1) Glove box damper, just needed string reattaching
2) both visor mirror covers' internal springs fixed
3) repaired wiring to trunk/boot rear button and license plate lights
4) rebuilt CD Changer, so no more "No Disc" it was the gear that drives laser across disc and microswitch to start disc spin.
5) installed Bluetooth, and aux in while maintaining changer
6) replaced dash bulbs, climate control bulb, and a few burned up blue "condoms"
7) fix headrests, and their microswitches. Tip, cut sheath just at the metal end fix, clean out end with drill bit, and jam back on. takes off just enough sheath to work, and no break in middle.
8) took out and cleaned Canister purge valve and canister with alcohol. No more sticky fuel smell!
9) added in the optional accessory outlets in boot and glovebox to the live connection. Added on/off switch to boot one, mounted next to CD changer.
10) replaced almost useless low beams with HID 4300k conversion
11) new front tires and aligment and suspension check up
12) new Bosch battery to get rid up POS AAA Car club one. Batt would lose voltage and car would completely lock up on me, until doing hard resets.
13) fixed "tilt" steering wheel stick. Tip, take off lower cowl, undo the only 2 torx screws you see, separate from column and spray cleaner/lube on gears. replace torx, but do not tighten all the way. Works like new.
14) overcame language barrier, when "hood not latched" showed up. found out Hood is roof top, US hood is bonnet and trunk is boot. No more Lost in Translation!

Last was added just so I didnt end on an unlucky 13!

Let me know if anyone needs help with any of their XK8's quirks. I'll explain more in detail.

 

Julian sounds great. Must have taken a long time. Can you please tell us about 4300k HID conversion ? I hate my 1998s low beams, wonder if I can use your findings to improve significantlyrics.
John

John

 

you have just started. ha ha ha

 

15) fixed check engine light (both banks running lean) so traced a vacuum leak to a hose pinched by engine cover, and cleared codes with Torque app. Tip NEVER first trust its an O2 sensor. Always check for vacuum leaks on manifold hose.
16) rebuilt cup holder, missing internal springs that I replaced with modded safty pins.
17) unstuck power antenna segments...and even THAT was a pain in the butt!

 

And that's is what I'm afraid of. Least I don't have any kids...well maybe I do now!

 

Brother, the diff is night and day! It IS a must do, those low beams are downright dangerous, on any unlit part of freeway.
I did it a down and dirty way took 30 mins. Got Kensun digi slim kit from Amazon. Some people take out headlights (PITA) and place the ballast and wires inside lights. I had fear of over heating ballast that way, and no air circulation. And if the ballasts were crap, I didnt want to go all the effort of taking out headlights again, to replace.
I turned wheel to side, opened "secret door" to lights and replaced bulbs with wires and ballasts sitting inside the fenders (double sided taped). Had to lose the rubber bit on HID light to seperate wires, and get bulb wires threw the bulb holding clip. Also the headlight back caps, now are in storage. Tip on those, push on them before turning anticlockwise to remove. Why is every little thing a pain/effort on these cars.
And BTW, I LOVE the oem 4300k-4500k color and brightness. But lots like 5000k-6000k.

 

BTW, you have the same year as my cabrio. Was looking for a 2004, fig a year to work out new engine kinks, but didn't have all the extra body parts, and so much tacky (to me) chrome, they added later. But for some reason 2004's are really rare. But the 2003 I found fit my wanted specs. No navi (3 gauge dash), silver color with dove and black interior, 18 inch wheels

 

It's a Jaguar. You're NEVER finished!

From time to time your reach to a point where everything works and it starts to be boring. Then thoughts turn to your NEXT Jaguar.

Graham

 

Exactly. You are never finished. Believe me, I know - we have TWO Jaguars. What was I thinking?!

 

JulIan, Re: Xenon light upgrade

would you mind posting exactly which one you purchased from Amazon ? I am sold on the idea, but when I looked there are quite a large number of choices. I think the only one I saw with the word slim in the title is a green ( color light) version.

Since you've been there and found one that works so well I want to order that too.

