Yesterday I had my yearly inspection, and it only required safety equipment as it's over 20 years old in NC.
It decided to play around with the inspection guy.
He said the license plate lights don't work and wanted to look in the trunk for a loose wire. Well, halfway up they came on. He looked at me, I smiled and said it's a Jaguar. He closed the lid and went to the computer to finish up, I noticed as he closed the lid, they went out. OK, enough for now.
Passed and at home there was time for more play, did not want to come on at all, the normal fix of banging on a English car had no effect.
Go to bed, I'll sort you later, damn crazy car. LOL



 

[QUOTE=cjd777;2893358]Yesterday I had my yearly inspection, and it only required safety equipment as it's over 20 years old in NC.
It decided to play around with the inspection guy.
He said the license plate lights don't work and wanted to look in the trunk for a loose wire. Well, halfway up they came on. He looked at me, I smiled and said it's a Jaguar.

[/QOUTE] Some people understand, others look at you with puzzled eyes.
wj

 

Could be where the harness flexes as you open/close the boot (trunk).

 

Sounds like the harness at the right hingepoint.
The sedans have that issue more often than the XKs.

 

Thanks guys, a good heads up from the masters.

 

I also just passed my annual inspection. I had Osram W5W LEDs in my parking lights, and after the technicians checked that they were approved for road use, I had no problem. With incandescent bulbs, the connectors "burn out." If LEDs are allowed, I recommend it; they carry less than a third of the amperage. Less heat, less wear and tear. Check with a voltmeter that there's voltage (more than 12V). If there is, turn them off and push the connectors a little closer together. Install new bulbs, LEDs if possible.

 

Agree with Motorman Flexing harness at right rear area causes wire to break.

 

I felt like James Bond today, which wire do I cut.
After getting the wiring harness out of the trunk and off the gutter, it's still a bit of surgery to cut the plastic coil cover off the wires without getting the wires. Then you have to decide which wire do I scrap the coating off first. Turned out I guessed right, mine was the red/blue one, and to tell the truth, I think if you pulled on one wire at a time the broken one would come out pretty easy. they look like 18G stranded and the break on mine was as clean as it could be. How it ever made a connection to come on when the guy opened it, is beyond me. I just scraped until some wire was showing then hooked an alligator wire to each and there you go, lights.
Not an easy solder job, just get a small wooden board behind the joint, easy.
If you will pull both ends out then you will have room to run a 16G wire back through the harness, solder the 18G on to it and pull through, keep the casing as rounded as you can, take the quick turns out of it. I used the 16G as it was a bit stiffer to push on, just cut it at an angle.
The clip on the hinge is self-explanatory, just be careful, it's plastic.
Thanks for the help everyone.

 

Well done Wayne. Now take advantage of this nice weather and drive it....