Then...

I got the car out today and started driving around. At first I thought I heard some of the same rattles I was trying to get rid of. Then, they all just disappeared. Nice, tight, quiet, and firm on the handling. Darn good for having tires I just realized I really should replace. So, I kept driving...and driving.

I got out on the 95 hiway heading north and had to turn back somewhere, so I headed up into the mountains. Not exactly back, but I knew how much fun the roads are up there. I hit the crossover hiway and flowed through all the twisties at double the posted speed. It was just too easy. Then, down the other side and back to the freeway to get back into Vegas.

It was just too easy, too nice, to much pleasure. I had shifted down to 3rd to get around the highway entry corner, shifted up to 4th, gave the cursory look back,and hit the pedal firmly. Nice, smooth acceleration...I could hear the engine whine...and then...ummm..then...Kalunk!

It just sort of shut down. Lights flashed on the cluster: "ENGINE FAULT", flash, "POOR PERFORMANCE", flashing, flashing, flashing. I lightly pressed the pedal to see if I was still running. Yep. But those flashing warnings were ominous. The temp guage dropped to "cold" and stayed there...pegged. WTH????

Anyway, I drove it easily home, not wanting to try anything drastic or even stop to get a code reading at AZ because I wasn't sure it would start again. On one of the 45mph boulevards near home I took it down to 3rd an gave it some gas It started to accelerate, then coughed, choked, and let me know that it wasn't going to cooperate.

So, I cruised the rest of the way and back into the garage. As I listened to the idle it all sounded perfect. I could however smell the richness of the exhaust, so something wasn't quite right. After it cooled a bit I checked the oil...looked fine. Checked the coolant level in the fill tank...was fine. It did smell like hot coolant, but that's probably my not-quite-perfect repair of a hairline crack in the reservoir (yes, a tiny drop on a paper towel was evidence).

So, what the heck happened? Is there a way to check codes from the instruments? Or, is it just being a Jaguar???


BTW: I had originally headed out to look at a '76 XJ6C with a chebby conversion that is for sale locally. Soooo tempting. So, so tempting.

 

Fault codes get stored. Your best bet would be to get an inexpensive code reader.

 

good advice there from WhiteXKR.......HTH

 

Drove the car down to AZ and got my codes today: P1111, and P0117. The P1111 only means the test was complete as I read it, but the P0117 gave me a hint. I had recently replaced the W/P, T-stat, housing, and crossover pipe unit. So, I pulled the r.side engine cover and tugged on the ECT sensor wire plug. Sure enough...it had slipped competely off the sensor.

Apparently, the brittle clip had been broken when doing all the R&R, and for the first time EVER in my experience the connection came apart. It must have been that massive launch I did while pulling on the freeway yesterday...kinda like a dragster from the tree, right? Yeah...ok.

Anyway, I plugged it back together, wrapped it in elec tape, then laced a zip tie through the end of the connection between the wires and around the crossover pipe. A restart showed no "FAULT" or "POOR xxxxx PERFORMANCE" flashing. Of course, the "check engine" light is still on for now. I'll take it out on the road next chance I get. So, another lesson learned.

Just one more thing: It's a darn fookin' shame when a stupid temp sensor connection can turn these cars into coughing, sputtering Yugo's.