Pics posted fine.

Let is us know how the Big Cat drives....

 

When trailering a Jag, if the battery is good and you are nimble, driver it onto/into a trailer, climb out the window, then roll up the window with the key...no door opening required.

Reverse the process to get it off the trailer.

 

While the suggestion is valid for some, I don’t think I qualify as the particularly nimble type. Even in my sporting days I was more a lineman and rugby prop, then a half back in either sport. And 20 years later hasn’t done me any favors. Couple that with breaking my lower leg pretty bad last year and having to have my ankle fused, and I’d say that option is out the door. That being said. It was a nice day, and I did have the back up plan in mind of dropping the top and window and getting out that way if needed, and then just leaving it that way until I got home. One advantage of the convertible I hadn’t considered before.

I always prefer backup plans plans you don’t actually need.

 

The Bonnet Louver fixing bolts seam to be quite long,
There's not a lot of room under there when the bonnet is closed,
Have a check and hopefully there's no contact with any parts of the engine or hoses that could get damaged from the length of the bolts.

Good look with your new car.

 

Had the day off, so I started to do a bit of work. More exploratory than anything else, still just getting to know the new girl. I first checked the hydraulic fluid level for the convertible. It was just below the top line, maybe an 1/8". So I think that is good. Then I checked the coolant level. As soon as I took the car off the trailer from the trip back home I started getting a coolant level low warning light on startup. I did not see it on the test drive before. On the one longer trip I took just to get some gas, it went away, but then came back at the end. Temps stayed at the artificial mid point the whole time. So I'm not sure what the correct level is, but if I had to guess, this seems like a good cold level. Let me know if I'm wrong. Oh, and I'm pretty sure it is a bit of a trick to the light that it looks greenish, without the flash it looks more like the correct orange.


After that I did some reading up, and it sounds like the sensor is a common failure point, so there is that. I tried to reach behind and below to check the sensor plug in, and it seemed solid, and from the picture the float I think is working. By the time I tried these last two things I actually had that corner up on a jack stand, and had a bit of time, I'll check again when it is back to level.

The reason I had it up on a jack stand was I had taken that front wheel off, to get to the access panel for the front light. To be honest it looks good, but it's hard for me to tell looking at these xenon bulbs, so I ordered a new pair that get here tomorrow. Hopefully that is the issue, but while I was digging into that issue I discovered a link to Frank C's great write up at the other forum on how to remove the whole light housing, so I decided to give that a try. It mostly went well, and exactly as he described, until near the end. I even figured out the washer bit without too much trouble. But I discovered this headlight had been out before, and a bit had been broken. But honestly I think that made the removal easier. Here is the part that gave me a bit of an issue.


I'm guessing it's used for leveling the overall light? The threaded outside appears that it is supposed to be fully threaded into the light housing, but if that is the case, I'm not sure how you slide it back while sliding the light forward to get it out. Like I said, mine was broken, so I managed to remove this part from it's bracket, and then remove the light housing. Here is the damaged bit on the housing. (Hey I think I just found another hole in my housing, I didn't notice this in real life, but in the picture it stands out.)


This particular light housing as some other issues as well. When I first got it, the access port cover on top was not on it, and sitting in the glove box. I'm not sure if that is the cause of the moisture that got in the housing, or left off to try and dry it out. Here is what it looks like now. (See above for another possible cause.)



I've seen people have had worse around here, but it is something I'd like to try and clean up a bit, and fix if there is a leak. I may end up having to replace, the whole unit, but I'd prefer to try fixing it first. So besides the low beam light not working, it also appears to not self level. I'm hoping it's on the same circuit as the light, and getting that working will complete the circuit and get the motor working as well. But, this is probably a bit of wishful thinking, and something else I need to fix.


I already had the front wheels turned since I was trying to get into the rear light access port with out removing it, but in the end I decided to remove it. The lug nuts where a bit odd, they seem to be the stock BBS ones, and I wasn't expecting them to not be solid, one stuck in my socket, but I got it out with out any apparent damage. Also they are bigger then most lug nuts I've had, and used the 7/8" socket. The wheel was stuck on the hub pretty solidly as well. But because the wheel was turned already, I was able to use a rubber mallet on the back of the wheel to loosen it up little by little rotating between strikes. I've cleaned both that wheel and the hub up again with a brass brush, and some brake cleaner. And I've put on a bit of anti seize on the wheel for when I put it back on next time.

I also pulled off one of the good integrated valve stem covers from these wheels (I'm missing one). Since they seem to be very hard to find, I think I'm going to try reverse engineering it and 3d print a replacement. I believe the only silver filament I have is PLA, and that may not hold up great in the weather, but it might be worth a try. I could always put a dab of paint on something that can handle the heat a bit better like PETG, or even ABS. We will see.

I have a blue tooth OBDII reader coming tomorrow. But I tried the cheap standalone one I have the other day, and it wouldn't connect, is that pretty common with these cars, or do I have something more I need to look into? I'm hoping the wireless one works better. I'd like to connect up my phone and get some better readings, and now that the roads are starting to clear up a bit, maybe even try a quick 0-60 to see what it still has. Between that, the bulbs, and wiring in a CTEK, I think I have a few projects for tomorrow as well.

 

John,

Congrats on digging into the car.

Lots of issues but all fixable. As advice, for the best use of this forum, it’ll be better if you started different threads on each problem. You’ll get a more precise response from us, esp From members who have dealt with that one issue.

For your headlight broken bit, it is a T40 torque bolt that suppose to go into a brass ferrule in the bottom of the plastic housing. The actual headlight unit is in two halves. Be very careful of the thin plastic clips that keep the unit together. The two halves have a seal between that keep it water tight. Condensation inside is a known problem and there is a fix by drilling a small 9mm hole in front “inside” (ie towards centre of car) and fitting a T piece to allow venting.

 

Thanks David. Yah, I was still trying to figure out how best to handle all the various things. Didn't know if a self contained car fix up thread was best, or just post in the "What you did today" thread, or split it all out for the individual issues, or even resurrect old long dead threads to ask questions there. I decided to try this first since it was one of the least intrusive way. But I can see how that also means that it doesn't get my issues in front of those who could offer help. I may keep posting in this thread just to document for my self what I've done, and keep it more or less in one place. But if I have any actual questions, I'll split those out as well. Thanks again for the advice David.