Greetings everyone,






So yesterday evening I was opening my top while moving the car at around 5 mph (pulling out of a valet area). I guess I may have superceded 10 mph for a few seconds while rolling, so I just stopped and let it finish. The top stuttered a bit on the way down, but finally finished lowering. However, the latch stayed up and would not go down. Then I just pulled over and while stopped tried raising the top, NOTHING. the chimes sounds once, and the front windows do their slightly lowering thing, and I can even hear some very fait sound from somewhere back there, but still nothing. Not even the rear windows will come up now. I raised the top using manual process through the rear pump release and allen key, etc. After turning the pump key to normal again, I've tried using the button to raise the rear quarter panel windows and nothing. The windows donot go up, and the top won't go down either. I checked the fuses, and they are all good????


Any help....... Thanks in advance!

 

It sounds like you may have two issues. The first thing to check is the fluid level in the tank it should be between the two embossed lines on the side of the tank on the pump. If it is at the lower line fill it. The second is that you have confused the system and that is why it is not working. Striking the up and lower button several times back and fourth is not a good thing. Now the windows will not go up until the rear rams are extended and locked into place and the front latch will not operate until the rams are extended and locked into place. Fill the tank, unlatch the roof and open the petcock at the pump then open the roof with your hands and whatever you do, do not force it. Then close the petcock and push and hold the close button until it is completely closed. If it does not move then you may need to do a hard reset then try again.

 

the hydraulic rams must be fully extended to trip the switch allowing the windows to raise. You can check the How To's at the top of the XK8/XKR section for top issues. You can also check out forum member Gus's awesome web site - here is the link to Gus's web site which gives great detail on the hydraulic cycle and tips as well as repairs.

JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

 

Man, I LOVE this site!! Quick question before I go doing in depth research to the How-To's or Gus's site, as I'm currently using my XK8 as a daily driver and have just a few minutes before I need to drive off, at which time won't be able to do more research till later.


Is it very difficult to fill the pump, and what fluid "can" I use?
Secondly, is a HARD RESET just a matter of disconnecting and reconnecting the battery? IF so, is there a reconfiguration process?

 

You can't just pour fluid into the pump reservoir. A turkey baster with an appropriate piece of tubing will work or an auto parts store suction/fill manual pump. The fluid is Pentosin CHF11S and is not available everywhere but NAPA usually carries it or can have it there the next day.

Your '00 model will have the green Pentosin as the original fill but '97-'98 cars came with a yellow fluid that had a bad habit of evaporating into a more solid substance than a fluid.

Remove the ground cable from the battery and touch the cable to the positive post to drain all the little electrons from everything. The windows will have to be manually reset but everything else should restore on its own but it may take a day or two for things like long term fuel trim to settle back to normal. No problems.

 

This is a procedure to refill you refill your tank

Link JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

As for the hard reset Test :Point covered it for you...

 

Hello and thanks for very informative site. Just bought 2000 XK8 and noticed the dark clouds of the infamous green shower gathering in the interior light. I have read many posts here about this and wonder why none of your inventive members have sought to make this roof a totally manual operation. Size wise its not much bigger than the TR and MG range we have struggled with from infancy, so why not this. I live in Florida and it is not my daily driver so the top may only raise occasionally. I'm just wondering if you remove all hydraulics, pump and install clasps to close roof manualy what other obstacles might bite me. I am positive others have thought of this but don't see any posts claiming success. There must be reason(s). Thanks for reading this

 

Welcome aboard, Putiver.

Someone here has gone "totally manual" and written about it. Sorry, can't recall details at the moment.

I use a manual-latch setup, but continue to raise and lower the top hydraulically. (Very, very few reports of trouble with the hydraulics involved in those operations.) There's a link in my sig. line below.

 

Been there--done that! Not me, mind you, but this was one of the possible solutions I brought up a few years ago (do a search) and someone actually came up with a well-written complete procedure to accomplish this. The second solution I suggested was a latch mechanism that had solid piping brazed to it instead of the lousy tubing with fittings. This could have extended along the header and then transitioned to the tubing at the A-pillar--oh well.

Doug

 

Thanks for those helpful replies. The good thing is I haven't monkeyed with anything as yet mindful of the additional problems that an uninformed idiot can cause. The bad thing is I am pretty thick and would hope some of you can review the "baby steps" I plan to make based on your input.

1. disconnect and cap pipes at pump after opening petcock

2. unlatch top with allen key ignition on

3. Press on hood sticks in area behind speakers

4. Retract top by hand

5. Drink a beer to celebrate or verbally vent tfrustration to dog

 

Keep in mind a totally manual operation of the roof will prevent the roof from locking into place. The locking procedure prevents the roof from bouncing on the windows that could result in other problems.

 

If you opt for manual latch only, leaving the top itself under hydraulic control, I can promise you the procedures in the link below have been vetted and tested by more than a few people. It's easy to set up and it works.

You could always move on to full-manual later, but there are ongoing opportunities to damage something when operating that way, and I think you'll find raising the top by hand, solo, is no picnic.

 

One other thing to consider, assuming you are open to keeping the roof hydraulically operated is to update the components with upgraded, more robust parts than the original specification. Stronger hoses and hydraulic components are available and have been used by members on here and so far no reports of failure that I am aware of. Gus's site provides links to these vendors. Personally I used Top Hydraulics - great service and better prices than the original Jaguar parts for much improved products. Just a thought before you tear into it.
I know personally from living in Florida that sometimes you need to raise that roof FAST. :0)

 

Is your top currently working? If it is, chances are that the the oil in the interior light is from a previous failure that may have since been repaired and the light was just not cleaned out. If there was an active leak, it probably will no longer be operating.

 

Thanks again, but still a little unsure of how to begin. The console switch operates the pump and the windows go down. The pump is working and there seems to be a small amount of fluid in the plastic reservoir.Not exactly sure about the "green shower" members mention,as there are no visible leaks but i assumed system was low on fluid. I have removed back seat and side trim to expose rams and again no evidence of leakage. My first instinct was to add fluid with the turkey baster someone suggested, but wondring if there could be electrical issues involved here. I do take the point about Florida showers etc, but as I'm planning an interior redo its not my primary concern. I would like to be able to operate top b hand without disturbing anything, but it doesn't sound now as though this is possible.No handbook with the car and I'm wooried regular hydraulic oil from O'reillys might cause more problems

 

Newbie with an 04'xk8 convertible 105k miles
thanks to all on the thread for the posts; I'm learning tons of great stuff so I know what to look for.

 

There is ONLY one fluid that is approved: Pentosin CHF-11S. Do not use anything else. O'Reilly's or NAPA will probably have it. Fill the tank until the fluid is between the two embossed lines. Until you do this it likely will not work properly.

 

Hi there
Did you ever get your roof back into perfect working order?
Bradley

 

Welcome to the forum Bradley,

You will get a much better response if you start your own thread and explain exactly what trouble you are having.
Don't forget to post an intro in the new members section.