Egads, am I crazy? I just bought my 5th British car! And the 4th convertible/roadster to boot. I have always loved the 97 up Jag XK8 convertibles, and today I saw one with 168k miles for $2200, needed a strut from a banging knock noise on bumps, and electric problems from an amatuer stereo installation. The stereo is missing, seat electrics not working, nor remote mirrors, and clear coat peeling, top is decent, seats have some wear. I haven't confirmed yet, but I think the banging knock is from sway bar bushings, thanks forum.
I justified it that I was going to fix it and sell it to make some extra cash, told wife if she liked it we would keep it and sell her 2000 Jag S Type. I get home with it, and she sees the peeling clear coat, and says what is this POS? Her typical reaction to a car purchase, later she calls me and apologizes, she looked inside and it looked nice. When I got home from work she says she may want to keep it, along with her S Type, after all, I have all these cars, how can I argue against that. Later I aired up the low tires and drove it to Taco Bell, them McDs, handled a lot better with aired up tires,they looked low but my dumbass didn't stop to air them up before driving home. Tomorrow comes the fun of checking for elec shorts and blown fuses or relays.
Oh, 1. Wife's 2000 S Type, 2. 1980 Triumph TR8, 3. 1955 MGTF 1500, 4. 1991 Lotus Elan (M100), 5 1997 Jag XK8

 

Before you drive it take the cam covers off and see if you have the metal secondary chain tensioners. If not, make that your first priority as the engine is seriously at risk.

Use the search function for 'secondary tensioner failure' if you need more information.

 

If it still has the plastic tensioners it will surely be a record with 168K miles.
I think this car went to the right place, good luck and nice looking car, not beat up, a little paint and hope the top works, be sure and check the hoses for deterioration, you can see flaking near the pump in the left rear corner behind the radio/cd amp.


Wayne

 

You are a lucky man 55chevy......My wife usually saves the WHAT IS THIS POS? for after I have spent hours working on it. She would never hesitate to drive one of those rear engined **** shitboxes, but one little Triumph Spitfire leaves her stranded in the HOOD, and she will never sit in a real car again.......She did make an exception to HER Rolls Royce Silver Spur. I mean......it's a Rolls......Have fun putting together your new toy........Mike

 

Pulled the console to look at stereo wires, some new speaker wires, and a couple of cut wires on old stereo harness, nothing to indicate a short somewhere, next to check all the fuses and relays. The top switch was unplugged, plugged it back in to see what happens (like an idiot) the side windows go down, pass side halfway, and then nothing. Pressed the up button and nothing happens, so now I have windows down, good thing no rain in forecast until Friday

 

55, might just be the switch. They have a history of not working.


Wayne

 

Houston, we have a problem. Two top hoses have been cut and two unscrewed, looks like cd wire harness was cut to patch in speaker wires, using allen wrench on back windows does nothing. Numerous fuses at door and under hood have no power to either side. I know, I'll fiberglass over the top and call it a coupe, they seem to go for good $.

 

Very nice looking drive!

 

That pump area looks like a big mess. Sorry to say big money also. If you can find a junk yard a get some parts, don't get to thinking you can get the hoses, as they were not the best when brand new. Swing for the new ones, but make sure the motor works. A word of caution, those little relays on top of the motor are very sensitive and break with little effort, unplug from the lower connection.
The allen key only opens the top at the mirror, the relays in the trunk can be jumped to raise and lower the windows, if they work at all. Check the DIY section on that.


Wayne

 

Thanks to Gus I was able to figure out the top rams are disconnected also, so if I want top down it is all manual. The pass rear regulator is also messed up, but I can pull the window closed and it holds, I was able to get the driver's up by taking the relay cover off and closing the relay by hand.
My driver's seat wasn't working when I got it, but passenger's was. I switched some relays around to get AC console power back, and then pass side stopped working. When I check the 20 amp fuses in both facia fuse panels, they are not getting power to either side of fuse, what powers the fuse panel? A relay?

 

Use this link and go to page 18 for the main power distribution.

Link http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepa.../jagxk1997.pdf

 

Yes, I have that page printed out so I can tell what the relays are, it is a good relay diagram that labels exactly what each relay feeds and their layout. What I haven't found is a similar diagram that labels exactly what each fuse in each fuse box feeds. I found a chart that labels the fuses by number, and what they feed, but it doesn't seem to correspond with what I see in the fuse boxes, two in engine compartment, two on each end of dash, and one in trunk.
For example, the driver's side fascia fuse box has a 20 amp fuse at top left, appears to be the driver's seat. On the passenger's side, the top left fuse is a 5 amp, doesn't correspond to the chart that says it should also be a 20 amp fuse.
When I check the 20 amp fuses in both fascia fuse panels at the top, they are not getting power to either side of fuse, while other fuses in each box are getting power, what powers the fuse panel? A single relay or different sources? This is really puzzling, I've been working on cars for 30 years, so not a rookie.