Zel's Motoring Adventures...Volvo, Renault, Rover, Trabant, Invacar & A Sinclair C5 - Updated 13/11.

[Zelandeth]

Never mind...it's only £35 delivered anyway. 

https://www.britishparts.co.uk/classic-jaguar-c4707/jaguar-xjs-c16/cooling-heating-c54/ac-hose-p8542

At that price I'm not worried about getting custom hoses made up.

[MorrisItalSLX]

4 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

The oil filter is not the most inaccessible one I've ever encountered...but is close.  It would be dead easy if the left hand exhaust down pipe wasn't directly underneath it.

No access whatsoever from above!

 That circular thing you can just see through the gap is the top of the filter housing.

I can smell the oil burning off that manifold from here. Excellent.

[Zelandeth]

Oh, on reading the handbook I discovered that the steering wheel has a reach adjustment.  Turning the knurled collar releases it and allows about 3" of adjustment.  Doesn't sound like much but really makes a difference.

That will make getting the instrument panel out next time about twenty times less hassle.

Here's a photo of the black panel currently behind the switchgear in actual daylight.  Doesn't look out of place I reckon.

Just remembered something else I found today while doing the oil change. 
 

A question for the XJS experts...what the heck is the deal with the second ignition coil bolted to the crossmember in front of the radiator?

The HT output terminal is capped off, but the LT connections disappear into the loom.

[Daviemck2006]

I think your dash looks great like that Zel, I would leave the panel behind the switches black.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk

[Noel Tidybeard]

4 minutes ago, Daviemck2006 said:

I think your dash looks great like that Zel, I would leave the panel behind the switches black.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk
 

maybe some crackle finish like an mgmgmgmgmgbgt

[Heidel_Kakao]

The extra ignition coil apparently allows faster coil charging at higher RPM's. I can't claim to be an XJS expert but I am ok with Google

The Lucas Constant Energy ignition uses two conventional ignition coils wired in parallel. The high-tension lead of the secondary coil is sealed off, and only the lead from the main coil is connected to the distributor. Between firings, energy is built up in both coils. When the 12V supply is broken ("the points open" in the lingo of the pre-electronic age), the energy stored in the secondary coil cannot escape through the high tension lead because it is sealed off, so the energy comes back through the 12V leads instead. The primary coil then not only has to release the energy it has stored itself, but also the energy coming back from the secondary coil. These two energies add to produce a powerful output at the high tension lead on the primary coil.

The secondary coil, located in front of the radiator, is not a spare or a backup; it is designed into the system for producing a good spark. If either coil goes bad, the performance will suffer. The secondary coil is not special, however, and can be replaced with a conventional coil provided the high tension connection is covered so that it cannot arc to ground.

http://www.jag-lovers.org/books/xj-s/05-Lucas.html

https://www.jagbits.com/a7ignitioncoil.html

Looks you can get a replacement coil that does away with the extra one.

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

maybe some crackle finish like an mgmgmgmgmgbgt

Someone on another forum just suggested a vinyl/leather effect to match the rest of the dash.  Makes a lot of sense actually now it's been mentioned...I think I have some vinyl with that sort of finish buried somewhere in the garage.  I'll have a dig around at the weekend.

The more I've looked at it the more I actually prefer the look of it.  The veneer there would make more sense if the car didn't have the trip computer, but with there being a big black slab in the middle of that panel it changes things a bit.  Being black it blends into the trip computer casing better.

41 minutes ago, Heidel_Kakao said:

The extra ignition coil apparently allows faster coil charging at higher RPM's. I can't claim to be an XJS expert but I am ok with Google

 

I figured it would be something like that.  Makes a lot of sense really, two standard coils from the BMC parts bin would inevitably been cheaper (and probably more reliable) than something more specialised.  Don't really see the second coil as a problem or anything, was just curious as to the purpose for its existence.

[PhilA]

You know when it's failed because touching the grille with the engine running hurts and the car does a Mini when it rains.

[SiC]

The second coil basically appears to be a cheap way of having a big inductor! Quite a novel and simple idea really. 

[mat_the_cat]

16 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Never mind...it's only £35 delivered anyway. 

https://www.britishparts.co.uk/classic-jaguar-c4707/jaguar-xjs-c16/cooling-heating-c54/ac-hose-p8542

At that price I'm not worried about getting custom hoses made up.

I've got the crimp tool, but the price for that hose is less than I'd pay for the fittings and hose over here!

[Zelandeth]

3 hours ago, mat_the_cat said:

I've got the crimp tool, but the price for that hose is less than I'd pay for the fittings and hose over here!

It's a bit awkward as that hose was clearly attached to the compressor before it was fitted (note the fitting on that end), so the compressor will need to come out to fit it.  I'm pondering the idea of just installing an appropriate fitting on the compressor side and getting an alternative hose that will fit... can't see any reason that a duplicate of the one that runs from the return fuel cooler to the TXV wouldn't work.

