XK Rust problems? '03-'04 XKR?
#21
01-01-2012, 11:03 PM
Rust
Hi all,
This is my first post in the XK8/XKR forum. You can see my intro in the newbies corner here.
About Rust:
I am interested to know, do folks from areas where the roads are not salted in winter see the same problems?
Thornley in his "The Essential Buyers Guide" lists floorpans, rear chassis legs and rear inner wings as areas to pay special attention to when buying an XK8/R. XKRacer, thanks for the photos! Are there other areas we should add to this list?
Languid, yes I remember my Dad squirting "Fisholine" all around his vehicles. It's a wonder all the neighborhood cats didn't chase us down the road. What a smell!
Regards
Cadmium
This is my first post in the XK8/XKR forum. You can see my intro in the newbies corner here.
About Rust:
I am interested to know, do folks from areas where the roads are not salted in winter see the same problems?
Thornley in his "The Essential Buyers Guide" lists floorpans, rear chassis legs and rear inner wings as areas to pay special attention to when buying an XK8/R. XKRacer, thanks for the photos! Are there other areas we should add to this list?
Languid, yes I remember my Dad squirting "Fisholine" all around his vehicles. It's a wonder all the neighborhood cats didn't chase us down the road. What a smell!
Regards
Cadmium
#22
01-02-2012, 07:55 AM
The best answer is to get your Jag "OIL SPRAYED" professionally. This is not just your local guy spraying a bit of motor oil here and there under the chassis. Go to the professionals... OIL-TECH, RUST CHECK, or KROWN. They drill & plug small holes where necessary and coat the entire body inside and out with a film of non-hardening/creeping oil. Done once a year along with a spring and fall quality wax and you are in great shape. Been doing all my cars since 1981 and am happy as hell with the results. Not only preserves the body but everything else such as shock mounts, small undercar brackets & clips etc. Its also great to save condition of used cars with rust just starting to show also. Saved my 1975 Scirroco (a german rust bomb which came with factory rust!) for years until I got t-boned by an old guy in a T-bird who ran a red.
Drove my '86 XJ6 year round from '96 to 2006 through the snow & salt and she was still rust free when I sold her.The only drawback on some cars is that the cheaper outer rubber door seals get a bit of a wrinkley look if they swell a bit.
Cheers
TheCounty
ps Don't confuse these new products with the old Midas hard tar type sprays which looked like tar, dried and cracked, retained moisture and dirt which rusted cars out terribly about 3 or 4 years after application.
Drove my '86 XJ6 year round from '96 to 2006 through the snow & salt and she was still rust free when I sold her.The only drawback on some cars is that the cheaper outer rubber door seals get a bit of a wrinkley look if they swell a bit.
Cheers
TheCounty
ps Don't confuse these new products with the old Midas hard tar type sprays which looked like tar, dried and cracked, retained moisture and dirt which rusted cars out terribly about 3 or 4 years after application.
#23
07-18-2012, 04:24 PM
xkr 2003 rust
Considering the weather we have in the UK it's amazing Jaguar can't rust proof cars properly at the factory. I have had my 2003 XKR for a year now (50000 miles). I have just had to have welding repairs done which involved removing the front sub frame. One of the previoous owners has had the footwells welded, but I am assured by S&P Autos, Newton Abbot that whoever did that did a good job. This is on a 9 year old car!
I am now preparing to get the underside steam cleaned before I waxoyl it myself, hopefully to tackle more problems before they arrive!
I also changed the supercharger belt, pulleys and tensioner for the modified version, so I don't have squeaking noises anymore.
These cars are definitely a labour of love, but when you get behind the wheel and drive the car, it compensates for all the aggro.
I am now preparing to get the underside steam cleaned before I waxoyl it myself, hopefully to tackle more problems before they arrive!
I also changed the supercharger belt, pulleys and tensioner for the modified version, so I don't have squeaking noises anymore.
These cars are definitely a labour of love, but when you get behind the wheel and drive the car, it compensates for all the aggro.
#24
07-18-2012, 06:03 PM
#25
07-19-2012, 04:09 AM
No complaints with the XKR owner experience and to be honest, I think all the major issues have been addressed. I think it's prudent, maybe to think of more rust proofing though.
On the up side as far as reliability goes - no complaints at all, all the electrics work, the engine and gearbox appear to be bullet proof on the later cars.
