Project Domes shonky autos - Car that lived by the sea in Scotland in rust shocker*

[hairnet]

The CD changer seemed not to work, however functionality was restored by putting the CDs in the right way up..

 

 

fucking LOL

[Inspector Morose]

Anyone want to buy an e46 330d?

You're really not helping much, are you?

[Tayne]

Anyone want to buy an e46 330d?

Seriously?

 

A friend at work (he might even have signed up on here) wants another BMW and needs a wagon.

 

Any more details?

[Ghosty]

The grille should just have vertical slats, the one it has is off a later S-Type R.

 

[dome]

The grille should just have vertical slats, the one it has is off a later S-Type R.

 

 

Sold, that's staying then!

[dome]

Seriously?

 

A friend at work (he might even have signed up on here) wants another BMW and needs a wagon.

 

Any more details?

 

330d M Sport manual touring in Imola red, facelift so 204Bhp and 6 speed box. 138k, MOT November. Needs 2 front wings but full history, owned by my mate for the last 8 years or so. Had swirl flaps removed and a full service when i got it in December, just had 4 new discs. To be honest i probably can't afford to sell it right now, if I fix the wings and make it more presentable i might get close to what it owes me though

 

The best thing about it is it goes like fuck and returns 47mpg whilst carting bikes about, the reality of the Jag with it's sub 30mpg will sink in as I keep using it I dare say.

[Ghosty]

It doesn't look bad, big Jag badge aside. Looking again I don't think it's the R grille as they have a body coloured lip, but it's definitely off a V8 of some sort.

I'd keep it!

[dome]

Checked the coolant level this morning and it's down again. Oil is fine and there's no smoke from the exhaust so it seems to be leaking. 

 

There's no signs of a leak under the car. Expansion bottles are common for going, I may just invest in one of those at £60 unless anyone has any other ideas?

[320touring]

I'd sort the coolant valve first?

[dome]

Aye they fail but don't usually leak-it's at the front of the car too so a leak would be noticeable. Would make sense to do both at the same time if I'm going into the cooling system though.

[oldcars]

Few S types in SCB at Newbridge might be worth a look.

[dome]

I will do, a used coolant reservoir isn't worth the hassle though as they're bad for going. Might try and grab a heater valve to see if they are repairable though. 

[Mr A Lawrence]

http://www.jaguarforum.com/showthread.php?t=66908

[NorfolkNWeigh]

The only picture I can find of MrsN's 3.0 manual with cloth. Bought it off the original owner at 90,000 miles , put another 120k on it over 4 years, only thing that went wrong was a hose burst under the water pump late one night at twice the speed limit on a long dual carriageway, when I saw the steam behind me as I came into a lit roundabout, I had that " aww bollocks!" feeling in the pit of my stomach. I thought it was smoke and I d killed it. New hose and it was right as rain.

Eventually it only got used for weddings(£200 for a couple of hours on a Saturday lunchtime- Winning!) and coil pack failed at the same time as the heater valve and driver's window dropped into the door. Still got it parked on a farm in Winslow, unless the old boy has got rid of it, I haven't paid any storage for 2 years.

 

From memory the 3.0 manual is practically as fast as a V8 ( all autos) I often fantasised about getting a 400 odd BHP twin turbo set up from a Noble- same engine. That should see off an R, don't think there's many Nobles breaking on eBay though.

The wheels on ours were 18" off an X350, surprisingly cheap because no one seems to realise they fit- different to XKs and X300/08s

[dome]

That looks nice on those wheels, might keep my eyes open for a set.

 

It does feel pretty quick, especially when you get it above 3k or so. It feels like the kind of car that will keep accelerating well north of 100mph-top speed is 150 odd mph.

 

Took the plunge and bought a coolant reservoir for it. From a Jaguar dealers. I asked nicely and got it cheaper than they are on eBay...

 

Plan is to remove mine and test it, if it's not leaking(and I hope it is tbh) then I can sell it on and get my money back.

[colino]

I'd just swap it over, as I said, the quality on an exec car that can run at very high temp and pressure is disgraceful.  The problem is they only seem to ooze coolant for a very long time from the little stub pipe when at full hot and when running.  Very difficult to test with a pressure tester without actually blowing out one that hadn't actually failed yet!  Best of luck.

[dome]

Time for the latest installment...

 

The coolant loss was pretty high-using about 2 litres in less than 100 miles. 

 

Everyone who saw the Jag who had also saw the Freelander couldn't believe the Jag owner had been daft enough to swap. Being slightly more cynical I suspected issues may rear their head... The irony of swapping a K Series Freelander for something else with cooling issues was not lost on me...

 

A new coolant expansion tank was purchased from Jaguar. I asked nicely and got 10% off, bringing it in cheaper than they are on eBay. My impatience to get this sorted meant I picked up the expansion tank on the way to deliver a van to Belfast. This meant I had to fly back to Edinburgh with the coolant reservoir in my carry on luggage. I was almost dissapointed when they didn't search my bag...

 

Back home on Thursday night and I got set in about it. The coolant tank is at the rear of the engine bay so I had to remove the wipers, scuttle trim and strut brace. The strut brace bolts sheared off helpfully, partly due to me being too impatient to try and free them properly...

 

It was an arse and a half to remove the lower coolant hose and despite looking for somewhere else to disconnect the system it was only after wrestling it off I discovered a quick release connector. Baws.

 

This doesn't look too clever...