Apparently this hose clip nonsense is actually how all the 5.3 litre cars left the factory!  Have to assume the assumption was that it was good enough and that the system would need a periodic top up.  Given the price of refrigerant these days though, let's take reasonable steps to get the system as well sealed as possible...

[SiC]

Is there any refrigerant left? Just wondering if it's had air in it for an extended time, the whole system could be fubared. Also if it left the factory like it, possibly other issues why it's not been regassed?

 

[mat_the_cat]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

It's a bit awkward as that hose was clearly attached to the compressor before it was fitted (note the fitting on that end), so the compressor will need to come out to fit it.  I'm pondering the idea of just installing an appropriate fitting on the compressor side and getting an alternative hose that will fit... 

You may find a fitting here:

https://www.autoairconparts.co.uk/crimp-fittings-tool

NB. Compressor to TXV is likely #10 hose (but may be #12), compressor to condenser is almost certainly #8, and the other side of the condenser to TXV #6.

[Zelandeth]

Yeah, I'll obviously take measurements before ordering anything.  I may even order that hose mentioned above and then modify it to make all our lives easier in future.

I was showing 15psi at the LP service port when I hooked the gauge up to it last week, so it's definitely in need of a recharge, but there is definitely something in there.  As far as I'm aware the story was that the previous previous owner had a new compressor installed and the system converted to R134a at no small expense.  However to save a few quid they reused the clutch/pulley assembly on the new compressor - which when presented with a full working head pressure for the first time in goodness knows how many years (even though the working pressures for R134a are lower than R22 if I remember rightly) it promptly self destructed.

The evidence I've seen supports this story.  There's a sticker on the compressor stating that the system has been converted, and this is the state the pulley is in.

I wasn't 100% happy with the finish I'd got on the glove box lid so took it back off and gave it another few coats today.

Realised that I could help things along by setting the heating in the van to a nice toasty 25C and using that as a drying room.

That's looking better now I think.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

previous previous owner

@xtriple ? Or the one previous to him. 

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

@xtriple ? Or the one previous to him. 

Oops.

Previous previous previous owner then I believe.

[Zelandeth]

I believe there's a get together of car enthusiasts tomorrow morning. My intention at this point is to get along to it.  In preparation for this I figured I'd at least blast the worst of the grime off the Jag.

Plus side of me having waxed it to within an inch of its life a couple of weeks back was that it scrubbed up pretty easy.

Still reckon this was one of the best bits of cleaning gear I bought in the last year.

50m hose which bundles up to fit in the washing bucket and is thus far 100% kink proof.  Expensive for a hosepipe but the amount of aggravation it saves is well worth it I reckon.  These expanding hoses are really strange but well clever.

[Zelandeth]

So despite the weather I decided to try to get to the breakfast meet up this morning.

Despite a not insignificant amount of debris on the road there I got there without incident.  1700kgs of very low car is a pretty good formula for "doesn't care about side winds."

I wasn't the only one mad enough to be there either!

Sadly pretty much the moment I got done with breakfast the heavens opened.

This was also about the point that I got the call telling me that the roof was about to blow off the shed, so I had to let it back to base.

Despite the legendary hate that all British cars are apparently meant to have for rain, the Jag handled getting well.and truly drowned today without complaint.  Though I do apparently have a point of water ingress I'll need to look into.

Chasing that is a job for when there are less bits of tree getting blown around and inserted into my ear by the wind.  To be fair though, she had been travelling at speed through absolutely torrential rain immediately before I spotted that so I don't really begrudge the car for letting a bit in.

Hopefully next month I won't need to depart in a panicked powerslide because my house is flying to bits in the wind...

[Zelandeth]

Little care package arrived this morning.

Contents:

[] Air filters (X2).

[] Distributor cap.

[] Rotor arm.

[] Oil filter housing gasket (not sure if I need it yet, but it was £1.34, so made sense to get it in stock).

[] Number plate light lenses (X2).

[] Drive belts (PAS & Alternator/Fan).

The sheer size of the distributor cap still surprises me.  Keyring for scale!

I've also got a set of timing cover gaskets (the later type as used on the 6.0 version which are apparently actually oilproof) on their way too.  Once they arrive I'll get stuck in.  I want to clean up and lubricate the distributor advance system, but given the amount of bits that need to come out to get at it, I figured that it made sense to get everything together so I could tick as many things off in one pass as possible.

I know the distributor cap was changed back when XTriple had the car, but the stub for the breather system has snapped off (looks like someone has tried to glue it back on at some point), so it needs changing. 

Need to confirm the hose sizes involved then will get some marine hose ordered up with a view to getting the fuel system gone through end-to-end so it's all guaranteed to be ethanol safe.  Given the lack of any markings whatsoever on most of it my assumption is simply "I don't consider it safe until you've changed it."  Especially in light of the V12 XJS being somewhat known for engine bay fuel leaks with the obvious potential for fire as a result even before they went and stuck ethanol in all of our pump fuels.

