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About 5 years ago my beloved '09 XF SC was rear ended and although repairable I decided it was better to sell and move on. Well I have always fondly remembered my Jaaag and decided it was time get another one, this time a 2 door. Did my research and decided I wanted an '09 XKR Portfolio. I found a dark gray/dark leather locally with 74k miles in really nice shape. Why an '09 XKR? Well I wanted the 4.2 SC engine, I really like red stitching on dark leather and I wanted a J gate shifter.
I am a do it yourselfer and luckily have built an equipped automotive shop in my back yard. As soon as the car was in its new home up on the lift it went and it received oil/filter, brake fluid flush, trans pan kit and new fluid, new diff fluid. I noted several suspension boots to be torn and generally looking aged. I love building suspension so I disassembled the front and rear suspension. Ordered a complete set of PowerFlex Polyurethane bushing ('bushes' as they say across the pond), new OEM Jag dampers, new front Beck Arnley upper control arms, new Moog rear upper control arms. While at it I ordered drilled/slotted rotors, new wheels/tires, sway bar end links and new rear toe adjust rods(?). I pressed out the brand new bushing from all 4 new upper control arms and replaced with poly and installed new poly pieces on the lowers all the way around. I put the car all back together and took it in for an alignment which worked out well. While I was at it I threw in some new spark plugs and slipped in K&N air filters and a new cabin air filter. Ordered and installed a Mina Gallery exhaust as well. The stock exhaust tips were simply to small.
Sorry to say but the stock shift knob in my eyes is hideous, weird triangular thing that kills the look of the interior. I located a OEM Jag aluminum knob and fixed that!
WOW! The car rides and handles amazing! It is taught and firm but still comfortable. Well worth all the effort for sure, I daily drive it with a smile.
I have read here about plastic cooling system pipes and water pumps etc. I poked around under the hood and everything looks and sounds good. Is it wise to order and replace coolant lines and pump etc? Have any of you fellas done it and can offer part numbers etc of the needed items?
Will post some pics shortly. Very pleased to be driving a Jaaaaag again!
Welcome back! Your car looks great! Please add yourself to the 2009 XKR Portfolio Registry thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...gistery-96830/
with all the details and more photos of your new pride and joy.
I hope you enjoy your 2009 XKR Portfolio as much as I've enjoyed mine!
Welcome back! Your car looks great! Please add yourself to the 2009 XKR Portfolio Registry thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...gistery-96830/
with all the details and more photos of your new pride and joy.
I hope you enjoy your 2009 XKR Portfolio as much as I've enjoyed mine!
I must say that I replaced the front sway bar bushings with the poly pieces but I still have the rear sway bar bushings waiting to go in. It looks like the rear subframe needs to be lowered to gain access and I had the car on a platform lift that prevented access to the rear subframe bolts.
Has anyone done the rear sway bar bushings? Does the subframe need to be lowered?
Also have a fuel filter waiting to go in as it was not accessible on the platform lift.
I have run 3 bottles of Red Line Fuel System Cleaner thru the car, figured it must do something and there are some good testimonials online for that stuff.
I also installed an Odyssey battery in it as I do with all my cars as they certainly seem to be the best batteries out there in my experience.
Wow, that looks great. Which wheels are those. Look spot on for that car. Well done!
Thanks! They are Niche Vosso wheels in Gunmetal color, 20x9 & 20x10.5 with 255 & 295 Nitto Motivo tires. I think they really make the car more sporty and modern looking. I originally mounted Continental Extreme Contact DWS in 285 on the back but didn’t like the stretched tire look so went with 295 but had to change brands to get the size combo.
I have the Contis for sale here on the forum if anyone needs practically new tires.
Thanks! They are Niche Vosso wheels in Gunmetal color, 20x9 & 20x10.5 with 255 & 295 Nitto Motivo tires. I think they really make the car more sporty and modern looking.
Thank you! I love it, drives amazing, adequate power (my C6 Z06 Corvette is built to a normally aspirated 770hp) and looks dynamite. Fabulous daily driver, rarely if ever see another on the road.
I call it my British Corvette and my Chevy V8 powered ‘73 240Z my Japanese Corvette.
It is so great to see a beautiful car in the hands of someone that knows what they're doing
Appreciate that but not really sure what I’m doing sometimes! I live by the moto’s ‘it can be made better’ and ‘how hard could it be?’
The XKR was actually not very difficult to work on, in fact it was fairly simple to completely redo the suspension. No reason to be scared of these cars, they are just cars.
On my 4.2 XF SC I had replaced the water pump, pulleys and belts. Access on the XKR seems a little more restricted but it will all come apart I’m sure. Just need to find the time to do it.
What are the warning signs of a water pump failure?
Do the SC cars have the same plastic thermostat housing issue as the NA cars?
Appreciate that but not really sure what I’m doing sometimes! I live by the moto’s ‘it can be made better’ and ‘how hard could it be?’
The XKR was actually not very difficult to work on, in fact it was fairly simple to completely redo the suspension. No reason to be scared of these cars, they are just cars.
On my 4.2 XF SC I had replaced the water pump, pulleys and belts. Access on the XKR seems a little more restricted but it will all come apart I’m sure. Just need to find the time to do it.
What are the warning signs of a water pump failure?
Do the SC cars have the same plastic thermostat housing issue as the NA cars?
Just curious , are you concerned with the usual noise that the poly bushings emit.
Wait! you used poly bushings? Do you mind going into detail? Im thinking about going that route but very little info on the results with poly bushings.
Signs of waterpump failure are predominantly loss of fluid and pink stains on the underside of the car from the coolant burning off.
I had mine serviced last week and indy advised mine was absolutely fine atm.
In Polybushes I had them fitted all around on my x100 with new shocks and 2005 lowered springs back in 2009. People (On the forum) advised that the ride would be intolerable...it wasn't and transformed the car. However that was on 18" alloys so there was increased comfort to start.
The positives were didn't have a busy fail again and it transformed cornering The 150 is far sharper to start with, so will be interested in hearing your views
No noise from the poly bushings, just make sure you lube them up real good with the special grease. They come with little packs of the grease, I have installed poly on many of my cars and bought a little tub of the grease from Energy suspension. The bushes for the XKR came from PowerFlex.
The ride now is firm and fantastic! Very comfortable still but much more feeling of precision and control. Like I mentioned I have done poly on many cars and everytime the ride/handling/comfort has been transformed for the better.
Knowing that the range and smoothness of motion is better with poly and the fact that unwanted flex in rubber bushings is greatly reduced means the suspension stays where it should resulting in the precise feel.
I have never regretted switching to poly on any car and it has transformed the XKR for the better!!! It really is awesome to drive now.
Yes it is a lot of work and can be a pain but well worth the results!
12-01-2018, 12:52 PM
Back into Jag Ownership!
The 150 is far sharper to start with, so will be interested in hearing your views
