XK8 Convertible Top Question
 

I own a 1998 XK8 and live in the southern part of Texas. We have mostly good weather and I keep it in the garage with the top down and covered. I have not had any problems yet but is this a potential problem if I don't cycle the top regularly?

In my experience with the top hoses, etc., they will fail eventually no matter what just due to age, heat and a poor design of hose by Jaguar. Basically, the hose to the top latch is not capable of handling the ending "dead head" pressure of the pump when it stops, and eventually gives way.

Newer hoses with much higher burst pressures are available, and one of our forum members sells a LSI pressure release valve which I would highly reccomend if you are keeping your XK8/R for a long time.

Keeping the top down is a preference thing, I keep mine up in the garage to keep more dust out and to keep the top from getting fold lines in it.

Hope that helps.

We do NOT cycle the top regularly on my wife's 2006 XK8. It is dropped only when she / we are about to go for a top-down drive. I figure the fewer times the factory hoses are exposed to the high pressures required for top operation, the longer we can postpone the eventual green shower. I may be wrong, but the car is approaching 14 years of age (built in May 2005) with no signs of the infamous green shower yet....

Now that I have typed that, all bets are off....

The only issue with keeping the top down all the time may be permanent creasing/wear at the areas where the top folds. The previous owner of my car used to store the car with the top down and the only bad areas on the top are at the these lines. I used to have a Miata/MX5 and "those who knew" said to always store the car with the top up but unlatched :)

Agreed Barry. Currently replacing the top on "Craigslist Cat" and the top has failed mostly at the creases. With the cost of a new top and installation, I'd rather chance replacing hoses.

I don't believe we've seen evidence here to suggest that cycling the top more often than needed offers any advantages. Since I am running with original hoses, I try to avoid cycling the top in very hot weather and would never cycle it after the car has been parked in the sun in such weather.

Not all original hoses have failed; I guess all will fail eventually, but we could say the same of any other part in the car. For those of us running with original hoses, best practice is probably just to make life as easy for the hoses as we can.

if the situation permits leaving the roof folded for a long time there is a technique where soft cloths are placed in the folds by assistants to prevent wear when the material rubs against itself. this would be the case for roof cycled or not as the material only moves due to the vibrations of the car when it is moving. the system cares not how often it is cycled as hydraulics are better for being used. the problems are only from deterioration of the hoses and fittings and seals which is mostly a time and chemical exposure variable. i owned hydraulic equipment and exposure and time beats use by a large factor. lack of use is often not good. being hotter is easier on the hydraulics as the oil is thinned by being warmer. the failures cited in hot weather were due to components already deteriorated being softer and consequently their weakest parts being softer in the heat. the pressures are vastly higher in the cold and i know this regarding this particular car. note to others, below 35 degrees F DO NOT cycle the roof open. the system will tell you it is not happy. the most difficult thing that it does is initially lift the front of the roof. i did it at 25 deg F and the system did not make a nice sound. everything except my pump and front latch were already replaced, so this was a good test. further testing is that above 35 deg F there is no discernible difference in operation. warmed up oil is your friend as well as biting the bullet and replacing the hoses when they are falling apart.

I don't cycle my top much in cold weather, only in the garage for easy access for cleaning the interior maybe once or twice each winter. I'd say that the top has probably never been cycled in freezing temperatures. In the summer, it's another story. I would drop the top whenever the weather allowed. I don't drive the car as much as I used to, and a particular redhead prefers the top up, so it's not cycled nearly as much as in previous years. I never thought about how many times I cycled the top and so far I have not had any problems but posts on this forum have me watching carefully for any evidence of leakage. I normally leave the top up while parked to avoid creasing. It is rarely down overnight. I do believe that storing my car in a garage has extended its life and given me fewer problems overall.

Being in the Charleston area of SC - top down as much as possible. If the top is down when I pull in the garage - it stays down and will until rain forces me to raise it. Yeah it will crease over extended periods but they work themselves out once you cycle it again. I do get a lot of strange looks at 5am on the way to work with the top down but that's why I got a convertible!!

Didn't someone do an excellent article on replacing the hoses when you have the green shower? I am sure I have read it somewhere lately. On one of the UK forums?

This one maybe?
https://www.jaguarforum.com/showthre...75123&page=365

I am like Steve, top says down most of the time. I don't have any creases that are obviously noticeable.

I have noticed I am getting some wear in the contact spots from movement/rubbing while down.

Thanks for the responses.

Thanks Dennis! Just spotted this post. Your link was to work in progress. If anyone needs info in a hurry about the Green Shower this is what I did, just a little further on. Click here to jump to Green Shower info.

Thanks again for the vote of confidence. Nice of you.:icon_beerchug: