Picked up the car in Christchurch and drove it back 1200 km to Auckland.
Assume drive – car was filthy when it got home… looking nice and clean now.


There were nearly no issues…. Good thing is the car did not miss a beat, ran beautifully. Real pleasure to drive, it seems able to eat up the miles no worries at all.
We averaged 15l per 100km according to the fuel computer.




Now for the nearly part…

When putting the car in to park after driving it, the gear selector jams around the reverse area where it makes a clunk / grind noise – have to push hard to move it to park.

Not moving how I would expect it to. Some times it helps to go down to first / second and then quickly up to park…. What could this be?

Then 5km from home the car bottomed out on a corner and over heated as I parked in front of the garage. Went well above (N). Turned the car straight off and opened the bonnet. Cooled down ok and runs fine.

Checked oil (full)
Checked coolant (full)
Checked Transmission oil (low – needed 1L)

Noticed the electric fan was not spinning, seems to hit the bottom metal shroud, fix it sort of, and seems wobbly.

How do I test this fan to see if it goes?

 

You can bridge the two connections with a copper wire and that should tell you the motor spins. The thermo switch might of failed. You can also test the clutch fan with your hand (more or less) if it spins more then a quarter while hot it needs to be tossed.

If/when doing a rad flush redo thermostats you should be able to get those Tridon down there that fit perfectly.

You may have to clear the crap out between the rad and/or do a chemical flush or 2 if overheating is actually an issue. I wouldn't rule out crappy sensors etc or grounding issues first without an IR thermo gauge or other seperate temp device.

 

Well done.

That gear lever issue is probably "junk" in the T Bar gizmo. Lots of moving parts in there to go wrong.

My S2 had a Female metal nail file in there, and that reeked havoc.

Failing that, the cable, and/or the lever arrangement inside the trans.

That LH fan sounds toast, "wobbly" is the key word here.

I fit Efans, not for everyone, but your car, your choice.

 

Hi Duke

Maybe you bent or dislodged the Fan Shroud when you bottomed out, which in turn then jammed the Aux Fan so that it couldn't Spin

Those Electric Aux Fans don't have very much Torque and so it doesn't take much to stop one in its tracks and I even had the same problem when resurrecting my Car 'Cherry Blossom' after a long lay up of 14 years

But since you said you were planning to replace the 'Yellow/White' Fan, it could well be easier to remove the whole Fan Shroud together with the Aux Fan and then do them both together

As since you say the Aux Fan is 'Wobbly' maybe a bearing in the Aux Fan has gone, or is damaged in some other way?

Although I don't want to worry you, overheating an XJS is an absolute 'No-No' even 5km from home, where it would have been better to stop as soon as the Temp Gauge started to go above normal and let her cool down for an hour with the bonnet/hood open

And then finish the journey, with the bonnet/hood unlatched until you got home, as any overheating could set you up for a dropped valve later on

Not what you want to hear I know but driving along in an XJS that is overheating is one of those thing you never do, where paranoia starts to set in on any Temp Gauge reading over Normal

Though if you are not planning to take the Fan Shroud out, then you will have to turn the Aux Fan to see both where and why it may be Sticking and then put 12 volts on it to make sure its working ok

Although if the Aux Fan is 'Wobbling' bad, then I would want to take out the Fan Shroud and have a proper look, in case you need to replace it

Its a bit of a PIA Job if you haven't done it before but if a V12 overheats then that can simply be the 'kiss of death' and if not fixed could bite you on the backside and leave you with a very expensive 'parts car'

 

Hi Aaron, good to see you finally got your car home. It looks great.
When time allows please post an intro in the new member area....I was sure you had done that but I can't find the thread.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/n...-intro-must-5/

I have added you to the NZ Roll Call Thread.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/n...-119622/page9/

 

Was it only the suspension bottoming-out or did the car itself impact the road? If the later......

How severe was the bottoming-out impact? It would have to be quite a heavy impact ....more like an actual crash....to physically damage the electric fan or anything else in the cooling system. But, something already coming loose or otherwise in peril might've been tipped over the edge. Have you crawled underneath for a look-see?

I'm not sure if you're drawing a straight line between the bottoming-out and the coolant temp rising but, if you are, don't exclude the possibility that the two are unrelated.

Cooling system problems are not unusual on these cars and neither are worn-out electric fans.

Personally, and unless absolutely proven otherwise, my assumption is that every used Jaguar V12 will require a full cooling system overhaul. Very few have been properly cared for.

