1997 with 34,500 miles now. Everything looks fine. Needed to add some oil to the pump when I bought it, but no apparent leaks. Don't know if it happened before my ownership since sept. 2010. I did installed Sam's voltage reduction kit as a prevention.

 

My 05 just started dribbling out on my rear view mirror. Would be nice if Jag would recall this but since it is a non-safety issue I doubt that would ever happen.

 

Does frequent use of the top (up/down) have anything to do with the likelihood of a leak?

Or can you never put the top down and still get the leak?

 

Hey, this is my car. When I first bought one in 97, I had this british racing green. Without a doubt, the car wears this color the best.

 

No one can give you an absolute answer to this. What appears to be happening is a degradation of the plastic hose at the crimp connection due to a combination pressure, temperature, chemical degradation over time and stresses put on the connection at installation time.

If you never operate the top, you take pressure out of the equation, but the other factors are still there. So even if you operate it once after a year of no operation, you will be applying the pressure to a hose that may have been effected by other degradations.

So in short, yes, it probably wil extend the life if you do not operate the top, but it is hard to quantify how much. The system is only under pressure when the top is operating.

My philosophy...worry less, enjoy your car, use the top. If something breaks..fix it.

 

+1[

QUOTE=WhiteXKR;541508]No one can give you an absolute answer to this. What appears to be happening is a degradation of the plastic hose at the crimp connection due to a combination pressure, temperature, chemical degradation over time and stresses put on the connection at installation time.

If you never operate the top, you take pressure out of the equation, but the other factors are still there. So even if you operate it once after a year of no operation, you will be applying the pressure to a hose that may have been effected by other degradations.

So in short, yes, it probably wil extend the life if you do not operate the top, but it is hard to quantify how much. The system is only under pressure when the top is operating.

My philosophy...worry less, enjoy your car, use the top. If something breaks..fix it.[/QUOTE]

 

After I replaced the hoses and installed the pressure reducing valve I found a slow leak from the latch ram also. I might suggest rebuilding the latch when changing the hoses. See Gus' site for $150 rebuild.

 

I'm now living in fear of using the top after reading Gus' comprehensive thread on the issue (much appreciated, BTW). Like others, I'm quasi-handy with a wrench and really don't feel like taking on this project proactively. It was yet another hot, sunny day here in Omaha and as I walked out of work I looked at the top and thought, "To heck with it. I'm leaving it up. No green shower for me today!". And that's a sad way to think about a convertible.

 

Changed the latch hoses out Aug 2011 due to the green shower at the latch. Car is used as a daily driver. The top is up only during inclement weather and these blasted 100 degree plus days. Have noticed that i am losing oil again and have seen spots of oil near the drivers side rear wheel. I must assume its the rams or hoses. Going to Canada fishing in a few weeks so i will tackle that project when i get home. Jim

 

Just had the leak happen. Mine seems to be right at the pump above the amp and cd changer. Nothing at the latch area. Fluid all over the amp and cd changer. Also noticed the hoses were covered in fluid about 6 inches before the pump.
Is this due to the crimp giving way and the fluid shooting backwards? AND does this mean the complete hose replacement? And if I do, is the pressure relief kit a good idea?
I really love this car but if one more major thing happens UGH!!

 

Sounds like one of the hoses has given out at the pump - there are six in total, two latch hoses plus four to the lift rams.Only way to tell is to remove the pump retaining bolts and check - there are four hoses on the back of the pump and two(the latch hoses) on the front as you are looking at it from the trunk. If it is the lift ram hoses that are gone you may as well change all four whilst you are in there - if one's gone the others won't be far behind. You can upgrade the hoses to a higher spec. or add the PRV, or both - really is your call.

 

Phil, I responded to your PM, but now that I think about it, if the leak is to one of the hoses which go to the hydraulic cylinders which raise and lower the top, then you don't need to remove the entire interior. You could just replace the bad hose between the pump and the cylinder. The only hoses which require the removal of the interior are the two which go to the latch in the windshield.

I understand batroute's position that if one is failing the rest aren't far behind, but what if that one that failed was just a fluke? What if the union employee on the hose-making assembly line had just woken up from one of his many nap breaks and he wasn't quite focused on his work yet?

Oops... did I offend some union workers? Sorry... Let me rephrase; What if the non-union hose-making employee was so worried about how he was going to pay his medical bills that he wasn't quite focused on his work?

That one hose might be the exception and the others might be fine. The leak at the latch is pretty common but the leak at the pump is relatively unusual. If I were in your shoes I'd just get a single hose to replace the known bad one and save myself hours and hours of work. But I'm a risk-taker like that.

 

That brings up a good point I never thought of.
The hose that failed is the one that attaches on the front of the pump, the side visible when you open the compartment. I assumed it was the latch hose and never questioned it. Of course I've ordered the latch hoses but now I'm concerned it may not be a latch hose I'm seeing that's damaged!
I was told the rear lines were behind the pump.

 

Not to worry, that's a latch hose.

Another way to confirm ...
Latch hoses = 1 hose on each port into the pump body
Ram hoses = 2 hoses on a "T" fitting on each port.

 

Hey Sam. Why don't you say what you really think. Don't sugar coat it.

 

Going to attempt this hose replacement myself I think.
I've got the seat removal, front and back, down, I know where everything comes and goes, my only question for now is the carpet. I can't see where I detach it from the sills or anywhere. Does it lift back from the center console area? I know the metal sil plates hide the screws but I really don't want to heat and remove. They bend sooooo easy.

I'd hate to think the carpet will scare me away from this project.
HELP!

 

You are going to make your life very difficult if you do not remove the driver door sill plate. If you muck up the insert during removal you can replace it with a new one. It lists for about $33 at the dealer.

 

It can be done without removing the sill. Just did it in December. It is probably the most tricky part. I used a couple of screw drivers to lift the sill enough to remove the footwell enclosure panel, the carpet does not have to be completely removed, you just need enough clearance to snake the hose under it and find the tie down points for the zip ties.

 

Gus.

Is this the old type "good" hose. Taken from my 97, VIN 011XXX

 

Look on the hoses and see if they are marked with Power Packer 303 or 363 on them.

The hoses Parker/PowerPackers in the photo are 600 BAR = 8,702 PSI and they are the ones in the earlier models. I would say that your hoses should be good with the 1600psi from the pump. The 303 & 363 hoses are the ones you need to be concerned with. However, We found several latch and lift seals blowing out causing leaks because of excessive pressure. Installing a PRV would help with the seals but your hoses should be OK without it.