When I tried to put the top down in my 2001 XK8 convertible, hydraulic fluid leaked down from the overhead lights/speaker station above the rear view window. Anyone experience this? How do I safely lower convertible top to access area?

 

the inevitable "green Shower" - there is a manual procedure to raise/lower - but you need to be careful not to bend the rams when attempting this - see the links here on Gus's site

JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

You can order upgraded replacement hoses from either Cabriolet Hydraulics in Fl or tophydraulics out west. I would inspect all hoses and if the sheathing is coming off the ram hoses - order a complete set and replace all - will run you just under $600.

 

Sorry to hear that you had the infamous green shower. Lots of threads on this convertible hood fix with pictures.

Short term lowering of the hood, involves getting to the pump in the Right Hand Side of the trunk. Simple removal of trunk carpet liners, and turning the pump "petcock" fully off to release the hydraulic lines. There should be a large allen key with the pump, which you sit in the driver's seat and insert just under the latch. Turning this 1/2 will open the latch so you can then manually lift open/close the hood. Beware the rear quarter glass windows, when you raise/lower the hood.

Removal of windscreen header trim panel needs removal of the windscreen A pillars and accessing the fixings there. Good luck with cleaning all the green hydraulic fluid, and then replacing the hydraulic pipes as they go all the way from the front of the car to the pump in the trunk.

Let us know how you get on.

 

Go manual until you can afford to fix it. Cap the hose ports going to the roof release latch back at the pump. Take the alan wrench located at the pump, go inside the car and remove to button cover located above and to the right of the rear view mirror. Put the alan wrench into the hole with the handle closer to the sun visor. Turn it clockwise and push the roof button like normal, the roof will lower like normal. Once the roof "seats" in the down position, close the latch tightly until the "Roof not latched" message goes away. To raise the top is the reverse. It will take practice, you'll see. If the rear windows don't raise when the roof closes, let off the roof button for a few seconds and press it again to raise.

The most stress on the roof system is at the latch, that's why there is a hand hole in your roof, so users can assist in the initial raising and closing of the top.

 

This just happened to me on a 2005 XK8 convertible that I just bought yesterday. The best thing to do is 1) Make sure the top is up and properly latched and the windows (especially the rear quarter windows are up. 2) keep cleaning up the hydraulic fluid leaking into the car until it is all gone and leaks no more. 3) Take it to a properly qualified Jaguar repair garage and have then replace all hydraulic lines and refurbish the pump, valves and fittings. It will not be cheap, probably $2-3,000 but in the end you will have no more problems.

 

I have a used set of Top Hydraulics hoses that were briefly used on my 2002. PM me if you are interested.

 

It’s not always the hoses. Mine was the latch itself that was leaking. You can get the latches refurbished. The only way to know is to take a look at the latch. It’s not too much work to disassemble.