Cheers
DD

 

Congratulations Duke!
As you have the main engine driven fan, if the car is overheating, and not just having a funny moment of some sort, and as you have the bits in stock, change the torquatrol unit and the fan.
If the blade of the aux fan is wobbly, you need a new fan. It is best to buy an 10 or 11 inch SPAL or equivalent high quality fan and install that in place of the OEM one - which is not very efficient.
I would replace the thermostats too, your O/H is just as likely to be on of them going funny.
To test the aux fan, you will see two connectors on the water pump inlet which are on the temp switch. Bridge these two and the fan should run, ignition on.
The car looks absolutely lovely, welcome to the elite!

 

Gorgeous looking Jag! Congrats! (The surroundings are also not bad )

Another idea for you to think about. You said that you noticed temp rising close to home. Were you driving in city traffic at that time by any chance?

It is known that even poorly maintained cooling system might do fine when driving fast on a highway. However, when driving in city traffic, with lots of idling at the traffic light stops, this is when the cooling system must work the "hardest" and when overheating issues typically become apparent.

Try doing a few driving tests. Drive on open road vs. in town and see if you notice a pattern

 

sounds like a fun adventure. when i bought my xjs i drove it a long ways home as well. (around 1100 us miles) only my problem on the trip wasn't overheating or bottoming out it all went smooth other than when i got pulled over and the cop thought it was very unusual to buy a car and drive it that far and thought i was up to no good smuggling drugs or guns. witch turned into about 2-3 hours on the side of the road k-9 units and several other cops showing up to tear the car apart on the side of the road.

looks like you got a beautiful car i hope you have lots of fun with it

 

Nice looking car Duke, welcome aboard. I won't add anything tech as everyone else has covered all you need.

 

My assumption too, and so far I have never gone wrong by assuming that. Unfortunately, I have yet to be pleasantly surprised.

 

Thanks for the input, to many people to thank so i will not!
Have to say I love the help offered on this site.

Ezrider.... wow 2-3hrs on the side of the road with the police... fun not!
Happened to me years ago when I was pulled over with no licence on me and had the same name as a bad bugger.... that took about an hour to sort out!

So I bridged the contacts for the coolant temp sensor.
(hope people do not mind large picture, let me know if its an issue and I will make the smaller)


And no go... so I looked for the fuse 15A and it was toast.

White cover.


second to right in the picture - blue 15A


New fuse.. bridge the contacts again and bingo fan runs when the car was started and kept running after being turned off, even with key removed. Needed to remove the wire to make it stopped.
Re connected wire nothing, all made sense to me. Had to tilt the fan up... its wobbly and needs to be replaced obviously.
Help would be appreciated on what to get!

To add the E fan is working but dodgy... wife wants to drive the car.
we have done 1200 km home and it was the bottom out that made the fan jam, last 5min driving slow after 3hr drive.,
After the bottom out I watch those gauges like a hawk, hot hot at top of drive way, down drive way turn off hood open.
Did not listen to engine with bonnet open before so nothing to compare with!

I'm thinking I hear a ticking noise now but it maybe my imagination, even seems to have gone.
I'll post a Utube link when I can work it out.

What U say?

 

I say: Renew all the hoses, change the antifreeze and the stats, and the main fan and clutch, and buy a new SPAL or other reliable make elec fan that will fit into the shroud hole OK, and fix it into the shroud while you have it out doing the other things!
Greg

 

I almost bought a car that I was looking at from California. I too wanted to drive it home to CT. It would have been gas, hotels and the unknowns of a car that I would buy sight unseen if I had gone through with it. I decided to buy a car a little closer to home but still drove 4 hours from Baltimore to CT. I made it home with no issues so that was a good first test drive. Had time to just notice little things about the interior, sounds, smells along the four hour drive.

Just curious, about your police stop, how did you become pulled over to begin with for them to start snooping all around your car and how much did they tear your car apart?

 

i got pulled over because the turn signals stopped working part way home cruse control wasn't working i was doing 8 over the speed limit and made a lane change without signalling. (because they stopped working) witch of course started working again right after i got pulled over....lol i also did not have licence plates on the car just a temp permit from the dealership.

i didn't go down there with the intention of buying the jag. it was a bit of a strange arrangement because i drove a pickup down there to give to my brother. i figured id just buy a car down there at auction or something to drive back and re sell it after i got back. my brother had mentioned there had been a xjs at a local car dealership that had been there for probably 6 months. and i had been kinda looking for one. so i went and checked it out, very straight 0 rust ran and drove good but had a awful paint job on it orange peel in the paint was so bad you just about could have used the car as a cheese grater and the interior wasn't in great shape. they were asking 3500 for it. i was like pass 1500 cash offer today or im not interested. left them my number they called me back later that day and said cash today its yours.

