No 56k: Replacement 1995 XJR - Also In Black

Yeah, that's the PC800 - and since it's warmed up out, the power steering leak has diminished. However, it's still there, so that's something for the dealer to fix.
 
Welp, been a while since I've posted any updates. I've finally managed to work my way down through the project list, sold off the PC800 and the Pathfinder, picked up the 919 and got that put together, and now it's time to begin playing with the XJR again.

First thing I have to do prior to taking it back to Dealership X to have them do some service work is to replace the leaky cam cover gasket (because they can't/won't do it the way I want to.) Pulled it off, discovered that the cam cover paint has seen better days (note paint blisters in below pictures,) so I will be sending it out for media blasting and powdercoating.

IMG_0270.JPG


IMG_0266.jpg


Looking pretty good inside for more than 100,000 miles.

IMG_0260.JPG


IMG_0274.JPG


The coil packs are starting to show some hairline cracks even though the engine runs just fine. Going to seal those up while I wait for my order of replacement coil packs to be shipped in.

IMG_0227.JPG


IMG_0223.JPG


Yes, those are Japanese made coil packs with Lucas stickers on them.

IMG_0230.JPG


The stickers claim "Assembled in UK." In this case, it really just means "We opened the box somewhere in the UK and slapped Lucas stickers on them before sticking them back in the box and shipping them to Jaguar."

And, of course, since the cover's going to be off for a while, I protected the exposed valvetrain with a clean trash bag when I left. The dust is just what's settled on the thing with the hood open in the last few days.

IMG_0275.JPG
 
Last edited:
Every time we see the inside of Volcano-20, I like how well-equipped and organized it is.
What are those brown bottles in the first picture and why do you need so many? :lol:
 
They are not brown but dark red. It's Valvoline MaxLife (either engine oil or DEX can't really see).

And Thank God, Spectre is back in the world of 4-wheelers :)
 
Spectre said:
Welp, been a while since I've posted any updates. I've finally managed to work my way down through the project list, sold off the PC800 and the Pathfinder, picked up the 919 and got that put together, and now it's time to begin playing with the XJR again.
Click to expand...

Yay! Been missing this. 8)
 
_HighVoltage_ said:
They are not brown but dark red. It's Valvoline MaxLife (either engine oil or DEX can't really see).
Click to expand...

Yup.
IMG_0278.JPG


It's Valvoline MaxLife 20W50. One day a local auto parts chain made the mistake of putting all Valvoline non-full-synthetic-labelled oils on sale for $1.29 - and they didn't exclude MaxLife. The normal price for MaxLife was more than $4 per bottle at the time, on par with their SynPower full synthetics. I promptly cleaned out several stores' stock of MaxLife 20W50 as I had three vehicles that would use it; what you see is what remains after a couple of years. Sadly, that's only enough for two Jaguar oil changes with a couple of bottles left over.

And Thank God, Spectre is back in the world of 4-wheelers :)
Click to expand...

Only briefly. Still riding the bikes more than I'm in a car. :p
 
Last edited:
Spectre said:
Sadly, that's only enough for two Jaguar oil changes with a couple of bottles left over.
Click to expand...

Something to emphasize for anyone considering Jag ownership and DIY maintenance. Having only done oil changes on Japanese econobox engines before, I was quite surprised to see that high a number next to "oil capacity".
 
Yup. BMW's and Mercedes' sixes also have elevated oil capacity, but they're 6-8 quarts, whereas the Jags start at 8 quarts and go up from there; older models (think the original 50s XKs) could have upwards of 12 quarts capacity. Some of the racers reportedly had 16+ quart pans/sumps.
 
Last edited:
I was talking to a fellow about his e-type at a car show a while back and I asked him, "Sow how much oil does that motor take?" He said it took about 14 litres. That's insane.
 
JipJopJones said:
I was talking to a fellow about his e-type at a car show a while back and I asked him, "Sow how much oil does that motor take?" He said it took about 14 litres. That's insane.
Click to expand...

No, it was a practical solution to running leaky engines at LeMans and winning. If you carry a ton of oil in the engine, you don't generally run out in the middle of a lap. Which a lot of the other makers apparently didn't think of at LeMans in the 50s.

Same engine in my XJ6; it just has a smaller oil pan due to how the sedan was designed with the big front subframe.
 
Holy fuck.
I am used to sub-4 liter oil changes...
 
There's a reason auto parts stores (or at least my local ones) stock oil in 5-gallon buckets - for those of us with cars that like them some damned oil.
 
Spoils from the recent junkyard run.


Cam cover, six good looking 'pencil' coil packs, coil pack cover.
IMG_0370.JPG

IMG_0371.JPG

IMG_0372.JPG

IMG_0373.JPG


No blistering, just crud. Should clean up fine; I'll still send the original off to powdercoat and install it at some later date. These cam covers are magnesium so they're really light, but they're a pain to strip and powdercoat.

The other stuff I collected. Center armrest cubby with valet switch, transmission mode switch and trim ring, right side pilot/city light harness, length of trim molding that mine's missing, cigarette lighter, original plastic fuse puller.
IMG_0374.jpg

IMG_0378.JPG

IMG_0377.jpg

IMG_0376.JPG



Total cost, $62.69.
 
The junkyard normally asks $22.99 each - as they do for every individual COP type coil. They also normally get $21.98 for an alloy valve/cam cover, plus $11.98 for the coil pack cover.

You're looking at about $50+ each used on the open market for the coil packs. Jaguar USA is currently out of them and awaiting the next shipment from the Land of Eng. Aftermarket new is about $80-120 each.

I also beat the local rat bastard that keeps running around snagging magnesium valve covers for resale - the last couple of X300s that were in the yards in the past year, he got to them first and refused to sell me one at any price.
 
Der Stig said:
Nice- it appears that you were the first person to take off that valve cover, too. Must have been a fairly low mileage (<100k) car.
Click to expand...

Someone had recently popped the cover off the coil packs and at least removed them. Someone had written numbers on their tops (as you and I had with mine). No way to tell the mileage without power being applied, though. I could get the VIN and see when the last time it checked in with the state was.
 
Last edited:
valet switch?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top