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Good morning! I am brand-new to this forum, and to Jaguars. I have previously owned MGBGT, MG Midget, Triumph TR4, TR4A, TR250 so I do have some experience with British sports cars. I am looking at a 1987 XJ-S with the V-12 engine, listed as 74,000 miles. The car is located far away, and I am MOST INTERESTED in knowing what I should be looking for in general for this poarticular year/model. I have reviewed several places on the internet with clues for purchase inspection, mainly dealing with rust issues, etc. The car in question seems very clean with no rust. I am waiting for them to respond to a list of things to inspect that I made up from the webpages. I do not have a ton of money to get involved with a "project" car. I am very mechanically inclined, and would do a lot of any required work myself.
I know this may seem just a bit vague, but I am just getting started. Is it a mistake to consider this particular model/year of Jaguar? I have always wanted to own a V-12 Jag, and although the XKE was affordable when I was growing up, they seem to be WAY WAY outr of my price range now (IF you know a fantastic bargain, let me know right away!!).
Thanks for your time in reading this, all comments/suggestions welcome!
John 1987 possible purchase?
John,
Welcome to the forum!
I am a few months ahead of you on the path of V12 ownership, as I bought an 88 V12 last October.
You will find a number of 'what to look for' article online, as you seem to have found already.
Later V12's had the Marelli fuel injection which has been known to result in engine fires if not properly maintained. The Lucas injection on yours is less of a potential liability.
One downside of an '87 is that later versions were more rust resistant.
As with most old cars, a well documented service history is super valuable. The cooling system on the V12 can be especially problematic if not properly maintained as the engines have a tendancy to run hot otherwise.
Need to carefully evaluate rust in problem areas, as even a nice looking car may still have issues. Are those wheel arch covers hiding something?
The car I got has a 5spd conversion and was fastidiusly maintained. A few months in and I am looking at a new clutch (premature failure) and an occasional coolant loss issue. So be aware that you WILL have issues, although you being handy with a wrench will save you $$$.
I will let more experienced owners chime in. I have to say that the forum here is extraordinary in their breadth of experience and willingness to share info. A big comfort when owning one of these glorious, but not for the faint hearted cars.
Great points. I will have to get a closer look behind those wheel well trims, for sure. One bad thing right off the bat is that the dealer does not have any service records, aside from whatever they did to the car. Personally, I am a little bit of a nut (maybe not viewed that way from people on THIS forum!!) and keep a detailed record of anything that happens to my cars (fuel, oil, any maintenance), and these are just drive to work or tow the trailer vehicles. I have heard about the cooling issues and will be on the lookout for good coolant on inspection. I'm not worried at all about "normal" issues that one would expect in any car due to age, I definitely want to avoid a disaster waiting to happen, however!
Good morning! I am not sure on the owner manual.... I am looking (online) at a few other cars, tough to find the right combination of solid body, styling/colour I like, maintenance, etc!
If the car is reasonably rust free and you are mechanically inclined and do your own repairs, they are not expensive to own. I would be looking for any sign of overheating such as excessively low coolant or indications of coolant in the oil. I would plan on replacing all the high pressure fuel hose in the engine compartment, including the hose on the injectors. The injector wiring harness, and other wiring in the V of the engine is probably in need of replacement due to insulation failing from the heat. Most of the coolant hoses are likely to be original and are due for replacement. If you are handy you can do all this yourself. It does not have to be expensive but does get time consuming.
I assume your goal is to retain originality?
The only really unique part of a V12 is the stock EFI. It’s a nightmare unless you have great patience with electronics. No it does not have OBD2 so you can’t just plug in and find out what is wrong. Plus It’s getting to the age where corrosion on the soldered connections inside the case can cause trouble. In addition there is absolutely no way to change anything short of a soldering iron, O’scope and electronics experience .
So consider this. Hidden in the trunk is the stock ECU There are several plug and play options to the stock unit and a very affordable option if you replace the stock unit with a Megasquirt ( a bit of a chore regarding wiring). The really big advantage of the Mega Squirt ( aside from its modest price) is the option to use flex fuel.**
In the valley of death ( between the camshafts) anything more than 10 years old is highly suspect. The heat affects the insulation on all wiring. Plus the “rubber” vacuum hoses, fuel hoses, etc even 10 years might be pushing it unless they are really good quality. Replacing everything is rather simple 1 wire/hose at a a time
** use any gasoline such as E85 which will kick horsepower from 260 to over 300 plus is massively cheaper than premium. Locally premium is $4.39/9-$4.79/9 while E85 is $1.99/9 -$2.39/9.
If you remove these factory items and store them in a box neatly labeled etc your experience will be worlds better.
A/C compressor, alternator, air pump, maybe even power steering pump.
Replace them with smaller, lighter, more efficient alternatives.*** Suddenly the real beauty and simplicity of that engine appears. The air will flow through freely and the fuel line will no longer need to be air conditioned. Temps in traffic will be cooler.
*** Look at Mini GM alternators, Sanyo A/C compressors, delete the Air pump and plug the ports in the heads. The power steering pump is just a GM pump but it’s bulky. A racing pump with a remote reservoir will allow air to flow easier. Also get one of those gear reduction starters. ( they bolt right in) and removing the old stock one will explain why you should do this now rather than in some remote place when it goes out on you.
Yes custom fabrication is required for the A/C PS pump and Alternator. Local racing shops will be glad to do it for you if you lack those skills. It’s really not that expensive and common problems will be simple to fix.
One other thing. Please don’t forget it. The distributor needs to be oiled. No one does it but it’s listed on page 65 ( I think ) of the owners manual. It’s a simple job. Ask, I’ll walk you through the steps. What happens is the advance mechanism without periodic lubrication ( annual ) corrodes and locks up. OVERHEATING is the result. Timing is off and people spend a fortune trying to fix what a few drops of oil will solve.
