Hi all I'm just confirming a few things already written about,

My 97 XK8 failed its MOT on the new requirement of; Halogen lamps should not be converted to HIDs. The 'friendly' inspector said he would pass it if they were self leveling and had washers, but as I never installed them I intend to go back to halogen bulbs.

Also it failed on rust on the inner rear sill, which surprised me as when I brought the car 2yrs ago I was very thorougher looking for rust. After reading the various rust threads on here I set about the rear sills with a hammer and wire brush and surprise surprise both rear outer sills are rotten from the inside. So then I moved onto the front floor. Both sides are solid underneath, but lift the carpets and they are both rotten! Next I will take the bumpers off, and try and check the chassis rails. But so far it is true, when you find rust on X you will have on Z & Y too....

 

Wow that sucks. The HID lights are so much safer.

 

Returning the headlamps to the original units is simple to satisfy the MoT inspector. Remember to let your insurance carrier know of any other modifications from original.

What is the cost of repairing the rot to make the vehicle pass MoT?

 

I'd noticed the MoT has become more proscriptive this year.

The lighting requirement is just pedantic as HID's give better illumination that halogens but I'm sure you will have appreciated discovery of the rust in the sills.

Graham

 

I do think HIDs are good (I have the turning ones on my Volvo) but I don't disagree that aftermarket HIDs should have self levelling as I hate dazzling headlights.

I'm going to try and all the rust before getting any welding quotes, I'm sure the affected area could be repaired for £100-150, but it will only fail elsewhere in the near future

 

Have a search for RaceDiagnostics threads. If it can rust on an XK8, Jim has "been there and done that".

Graham

 

HIDs in halogen mountings do not have the right beam pattern.

BTW there are better/brighter halogen bulbs than the OE ones and they're easy to fit.

 

Interestingly I had OEM jaguar xenons fitted to mine in 2009, they were for left hand drive that a main dealer had mistakenly (?) fitted to a RHD vehicle.

Only spotted when another main dealer did the MOT in 2009 and Jag had to replace FOC as it was their fault, so I picked mine up for a mere £300 directly from the supplying dealer. Even better once done I sold my original lights for £350!

I then paid someone £300 to rework the internal refractors to point correctly, they were self levelling and had no washers, so the silvery bit for the washers was glued in place. So all in was just £250 out of pocket.

As they were OEM I never had an MOT tester query it as they didn't my stick on number plate either.

On the rust question I live half a mile (as the seagull flies and invariably craps on my car) from salt water, so have had the sills and floorpan done, it's not too expensive, what IS is the chassis legs as that's an engine out job. Pic of my (now defunct as of July this year) 96 car below: