A V12 sized gamble
Discussion
Top Motor,
Always loved the XJS,
Must be something to do with "The Saint"!
As for the Ferret..... Just had flashbacks to working on these!
The mechanical fuel pump on the engine is designed to be removed by people who have deformed wrists as a minimum!
Using the "Over-Centre" method to adjust the Wilson pre-select gearbox and smacking my knee off the steering wheel!
The wheel stations...... Shimming the sun gears (iirc) much fn when it's dark wet and cold!
The CVR(T), fine vehicle still in service now with a Cummins B6 Diesel engine.
One thing to be aware of is the voltage regulator, it's located in the control panel behind the steering levers,
Inside the lid there is a circuit diagram, the voltage regulator sensing wire is shown as been connects to the "Hi" spade terminal. If it is connected to this terminal it allows the regulator to shove more voltage into the batteries as a form of
Battery heating for artic conditions.
It should be set to medium for Europe/temperate and lo for deset/hot.
If you experience boiling batteries due to no voltage stabilisation then the culprit is the regulator, it is a common
Get you home trick to move the sensing wire to one of the other positions that gives you stable voltage.
Hi pin bangs 28v +or- 0.5v into the batts
Med 24-26v
Lo 22-24
Always loved the XJS,
Must be something to do with "The Saint"!
As for the Ferret..... Just had flashbacks to working on these!
The mechanical fuel pump on the engine is designed to be removed by people who have deformed wrists as a minimum!
Using the "Over-Centre" method to adjust the Wilson pre-select gearbox and smacking my knee off the steering wheel!
The wheel stations...... Shimming the sun gears (iirc) much fn when it's dark wet and cold!
The CVR(T), fine vehicle still in service now with a Cummins B6 Diesel engine.
One thing to be aware of is the voltage regulator, it's located in the control panel behind the steering levers,
Inside the lid there is a circuit diagram, the voltage regulator sensing wire is shown as been connects to the "Hi" spade terminal. If it is connected to this terminal it allows the regulator to shove more voltage into the batteries as a form of
Battery heating for artic conditions.
It should be set to medium for Europe/temperate and lo for deset/hot.
If you experience boiling batteries due to no voltage stabilisation then the culprit is the regulator, it is a common
Get you home trick to move the sensing wire to one of the other positions that gives you stable voltage.
Hi pin bangs 28v +or- 0.5v into the batts
Med 24-26v
Lo 22-24
That is definitely an idea XJ, it makes you wonder why Jaguar didn't do it earlier in the first place?
To be honest I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to remove from the car. It's not all rosy though, one of the radius arm bolts has snapped getting it off. How I'm going to repair that at this point in time, I don't know.
HSE approved support blocks...
The plan is for now, beg and borrow an engine crane, make up some trestles to rest it on, then get to work
To be honest I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to remove from the car. It's not all rosy though, one of the radius arm bolts has snapped getting it off. How I'm going to repair that at this point in time, I don't know.
HSE approved support blocks...
The plan is for now, beg and borrow an engine crane, make up some trestles to rest it on, then get to work
LewG said:
That is definitely an idea XJ, it makes you wonder why Jaguar didn't do it earlier in the first place?
To be honest I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to remove from the car. It's not all rosy though, one of the radius arm bolts has snapped getting it off. How I'm going to repair that at this point in time, I don't know.
The plan is for now, beg and borrow an engine crane, make up some trestles to rest it on, then get to work
Firstly if you're going to convert it to the later type don't spend any money on the old IRS set up.It's just a case of sourcing a complete later type one from a salvage yard and then rebuild that although there is some complicated setting up to do when replacing suspension and wheel bearings so it's best to send it out for rebuild by specialists like Ward Engineering.To be honest I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to remove from the car. It's not all rosy though, one of the radius arm bolts has snapped getting it off. How I'm going to repair that at this point in time, I don't know.
The plan is for now, beg and borrow an engine crane, make up some trestles to rest it on, then get to work
As for the Radius arm bolt it's probably another example of how so many people don't put some grease on suspension assembly bolts to stop them seizing.It'll probably be a case of drill it and try a stud extractor or just drill it out completely starting with a small drill and then increasing the drill diameter in stages.
Edited by XJ Flyer on Sunday 23 February 17:47
LewG said:
Just looking at new exhaust systems as we speak as realistically mine's naffed. 300-400 quid, I thought we'd be in that ballpark. Nope, almost double that.
Anybody got an industrial sized vat of antidepressants? Currently I'm thinking a bank job could be the only answer.
I'm not sure if it would need around £700 to replace the exhaust system.However I did mine some years ago and it's still in great condition.I did it by just ordering the the standard downpipes and the long pipes from Jaguar and then the silencer substitute pipes and large bore fabricated over axle pipes ( not the small bore standard ones ) from AJ6 Engineering.I think AJ6 can also supply the old TWR type twin outlet back boxes too.I'd be surprised if all of that would cost much more than £500 even now.I'd really like to fit some Haywood and Scott fabricated manifolds too but they really are expensive at well over over £1,000. Anybody got an industrial sized vat of antidepressants? Currently I'm thinking a bank job could be the only answer.
Lovely, kudos to you young 'un!
I got my first XJS (pre HE)when I was about 25 and was smitten from then for several years and quite few versions of them.
My first one was white (the rumour was that Jag could only deliver white, blue or that beigey yellow colour due to problems with the new paint facility) and went rusty faster than you could polish it off! The seams between cills and rear wings seemed to discolour faster than it could be polished off. It was epically thirsty! Single figures always but then I did used to thrash it mercilessly - I was young and stupid and had far to much disposable income! It was also totally reliable, which surprised everybody. Never had a moments problem with it (other than the battery going flat once when I left the interior light on after an evenings 'entertainment'!
I traded it in for an early HE in sage green with doeskin interior and to be honest, it was a bloody dog. It was VERY slow compared to the earlier car and no better on fuel, the night I got shown a clean pair of heels while four up by an XR3I was the night I decided to sell it!
So I traded it in for a TWR version. I forget the actual spec (I'm old and senile now) but it had spoilers front and rear (rear one had a little hole in for the electric aerial to pop up through - loved that!) It was pretty quick (for the time) but went wrong on a daily basis and also started rusting behind the bodykit. Also, I very rapidly fell out of love with the outrageous styling of the TWR bits and instead of the pride I usually felt with my Jags, I felt a bit embarrassed by it.
When I tried to trade it in to my local dealer for a new one, they wouldn't take it!
Still, I bought another one, gunmetal grey met and sports interior. I loved that car to bits, it just looked great with the lattice wheels and lowered a bit. But, it really put me off XJS's for a while. It was terrible!
'G' reg and brand new, seemed to co-incide with Jaguar quality absolutely falling into the toilet. It spent more time back at HA Fox on Plymouth than it did in my posession. It failed to proceed regularly (eventualy traced to a bad connection in the drivers side bulkhead - auto electrician found that when Fox's couldn't) it kept throwing fan belts (and there's four of them) starter packed up, alternator went, rear brakes overheated, it had a persistant misfire... thelist went on and on.
All my partners had BMs and Mercs and it really irked me that they got exceptional service both from their cars and the dealers, whereas Fox's couldn't care less once they had your money!
So I got a Merc....
Still, I've had a few more over the years, all down in banger money. I love them dearly, but find them hard to live with. Just off to the classifieds... I may be some time!
I got my first XJS (pre HE)when I was about 25 and was smitten from then for several years and quite few versions of them.
My first one was white (the rumour was that Jag could only deliver white, blue or that beigey yellow colour due to problems with the new paint facility) and went rusty faster than you could polish it off! The seams between cills and rear wings seemed to discolour faster than it could be polished off. It was epically thirsty! Single figures always but then I did used to thrash it mercilessly - I was young and stupid and had far to much disposable income! It was also totally reliable, which surprised everybody. Never had a moments problem with it (other than the battery going flat once when I left the interior light on after an evenings 'entertainment'!
I traded it in for an early HE in sage green with doeskin interior and to be honest, it was a bloody dog. It was VERY slow compared to the earlier car and no better on fuel, the night I got shown a clean pair of heels while four up by an XR3I was the night I decided to sell it!
So I traded it in for a TWR version. I forget the actual spec (I'm old and senile now) but it had spoilers front and rear (rear one had a little hole in for the electric aerial to pop up through - loved that!) It was pretty quick (for the time) but went wrong on a daily basis and also started rusting behind the bodykit. Also, I very rapidly fell out of love with the outrageous styling of the TWR bits and instead of the pride I usually felt with my Jags, I felt a bit embarrassed by it.
When I tried to trade it in to my local dealer for a new one, they wouldn't take it!
Still, I bought another one, gunmetal grey met and sports interior. I loved that car to bits, it just looked great with the lattice wheels and lowered a bit. But, it really put me off XJS's for a while. It was terrible!
'G' reg and brand new, seemed to co-incide with Jaguar quality absolutely falling into the toilet. It spent more time back at HA Fox on Plymouth than it did in my posession. It failed to proceed regularly (eventualy traced to a bad connection in the drivers side bulkhead - auto electrician found that when Fox's couldn't) it kept throwing fan belts (and there's four of them) starter packed up, alternator went, rear brakes overheated, it had a persistant misfire... thelist went on and on.
All my partners had BMs and Mercs and it really irked me that they got exceptional service both from their cars and the dealers, whereas Fox's couldn't care less once they had your money!
So I got a Merc....
Still, I've had a few more over the years, all down in banger money. I love them dearly, but find them hard to live with. Just off to the classifieds... I may be some time!
Love it - had a V12 HE about twenty years ago and even then it was a gamble... Auto box died on the first proper 'road trip' and cost me a fortune to fix, then the cruise and a/c died. Eventually the fuel consumption (it was Mrs V8's daily drive) got too much and she was sold. (the Jag, not Mrs V8) I still have something in my garage which I think you deserve to inherit, should you wish..... A complete spare V12!
It doesn't have any ancillaries and has been under the workbench for almost twenty years, so may need some 'refurbishment' but my plan was to fit six litre liners & pistons. I will be extracting from it's current resting place it in the summer and if you want it, it's yours for free! (collection only though
)
It doesn't have any ancillaries and has been under the workbench for almost twenty years, so may need some 'refurbishment' but my plan was to fit six litre liners & pistons. I will be extracting from it's current resting place it in the summer and if you want it, it's yours for free! (collection only though
) 
Top PH motoring young man!Xtriple129 said:
Lovely, kudos to you young 'un!
I got my first XJS (pre HE)when I was about 25 and was smitten from then for several years and quite few versions of them.
My first one was white (the rumour was that Jag could only deliver white, blue or that beigey yellow colour due to problems with the new paint facility) and went rusty faster than you could polish it off! The seams between cills and rear wings seemed to discolour faster than it could be polished off. It was epically thirsty! Single figures always but then I did used to thrash it mercilessly - I was young and stupid and had far to much disposable income! It was also totally reliable, which surprised everybody. Never had a moments problem with it (other than the battery going flat once when I left the interior light on after an evenings 'entertainment'!
I traded it in for an early HE in sage green with doeskin interior and to be honest, it was a bloody dog. It was VERY slow compared to the earlier car and no better on fuel, the night I got shown a clean pair of heels while four up by an XR3I was the night I decided to sell it!
So I traded it in for a TWR version. I forget the actual spec (I'm old and senile now) but it had spoilers front and rear (rear one had a little hole in for the electric aerial to pop up through - loved that!) It was pretty quick (for the time) but went wrong on a daily basis and also started rusting behind the bodykit. Also, I very rapidly fell out of love with the outrageous styling of the TWR bits and instead of the pride I usually felt with my Jags, I felt a bit embarrassed by it.
When I tried to trade it in to my local dealer for a new one, they wouldn't take it!
Still, I bought another one, gunmetal grey met and sports interior. I loved that car to bits, it just looked great with the lattice wheels and lowered a bit. But, it really put me off XJS's for a while. It was terrible!
'G' reg and brand new, seemed to co-incide with Jaguar quality absolutely falling into the toilet. It spent more time back at HA Fox on Plymouth than it did in my posession. It failed to proceed regularly (eventualy traced to a bad connection in the drivers side bulkhead - auto electrician found that when Fox's couldn't) it kept throwing fan belts (and there's four of them) starter packed up, alternator went, rear brakes overheated, it had a persistant misfire... thelist went on and on.
All my partners had BMs and Mercs and it really irked me that they got exceptional service both from their cars and the dealers, whereas Fox's couldn't care less once they had your money!
So I got a Merc....
Still, I've had a few more over the years, all down in banger money. I love them dearly, but find them hard to live with. Just off to the classifieds... I may be some time!
Lovely! You're a brave man, to be honest I don't blame you for getting a reliable German barge instead! I can't imagine driving one of these every day. I'd quite like to drive an early XJS just to see what the pre-HE engine is actually like! Weirdly the TWR versions have never appealed to me, the wheels look a bit garish on the car and the bodykit in my opinion looks like it simply doesn't belong there. Same for some of the later versions, they look a bit bloated. I got my first XJS (pre HE)when I was about 25 and was smitten from then for several years and quite few versions of them.
My first one was white (the rumour was that Jag could only deliver white, blue or that beigey yellow colour due to problems with the new paint facility) and went rusty faster than you could polish it off! The seams between cills and rear wings seemed to discolour faster than it could be polished off. It was epically thirsty! Single figures always but then I did used to thrash it mercilessly - I was young and stupid and had far to much disposable income! It was also totally reliable, which surprised everybody. Never had a moments problem with it (other than the battery going flat once when I left the interior light on after an evenings 'entertainment'!
I traded it in for an early HE in sage green with doeskin interior and to be honest, it was a bloody dog. It was VERY slow compared to the earlier car and no better on fuel, the night I got shown a clean pair of heels while four up by an XR3I was the night I decided to sell it!
So I traded it in for a TWR version. I forget the actual spec (I'm old and senile now) but it had spoilers front and rear (rear one had a little hole in for the electric aerial to pop up through - loved that!) It was pretty quick (for the time) but went wrong on a daily basis and also started rusting behind the bodykit. Also, I very rapidly fell out of love with the outrageous styling of the TWR bits and instead of the pride I usually felt with my Jags, I felt a bit embarrassed by it.
When I tried to trade it in to my local dealer for a new one, they wouldn't take it!
Still, I bought another one, gunmetal grey met and sports interior. I loved that car to bits, it just looked great with the lattice wheels and lowered a bit. But, it really put me off XJS's for a while. It was terrible!
'G' reg and brand new, seemed to co-incide with Jaguar quality absolutely falling into the toilet. It spent more time back at HA Fox on Plymouth than it did in my posession. It failed to proceed regularly (eventualy traced to a bad connection in the drivers side bulkhead - auto electrician found that when Fox's couldn't) it kept throwing fan belts (and there's four of them) starter packed up, alternator went, rear brakes overheated, it had a persistant misfire... thelist went on and on.
All my partners had BMs and Mercs and it really irked me that they got exceptional service both from their cars and the dealers, whereas Fox's couldn't care less once they had your money!
So I got a Merc....
Still, I've had a few more over the years, all down in banger money. I love them dearly, but find them hard to live with. Just off to the classifieds... I may be some time!
It's such a shame Jaguar never quite achieved the decent quality this car deserved in its life. You're dead right, I was talking to my old flying instructor who worked for Jaguar years ago, he said a lot of the time it didn't actually matter if the car was any good or not, because the majority of Jaguar's customers had more than enough money to sort it, or buy another! Ridiculous attitude to take I know.
I still look at the XJS as the ultimate big GT car, but then my spectacles are thoroughly rose tinted!
V8 Disco said:
Love it - had a V12 HE about twenty years ago and even then it was a gamble... Auto box died on the first proper 'road trip' and cost me a fortune to fix, then the cruise and a/c died. Eventually the fuel consumption (it was Mrs V8's daily drive) got too much and she was sold. (the Jag, not Mrs V8) I still have something in my garage which I think you deserve to inherit, should you wish..... A complete spare V12!
It doesn't have any ancillaries and has been under the workbench for almost twenty years, so may need some 'refurbishment' but my plan was to fit six litre liners & pistons. I will be extracting from it's current resting place it in the summer and if you want it, it's yours for free! (collection only though )
Disco, that is fantastically generous of you, thanks very much. Just let us know when you eventually dig it out, I'll gladly come and collect it one way or another! It doesn't have any ancillaries and has been under the workbench for almost twenty years, so may need some 'refurbishment' but my plan was to fit six litre liners & pistons. I will be extracting from it's current resting place it in the summer and if you want it, it's yours for free! (collection only though
) I'm amazed that big old GM transmission gave up on you of all things! From what I've heard they're a pretty long lasting unit so you obviously had some seriously bad luck there
Just to add chaps, a couple of weeks ago I sent a letter and some pictures to the car's second owner who kept her from around 1990-1999. Basically I thanked him for putting so much time, money and effort into the car and keeping it in the condition it's in, and also for keeping such meticulous records. I told him of my plans for it, what I've been doing to it, you name it.
Yesterday, much to my surprise I got a letter back. It was from his daughter, telling me he had sadly passed away. By a stroke of luck she now lives at his address, and remembers his cars well. She thanked me very much, and said he would've been delighted to know it's in good hands, and that her mother always used to call her 'The Green Goddess'.
Allegedly in his younger days the owner started as an apprentice at Rolls Royce in Derby, and ended up as Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Diesel Engines at Shrewsbury, retiring in the 1980s. He loved nothing more than driving round the countryside in the car on a nice day, and was obviously a bit of a Jag man, owning an XJ6 as his daily driver.
I was pleased as punch with that, it was so nice to get some provenance and, I hope, make someone's day.
Yesterday, much to my surprise I got a letter back. It was from his daughter, telling me he had sadly passed away. By a stroke of luck she now lives at his address, and remembers his cars well. She thanked me very much, and said he would've been delighted to know it's in good hands, and that her mother always used to call her 'The Green Goddess'.