[Zelandeth]

I seriously need to get tyres moved up the list. I've had this thing nearly sideways half a dozen times today using anything beyond 10% throttle moving away from junctions.  The rears have roughly as much as grip as teflon when wet and the fronts aren't much better.  Locking the brakes requires barely looking at the pedal.

Will have a chat with my usual tyre place tomorrow see what they can get hold of.  215/70 R15 (probably why she currently has 205/70s on) is annoyingly almost invariably a van size these days which makes websites a royal pain to try to trawl through.

[richardmorris]

14 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

I seriously need to get tyres moved up the list. I've had this thing nearly sideways half a dozen times today using anything beyond 10% throttle moving away from junctions.  The rears have roughly as much as grip as teflon when wet and the fronts aren't much better.  Locking the brakes requires barely looking at the pedal.

Will have a chat with my usual tyre place tomorrow see what they can get hold of.  215/70 R15 (probably why she currently has 205/70s on) is annoyingly almost invariably a van size these days which makes websites a royal pain to try to trawl through.

That will be £1325 to you sir! https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/pneu/215-70-15/215-70-r-15-pirelli-cinturato-cn12.html

[LightBulbFun]

14 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

That will be £1325 to you sir! https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/pneu/215-70-15/215-70-r-15-pirelli-cinturato-cn12.html

HFM! 

a set of tyres for my car is £162 for all 3! (LOL)

https://www.vintagetyres.com/shop/camac-bn313-145r10-68s

#PoloMints

[Dick Cheeseburger]

That dizzy cap is something else. Wow!

[LightBulbFun]

2 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

That dizzy cap is something else. Wow!

Yeah! it would be neat to have a clear one made up or something so you can see inside while its all working!  

[richardmorris]

6 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

HFM! 

a set of tyres for my car is £162 for all 3! (LOL)

https://www.vintagetyres.com/shop/camac-bn313-145r10-68s

#PoloMints

I missed the VAT so actually £1590!!!!

plus delivery and fitting.

[Zelandeth]

Yeah, it's not going to be cheap.  Though it's a heavy and powerful car and tyres are probably the single most safety critical component on the car...so no Chinese Death Rings will be used here.

Will probably be a toss up between the Pirelli Cinturatos or Michelin XWX if I go for the "heritage" options, though I'm not married to that.  If there's a current design which ticks the boxes I'm happy to consider that too.  I'm not interested in concourse show points!  I'm also quite aware that modern tyres tend to have much stiffer sidewalls, and that there aren't going to be a huge amount of choice...so this may well be what I wind up with.

I knew full well that bills like this were to be expected when I picked up the keys to this car.  If I wasn't seeing it as a keeper I'd leave them be and be careful...but it's a car I'm enjoying driving, so it just needs to be done.

The fronts currently fitted are Corsas, which I'm pretty sure aren't particularly well regarded...even when not 17 years old!

The rears are "Winda" branded, which I've never heard of.  All I know is that they're comically slippery.

[Christine]

Yep ,has to be done . Good job no council tax for 2 months !?

I'm seeing a Jag  man tomorrow...(. The Sokol  previous owner....) I'll ask him what he does ...

China can make good tyres now ..

 

 

 

[GBJ]

26 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Yeah, it's not going to be cheap.  Though it's a heavy and powerful car and tyres are probably the single most safety critical component on the car...so no Chinese Death Rings will be used here.

Will probably be a toss up between the Pirelli Cinturatos or Michelin XWX if I go for the "heritage" options, though I'm not married to that.  If there's a current design which ticks the boxes I'm happy to consider that too.  I'm not interested in concourse show points!  I'm also quite aware that modern tyres tend to have much stiffer sidewalls, and that there aren't going to be a huge amount of choice...so this may well be what I wind up with.

I knew full well that bills like this were to be expected when I picked up the keys to this car.  If I wasn't seeing it as a keeper I'd leave them be and be careful...but it's a car I'm enjoying driving, so it just needs to be done.

The fronts currently fitted are Corsas, which I'm pretty sure aren't particularly well regarded...even when not 17 years old!

The rears are "Winda" branded, which I've never heard of.  All I know is that they're comically slippery.

https://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-finder/s=1/summer/t=1/van/p=9/bridgestone,continental,dunlop,goodyear,michelin,nokian,pirelli,vredestein,yokohama/r=1/205-70-r15

[PhilA]

On 1/27/2020 at 2:56 PM, Zelandeth said:

Had a run over to Banbury today and had a pretty clear road both ways.

Would this have any effect on my economy?

Yay!

Wait... that's still awful, but just *slightly* less awful!

You need to replace the trip computer with something a little more appropriate. Like this. See, same buttons.

 

Phil

[Six-cylinder]

Is a T rated tyre not 118 mph max speed?