As I have previously owned 4 TVRs, I shouldn't moan too much, the Jags are on a different planet to those!
On the up side as far as reliability goes - no complaints at all, all the electrics work, the engine and gearbox appear to be bullet proof on the later cars.
As I have previously owned 4 TVRs, I shouldn't moan too much, the Jags are on a different planet to those!
#26
07-19-2012, 05:23 AM
4 TVR's - brave man!
The footwell rust on the early cars is due to water getting trapped behind a plate used in the manufacturing process. It finds the path of least resistance and rusts through the floorpans.
What was the issue that needed the front cross member removing to rectify? Failed mountings aren't unusual but I can't recall previous reports of cross member removal other than to repair accident damage.
Graham
The footwell rust on the early cars is due to water getting trapped behind a plate used in the manufacturing process. It finds the path of least resistance and rusts through the floorpans.
What was the issue that needed the front cross member removing to rectify? Failed mountings aren't unusual but I can't recall previous reports of cross member removal other than to repair accident damage.
Graham
#27
07-19-2012, 01:12 PM
#28
07-20-2012, 04:01 AM
XKR rust
It wasn't the cross member they removed, it was the front aluminium sub frame, which supports the engine and the front running gear. This was to get access to the inner wing behind the subframe.
Not too sure whether the later XKRs are as good as it gets - they might be better than the earlier ones, certainly on the engine and gearbox side, but it seems the rust bug still attacks the later ones.
I also had to change the top front wishbone bushes and changed them for poly bushes - seems ok.
The bottom ones seem ok at the moment, but I bought a complete set, so I'll see if I can do the bottom ones when they go - might be more difficult.
Not too sure whether the later XKRs are as good as it gets - they might be better than the earlier ones, certainly on the engine and gearbox side, but it seems the rust bug still attacks the later ones.
I also had to change the top front wishbone bushes and changed them for poly bushes - seems ok.
The bottom ones seem ok at the moment, but I bought a complete set, so I'll see if I can do the bottom ones when they go - might be more difficult.
#29
07-20-2012, 06:02 AM
It wasn't the cross member they removed, it was the front aluminium sub frame, which supports the engine and the front running gear. This was to get access to the inner wing behind the subframe.
Not too sure whether the later XKRs are as good as it gets - they might be better than the earlier ones, certainly on the engine and gearbox side, but it seems the rust bug still attacks the later ones.
I also had to change the top front wishbone bushes and changed them for poly bushes - seems ok.
The bottom ones seem ok at the moment, but I bought a complete set, so I'll see if I can do the bottom ones when they go - might be more difficult.
Not too sure whether the later XKRs are as good as it gets - they might be better than the earlier ones, certainly on the engine and gearbox side, but it seems the rust bug still attacks the later ones.
I also had to change the top front wishbone bushes and changed them for poly bushes - seems ok.
The bottom ones seem ok at the moment, but I bought a complete set, so I'll see if I can do the bottom ones when they go - might be more difficult.
Wishbones are a regular wear item and have been as long as this design has be used from the saloons onwards.
Graham
#31
07-21-2012, 04:17 AM
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...pictures-2418/
Everything you need to know. Covers how to add pics stored on your PC and from hosted sites.
Graham
The following users liked this post:
daveholds (07-22-2012)
#32
07-21-2012, 01:43 PM
#33
07-21-2012, 02:43 PM
#34
07-21-2012, 04:30 PM
Both sides - I have to say I was very impressed with the job they did - but in total it was over £1000 to do the job - probably £950 to take everything off and £50 to do the welding! I did whinge, but in the end I think the price was very reasonable.
Just for interest the following is a front disc they took off a customer's XKR (Not Mine!!)
Just for interest the following is a front disc they took off a customer's XKR (Not Mine!!)
Last edited by daveholds; 07-22-2012 at 06:44 AM. Reason: Add comment
#35
07-21-2012, 06:19 PM
#36
07-22-2012, 06:08 AM
This is the link to S&P Autos for anyone else living around Devon/ Newton Abbot
The Jaguar Specialists | S&P Autos | Newton abbot, devon
I'm not connected with them in any way apart from as a satisfied customer!
The Jaguar Specialists | S&P Autos | Newton abbot, devon
I'm not connected with them in any way apart from as a satisfied customer!
#37
07-30-2012, 11:49 AM
Member
Well this is depressing reading.
