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Things I said I'd never do again Number 94 - own another X350 Jaaag


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I would say that it is the paint unsticking rather than corrosion.

 

The folding mirrors are an easy fix.  You pull off the downlighter bulb holder underneath the mirror and then spray oil and then spray grease into the mechanism whilst working it backwards and forwards.

 

HID headlights are as likely to be the ballast as the bulb. Also they suffer from dodgy earth points where all the wires are attached to the body just behind the headlights.  Swap the bulbs over left to right.  If the fault moves with the bulb then it's the bulb, if it doesn't then its the ballast or earth or something.

 

The V6 is probably the one to have and on LPG it will be cheaper to run than the diesel and a lot more robust.  A tatty V6 X350 on LPG has to be the ultimate cheap daily.

 

Also you have 18" Dynamic wheels which give the best ride whilst being the best looking 18" wheels that they came with.

 
Do you remember me trying to put you off an X350 due to my previous one?  I am such a hypocrite!
 
I had the earth issues (and HID problems) on my previous one - will I never learn?
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Yes I remember.

 

I am not really a true shitest, more someone who prefers spending 6 or 7 or 8 grand on a nice car and getting ten years out of it if possible, mending things myself to make it economically viable.

 

So I ignored you  :mrgreen:

 

It is impossible not be a hypocrite.  I think everyone is.

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Can't tax as I have 11 numbers and DVLA says I need 12 - adding a zero used to work, but they seem to have put a stop to that - bastard public paying them money!

 

 

 

looks nice for the money

 

I had ^^^ rfl issue

 

the 12 digit number is not on the new keeper slip at the bottom of p2 of the v5c but half way down p3. If you dont have the whole v5c then a trip to the post orifice may be required

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I`ve been considering one of these to replace my X308 XJR for a while, sometimes I`m into it, sometimes I`m not.. I love being able to hit 60 in 5 in mine, but to be paying £450-ish RFL on an X350-R compared to my £280-ish in my one would piss me right off, especially as I only do about 1000 miles a year in my Jags. I`m a tight bastard like that..

That said, my kids, now both well over 6`, do struggle in the back of mine, these 350`s are much better in the accommodation department, & I love the fact they`re so light, but part of the reason I go off them is the overall height & bloatiness compared to the sleek, trim styling of the X308.. 

So many swings & roundabouts.  :shock:

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These are the ford duratec with a different inlet manifold aren't they? Are they RWD in this model jag? I'm looking for a likely engine donor

Not an expert on the engine but sounds about right - the 3.0 they used in the Mondeo I think - as you say tweaked a little and turned around to drive the rear wheels.

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Nice job, those are definitely much clearer.

 

What did you use to do that? The old toothpaste trick made mine a bit clearer, but yours are much better than mine were after half an hour of scrubbing.

I bought a kit from Home Bargains (I think it was - or maybe The Range) £10.  

 

This one -

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quixx-QHRK1-Headlight-Restoration-Kit/dp/B00BHUPHSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498853822&sr=8-1&keywords=quixx+headlight+restoration+kit

 

According to the box it won some auto express test

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  • 2 weeks later...

My S4 does similar miles per gallon on gas. The tank is smaller at 60-70 litres, the benefit to this is I can pay contactless to fill the tank up which I haven't got tired of doing yet  :-D

 

I can apply to get the cheaper tax, not sure if it's worth if for £10 a year though.

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These are the ford duratec with a different inlet manifold aren't they? Are they RWD in this model jag? I'm looking for a likely engine donor

 

The Jag heads are quite different as I understand it- bucket and shim rather than finger follower. Also have VVT.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_AJ-V6_engine

 

The 3.0 Jag engine has about 240 brake as standard vs. 220 in the Mondeo, erm, ST220. As a donor the Jag has other advantages too- widespread availability in rusty (or otherwise MOT failed) X- and S-Types, Longitudinal RWD in S-Types and XJs...

 

I always idly wonder whether I could sling one in my Mondeo 3.0 Ghia X to pep it up a bit (they have the same engine as the ST220, but more restrictive exhaust manifolds). Doubt I'll ever get round to it even if it is possible...

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  • 1 month later...

Update -

 

It needed rear discs and pads for the MOT.  Also needed a wiring repair (what a Jag?) to the horn circuit.

The horn didn't work, and I hadn't noticed, which suggests my road rage has calmed down more than I thought.  

 

Oh, I forgot, I had an oil service and the aircon repaired a while back.

 

I also mended the HID light.  The ballast on these is expensive - the earliest types use a 12 pin plug and are about twice the price of later ones.  I found via some Googling that Chrysler 300 ones are the same so scored a second hand one for 50 quid (cheap by normal standards).   Then I broke the burner as I took it out, so changed that too.

 

The fasteners on the inner wing plastic liners both snapped as I removed them to get to the headlamp (you have to lower the bumper out of the way a bit).  I replaced them using some old fasteners from the undertray on my MGZT.

 

The only other things that have rally happened is that I got the "Restricted Performance" message and engine light the other week on a long motorway trip.  I reset the light using my cheapo code reader, but it came back.  Then I ran out of LPG so used it on petrol for a while.

 

What a difference! It's like driving a different car - loads more power and torque and no dodgy messages.  Think I need to find an LPG place to give it an LPG service. 

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  • 1 month later...

Weekend plan is to fit these which arrived this morning to (hopefully) stop the grinding sound from the front end.  It looks as if the inner pads have worn to the metal - they have worn more than the outer ones due to sticking sliders I suspect.  No doubt the whole job will turn to pigshit when I start it - will I never learn?

 

post-20411-0-63877400-1507888924_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

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No i haven't - I ran on petrol for a while and it seemed to like that - now back on LPG and running OK, but performance is still down compared with petrol.  Considering a lot of my trips have been long motorway ones (I've done about 300 miles on motorways this weekend already) the performance issue isn't a big deal - it'll cruise at an indicated 90 (er I mean 70 of course officer) uphill and down dale for as long as other traffic permits.

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No i haven't - I ran on petrol for a while and it seemed to like that - now back on LPG and running OK, but performance is still down compared with petrol.  Considering a lot of my trips have been long motorway ones (I've done about 300 miles on motorways this weekend already) the performance issue isn't a big deal - it'll cruise at an indicated 90 (er I mean 70 of course officer) uphill and down dale for as long as other traffic permits.

 

I suppose you could just keep a splash of petrol in the tank and switch back on the fly for when you need the extra 20% performance for a 'safe overtake' ;)

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