIME. If you approach it this way you will have a good chance of getting it sorted.
This forum. You won't see a lot of technical posts from me. I'm looking to settle down a bit next year, however, and that may change if I get to embark upon a pet project of mine...
A genuine Jaguar workshop manual and supplements, and a methodical approach.
A good DVM, most of the problems will be electrical.
At least you are ahead of the game with a workshop.
I would suggest as a first step to do a full service. As long as there are no major issues leave it at that.
- New plugs and HT leads
- Run some injector cleaner through the fuel (for now)
- change fluids, engine and trans oil and filters, coolant and brake fluid.
- Check condition of injector hoses.
- Pull distributor off and check cap and rotor.
Once the service is done drive it for while and take a note of all the issues you come across, prioritize them, then work through each issue ONE AT A TIME. If you approach it this way you will have a good chance of getting it sorted.
A well sorted XJS is a wonderful car.
SOOOO Useful. Here is where I am on your hit list:
-New plugs and HT leads
Haven't even thought of that. Going on the list of "do now"
-Run some injector cleaner through the fuel (for now)
Someone else recommended specific product and I will be grabbing it tomorrow.
- change fluids, engine and trans oil and filters, coolant and brake fluid.
DONE!
- Check condition of injector hoses.
Checked this and the compression of the cylinders before I bought it. All look good but I want to eventually change the hoses proactively. Right now I am looking at adding some sort of treatment to the current hoses. I have heard that a couple days of light application of break fluid will do wonders... even more so than rubber specific products.
-Pull distributor off and check cap and rotor
I'll do that this weekend.
Hey warrjon - I really appreciate the attention you've given me. Very helpful!
Another thing I would look at is the plastic cooling fan. If it's original, it will likely have cracks in the hub at the base of the blades. If so, change it now, and probably along with the fan clutch.
Another thing that is common is an amazing amount of debris seems to get sucked in-between the radiator and AC condenser. Having a radiator 1/3 blocked with leaves, twigs, fluff and goodenss knows what else doesn't do the cooling system any favours. I pulled the radiator out to clean mine properly, as the previous owner obviously had a cat. I think I could have knitted a sweater with the amount of cat fur that I pulled out of the radiator.
Another thing I would look at is the plastic cooling fan. If it's original, it will likely have cracks in the hub at the base of the blades. If so, change it now, and probably along with the fan clutch.
Another thing that is common is an amazing amount of debris seems to get sucked in-between the radiator and AC condenser. Having a radiator 1/3 blocked with leaves, twigs, fluff and goodenss knows what else doesn't do the cooling system any favours. I pulled the radiator out to clean mine properly, as the previous owner obviously had a cat. I think I could have knitted a sweater with the amount of cat fur that I pulled out of the radiator.
Ok,
There seems to be two fans. One looks to be a black four blade and the other looks to be made of "insulator material" with many blades if that makes sense. Clearing out the radiator blockages is very clear, but maybe you could point me towards a place online where I can get replacement fans?
I meant the mechanical fan. Part number EBC4553. The other is an electrical fan. Worth checking it works, it should come on when the AC clutch engages. If it doesn't, the relay is often the culprit. Nothing too special about it, it has an 87a terminal in the center. I use Ford relays from the junkyard, it's a very common Ford relay.
There are a number of good Jaguar parts vendors around. I personally have been very happy with Coventry West, SNG Barratt and Welsh. Not all of them have everything online, you might need to call.
The other is an electrical fan. Worth checking it works, it should come on when the AC clutch engages.
In later model cars the electric fan does not switch with the AC compressor, not sure when this changed but my 1989 does not switch with the AC. It is in ROM supplement somewhere.
Welcome to the forum. You have a great story to go along with your car. One of the most important things you need to have is the right attitude. These are complicated, difficult to work on cars. So accept the fact that sometimes.repairs will take a bit longer than you might have thought, or that you need to gather some additional info before starting, or that some of the parts will have to be sourced from specialty suppliers. Sometimes you will have to call it a night or a week, or even a month! But if you keep at it you will achieve your goal.
There was a time in the not too distant past, when many of Today's treasured cars were just unwanted old junk. Most people would just pass them by to own something newer and less trouble. Some dreamers bought those old classics and decided to preserve and restore these fantastic machines when they worth very little. But the dreamers had faith that these old cars were worth it. You are now the hero in that story.
I saw an ad for the Indian motorcycle that asked, "Would you pay to see a movie about your life? If the answer is no, maybe you should rewrite the script! " Enjoy the ride.
The most important tool suggestions you've gotten so far are great ones! But no one has mentioned the tool that gets the MVP award every time I work on the V12.
Magnet on a stick!
I sometimes think that the crankshaft must be magnetic. All small metallic objects are attracted to it. Right out of your fingers sometimes!
08-25-2017, 11:04 PM
My story with questions
and if it still struggles to start somebody here will know probably know why.
