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I've wiped the water and cleaned up the area under the HPPM before I start unbolting things. I noticed 2 wires coming from the loom that are not connected to anything. Any ideas what these are for? Sorry about the fuzzy photos, it's tough to lean into the trunk, guess I'm not fully healed.
Also, given that the all the connections "appear" to be pretty clean, could this be what is causing the error messages that started this thread? I'm going to take it all apart and hit them all with CRC as suggested by Don but it seems that there should be some signs of corrosion or oil contamination to cause that much of an issue.
I've wiped the water and cleaned up the area under the HPPM before I start unbolting things. I noticed 2 wires coming from the loom that are not connected to anything.
First of all, there should be no water under the HPPM. Moisture-laden air in the trunk due to the water will cause the connections in the HPPM and elsewhere to corrode.
Regarding that loose connector, what Bob is trying to tell you in his cryptic manner is that during the overseas journey from England to the U.S., a Transit Isolation Device was attached to that 2-pin connector to prevent battery drain. The devices were removed at the dealership and were supposed to be sent back to Jaguar, but obviously Bob saved some of them instead.
Originally Posted by OCJoeR
Also, given that the all the connections "appear" to be pretty clean, could this be what is causing the error messages that started this thread? I'm going to take it all apart and hit them all with CRC as suggested by Don but it seems that there should be some signs of corrosion or oil contamination to cause that much of an issue.
I can tell from your photo that the copper blades of the megafuses and cable eyelet terminals are corroded. You'll find oxidation/corrosion on the studs, washers, nuts and eyelet terminals as well. Copper oxide and aluminum oxide are insulators, and it only takes a microscopically-thin coating to add considerable resistance to these connections.
Don't just spray the fuses and other parts with CRC. First, brush them with a small brass-bristle brush until they are shiny and no traces of oxidation remain. Don't forget to brush the threaded studs. It may take 20 or 30 strokes per component to scrub away the oxide. Once each component is shiny again, spray it with the CRC zero-residue electronic spray cleaner and allow to dry or dry with compressed air before reassembling.
Remember that all the connection resistances in the battery power and ground circuits are cumulative, and even one extra ohm of resistance in the circuit can cause the cranking voltage to sag below the normal range and trigger spurious DTCs. The oxide on the connections in the HPPM may not be the only cause of your spurious DTCs, but are probably contributors. Cleaning the false bulkhead connector and engine ground strap should also help.
I'll be taking all those parts apart and cleaning them up. I have brass brushes. I'll make sure I get to the threads on all the bolts. Is using a scotch brite pad a no no? Then it will be onto the false bulkhead connector and installing new ground straps.
Thanks again,
Joe
Oh yeah, I also have a new tester for the battery cranking amps on the way today.
Do the fuses lift off the block or should I clean them as they sit? I just don't want to tug too hard on them and have one break.
Yes, the fuses just lift straight off of the threaded studs. You may need to pry gently with a flat-bladed screwdriver or such.
The whitish powder on the aluminum eyelet terminals is aluminum oxide, and the patterns on the copper conductors are made by a combination of copper oxide and aluminum oxide transfer.
I put all the nice shiny parts back and tried to start it up but no go. It cranked but wouldn't start. I put the charger on it and I'll let it sit for a while. My battery tester is "out for delivery" according to the Big A. We'll see what that shows.
I took off the nut, cleaned the bolt and the 2 eyelets, sprayed it all with CRC and put it back together. Now I'm just waiting for the charger to tell me that the battery is charged up. The new battery tester just got here so once the light goes green on the charger I'll give the new tester a try. The battery isn't a year old and is supposed to have 900 cold cranking amps. I guess I'll find out.
Well this morning the charger had a green light. So I unplugged the charger and attached my new battery tester. It showed a full charge, and over 1,000 cold cranking amps so I put the key in the ignition and cranked it over and it started right up. Unfortunately it now shows "ASC NOT AVAILABLE", "TRAC NOT AVAILABLE" ALONG WITH THE "GEAR BOX FAULT" AND "RESTRICTED PERFORMANCE" and now that "PECOS" thing. The only connection I have left in the list is the frame to transmission strap and that won't be here until Sunday. Since the car starts I'm going to pull it into the garage in a position so I can open the TCM/ECM compartment and see if there is any moisture in there. From some of my readings it says that the TCM does not do well when there's any "moisture" that gets into the compartment. Of course this begs the question why put it where you also have a drain located!!!!
The good news is that you are making slow but steady progress. Hang in there....
