Right, I'll tell him to replace the lot while he's in there. And definitely ensure he flushes before fitting the new rad - I cannot imagine how that would work! (Seriously, I must have mis-heard. No one could imagine that would be a good idea....)

You need 2 thermostats, and I would go with 82C, UNLESS the car is subject to emission testing, then 88C only.

Hoses, PLEASE DO NOT SKIMP on these. There are many, and the 5.3 HE (yours) is the same right thru. For the sake of a $10 hose at the rear and under some amount of stuff will cost you the Japanese national debt to repair that engine IF you overheat it.

People laugh, mainly "mechanics" that have absolutely NO idea, so be it, that engine will overheat in less than a heartbeat if a hose blows.

We have travelled hundreds of thousands of kms with all our V12's, and they are STRONG, and RELIABLE, but overheat one, and thats it, game over.

Emissions testing is a standard part of the WOF/MOT in Japan - well, they stick something up the rear pipes to measure it, anyway. So I need two thermostats? Okay, I'll order those, and a set of hoses.

Yes, one for each bank, there are two top hoses going to the rad, one from each bank, and each side has a thermostat in the aluminium casting the top hoses are attached to on the engine end.


You would also be wise NOT to assume garages know what they are doing when it comes to a Jaguar V12 engine. You may well NOT have misheard about the flushing! Ensure YOU know where all the hoses are, and ensure YOU tell them where they are, and check that they HAVE been changed.
Grant knows more about Jaguar cars than anyone else by a LONG way, believe me if he advises something, you need to do it!
Greg

Yikes. This place is a specialist in European imports, and do handle older cars, so they're probably my best bet in the city, at least that I could find. So I hope they're better than the local place that never gets anything more exotic than a BMW.

But I will go in tomorrow or Thursday to find out exactly what they plan to do with the rad, and about changing hoses (and check where they are using Haynes as best I can). And tell them what I want done (or rather, what Grant wants done :D), which may or may not be the same thing at all.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...b12e51c6d0.jpg
before I knocked all the rust of and repainted it... I reconditioned these parts....
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...d0af8f0c2f.jpg
have them move it down like 8 inches to clear the fan it sticks out and covers the side... of the radiator...
I put a wizard-cooling one in... I have been very happy with it,and do get the blanking plug because the place where they put that fitting is to high and the electric fan will be in the way...
I contacted them after I received mine and suggested that they move the fitting DOWN so that it clears the electric fan...
if you ask them before ordering they might just do that for you

Thanks, Jonathan. They make the radiators once you order, then? I've been told shipping is $188, which isn't bad, so I'll mention that the fitting for the blanking plug should be moved down about 8 inches to clear the fan, and ask for a blanking plug as well. That's right, right?

Also, I assume there's no difference between RHD and LHD radiators? I know some things are swapped side to side, but I would assume this is not one of them. Grant, yours is RHD right, being in Adelaide?

Anyway, the new fan, thermostats, and hoses have been shipped from David Manners via DHL (nice prompt service), and the radiator will be ordered today.

In this case RHD and LHD are the same, and yes, we are RHD, the correct side.

Thanks - I didn't want to spend US$900 and get something I couldn't use.

And yeah, it is the right side.... I'm fine with driving LHD (at least in LHD countries, and with automatics - manuals are trickier), but feel strongly that British cars should be RHD (lots in Japan are LHD - including about 80% of Rollers).

Had two E-types in Denver about 25 years ago. They ran hot particularly when a/c used. I clean radiators an re-hosed etc. But at a mile high the boiling point of water is reduced substantially. My solution that worked was a racing oil cooler with large supply hoses. The oil radiator was number three for air behind the engine radiator and worked like a champ even with a/c on!

You might also consider the Lutz Stge 1 cooling system mod. , check my photo albums here for this simple inexpensive way of improving circulation to the back of the block on both sides. Beautiful machine...once its correct, you must drive it with vigor and spirit. Best, JW

UPDATE:
After 55 days away, coincidentally the same number of hours it was in my possession between delivery and taking to the garage, the car has a new Wizard radiator, a new black fan, new cooling hoses, new 88-degree thermostats and has had a very (!!) expensive full transmission overhaul to stop it barfing tranny fluid all over the engine.

Now, at its hottest - at the lights in traffic with a/c on - the needle stays pretty steady at perhaps a mm over the middle, settling to bang on the middle at higher speeds and dropping definitely below on downhill cruises. Talking of vigour and spirit, I did manage to get it to 4,000 rpm by dropping it into second and being energetic with the right foot, and the car roared like a lion, hunkered down and surged forward, my vision went blurry and I ran out of road very fast. And the tranny didn't appear to mind (it's got a two-year warranty, at least).

Anyway, I'd be happier if the temp needle was bang on the middle - but... this isn't something to worry about, is it? I've read that there can be fluctuation and that's why idiot gauges were invented, and that different thermostat types (temps) can affect what "normal" is seen as by the car, so I'm not too worried... unless I get told I need to be....

I think my next purchase should be one of those hand-held infra-red laser (?) thermometers I read about here. See exactly what temps are registering.

Incidentally, I filled it up, and immediately after starting it back up, the temp needle was several mm into the righthand side, but dropped pretty quickly - I assume this is simply reflecting the temp of the engine when the cooling system is not running. (I currently have it parked with the bonnet cranked a foot open, and will leave it like that for about an hour or so to cool.)

Worry not at those settings, with 88c stats, that is the new Normal.

Mine runs the 82c, and sits about 2 needles width below the N all the time.

Why waste money on that Infra Red thngy, the car is fine.

4000rpm, not bad, but when ya hit 5500 and its still pulling, you are a V2 driver.

Faith, ya gotta have Faith.

Thanks very much for such a quick reply. The fact that it didn't creep up was reassuring, and I suspected it might be a thermostat issue. I feel rather better now.
The temp gauge is really not helped by being on the far right - even when the needle is lined up dead with the middle bar it looks like it's over, thanks to the viewing angle. I was doing a lot of peering at it from dead on between the steering wheel spokes....

I'm still feeling my way around the car's performance, learning its sounds and sensations. As I gain more confidence, and have a bit more road and a bit less traffic, I might see about really revving that V12. It's been a Tokyo car all its life, so is clearly craving some country driving....

This is called heat soak back and all liquid cooled engines do it. Perfectly normal. Many modern cars dampen such indications off the gauges as many drivers don't know how to interpret the indications.

Yes, I suspected as much from the thread talking about how underbonnet temps spike after being stopped (which is why I popped the latch when I got back for 90 minutes - though the heat pouring off was still impressive...). It was a bit scary at first, I admit, until I clicked.

Cuz, toys are fun. I have an IFR, not many bucks from HF.


In prep for winter's onset, I used more of my toys. One of my supplemental heaters for the house. Electric/oil radiator style.
Heat a room not a house !!!


Plug went bad. Spliced in another from my stores. Soldered. Heat shrink tubing to make it safe. HF sourced heat gun to shrink the tubing. Double insulated. Ready for the chills.


Carl

Back in the 70's I had a couple of iron engine 6's in XKE's. They ran hot in Denver (mile High) A/c was a no no!. Tried 4 core radiators extra fan but no luck. Did find out that most American engines ran between 260 to 270 degrees. pressure cap stops the boiling. My solution was a racing oil cooler with 3/4 inch supply lines. The cooler was number three for air behind the radiator and condenser. After installation use a/c and never had a days worry. Hope this helps you. I know how frustrating it can be to watch that needle climb!

Typo?

No engines of the era run at those temps.

My sbc runs at 185'. Sometimes at 200 during hi speed testing. Lol.