Allegedly in his younger days the owner started as an apprentice at Rolls Royce in Derby, and ended up as Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Diesel Engines at Shrewsbury, retiring in the 1980s. He loved nothing more than driving round the countryside in the car on a nice day, and was obviously a bit of a Jag man, owning an XJ6 as his daily driver.
I was pleased as punch with that, it was so nice to get some provenance and, I hope, make someone's day.
LewG said:
Disco, that is fantastically generous of you, thanks very much. Just let us know when you eventually dig it out, I'll gladly come and collect it one way or another!
I'm amazed that big old GM transmission gave up on you of all things! From what I've heard they're a pretty long lasting unit so you obviously had some seriously bad luck there
I know what you mean about the GM (TH400?) Can't remember what it was - think a seal somewhere. You are really welcome to the engine - hope it's useful! As soon as the weather cheers up I have to hire a skip and start clearing a path to it (very messy garage!) once it's free I will let you know - PM me a telephone or email address. Seem to remember it arrived here in a VW transporter but you'll need something big plus a crane. Look forward to following progress on yours..I'm amazed that big old GM transmission gave up on you of all things! From what I've heard they're a pretty long lasting unit so you obviously had some seriously bad luck there
LewG said:
Just to add chaps, a couple of weeks ago I sent a letter and some pictures to the car's second owner who kept her from around 1990-1999. Basically I thanked him for putting so much time, money and effort into the car and keeping it in the condition it's in, and also for keeping such meticulous records. I told him of my plans for it, what I've been doing to it, you name it.
Yesterday, much to my surprise I got a letter back. It was from his daughter, telling me he had sadly passed away. By a stroke of luck she now lives at his address, and remembers his cars well. She thanked me very much, and said he would've been delighted to know it's in good hands, and that her mother always used to call her 'The Green Goddess'.
Allegedly in his younger days the owner started as an apprentice at Rolls Royce in Derby, and ended up as Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Diesel Engines at Shrewsbury, retiring in the 1980s. He loved nothing more than driving round the countryside in the car on a nice day, and was obviously a bit of a Jag man, owning an XJ6 as his daily driver.
I was pleased as punch with that, it was so nice to get some provenance and, I hope, make someone's day.
Fantastic, always nice when you know the story, or even part of it, behind something. Yesterday, much to my surprise I got a letter back. It was from his daughter, telling me he had sadly passed away. By a stroke of luck she now lives at his address, and remembers his cars well. She thanked me very much, and said he would've been delighted to know it's in good hands, and that her mother always used to call her 'The Green Goddess'.
Allegedly in his younger days the owner started as an apprentice at Rolls Royce in Derby, and ended up as Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Diesel Engines at Shrewsbury, retiring in the 1980s. He loved nothing more than driving round the countryside in the car on a nice day, and was obviously a bit of a Jag man, owning an XJ6 as his daily driver.
I was pleased as punch with that, it was so nice to get some provenance and, I hope, make someone's day.
Keep up the good work, can't be many if these left in that condition.
LewG said:
Just to add chaps, a couple of weeks ago I sent a letter and some pictures to the car's second owner who kept her from around 1990-1999. Basically I thanked him for putting so much time, money and effort into the car and keeping it in the condition it's in, and also for keeping such meticulous records. I told him of my plans for it, what I've been doing to it, you name it.
Yesterday, much to my surprise I got a letter back. It was from his daughter, telling me he had sadly passed away. By a stroke of luck she now lives at his address, and remembers his cars well. She thanked me very much, and said he would've been delighted to know it's in good hands, and that her mother always used to call her 'The Green Goddess'.
Allegedly in his younger days the owner started as an apprentice at Rolls Royce in Derby, and ended up as Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Diesel Engines at Shrewsbury, retiring in the 1980s. He loved nothing more than driving round the countryside in the car on a nice day, and was obviously a bit of a Jag man, owning an XJ6 as his daily driver.
I was pleased as punch with that, it was so nice to get some provenance and, I hope, make someone's day.
great car, great story.Yesterday, much to my surprise I got a letter back. It was from his daughter, telling me he had sadly passed away. By a stroke of luck she now lives at his address, and remembers his cars well. She thanked me very much, and said he would've been delighted to know it's in good hands, and that her mother always used to call her 'The Green Goddess'.
Allegedly in his younger days the owner started as an apprentice at Rolls Royce in Derby, and ended up as Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Diesel Engines at Shrewsbury, retiring in the 1980s. He loved nothing more than driving round the countryside in the car on a nice day, and was obviously a bit of a Jag man, owning an XJ6 as his daily driver.
I was pleased as punch with that, it was so nice to get some provenance and, I hope, make someone's day.
Well done, i wish i had the mechanical expertise for something like this.
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