As for the actual engine? If it isn’t overheated it will last forever. Honestly!!!!! It’s unbelievably strong and well made. It has a tiny stroke which results in almost no wear. The camshafts are so mild they never wear out. If by some chance it’s ruined ( forget to put oil in it after an oil change? ) $500 will buy you a good used replacement.
Transmission is a GM Turbo 400 which is absolutely bullet proof except from stupid mechanics. Used in everything from Chevy’s to Cadillac ( except each case is different while the internals are identical.
The rear end is a Dana 44 or the Salisbury version. ( as used in 427 cobra’s and newer Corvettes, plus certain jeeps etc etc. ) Bullet proof but the rear end lube needs the positraction supplement. Never, never , never, do a rear brake job on the car. It takes less than an hour to drop out the rear end completely and less time to put back in place. That will save you 10+ hours of agony, pain and frustration.
one last thing. Throw away metric wrenches. It wasn’t until Ford got their hands on Jaguar that they traded 3 Barley corns from the middle of the ear ( inch) for the weird French system we Yanks don’t understand.
Wow! What a wealth of information!! I would certainly consider the Mega Squirt, that sounds amazing, and I'm sure the fuel savings would pay for it in short order! The 1987 I was looking at did not seem like a good deal, as paperwork revealed that it was sitting for about 18 years. No maintenance records at all, etc.
I am now looking at a 1990 XJ-S with 28K original miles, it also has a sunroof, which I have not seen a lot of. I will keep my findings posted as I go. You guys on this forum are FABULOUS, and are responsible for me moving forward on a Jaguar.... without all the knowledge and help, a guy would be lost (and bankrupt) in a big hurry!
Thanks again!
P.S. I just looked at Mega Squirt site, looks a little intimidating to figure what unit, etc. I'm sure when the time comes, I can get advice on the best unit to get for my purposes...
Thanks again!
Well, here we go.....
I just bought the 1987 XJ-S described above! I am still in a little bit of shock, I have ALWAYS wanted to own a V12 Jaguar. It is a dream come true. My wife said this will be perfect for me, as she thinks I "have some sort of problem". I keep a book in every car I have ever owned which lists every drop of gas, all maintenance, every wiper blade change or door hinge lubrication, etc. I have also owned over the course of 30 years, three of my own aircraft and I am an instrument rated pilot. She thinks I have just the right "mentality" for a classic like this. I won't have the car here for a week or two, it is being shipped. In the meantime, I will be reading and learning.
Thanks for everyone's help and input so far!
Colour me ECSTATIC
Good for you!
I would forget any modification of the ECU or stuff of that nature. The factory engine management is impossible to beat unless you want a dedicated race car. A well sorted XJS as per factory (from the ECU/ignition/fuelling point of view) is a fantastic road car.
Congrats on the purchase! +1 for keeping the engine injection and ignition standard. Theress really no reason to deviate on a standard road car.. You'll have fun enough maintaining and refurbishing all the mechanicals and suspension to standard spec. Start by getting those awful chrome arch covers off!
I decided against the 1990 due to a bad flavour in my mouth regarding the dealership where it was located. Total lack of confidence in them. The car itself appeared decent, but sunroof was leaking and had destroyed the headliner. That was really not the main cause however, it was the whole atmosphere at the dealership. The 1987 was very appealing to me for the headlight configuration, and the colour. For me, I liked the appearance better than anything I have looked at (I know it is very subjective). The body on the 1987 is also solid as a ROCK, they did a very thorough DUO walk-around and also a test drive. I know the car was taken on a drive to a town 45-60 minutes away with no problem. There is a period of inactivity to worry about, but the car has been up and running for about three years since the hiatus. I can hardly wait for it to arrive (being shipped to Florida from Omaha, Nebraska). Early conversations here talked about the wheel well arch trim calling it "aftermarket", but I believe that it is factory, (from what I can gather through my research) and have seen it on numer XJ-S's that I have looked at. In any event, the car sure looks rot-free overall, and I did look very carefully at arches. The "rubber will meet the road", of course, once I have the car in my garage (which I am now frantically clearing up and organizing!).
No Jaguar XJS left the factory with chrome wheelarches. With luck, once you get the horrors off, all will be solid underneath. The car you have chosen, Lucas ignition V12 coupé is the best one to have! (takes cover...)
There is no problem with factory EFI in 1987. Megasquirt is mega nonsense for people with a life outside the garage. If for some reason you have an engine fire and need to replace anything, then Ole Mobeck will see you a kit: https://mobeck.com/jaguar-v12-efi-kit/
You asked for things particular to Jaguar XJS that an MG/Triumph owner would not think of: the answer is dropped valve seats. It’s a giant PITA on a V12 Jaguar, but a compression test is what proves good valve seats. Everything else can be fixed on the cheap. Good luck! I love MGs and XJSs myself so I see where you are coming from.
If you have successfully managed other British cars really a Jaguar should be no problem. It’s extremely intimidating with the hoses and plumbing messing up the appearance of that beautiful engine.
But it sounds like you’ve got a decent one. Achieving Smooth good running is 90%. of the issues with Jaguars.
Ignore my suggestion regarding replacement of the EFU if originality is important. Do that only if increased performance is your goal. others are right regarding refinement and smooth Running. Which Jaguar really focused on and got right.
Going after additional performance ( which the V12 is able to obtain. The Lister Storm made impressive numbers) is different when you are working with fuel injection. It’s very difficult to ever save enough money on fuel to pay the expense of sorting out a change in the EFU.
Possible Purchase 1987 XJ-S
