Ownership Verified: 1995 Jaguar XJR manual

I think jibduh was referring to his own 405 Mi16 :lol: You're not the only one on this forum with weird old French cars.

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE

Yeah, I guessed that. I'd like to see some pics of it!
 
I'll have to see if I can dig up any pictures of it... The plastic is the most delightful shade of pink after 26 years in the sun.:lol:

You're right on the steel though, good ol' galvanizing. Hearsay on my part based on what I'm told by the one doing the refreshing.
 

Oh, I generated plenty of smoke trying to jump a loose connection to ground before figuring out the terminal block the wire broke from was actually a capacitor!<_<derp
 
So I have a couple of backlights burned out on the center console and they have those annoying bayonet fixtures with the bulbs soldered in with a tinted layer on top. Turns out the tint layer is actually a flexible translucent plastic and it transfers easily to some 8640 miniature light bulbs I originally bought for the Saab's climate control backlighting. I just bought some more packs of bulbs to do every console light so I can replace them all at once.
 
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And I thought my GDPO moments were over. Found something dangling from under the front bumper, turns out it was the climate control ambient air temp sensor, and judging from the marks on it, it's been bouncing on the ground for years. No wonder it would register ambient temperatures of "--" after driving around for a few minutes. What makes it worse is that there's another sensor still in the front brake cooling duct where belongs, though it seems to be somewhat borked and measures -21 degrees all when it clearly isn't. I have a spare from the complete front bumper I yoinked from the junkyard in case the current one is properly messed up.
 

Muahahaha. Thanks, Jaguar, for making the "TRAC OFF" indicator a green light.

In other news, damn, my fuel injectors must've been hideously gunked up, because a bottle of Techron with my last fillup woke it up like whoa. I'm now calling my supercharger my Power Banshee, because eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
 
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And I thought my GDPO moments were over. Found something dangling from under the front bumper, turns out it was the climate control ambient air temp sensor, and judging from the marks on it, it's been bouncing on the ground for years. No wonder it would register ambient temperatures of "--" after driving around for a few minutes. What makes it worse is that there's another sensor still in the front brake cooling duct where belongs, though it seems to be somewhat borked and measures -21 degrees all when it clearly isn't. I have a spare from the complete front bumper I yoinked from the junkyard in case the current one is properly messed up.

In our Daimler the air dam was hanging form the sensor and its wiring :lol:
 
And I thought my GDPO moments were over. Found something dangling from under the front bumper, turns out it was the climate control ambient air temp sensor, and judging from the marks on it, it's been bouncing on the ground for years. No wonder it would register ambient temperatures of "--" after driving around for a few minutes. What makes it worse is that there's another sensor still in the front brake cooling duct where belongs, though it seems to be somewhat borked and measures -21 degrees all when it clearly isn't. I have a spare from the complete front bumper I yoinked from the junkyard in case the current one is properly messed up.

Hate to say this, but I think the fault is yours. "--" was clearly the "temperature sensor is hitting the road error".

--


:p
 
Hmm, the latest sensor I've tried still registers temperatures of -37 when it definitely isn't. I'm guessing the problem is somewhere farther upstream.
 
Hmm, the latest sensor I've tried still registers temperatures of -37 when it definitely isn't. I'm guessing the problem is somewhere farther upstream.

Test the sensor first.

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Muahahaha. Thanks, Jaguar, for making the "TRAC OFF" indicator a green light.

The fact that it was green to indicate that this was a condition considered normal should tell you everything you need to know about the absolute bandits who designed the car. :D

In other news, damn, my fuel injectors must've been hideously gunked up, because a bottle of Techron with my last fillup woke it up like whoa. I'm now calling my supercharger my Power Banshee, because eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Ah, good. I had been wondering why you'd been kind of tepid about the car and why you were hearing that the 9000 'had more balls'.
 
Test the sensor first.
Is the sensor known to go bad regularly? Perhaps the fact that I have three possibly borked ones suggest yes.

Ah, good. I had been wondering why you'd been kind of tepid about the car and why you were hearing that the 9000 'had more balls'.
Techron+traction control off worked wonders. Plus remember I'm on 225-width snow tires right now so I'm traction-limited compared to normal". And believe me I'm not tepid by far; this is now my "forever car" that's going to receive my open wallet when things go wrong.
 
Is the sensor known to go bad regularly? Perhaps the fact that I have three possibly borked ones suggest yes.

It's not regularly, but a function of age. They're thermocouples and they have a lifespan of about 10 years at best for completely encased ones; if you have a sensor where it is an open design with an exposed sensor and live in a place that's got salt in the air and/or they use salt on the roads in winter, the life span can be considerably shorter. This goes for many brands. The XJ's sensors being mounted down low means that the sensors last less time than the high-mounted ones on Ford trucks - they're simply exposed to more abuse.

Does yours have the winter equipment kit? If no, you just need this sensor:
http://www.jagbits.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=LNA7605AB

If yes, you need this one too: http://www.jagbits.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=LNA5700AC


Techron+traction control off worked wonders. Plus remember I'm on 225-width snow tires right now so I'm traction-limited compared to normal". And believe me I'm not tepid by far; this is now my "forever car" that's going to receive my open wallet when things go wrong.

