coefficient .32 Jaguar S Type X200 - One year on...

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Hey. Blank CDs arrived today. Done the biznis, whacked the disc in and...

Done. All that messing around was worth it because... Er.... Nothing has changed that I can see and as a bonus, I still have no satnav or clock. Excellent.

What else? Oh, yeah.... I thought that I'd take out the wood panel insert across the dash. The x202 wood 'just pops off m8', as does the xtype. Must be the same then right? Wrong. 

I had a poke and a prod with a set of plastic trim tools, the kind that take on the shine stuff that's coating the dash so that every time you go to pick them up you effectively throw it at your own face.

Hidden fixings were discovered which involved semi destruction of most of the air vents. There was also a weird slide tab made of metal securing half the dash insert on. I honestly thought at one point that I was actually disassembling a prototype. After 8 hours, it was liberated.

So why am I removing the wood? If you have to ask that then you haven't read the entire thread. I'm removing it because it's had it. It's faded and cracked.

Faded ∆

Cracked ∆

Also, the instrument cowling is pitted with white spots on a black finish.

Pitted with white spots on a black finish ∆

I have bought the panel indoors to warm up overnight which will allow fitment of my bespoke covering tomorrow.

Whilst I'm at it, I can access the head unit behind and check out the nav aerial connection, just need to remove some more trim, bolts and skin. I want to check out the sub connection area too as I may install one I have laying about doing nothing. It's the space between the back of the head unit and the heater box that's so tight, I don't know if I can plug in the connections.

[stripped fred]

You're a brave man, removing that. I don't think I would dare as I know I would make it much worse....

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

I very nearly did. You know when something is held on but you just can't see how it's held on, even after poking and proding several hundred times?  Once the first air vent had flown out into the back of the car in 200 pieces, I was commited.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Soooo... Scratch up, degrease, cover, cut, fold, bit of heat, moar fold, reassemble...

El completas. 

Chucked it in the car to fit tomorrow. Need to mess about with an air vent to fix a couple of veins which had a hard time coming out and found the lead for the alpine that does all the accessories, so that's going in too. I may have a poke at the centre console if time allows. It's taking up a lot of room in my shed so needs to be fitted.

 

 

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Welcome to another installment of fun Jaag capers...

Today, we (me) fitted the dash trim as planned and removed the head unit/ AC/ other gubbins at the same time. I forgot how tight the space is where the plugs are on the AC control.

I checked the nav connection and it was all good and tight, I unplugged it and there were no messages appearing on the screen. Now the blank nav screen won't come on in full view, just half split with the radio mode. I guess it's the unit then. Shame really, it was good while it lasted. Google maps it is then!

I then proceeded to remove the whole head unit as I wanted to sort out the mass of wires stuffed behind it, fighting for space. With some clever* rerouting and might I add, relocating, I managed to remove all of the accessory wiring from the area and get it all through the worlds smallest yet sharpest hole behind the dash and bring it out into the glove box area where space is not at a premium.

How can you ignore that happy face? 😁  Actually think this car is laughing at me. Pulling those wires gave me this to work with...

All I need out of that lot is the AC, stereo and to make the aerial cable longer so I don't have to remove skin off of my hand unplugging it. With the right looms in hand, I separated them and taped them up good.

The other looms are for a car phone and I guess the satnav optional extra I don't have. They won't be going back.

Whilst poking around my newly cleared hole, I noticed a pretty rusty earth point, so cleaned that up...

Who knows what that does?

I finally got the cables rerouted, allowing for maximum space behind, all of about 2mm. Then I could fit up the dash trim minus the broken air vent, that's for tomorrow.

Centre console as well tomorrow if the rain stays away. I had a look today and that's held in with magic, so I'll need the replacement part out of the shed to see where this magic is located.

[stripped fred]

Looking good!

[bezzabsa]

these really are good looking motors

but scary stories about rust and chocolate engines/gearboxes (for cars in my price range) put me off

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

They're not much worse than anything else from that time. Historic neglect and bodgery as well as a higher mark up on parts because Jaag/ LR is the real issue. On these early issue models, good, used parts are getting tricky, but on a later model, there's still a few kicking around.  

Whilst I'm here...

I have some more droll images of this morning's efforts. The rain came, weird sleety stuff, and one of the cats shite itself up the wall, so the first few hours were wiped out. Indoors, I set to repairing the poorly air vent. Here's the issue:

The back of the directional veins on two have sheared causing non compliance. So we have to gingerly remove them all and avoid any further damages.

The plan here is to drill the two damaged veins and insert pins. Ideal pins were sourced by using the very drill bit that was used to form the holes.

See? How can it not work? Reassembly was like heart surgery but we won.

Also needed to glue this partially snapped locator tab back on...

Home and dry, we (I) went and fitted the repaired HVAC system component (bunged the air vent back in the hole)

Here is a bonus 'thiefs eye view' of the refitted dash insert.

To me that looks much cleaner, keeping the period form of the dash whilst suggesting undertones of modernism. It also de-giffers it a lot. I'll try on the centre console again tomorrow.

 

[bezzabsa]

I went the opposite way and Installed 'Burr Walnut' in the pickarse..try and wob a pic up later

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Each to their own, man. You must show that lumbered up beast! Bonus points offered for 'fresh woodland' scented air freshener.

 

In other news...

I've been searching for a clue on how to remove the console and this proved to yield good results. Apparently I can just rip it out as it's on spring clips! The cup holder comes out this way too... Never did I think that could happen, that sucker is tight in there! Will be interesting this one, plus I can have a tinker with the selector cable and maybe eat up some slack. This is just screaming of success!

[stephen01]

looks great i must say . 

 

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Well, i obviously took advantage of the fact that we had run out of bread and milk. I ventured out into the darkness to see the speshal effect of my bespoke finishing reveal itself. The night sky...

The camera doesn't pick the full effect up but I love the night sky and now it is in my car! It's the adult alternative to sticking those glow in the dark stars on your bedroom ceiling!

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

We'll blow me down, it does pull out!

How about that. Not too minging in here either so just a quick vac was needed to suck up 20 years of dust. I read on another forums thread that the cup holder can be removed first which I did but it's a pointless move as it is screwed from the underside and doesn't assist in removal. Leave it on! Another thing is that in the Jaguar workshop manual it shows the gear knob still fitted during removal. I removed mine because there is a pinch point as you lift the console around whilst sliding off the handbrake sleeve. I could see the hard plastic pressing against the leather so for the sake of a minute, might as well rip that off and get it out of the way.

I found treasure! If any of the previous owners want it back, just come and rummage through my Wheely bin.

I took the top off of the selector gate to see inside.

It has an issue where the selector always gets stuck in park. This came about a good few months ago so I've just been putting it in neutral with the handbrake on. It's a bit of a sod to get used to though and every now and then I put it in park and then have to smash the lever out of it. What's causing that? Well, nothing in here. I took the opportunity to lube up the moving parts though. The problem is the failure of the shift lock solenoid: 

If you look at the gold bit of metal, you will see a small bit of black plastic sitting on the horizontal bit. That's the shift lock pin that stops the selector being moved out of park without the brake being depressed. Most cars have an access hole to help disengage it in the event of such failure but not on this model. You just have to yank on it a bit, hard and fast works.

So I unscrewed this part and tested it by simply running the car and pressing the brake in park and no actuation happened. The pin is supposed to retract. Based on these results, I left it off and I will probably ignore it. Now, you have to be careful with these things on other models, it's a safety feature primarily plus it could bring up faults or render other systems inoperative, like brake lights for example. On the X200, it's just a switch with no onward consequences other than your dog slipping the car into drive whilst you post a letter, but I don't have a dog and even if I did, it certainly wouldn't be allowed in the Jaag.

Refitting was reversal of removal as they say for the console after having swapped the decent bits over from the doner part. The doner parts shell was not better than my existing, having a couple of minor stab marks through the finished coating. It was also a good opportunity to clean all those nooks and crannies not normally accessible.

It all went back rather well and now has lids that stay shut!

The last bit of original wood trim was also deleted from around the selector. Now it all looks so much tidier and a nicer place to be.

Last thing to do in the front is build the glovebox. It's a mission, to recap, I'm taking a x200 lid and x202 guts and trying to make something that fits in the hole so that I end up with a glovebox I can actually put things in because the original was full of factory mouldings for the multi cd player.

As expected though, none of the parts really interchange and the boxes are built differently, it's a bit of a conundrum... Watch this space!

 

[bezzabsa]

as promished pic's of my Added wood in the Pickarse

Dash, vents, Gear knob, and steering wheel cover..loads better than fagburned black & grey plastic..

 

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

That's just great. I've spent many hours inside Picasso's, mainly broken ones. It's always amazing how improving a visually poor or neglected dashboard can totally transform ones outlook on the entire car.

[bezzabsa]

My 1st ever picasso, and must admit I love it... even more so now the Cambelt & waterpump have been done..7 years between belts, so at least thats one less thing to worry about.

Have new fitted mats to go in, wiper blades all round and need 2 rear tyres..

just been serviced too, so I think this is a keeper!!

[stripped fred]

Have you seen this download for the workshop manual?

http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepairPhotos/CarPDFFiles/SType/S-Type 2002.5-2008-FSM-Workshop.pdf

It's a big file!

[stripped fred]

It might also be for the model on from yours but thought I would mention it...

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Cheers man. I bought a manual ahead of getting the car and then the car came with the exact same manual. They are on disc and I don't use them because I didn't drag the family laptop around with me whilst reapering the car. I have found a dedicated laptop for such things recently so maybe I can now. Probably still won't. 

Oh, and level 6 achievement unlocked... Sit tight for an update later when I get on a pooter, it'll blow your mind*!

 

*It won't.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

The glovebox.... This thing haz been on my mind for months. It was a great idea* of mine to decide to experiment and remove the old box as there was no room in there for anything as 97% of the space was occupied by a molding for the CD autochanger. As far as I can see, the X200 only has this fitted. The other downside is that if you have the lid open and drive forward, everything that you managed to squeeze in there just comes shooting out. Below is an image of what you see when you drop the lid down:

At the time I found on the bay a box listed for a 2001 model s-type which was cheap enough so bought it. When it arrived, it was for a X202 and all but what the lid face looked like, was completely different. The newly acquired box was for the updated model, with it's updated and restyled dash.

However, being me, I took a fancy to the grey flock finish inside it and liked how it weighted 50% less than the existing unit. I was pretty sure I could maybe get it to fit, perhaps...

With that being the only plan I had and knowing that it would involve me taking a saw to the dashboards nether regions, I just put both boxes in the shed, tried to forget about them, and drove the car with a gopping hole in the passenger side trim.

UNTIL TODAY! Today, I put on my inventors hat and went and had a look. All I had to do was make the new black bit fit in the old hole. How hard could that be?

It is completely not the same. For a start, I needed to cut out the lower plastic cross support... V WOT? LIKE THIS M9? V

There was no going back! Many things were 'coachbuilt' to fit the new... er... back bit and a grinder was used more than twice. Luckily, when they did the reface they left all the fan blower and vents in the same place which was a bit of a result.

Then with even moar luck, the box could be installed.

That went straight in, and operates just fine. I think the finish colour is a little off... not that bothered, and there is still this big gap along the top edge of the lid which happened on the old one. I tried to improve it but it's ended up exactly the same!

I reckon if I added a couple of secret* fixings we could improve on it a bit as it's only using the original fixings for the newer box. The old box lid was made from scaffolding and other parts and held in with countless screws. But it really doesn't annoy me enough yet.

So if* anyone ever says to you in a conversation... "I wonder if you can fit an X202 glovebox into an X200 dash", then you'll be one step ahead with the old answer which is: You can, but fv[k me, don't bother unless you are (to quote Timmy Mallet) completely and utterly bonkers. At least now I can actually put gloves in the glovebox eh?

 

Next time on ABS plastic addicts....

The next 'I'll just do it later job': Rear door lock adventures and rear window mechanism capers. Man, these locks are a pain in the arse to swap, I totally can't wait!!!

 

 

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

On 1/14/2021 at 7:58 AM, Wgl2019 said:

Scan tools...... Don't know if this would be suitable or not, I have a Swedish spec one, works on the Ovlov but is hated by the Saab!

https://ljmcardiagnostics.co.uk/products/icarsoft-lr-v2-0-jaguar-professional-diagnostic-scan-tool-icarsoft-uk

Enjoyed reading your thread, fair play for the tenacity!

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately this tool is for OBD2 2001 onwards. That's the gamble, do I pay £130 and hope for the best? I've got IDS 125 downloaded now so have yet to give that a go and then there is the lead itself which is a clone and not a terribly reliable one either. OBD1 is manufacturer specific which is used for this 1999 Jaag despite OBD2 universal becoming commonplace in 1996. My OBD1 Discovery is the same but someone bothered to make a tool for those which works amazingly but you still have to buy the tool and the tailored software for that specific model at around £400, Additional software for other models (including Range Rover) is around £60. For the Jaag I have to use early XP based software but this area and any information on it is bitty and sparse. If IDS 125 won't recognise the lead or communicate with the car or both, then I'll have to get a proper Mongoose lead and if that doesn't work then I'll have my answer and will have to surrender. Of course, there is always the possibility that there is a tool (I'm looking at you Foxwell) that may do something!

I just think that there isn't enough of these early cars around for it to be a major issue in general, they were made in a 4 year time period only and they don't really break too badly, unlike the discovery! The superseding model (X202) is far more popular and totally practical in respects to diagnostics using OBD2.

 

[bezzabsa]

nice hack job on the box.....almost factory finish

[wuvvum]

On 1/23/2021 at 3:10 PM, Crispian_J_Hotson said:

That's just great. I've spent many hours inside Picasso's, mainly broken ones. It's always amazing how improving a visually poor or neglected dashboard can totally transform ones outlook on the entire car.

I have a mate who, whenever he acquires a car with a scruffy and / or dull plastic interior, always pulls off the removable bits like the door handle surrounds, centre console trim etc. and sprays them in Poundland silver.  It's an extremely cheap and surprisingly effective way to brighten up a car's interior, as long as you don't overdo it like Ford did with the Mk4 Mondeo.

[OM646]

8 hours ago, Crispian_J_Hotson said:

OBD1 is manufacturer specific which is used for this 1999 Jaag despite OBD2 universal becoming commonplace in 1996

Was the X200 sold in North America? I thought all cars sold there were required to be OBD2-compliant by the 96 model year

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Dunno. Looks like something to research one day.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Oh dear... I had two options this morning, 1) Do the Jag OSR door lock replacement and window reg repair or B ) Dig a trench and supply electricity to my shed. 

I thought that as it was fairly mild out, I'd risk the threat of rain and go do the Jag although B was certainly more favourable. Stype rear door locks are up there with one of the poxiest jobs to do on this car as it involves working blind and extracting something that's bigger than the hole it's actually in. Refitting is reversal of removal except gravity doesn't help you at all.

Just got to remove all of this...

It took me an hour and a half and I found that there is only one way to get it all back in.

Connecting the handle to the lock is the worst part as the rod is shaped at an angle for those that don't know.  So that's that done. I made a mental note video that I can watch when I have to do this job again next year- probably. The used lock works as it should, a bit on the clunky side perhaps but I like clunks... means it's working. I have the other side to do tomorrow. 

Because the car alarm can only be turned off via key in ignition right now, it means that if I unlock with the key and open the rear door first, the alarm goes off so I can have a bit of fun scaring the kids with it.

Next up was the window regulator on this door. the motor works fine as does the cable but the guide is busted on the track. It worked for about 2 days after I bought the car but then that was it. Further inspection revealed a failed temporary repair. No fear, I bought two non Jag and made in Turkey repair kits, left and right side off of ebay a while ago and chucked them in the parts bin to resurface on a day like today.

This afternoon I went to fit the guide and well, the kits have been made wrong. The track on the regulator is wider on one side so the guide is moulded to fit this. So far as I can see, they have made the replacement with the guide runners the wrong way around, so both sides are junk. You can't even switch them because the shape of the glass sits on a slope so it would ride wonky plus it holds the glass 'off center' to the track. Switching them would make them off center on the wrong half of the track an therefore the glass locating hole would not align.

Pictured below is the original on the left and the replacement. Look closely now...

 

It's an absolute sod as the regulator is out of the car now so, me being me stuck on my engineering hat. We can fix the old guide right? A bit of drilling, some round head bolts, number plate screw covers and some JB weld later, we had guides that looked promising.

 

There's a little bit of play in it of a few mm because it's as close as I could get without the metal bolts contacting the track as I don't want metal on metal grinding noises or squeals from contact whilst it's running. I'm gonna let it sit overnight for it to think about it's bad behaviour and then fit it tomorrow after a bit of a clean up on the glass. 

Still got the wood to cover on the door panels and then the other rear door lock needs to get swapped out, both the release handle escutcheons to repair or replace, then there's front shocks to change...etc...

 

 

 

[stripped fred]

I hope you're going to keep this car after all the hours you've put into it.

[GMcD]

Labour of love? 😁

Liking the work going into this. Dash looks great 👍. 

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Certainly am going to keep it. It's a strong contender to qualify for one of the greatest cars I've ever owned!

Today saw the window reg go back in, and it works but I had to wedge in some rubber packing around the glass where it mounts because the slot in the plastic guide has opened up over time causing it to slap against the glass when it's first operated . Bits of bike inner tube worked a treat.

Who wants to see a really big movie of a window going up and down eh? Thought not, here you go...

 

That's looks huuuge on my phone! Nice!

With that contraption in the car and fully guaranteed for 5 days, I stripped the door panel wood bits and covered them. A bit later I snuck out and fitted the door panel minus the handle cover bit because although I have fixed it, it needs finishing and painting as it's faded to some weird translucent cream colour. 

Now I have a fully functioning door which is no longer a problem area letting the car down. Just the other side to do now!

 

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

YES M91!

Today saw the end of the locking issues and 87% completion of the interior transformation*. The last lock went in the NSR door to complete the set of four working doors. All the windows work, wiring fixed and all that wood trim has been updated too. It's another milestone achieved for this car.

It's well due a wash and it might get a tickle with some cut and polish