After Racer's dissertation I am not sure what to do in terms of preventative maintenance or how effective it would be but here is a note Lanquid sent me that may add to the options.
I’d love to be wrong about the UK cars, but my experience tells me otherwise. My first Jag (a 1967 S Type bought in Auckland at 7 years old, 3.4Litre 210HP, 23.5mpg on the open road, Tudor Webasco roof, Auto. Rego GK4185) literally started falling apart after I’d had it about 6 months. It was an indelible lesson. You can easily fix mechanicals, bodies are a different kettle of fish. I’d suggest that you get under yours with a high pressure cleaner while wearing a wet suit & goggles, and clean the hell out of every corner you can see and any others that you cannot. When dry use a magnifying glass to inspect every square inch of the car – twice!! Then spray the underside with phosphoric acid (used by steel boat builders to convert the surface rust to a rust resistant oxide). When that dries (usually about 24 hours, turns any surface rust black), get the underside coated with something like ‘Tectyl’ self healing protective coating. About 6mm thick, waxing sort of ‘gunk’ which forms a skin, and if a stone does penetrate it, it self heals by closing up and re-skinning itself. Otherwise, sell the car just before the rust starts to show!!
Is any one doing undercoating as a business in the UK?
Is it any good?
Same questions for France and Switzerland.
cheers,
jj
After Racer's dissertation I am not sure what to do in terms of preventative maintenance or how effective it would be but here is a note Lanquid sent me that may add to the options.
I’d love to be wrong about the UK cars, but my experience tells me otherwise. My first Jag (a 1967 S Type bought in Auckland at 7 years old, 3.4Litre 210HP, 23.5mpg on the open road, Tudor Webasco roof, Auto. Rego GK4185) literally started falling apart after I’d had it about 6 months. It was an indelible lesson. You can easily fix mechanicals, bodies are a different kettle of fish. I’d suggest that you get under yours with a high pressure cleaner while wearing a wet suit & goggles, and clean the hell out of every corner you can see and any others that you cannot. When dry use a magnifying glass to inspect every square inch of the car – twice!! Then spray the underside with phosphoric acid (used by steel boat builders to convert the surface rust to a rust resistant oxide). When that dries (usually about 24 hours, turns any surface rust black), get the underside coated with something like ‘Tectyl’ self healing protective coating. About 6mm thick, waxing sort of ‘gunk’ which forms a skin, and if a stone does penetrate it, it self heals by closing up and re-skinning itself. Otherwise, sell the car just before the rust starts to show!!
Is any one doing undercoating as a business in the UK?
Is it any good?
Same questions for France and Switzerland.
cheers,
jj
#38
07-31-2012, 07:59 AM
After having the welding done on my XKR, I've decided to use either Waxoyl or Dinitrol, to 'rustproof' it.
I'm leaning towards Dinitrol, because the clear treatment appears to be able to penetrate better than the Waxoyl equivalent (thinking of the sills).
My intention is to buy a compressor to apply it after pressure washing the underside and applying rust treatment (phosphoric acid), then dinitrol clear and after that the black dinitrol.
I'll post the results up when I've done it.
I'm leaning towards Dinitrol, because the clear treatment appears to be able to penetrate better than the Waxoyl equivalent (thinking of the sills).
My intention is to buy a compressor to apply it after pressure washing the underside and applying rust treatment (phosphoric acid), then dinitrol clear and after that the black dinitrol.
I'll post the results up when I've done it.
#39
08-10-2012, 03:29 PM
Member
Has anyone had any problems with Rear Subframe Mountings Rusting?.. I just purchased a 1999 One owner XK8 with 120,000 on the clock, from a Cowboy Outfit called Moston Car Sales in Chester who claimed that it had FSH, Full Main Dealer Servicing and an Advisory Free MOT.. When I checked I discovered four advisories and the original Failure on the rear subframe mountings and No record of Servicing after 60,000! It does have rust in both front floorpans for which I have obtained some replacement Panels (The guy who makes them has an XK8 of his own and also makes Rear Sill replacement panels which I understand are not available anywhere else?) However There has been some very poor quality (MOT Standard???) Welding to the rear subframe mountings on both sides. Does anyone have any info on these please?
#40
08-10-2012, 04:49 PM
Senior Member
They have lied to you, take it back and ask for a refund. If they do not, sue them through the courts!!!