Well, you used to be tepid about it. I assume that's no longer the case. :D
 
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It's not regularly, but a function of age. They're thermocouples and they have a lifespan of about 10 years at best for completely encased ones; if you have a sensor where it is an open design with an exposed sensor and live in a place that's got salt in the air and/or they use salt on the roads in winter, the life span can be considerably shorter. This goes for many brands. The XJ's sensors being mounted down low means that the sensors last less time than the high-mounted ones on Ford trucks - they're simply exposed to more abuse.

Does yours have the winter equipment kit? If no, you just need this sensor:
http://www.jagbits.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=LNA7605AB

If yes, you need this one too: http://www.jagbits.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=LNA5700AC
Hmm, maybe what it took was just a few cycles of the ignition to reset the climate control system, because now the used one I pulled from my spare bumper works fine. I think it does have the winter kit as it has heated seats and both of those sensors. That's awfully pricey for a thermocouple, and even SNG Barratt asks about $50 for them; is there some universal Denso sensor that I can splice the wiring into the existing plug the way some O2 sensors come? There's a Denso part number on the sensor (077500 4210) but that didn't get me anything apart from the original Jaguar part.

Well, you used to be tepid about it. I assume that's no longer the case. :D
Whatever tepid is definitely in the past. Especially after I blew past a new XF while merging onto the interstate at WOT. Damn bubble just blends into the crowd.

Came across this gem in the factory repair manual while trying to figure out what to do with a slightly loose-feeling clutch pedal:

"Yes, you could just be driving like an idiot."
 
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Came across this gem in the factory repair manual while trying to figure out what to do with a slightly loose-feeling clutch pedal:

"Yes, you could just be driving like an idiot."

I've seen that at the top of most if not all clutch diagnosis fault trees. It's definitely the top of the Exedy one.
 
Hmm, maybe what it took was just a few cycles of the ignition to reset the climate control system, because now the used one I pulled from my spare bumper works fine. I think it does have the winter kit as it has heated seats and both of those sensors. That's awfully pricey for a thermocouple, and even SNG Barratt asks about $50 for them; is there some universal Denso sensor that I can splice the wiring into the existing plug the way some O2 sensors come? There's a Denso part number on the sensor (077500 4210) but that didn't get me anything apart from the original Jaguar part.

More likely you'd hit a dead spot in the thermocouple's response.

All US X300 XJRs came with heated seats - the winter kit includes protruding headlight washers and an electrically heated windscreen detectable from the windshield having a slight gold tinge to it from the outside.


Whatever tepid is definitely in the past. Especially after I blew past a new XF while merging onto the interstate at WOT. Damn bubble just blends into the crowd.

The XF really is Generic Asian Sedan Design #7.

Came across this gem in the factory repair manual while trying to figure out what to do with a slightly loose-feeling clutch pedal:

"Yes, you could just be driving like an idiot."

EyeMWing pointed out that that this isn't unusual in clutch troubleshooting trees, but from the X300 back the manuals often list the first 'possible cause' as something that boils down to 'owner is being an idiot.' :)
 
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That awkward moment when your daily driver is in the shop for so long that your backup car starts to go wrong. I have a leak somewhere in the clutch system; fluid is low and muddy. I'm seeing drops near the pedal, might be the master cylinder.
 
That awkward moment when your daily driver is in the shop for so long that your backup car starts to go wrong. I have a leak somewhere in the clutch system; fluid is low and muddy. I'm seeing drops near the pedal, might be the master cylinder.

Due to the geometry of Jag pedal boxes, that's typically the historic primary failure point of our hydraulic clutch systems. The muddy/black gunk is the seals in the master going. Look for an XJ40 or post -40 XJS 3.6L manual clutch master cylinder, it's the same damn part with a slightly different casting (you *may* have to slightly rebend the line as it goes into the master) and it's usually about half the price of a new one from an X300 because they made a lot more XJ40 manuals than X300.
 
Damn yeah, less than half the price of the "proper one. What are your thoughts on this vs. a rebuild kit?

New is the best option for getting the service done quickly, without surprises and the car back on the road. Rebuild kits are good for when you have time for the car to be down and apart for you to dismantle the master cylinder and inspect the bore and piston for scoring, galling, or other signs that you either need to sleeve the bore or throw the master away. You will need to have a bore gauge or know someone who has a bore gauge to examine the bore of the master cylinder all the way from the top to the bottom - it being aluminum, it does wear so you need to see if it is still within spec or new seals won't help you much. (For those that don't know - YES, rubber and EPDM can wear down aluminum over time!) A worn master that is pitted, scored, or worn to close to or beyond spec can be sleeved (the cylinder is bored out slightly and a thin-wall brass or stainless steel insert tube is pressed in) which returns it to spec and all but eliminates further wear. Sleeving is the preferred method in classic car circles, but it takes time to do and does require a machinist that knows what he's doing to successfully install. Personally, my general rule for hydraulics be they brake or clutch is replace if available and not a historical mistake (say a car that needs to stay all original), rebuild on site if new units are not available or are of inferior quality.

Considering that your Saab has betrayed you, I would suggest getting the XJ40 one, scribing a note to indicate that it *IS* the XJ40 one in a visible place on the outside, then after making sure the new setup is working properly, dump the X300/Aston master in the trash. For that matter, given that yours is a converted car with supposed Aston parts, you may actually *have* an XJ40 master on it already.

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Also, that's quite high even for an X300 master. It would cost less to buy it in the UK and have it shipped over. XJ40 masters are about 65 UKP, last I checked.
 
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