And a new saga begins.......
A rolling restoration of Jessica2. (1990 coupe 5.3HE)
But first must cure a misfire....
Anyone know where I can get a workshop manual from?

 

They appear on ?bay from time to time, and I do mean the Green Jaguar version.

Also, download for FREE the book, " Eperience in a Book" by Kirby Palm, from a link on this site.

It is 800+ pages last I looked. Very informative for what you are up to.

 

Thanks buddy.

 

Keep us up to date on your progress. Good looking car. I've been taking my time on my '90 Xjs repairs, just seems one thing leads to another. I can't explain the misfire without knowing more. Was this car maintained at all? Could be anything from needing a good tune up to a clogged injector. Either way I hope you have solid compression on all 12. My '90 had a rough idle (sounded like a misfire) as it turned out the injector seals on most injectors were completely gone or totally shot. It was sucking in lots of air. I would imagine most of these cars have not had the proper maintenance and these not so simple issues are frequent. Probably just needs a good tune up.

 

Here is whats on ebay for manuals
1984 jaguar xjs base 5.3l in Car & Truck Parts | eBay

 

The misfire could be a lot of things. BUT I would start with the easy stuff first. Change the spark plugs and leads, check the distributor cap and rotor, all these will need to be done anyway. If this does not cure the problem then start looking at injectors etc.

 

Thanks guys. My plan was to go with spark, fuel, compression as well. The fuel line are extra crispy so whenjoy I change them I'll do the injector seals as well. There's no history with the car apart from whales on the carfax report. So I shall be documenting the restoration as I go. Just out of curiosity does the workshop manual include wiring diagrams and show where the earthing points are?

 

So I picked the car up today and had to do a 2 hour drive through New York rush hour oh the joy of it. So road test is as follows....

Breaks are spongy but do work. Suspension is like that of a space hopper mating with a pogo stick. The climate control has two settings: hot and weld. Pax window is U/S the misfire is severely irritating. The screenwash jets are U/S although the pump runs. The steering is off centre and unpredictable. Would be easier to steer using a magic 8 ball. "Will I turn left?" "Outlook not so good". Other than that it wasn't so bad, albeit that my life expectancy has gone down by 20 years.

So now I have a job list as long as my arm and a parts list twice as long.

 

"Hot and weld". Now that's funny!

 

look through here for Daim post
it could be very useful to you


https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...8/#post1553573

 

Kind of, I have found a couple of errors in the ROM electrical diagrams and fuse locations. It took me 2hrs to find a fuse ( The ROM had me looking the wrong area) I only found it as I have the original owners manual for my car.

The problem I have found with the ROM, it's very good for earlier cars as mine is an 89 (first of the Aussie cars with Marelli and ABS) everything is there its a challenge to find it in the different sections.


Good luck with the resto. If I can give you my experience from when I did mine is - Work on ONE area at a time and fix EVERYTHING you find that needs attention. You will end up with a reliable long distance cruiser.

 

Absolutely agree Warren. Soon as I've overhauled the fuel rail and all its gubbins I'm going to turn my attention to the electrics as at the moment they are more like random number generators than an actual engineering system. The interior I finished in the last few days and managed to get all the stains out of the headlining without causing it to sag.

So far my list for parts is growing rapidly but these parts are tricky to find:

•Trunk/boot carpet, spare cover, battery cover.
•hood/bonnet lining
•LHS footwell insulation

So any ideas where I can get them from would be much appreciated.

 

For the bonnet lining, I suggest you use stuff called Silent Coat, which is cheap, far more efficient and better than OEM, MUCH thinner, so you get better airflow into the engine bay, and comes in handy self adhesive squares. This is the type to use:
https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Coat-V...ds=silent+coat
I have just fitted some and it is brilliant.
Greg

 

I have no bonnet lining and haven't had for years.

I replaced all the insulation in my car with modern sound deadner,

 

Just ordered the lining and sound deadner, thanks guys. So found out why the car wouldn't start; bad ground to the neutral switch, and by bad I mean as loose as a whorls knickers. Also had all the spark plugs, wires and fuel lines arrive so today I'm tackling the misfire. If you don't hear from me soon then assume that I've gone up in flames and lookout for a burnt out xjs in the classifieds.

Note to self: Must remember to blowout the fumes from the engine bay........