 

 

 

 

New coolant tank on, water in and time to bleed it. 

 

 

 

 

These have a bleed screw high up in a maze of plastic pipes at the front of the engine bay, however the screw on mine wouldn't undo. I decided to take a pipe off to bleed it and the brittle pipe broke From a google of the pipe it turns out this is a pretty common thing with the plastic going brittle.

 

 

So, alarm set for Friday morning and I rocked up at the scrappy for 8am (when I get motivated I can do stuff) The scrapyard gods were smiling on me and an early S Type was waiting for me, front end partially stripped and a new pipe waiting to be liberated. 15 mintues later and I was on my way-thanks shumarialto for the headsup about SCB at Newbridge.

 

 

Friday night, back home from work. New pipe fitted and it bled up fine. 

 

 

I took it out on Frday night in the wet for the first time. The handling which had been amusing in the dry was downright lethal in the wet with the traction control light constantly flickering. Pulled out to pass at car at 30mph in 2nd gear, next thing I was facing towards it. Nearly spun on a roundabout too. The tires would have to go. 

 

Fired up ebay and Lo! A set of identical alloys with 4 matching Pirellis P6000s were ending in a couple of hours not far from me. As the only bidder I won them for £40...

 

 

Onto Saturday and the first real test of the car-off to the far South West of Scotland for a family meal.

 

Jag in it's natural habitat at a Golf course. Just eating, not playing.

 

 

 

275 miles were covered with an average economy of 33mpg.

 

Even better, the coolant level has stayed constant too and apart from being super cautious on the twisty stuff it drove perfectly. 

 

On the way home we stopped in sunny California (yes, really, just outside Falkirk...) and I picked up my ebay wheels. The car decided to throw a strop at this point and refused to open the boot, this meant I had to put 4 wheels and tyres in the back seat Of course when I got home the boot opened fine. That's what i get for trying to make it better....

[320touring]

those p6000s will be even moar drifts!

 

good effort on the cooling front:)

[colino]

Usually the elecronic button, or its harness, on the boot fails, but doesn't yours have the button on the dash or the keyhole on the boot to use it manually?

[dome]

Some more fixerations have occurred.

 

Fitted the new wheels-had a quick prod underneath. Apart from the rear subframe looking a bit crusty and possible a slightly loose track rod end it seems well. 

 

 

Slight degiffering has also occured. As much as i like a leaper it doesn't suit the car. Also, the terrible DRLs had to go. Luckily they weren't exactly professionally installed...

 

 

Then, a wash and some photos. She's looking good, if I do say so myself...

 

[Ghosty]

Looks good with the badges sorted out  

[Supernaut]

That looks proper fucking class now. Good job!

[dome]

Some more fixerating has happened. As always, nothing went smoothly...

 

With summer over the Jag needs a heater control valve as it's only blowing cold air into the cabin.

 

Genuine Jaguar part £160

Generic Chinese part through Ebay UK £80 

Generic Jaguar/Lincoln  chinese part through Ebay US £55-purchased!

Them charging for one but sending 2 in the box-Priceless..

 

Today was the day.

 

Removing the old one wasn't too bad considering it looked like this when it came out.

 

 

 

5 minutes later and hoses were swapped onto the new one 

 

 

New one in, back together and fired it up. As I waited for it to warm up to let it bleed I was rewarded with a steady stream of coolant from somewhere

 

These things run 3 alloy coolant pipes from the front to the rear of the engine bay which are clamped on to the inner wing with a steel bracket. You can guess what happens to that over the years.

 

Out came the hacksaw-I had to use the blade on its own as it was an arse to get into.

 

 

The old bracket

 

 

The offending article.

 

 

Me disturbing it after all these years must have been the final straw for it. I'd rather it happened on the driveway than on the move though...

 

The knackered bit was replaced with some leftover Locost coolant hose and a couple of jubilee clips

 

As the coolant was pretty much empty it took a fair bit of fucking about to get it to bleed up but eventually it seems fine-toasty air out of the vents and 40 odd miles done and it seems to be behaving itself. 

 

I then treated it to an interior shampoo and fitted the new drivers door check strap. Off on a trip tomorrow so I filled it up with fuel too. 

 

I do still like it, it is nice to drive and a nice contrast to the BMW and Locost but in reality it's pretty much surplus to requirements. I don't have the stomach for another battle with Gumtree mongs just yet though. I might bung it on CarandClassic when I'm feeling brave

 

 

 

 

 

 

[320touring]

*readies broken xbox m9*

[Tickman]

*readies broken xbox m9*

Someone who needs nice reliable transport could do worse!

*****

/\  insert those where suitable

[oldcars]

Like this, looks a good one. Needs a smiley rear plate to finish it off 

[Supernaut]

I want to replace the Xantia with a fizzy little hot hatch.

 

 

However...

 

*slaps self* NO!

[Split_Pin]

I really like these and was impressed with yours when I saw it. The interior doesn't look basic at all even although it is a more basic spec car. I also like the fact that it has the rarer early dash.

 

I got myself a 1/18 Maisto example last year for my collection.

[Tickman]

I really like these and was impressed with yours when I saw it. The interior doesn't look basic at all even although it is a more basic spec car. I also like the fact that it has the rarer early dash.

 

I got myself a 1/18 Maisto example last year for my collection.

Next WBOD to save the Renault getting knackered through the winter?

[320touring]

Top effort Tickman, yer gittin the hang o this:)