Thanks, John

 

Hey John,
sure thing, here is the exact one I got, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NRVCDLS...ding=UTF8&th=1
I prepicked the bulb size for you too. It's H1 size. Also prepicked the color I got 4300k, which is OEM, but like I said some like a white w/blue tint, and that color is 5000k. You should research what you prefer. Also 2 tips, your ground wire is not attached to bulb, only live is. The ground is attached to the bulb holder, feel around, you'll find it. And when putting in the HID bulbs, they need a little wiggle wiggle. You will think they are wrong size, but they will eventually fit all the way in.

 

You can only wish!

 

Julian, I just ordered them, Thanks again for your help and recommendation.

John

 

Julian - Do you notice any "excessive" heat coming from these lights? I read some reviews on the 8000k and some said they were VERY hot (I assume they might get hotter as you go up the scale??).

 

Great question Chris. Julian nothing is melting right mate?

John

 

Nope no melting, and I've done some long night drives so far.
No heat to touch more than Halogens. Our headlights were designed to be either Xenon or halos. They even have the projector lens already for low beams. I think we even have glass lenses and not plastic, but not certain.
I noticed on the HID ones for factory that the ballasts are attached to the outside bottoms of light houses. I fig this is for heat expelling, which is why I did my ballasts outside, and not the neat inside housing way.

As for those 8000k being hot, well first off, anyone who gets above a 6500k is just "ricing" something (IMO). It's too blue too be good for real life vision. And chances are the types that go for that look, also didn't get projector lenses, so they are running them on reflectors (which most non HID cars have), and that will make tons of heat. Also they maybe running a 55 watt ballast, again totally "ricer", and so not needed. Annoying too oncoming, and even illegal.
See when you go higher in Kelvin, the light is less bright, so to compensate for those types, they run the higher watt ballasts. So amateur and overkill.

 

Julian, great info about the headlights, but you're never done with theses cars My list of repairs is so long at this point, it scares me when I look at it. And, I still have more to go. Good luck.

You know, in a sick way, it is fun.

 

Yeah, easy to become obsessive with it. The real downfall is that literally everything is an obstacle to get at what you want to fix. And the insane randomness of screws/torx/bolts. Nothing like working on my BMW M3, which is like working with Legos compared to

 

'And BTW, I LOVE the oem 4300k-4500k color and brightness. But lots like 5000k-6000k.'

Unless you are a driver at night in oncoming traffic being dazzled by these lighting 'upgrades'. If it isnt offered by the manufacturer, you don't need it and it may be illegal, as are most of the upgrades available on ebay

 

The HID upgrade in xk8s was manufacture avail, and then a year later was standard. But if not taken the first year out, the HIDs can be legally retrofitted with just the 35watt kit. Its because the XK8 already uses the projector lenses for the low beams, and this projector focuses light and has an upper end cut off. It was made for HIDs.The halo low beams are so far back that night driving on unlit roads is dangerous, and on unlit freeways, you easily over run your lighting distance, and impossible to maintain speed.
You just need to make sure your lights are leveled, as set from factory, as the auto leveling you will not have. And you'll have no worries about dazzling anyone. Of course un-leveled lights will dazzle oncoming whether halo or HID. The XK8 is factory set low enough that, oncoming or following SUVs with OEM HIDs will dazzle us.
I think in UK, HIDs without auto level or washers, maybe illegal, or they are making it so. Not sure on that, cuz passing MOT does not affect me.
In US it does become illegal if you install these new 55 watt ones, and I said, these are not needed, and you WILL dazzle oncoming with these. It is also illegal to just install a HID kit, if you don't have or install projector lenses, (as in non-factory option HID cars) and just throw the kit in using common reflectors, or putting them on the high beams, which need to be halos, for the passing flash. I also do not condone them for fog use, again not needed, and those most likely will be reflectors there. All those amateur installs just listed, will dazzle oncoming. And those people, yes, are d**ks!
If done as I described, you would never notice, its not OEM, and wont annoy any oncoming, or you following others.
I've never been "flashed" for dazzling anyone, with this retrofit.