Hi Jon,
I'm failing to see how getting 2 additional error messages is "slow but steady progress" . Plus, I didn't purchase a car to make "progress" with it. My plan when I purchase a vehicle is to drive it. I'm sorry if I sound negative but this is all extremely frustrating that rain can cause this car to basically turn into a hunk of metal rather than a car. I've been driving since I'm 16. I'm now 77. I have never had a car stop working because it was out in the rain. I've had cars with roofs that leaked, but none that stopped working because they were driven in the rain.
I was able to get around to the right side of the engine compartment and take the torx bolts out of the TCM/ECM compartment., Lo and behold there's water in the bottom of that compartment. I have no idea how water gets into that compartment. I see the drain from the windshield cowl along the side of the larger compartment but I do not see any open area where the rain water could flood the TCM/ECM compartment. There is apparently no drain hole since the water is still there. Any one know how to get this water out? I suppose taking the ECM and TCM out and using a rag to mop up the water would work, but this seems unbelievable that Jaguar would design a car with its primary electrical components stuffed inside a compartment that somehow allows water from a rain shower to get inside it and yet has no drain to allow said water, which should not be anywhere near these 2 components in the first place, to drain out. WTF!!!!!!
Here are the photos but I'm not sure you can see the water.
Once I figure out how to get the standing water out anyone have a suggestion as to a/ how the water got in and b/ how to put a drain in there so it does not happen again. Also, can I use a hair dryer or heat gun to dry out the ECM and TCM?
I disconnected the battery and was able to just lift the TCM out of the box. The ECM won't come out unless I unplug the 6 plugs because the wiring it preventing me from pulling it far enough back to get it out of the box. Other than disconnecting the battery is there anything else I would need to do before unplugging those wires?
Here's a better photo of the water:
I was able to get some rags under the ECM and blotted up most of the water. It's still raining here so it's not going to "air dry". Let me know if there's any problem with using a heat gun on low and placed far enough away from the components to dry it all out. Also, I was going to use the heat gun, again on low, to dry out the plugs and wires and then spray everything with CRC. Any other suggestions?
On the left side of the ECM/TCM compartment (viewed from the top) there is a bundle of wires that has a large rubber grommet attached that forms part of the compartment. You can see it in the first and second photos I posted of the compartment. There is also a large bundle of wires that go through a large hole in the right side of the compartment that has no grommet or any other means of sealing it from water. I don't know how water would get there in the first place but if it did there is nothing to keep it out.
You have a 25-year-old car. At that age, some of the rubber water seals are definitely compromised. Your job is to find which ones they are and repair them if you can or replace them if you cannot. And yes, you can use a hair dryer to evaporate the trapped water you are dealing with. I know you are frustrated, but these Jaguars have never played well with water in the engine bay, battery compartment, or electronic components. Now that your various rubber seals are for all practical purposes "ancient", that is the unfortunate reality today....
Regarding my wife's 2006 XK8, I never wash the engine bay. I wipe it down from time to time with old rags and a bit of silicone spray. She drove it in the rain when it was her daily driver from early February 2012 until late October 2018. But since it was retired to "toy" status at that time, it has not been driven in the rain. That should certainly extend its longevity....
You have a 25-year-old car. At that age, some of the rubber water seals are definitely compromised. Your job is to find which ones they are and repair them if you can or replace them if you cannot. And yes, you can use a hair dryer to evaporate the trapped water you are dealing with. I know you are frustrated, but these Jaguars have never played well with water in the engine bay, battery compartment, or electronic components. Now that your various rubber seals are for all practical purposes "ancient", that is the unfortunate reality today.... To me this is an issue not of the car being 25 years old but horribly poor design. How can you put these sensitive electronic components ANYWHERE near where there is a possibility of water accumulating. It should not matter that rubber gaskets or grommets are old, the components should never have been put there in the first place.
Regarding my wife's 2006 XK8, I never wash the engine bay. I wipe it down from time to time with old rags and a bit of silicone spray. She drove it in the rain when it was her daily driver from early February 2012 until late October 2018. But since it was retired to "toy" status at that time, it has not been driven in the rain. That should certainly extend its longevity....
I've unplugged everything and dryed out the compartment. I've sprayed the male/female plugs with CRC and am letting everything dry out. Hopefully they will dry out in this weather. I found the pictured plug at the end of one of the cable bundles going ot the ECM. It has 3 wires going to it and was not plugged into anything. It was just taped to the bundle that went out through the right side grommet. It was under the bundle of wires so it may have been under water at some point as the water was building up at the bottom of the compartment. Anyone know what it's for?
I'm not sure what is going on but it's not letting me upload the photos.
