The "Questions for Spectre" thread

Labcoatguy

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Figured I'd start this as it'll become a regular feature of Jag ownership.

To begin: Is there a good place to get mesh grilles for the XJ that's less pricey than Mina Gallery? Whatever is behind the lower bumper grille looks pretty vulnerable and I want to give it some protection from the elements, but $175 for a piece of black mesh feels steep.
 
I want to know if it is hard to be an expert on almost everything?









Am I doing it right?
 
Why is everything the way it is? Why isn't it different?
 
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Can't we avoid derailing this thread?

I know know some people regard Spectre as a know-it-all pain in the arse and I can understand why they get that impression but get this. I've spent time in his company and I all I saw was a friendly, humorous guy who will bend over backwards to help anyone he can and that's what this thread is about. He knows a lot of stuff and if he doesn't then he goes to the effort of researching stuff to help folk out.

If you have a problem with him then that's your business but LCG had created this thread for people who need to so they can request his advice or expertise. You come in here then please leave your petty squabbles at the door with your shoes.
 
Figured I'd start this as it'll become a regular feature of Jag ownership.

To begin: Is there a good place to get mesh grilles for the XJ that's less pricey than Mina Gallery? Whatever is behind the lower bumper grille looks pretty vulnerable and I want to give it some protection from the elements, but $175 for a piece of black mesh feels steep.

Yeah, IIRC, that's where the oil cooler, power steering fluid cooler and other such plumbing lives. Those lower mesh grilles aren't terribly uncommon. By the way, they're not black, they're stainless steel.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jaguar-95-9...ert-X300-/350550383892?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

It could be worse:

http://xks.com/i-7144717-ja-bec19907-s-mesh-grille-lower-1995-1997-x300-xj-6.html

They *used* to be about $80, but like everything else they've gone up.

Why is everyone the way it is? Why isn't it different?

Because Chuck Norris said so.
 
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Yeah, IIRC, that's where the oil cooler, power steering fluid cooler and other such plumbing lives. Those lower mesh grilles aren't terribly uncommon. By the way, they're not black, they're stainless steel.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jaguar-95-9...ert-X300-/350550383892?_trksid=p2054897.l4275
Yeah, I saw that, and I emailed the seller to see if they do a version of that painted black, as my grille is also black rather than the stock bare stainless. I was thinking of this option, which is available painted black; the picture is also of an X308 but hopefully they also do an X300 version.
 
They aren't black to begin with, they're supposed to be bright stainless as the car came from the factory. Personally, I'd just get the stainless one and get it powdercoated instead of painted. It would still be cheaper and the finish would be a lot more durable.
 
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Here's one: Spec, any statistically significant data out there that shows a delta for long term reliability between turbocharged gasoline engines and their naturally aspirsted counterparts (all factory spec, no modifications)?
 
Here's one: Spec, any statistically significant data out there that shows a delta for long term reliability between turbocharged gasoline engines and their naturally aspirsted counterparts (all factory spec, no modifications)?

Generally, forced induction gasoline engines don't last as long as N/A engines given the same general level of tech/development/etc. There were a ton of studies done in the 80s through the 2000s that basically all said the same thing. This is why the forced induction motor stopped being a mainstream offering in the 90s. The only reason it's back is CAFE+Emissions Mandates+Market Demand for power.
 
Do lightweight flywheels generate more noise?

Ever since I installed the 12lb flywheel with a stock-replacement clutch, I've noticed that there's an awful buzzing right from 2,500-3,000 RPM. Any gear, clutch out, acceleration and deceleration too. The car runs fine otherwise.

Lots of people point to the flywheel as the culprit. I know I have a loose exhaust shield in the back, but the noise seems to be coming from the middle?right where the transmission is. I'll take a look at the cats too later this week.

What else could it be?
 
Generally, forced induction gasoline engines don't last as long as N/A engines given the same general level of tech/development/etc. There were a ton of studies done in the 80s through the 2000s that basically all said the same thing. This is why the forced induction motor stopped being a mainstream offering in the 90s. The only reason it's back is CAFE+Emissions Mandates+Market Demand for power.
Now my follow up: where did you find these studies? I'm no stranger to pouring over technical data and trying to dope out the statistical significance, so I'd love to see these for myself. Thanks in advance, man.
 
Do lightweight flywheels generate more noise?

Ever since I installed the 12lb flywheel with a stock-replacement clutch, I've noticed that there's an awful buzzing right from 2,500-3,000 RPM. Any gear, clutch out, acceleration and deceleration too. The car runs fine otherwise.

Lots of people point to the flywheel as the culprit. I know I have a loose exhaust shield in the back, but the noise seems to be coming from the middle?right where the transmission is. I'll take a look at the cats too later this week.

What else could it be?

A single mass flywheel doesn't make any noise, but what it can do is resonate and magnify an engine's internal vibrations. Changing the mass on a flywheel moves its inherent resonant frequency around.

Does it make the noise if you have the clutch in at the same RPM?

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Now my follow up: where did you find these studies? I'm no stranger to pouring over technical data and trying to dope out the statistical significance, so I'd love to see these for myself. Thanks in advance, man.

Oddly enough, a lot of them were published in the hot rodding mags of the time - Hot Rod, Car Craft, etc., etc. JD Power (before they stopped allowing their data to be peer reviewed) and RL Polk were the original source of some of the studies. GM and Nissan also had internal studies; I believe GM's turbo studies were part of the big one on reliability, the one where they determined that the statistically best startup & warmup method was start, idle for 30 seconds, then drive away briskly. The name escapes me at the moment.
 
Do post them up, seems to be a most fascinating read.
 
What are your views on the second generation Cadillac CTS?
 
What are your views on the second generation Cadillac CTS?

They fixed the rear suspension and figured out how to cure IRS wheel hop. The interior got better too, and the a/c-linked intercoolers are great for other cars.

Unfortunately, still made by Government Motors and it's still not good enough to overcome that.
 
Sounds like a glowing endorsement to me. :p

Heh. Glowing as in 'on fire,' perhaps. Sadly, the Genesis sedan has a much better quality interior and for all the Caddy has the option of real wood, it still looks like worse plastic than the Genesis' fake wood.

The performance numbers and the driving experience of the V is pretty good, but they're let down by the Caddy interior - which, as it's the part you're going to spend the most time looking at, is actually pretty important.

However, the non-V's aren't worth buying and the 3.6L engine appears to be an utter disaster after it gets out of warranty.
 
I'm trying to think of a decent sport sedan, but everything seems to have issues and fatal flaws, or other poor qualities I can't ignore. Nothing worth buying.
 
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