so being that i drove a much larger vehicle down and i knew id be driving something unknown back i kinda over did it on the tools and stuff that i brought down with me, so the jag was packed to the ceiling behind the seats floor in the passenger side was stacked up to level with the passenger seat and a bed made in the passenger seat for my dog that was with me. you couldn't squeeze a quarter in the trunk there was so much stuff in there.

when the cop that stopped me said my activity's were suspicious and he believed i was smuggling drugs or guns and wanted to search my car i said no, when he asked why i told him because i don't want to spend an hour re packing all this stuff after you guys make a mess of anything, he then assured me they would put everything back exactly as it was. i still declined consent to search, so they send out the drug sniffing dog. they got there i take my dog on the leash and am standing 20 feet away from the car with my dog as they walked there dog around my car, the police dog stopped clearly looked at my dog and barked at my dog. so the cop comes up to me and says that the drug dog signaled on my car and they now had probable cause to search my car without consent. so then 2 hours while 4 cops take everything out of the car pop door panels loose basically every nook and cranny of the car they throw everything back in the car in a jumbled mess and tell me im free to go. drove up the road to the next gas station stopped had to pull everything back out of the car again and re arrange it. they didn't do any damage to the car, but when they put all my stuff back in they just threw it in the car and it really had to be stacked in a certain way to all fit. the left a bunch of interior panels loose as well.

 

Thanks Greg that is the plan, e-fan is working but I know it needs to be replaced.
So here is the plan, buy all the bits then get stuck in..
I am leaning towards keeping it standard if i go all E fans will I need to upgrade the alternator? Then there is the issue of controlling the fans, not a major has its been done lots but some people have mixed reviews about it.

Radiator out - professionally cleaned - quoted $90
new hoses - 15 from memory - ebay - seems to be cheap sets $178 - up to $260 - what is recommended?
New thermostats - what is recommended here - I have searched the forum and have some saved posts... but might as well ask as I want the best option.
New belts - some - anything recommended?
Main fan - also cheap options and expensive options?
Viscus clutch - ebay has some cheap ones, any good or go expensive?
SPAL - e-fan - any good?
Obviously new anti freeze.

Have to say i am loving this car... I want to drive it all the time but petrol prices here in NZ are $2.50 + NZ a litre so 1-2 runs a week will be about it for now.
Question, what MOD has been done here? This is not connected, wires hanging loose.
The thing with an arrow on it.


Also this thing hanging in the breeze, need to be mounted which i will do but what is it?



Now I have to say something about this Loctite rust killer... stuff is assume. I have used it for year. Just paint it on anything with rust on it and it kills it and turns black with a hard under coat.
I have been going around the car painting bits of surface rust and it just blends in and is assume. It needs rust to work, if you clean all the rust away it does nothing. Highly recommend.

 

Hi Duke

That little Blue Box with the Vacuum Pipes and Blue Plug that is hanging loose is the Cruise Control Valve

 

That looks like a post 1988 if so the alternator is 115amp and will handle efans no problems.

Best rust protection I have found is lanolin, I now use Lanox form Inox,. WD40 also make a Lanolin spray. It'll smell like a shearing shed for a week or so but it'll NEVER rust.

 

The module with the arrow on it is an air solenoid, when the aircon comp starts, it lets more air into the manifold to prevent any tendency to stall at tickover. It is just fixed by the grommet it poke through into the airbox, as in your pic.

The pipe with your finger in is the aircon high pressure hose from the compressor to the condenser. It just lies there!
Your questions:
new hoses - 15 from memory - ebay - seems to be cheap sets $178 - up to $260 - what is recommended? Buy from a specialist supplier like Manners, SNG etc.
New thermostats - what is recommended here - I have searched the forum and have some saved posts... but might as well ask as I want the best option. I use Stant superstat stainless thermostats, but you have to drill a 4mm bleed hole in the rim of them. Seem excellent, but I am sure any 82 degree stat by a decent maker will do it.
New belts - some - anything recommended? just a decent make, again Manners etc will have them
Main fan - also cheap options and expensive options? Viscus clutch - ebay has some cheap ones, any good or go expensive? Buy a new fan and a new viscous from a specialist supplier, only.
SPAL - e-fan - any good? A SPAL to replace the OEM electric will be fine from any supplier, forget anything cheap.

I think you are dead right about keeping the engine driven main fan for now, at least. getting the basics right is your fist task! Do not forget plugs, filters, HT leads.
Good luck

 

Can't add much to the tech stuff that hasn't already been said (mine also came with a loose air solenoid), but would love to see more pics and hear more about your road trip. That first pic by the mountains is great.

Even just reading about US cops and their power trips makes me mad. If it ever actually happened, I'd be hard-pressed to avoid jail...
And what is it with this new horrible "related thread" bit at the bottom? I nearly wrote this as a reply to a completely unrelated topic.