This is absolutely NOT to restart any sort of acrimonious debate over Resistor/Pressure relief valve merits, just to find out how prevalent the problem is.

 

I actually haven't had a shower, but the hoses were replaced prior to my owning the car so the previous owner most likely did!

 

Dammit- didn't allow for that.
It would have been good to log the time peeps have been in a shower/less situation and car age but we'd need a three dimensional matrix and I'm getting old....

 

I voted "have a pressure relief valve, have not had green shower". But...

Fact is I bought the car November 2010. Maintenance records show the car had green shower June (I think) 2010. Was fixed for previous owner under warrantee (2006 XK8). I installed the relief valve soon after I bought the car.

No green showers after install of the valve. Don't have control over it now.

Hoping for the (long term) best.

Jack

 

No green shower here. We've owned my wife's 2006 XK8 since early February. I obtained all available service records from the four or five Jaguar dealerships that serviced this vehicle in California, South Carolina, and Florida, and there is no evidence of any green shower-associated work....

Although my wife does not fear the green shower as she did when I first told her about it, she remains very selective about when to lower the top. With temperatures headed for the low 90s now, the top is staying up more than it did in April and May....

 

I have not have not had the green drip, but replaced the hoses about 2 years ago because they were deteriorating (the black outer sheath was peeling away).

 

I have not had a green shower but I don't know if the PO had one. I put in the resistor last October (97 XK8).

 

The first owner had a shower had it repaired and had the overhead console replaced under warranty( listed as a courtesy), I had a small leak, a couple of drops, replaced the hoses and installed a relief valve. Two leaks, two sets of hoses, and a console replaced. So I'll vote "Have no resistor/pressure relief valve and have had a green shower"

 

We need more votes for any useful conclusions but the small sample looks interesting.

 

. . . but as indicated in the comments there are lots of failures in the vehicles' histories.

My first XK8 had the hoses replaced 3 times in 106k miles and 10 years. This one had the hoses replaced at 40k miles and 6 years.

Both were CA/GA cars, location and age being significant variants beyond miles.

 

You're absolutely right, there's no easy way of addressing that problem I can see - which box do you tick if you had no resistor/pressure relief valve, had a green shower then fitted a device after replacing the hoses.
The best would be to vote twice but you can't.
The only way to make this statistically valid would be to add up total years experience for each of the options - but it's more of a bit of fun with possibly some useful results.

 

In my case I have had two showers - one when the hose blew the end fitting and about a year later when the top latch ram let it's seal go. Both times I has the relief valve installed.

 

Or you could create an input form:

Model year______________

Actual/estimated date of failure _______________

Actual/estimated miles at time of failure ___________

Vehicle registration state at time of failure ___________

Average Summer temperature _______________

Pressure enhancement: Valve _________ Resistor _________ None
_____

How often is the top lowered/raised (times per year) ________


Actual/estimated date of failure _______________

Actual/estimated miles at time of failure ___________

Vehicle registration state at time of failure ___________

Average Summer temperature _______________

Pressure enhancement: Valve _________ Resistor _________ None _____

How often is the top lowered/raised (times per year) ________


Actual/estimated date of failure _______________

Actual/estimated miles at time of failure ___________

Vehicle registration state at time of failure ___________

Average Summer temperature _______________

Pressure enhancement: Valve _________ Resistor _________ None _____

How often is the top lowered/raised (times per year) ________


Load it into a spreadsheet and draw graphs.

Projected Results - cars from warmer climates 1.) use the top down more 2.) have more hose failures.

Now the question is how to determine whether the issue is use or temperature.

Sorry, its raining and I wanted to work on the car outside.

 

Three failures w/o relief valve.
1.) 99 XK8 in 2003, replaced under warrenty.
2.) 03 XKR in 2008, replaced my cost with repair kit hose set.
3.) 03 XKR in 2009, repair hose splice failed. replaced with complete hose set, my cost again.
Installed the releif valve after it became available.

I'm not concerned about failures and will enjoy the open air on every drive when conditions allow, I usually raise the top when parked to avoid sudden rain or bird crap.

 

Thankfully no failures yet, but this is something about which I have worried. Have 31k miles now on a 2003 XKR. Originally a Texas car, I had it in Maryland and now Florida.

I try not to work the top up and down too much. Oftentimes keep the top down in the garage when not being driven, if that is how it was last - usually drive the car on days when the top will be down since it is far more enjoyable that way (as we all know).

I have wondered if keeping the top down or up could be a factor, or letting it sit in one position or the other.

How expensive/complex is the relief valve job?

 

But only you would fill it up and only if it's raining!!

 

You will find all the details in Gus's site here:
JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

I see the kit is showing as no longer available, does anyone know if this is correct?

 

2000 XK8 65,000 miles. Lived in Canada all its life. I went to the trouble of building Dennis' resistor pack, but never got around to installing it. Was always careful to cycle the top with the engine off. (Lower voltage) Then I lent the car to my Sis this spring, and one really hot day she came out and lowered the top with the engine running and...... green. All over everything. Replaced the hoses with the Colliflower stainless steel mesh ones, and everything is back to normal. I would point out, however, that I observed the same thing WhiteXKR did; there was deterioration of the black plastic coating on the OEM hoses in the area of the failure, which was pretty much a blow-out of the core hose from the crimped connection where it threaded onto the top latch. I'm of the opinion now that neither the voltage nor pressure reduction approaches would have prevented an ultimate failure, given that soft plastic.

 

We have been down this road several times before. You have two situations related to the original hose 1- the hose that failed and 2- the hose that is going to fail. With the install of a pressure relief valve system on a system that was operated and stressed prior to the install could and most likely will fail. The install of a pressure relief system will in this case extend the life of the hoses. If you install new hoses at the same time as the pressure relief valve chances are high that you will not experience a hose failure or a seal blowout. Please note I said your chances were high that you would not experience a failure in no way could anyone say it prevent all future failures. Based on the testing and the information available both Walt and I feel it is the right thing to do. I should also note that I am speaking of the Pressure Relief Valve system only.

All findings and testing can be found on my page at JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

As for the Valve availability Walt has elected to discontinue the production of the valve kit. He and I are talking about this situation and trying to work out a solution. Do we still have a demand for it?

 

I understand the early 97s had different hoses than later models. Not sure what "early" is defined as. My vin is 016878 putting it late in the 97 MY.

No failures I am aware of.

The car was originally a New York lease. Spent a short while in Texas then to Washington state. So, most of its life in cooler climates. the original top in pretty good shape so I'm speculating mostly garaged.

I put it up and down with the engine running most of the time. It moves faster that way. I drive the car year round and drop the top anytime the weather permits.

After 2-1/2 years of ownership I found this spring the hydraulic reservoir was down about 1/2"-3/4". Brought the level back up with Pentosin green. It no longer gurgles when I raise or lower the top. It only started gurgling last season so I'm guessing I've got a slight leak in the main ram seals. No evidence of leaks at the latch.

Mike