Hi,

I have a 2001 xkr. Want to drain all the old coolant and replace.

Can anyone please advise me on the correct procedure to do this please?

All the best

Zarathushtra.

 

Will this do.
https://matt.zenfolio.com/xk-coolant...tat---v1-1.pdf

 

thanks

 

Hi,

Can anyone advise if there are seals for the bolts and if do are they avaliable? I'm struggling with Jaguar dealers to get am answer.

Thanks

 

Which bolts are you referring to? Replacing the coolant does not require any bolt removal.

Richard

 

the bolts outlined in the procedure on the link.

On is the radiator drain plug and the other is a hexagonal bolt sat at the top near the supercharger.

 

Ah, I wouldn't have called either of those "bolts" but I understand now.

The drain plug has a rubber washer but it is fairly thick and does tend to harden and crack so I replaced mine. However, I simply went to a DIY store and bought a suitable rubber washer from the plumbing department. From memory, I think that the washers used on kitchen appliance water connections are the correct diameter. I actually find these thinner washers are better than the Jaguar ones and do not squish out from under the head of the plug so easily.

The large hexagonal plug is the one above the thermostat housing, I assume, although I don't have a supercharger. The second time I changed my coolant and didn't even bother to remove this bung as you can change the coolant easily by draining and flushing without disturbing it. However, I recall from my first coolant change that the bung has a large rubber O-ring which is extremely unlikely to need changing. I certainly did not change mine but simply smeared it with silicone grease before re-using.

Richard

 

You are supposed to replace the copper washer that’s on top of the supercharger’s intercooler. But I never have.

I just clean any coolant residue off of it and proceed. It does need to be tightened down to a specific torque. The shop manual has that information.

if it were to ever leak I would just anneal the washer. That involves heating it carefully with a propane torch until it glows a dull red, not hot enough to make it bright red. Then plunge it into a container of plain water. That process will soften the copper and then it will seal just like a new one. If the heating process creates any scale on the washer, just brush it off being careful not to scratch the washer.

we used to anneal the copper head gaskets on Triumph motorcycles all the time in the 1960s and 1970s. Then they were good as new. None of them ever leaked. And they were under much more pressure than our X-100 cooling systems.

as far as the radiator drain plug goes, I’ve just replaced the entire plug. New ones come with the seal and the price is under $10.

Amazon has them, currently $5.22 :

Dorman 61138 Radiator Drain *****...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C5I6L8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Z

 

FWIW, I would say exercise best judgement with that radiator drain plug. It is, from memory, plastic in plastic. I has likely aged itself into brittleness and is just waiting on your hands to just come apart. And you know if there is a choice between cracking the plug or the radiator, it is the radiator side that will fail. IOW, if the plug does not immediately come off, either drain by removing the lower hose, or even the engine drain plug.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

 

The engine drain plug is tricky access and is usually very tight. Might I suggest that the radiator drain is likely to prove more fruitful.

Richard

 

I'm scared of doing it now. I think I'll just remove the bottom hose and flush that way. I've never done it before as it's my first jag.

Does the coolant need to be changed? It's been in there 5 years now..

 

It depends what antifreeze/anticorrosion has been used and whether it has been topped up with a suitable 50:50 mixture over the last 5 years, when necessary.

Assuming that you know the history, a good quality OAT Long-Life antifreeze will usually last for at least 8 years although I change mine every 10 years and it is still fine. A non-OAT antifreeze should definitely be changed more often than 5 years.

Richard

 

yes it does. I change it every 3 years in all of my liquid cooled vehicles.

However, my car gets a workout. Both from my driving it everyday & from the ambient temperature range. Which can be as low as -15 F (-26 C) to 120 F (49.89 C). Right now it 105 F and not even August yet. That said, in my region we have been spared the worst of this summers weather, so far.

Additionally , my car runs a little on the hot side in traffic, 195-205 F, when it’s really hot outside.

So I do everything possible to help out the cooling system. The car does run cooler at speeds above 80 mph, leading me to theorize that the grill opening is too small.

Regarding the radiator plug. It does come out easier with the right tool. I use a 3/8” drive very wide screwdriver socket that’s been ground down to fit the plug slot tightly.

The plug does not need much tightening to seal properly. Ham handedness is largely to
blame for the bad reputation they might have. That said, I despise plastic automotive parts, radiator tanks included.

Z

 

hose pipe or plug? Best advice please

 

hosepipe or plug? Best advise please.

 

The absolute safest way would be to remove the lower radiator hose from the engine side. Muscling it off from the radiator end of the hose is more likely to break something than just unscrewing the drain plug, in my opinion. That said, my drain plug came out easy enough, I did consider removing the hose, but I thought I’d give the drain plug a try first. It unscrewed with very little force required. If it was really
stuck I would have gone to plan “B”.

if the radiator crumbles due to unscrewing the drain plug just think how comprised and weakened it was already is, and was due for a catastrophic failure when you were driving the car, miles from nowhere.

If the radiator is going to fail, I would rather it be in my garage or driveway while I was working on it vs. on the highway somewhere. Just my take.

that’s my best advice.

Z

 

hosepipe or plug? Best advise please.

 

The drain plug is easy to access once you realise where it is. Use ramps under the front wheels if you are in any doubt. A large crosshead or flat screwdriver will undo it. I do not believe that there is any realistic prospect that the radiator will be damaged. Plastic on plastic will not corrode or gall and it has a squishy rubber washer so it can't ever be that tight.

Richard

 

Thank you.

 

Where should it be?