They have me over a barrell! The cost of a 350R/STR/XFR header tank.

[J44EAG]

The cost of replacing a modern Jaguar header tank has always been a tear jerker. Quality is none to good either. Many of us will remember the early model S-type tanks located over the off side exhaust manifold which caused the polyurethane tank structure to "dry out" and get cooked to extinction. Long splits would form which caused leaks or complete rupture of the tank. The first you knew of the problem was a loss of coolant and puddles formed behind the off side front wheel.

2002.5 onwards S-types then had a newly designed header tank which was located just to the rear of the radiator and away from the destructive effects of exhaust manifold heat. The same unit also appeared on X350 and XF models. On supercharged models and extra stub pipe is fitted to take the coolant flow from the intercooler circuit. In the case of supercharged varients, the header tank contained two compartments, one for engine coolant and one for supercharger coolant. Not unexpectedly, the supercharged tank is more expensive than for naturally aspirated models.

Whilst the later tank is more robust in most areas, it has one well known and very big failing...that of stub pipe failure. This can affect naturally aspirated and supercharge tank varients. The pipes coming out of the top of the tank are long and thin. Something like 30mm in length and about 8mm in outside diameter. They embrittle with age, mileage and heat. There is no reinforcement around the pipes where they leave the tank which leaves them prone to snapping off. Insufficient space around the stub pipes means that any form of repair is precluded. Pipes can also suffer failure along the length of the pipe. Significant leaks are often found are are almost impossible to fix. Many of us have tried to get around this issue by changing the normal spring pipe clips to Jubillee clips. That often proves futile and that is the situation which I now have.

I`ve kept the issue under control for the last 14k miles but the time has now come for a complete new tank. What makes this issue such a frustration is that the tank is only available from Jaguar under part number C2C41900. (Supercharged model part number applicable to early X350R and STR models. I understand the part number is also the same for XFR models but perhaps needs verification).

What makes this problem such a nause is that the remaining 99.9999% of the tank remains in perfectly usable condition. The retail cost for replacement appears fixed at £105.07 including VAT. One might perhaps get some discount at a Jaguar Main Dealer but it is still a heck of a lot of cash to have to pay out for a replacement part which is of known defective design and which will require repeated replacement after almost every 80k miles on the road.

I`ll not be going the second hand route for part replacement. One wouldn`t know how many miles a used unit may of covered. It might also be on its last legs and be little better than the one you are about to replace. Buying a used tank would be a false economy in my opinion.

Obviously there is no way around this issue other than to buy a new tank. I`ll just have to empty my pocket onto a Main Dealer parts counter.

Mike

[PPV]

When I had an XF this company supplied one and it worked fine. It is under £50.
https://britishparts.co.uk/products/745 ... k-C2Z13764

Have you tried them?
Also on a certain auction site they do aluminium ones for XF's. Can they fit and they are less than £25 so worth a punt I would have thought.
Regards,

[J44EAG]

Unfortunately Paul, the supercharged tanks are a whole lot different to a standard naturally aspirated tank.

The supercharged model tank although similar in appearance to the NA version, is completely different internally and externally. The SC tank is bigger, has two stub pipes and most significantly, although using the same coolant for engine and intercooling circuits, has a divider and is a rather more complex unit. I suppose this reflects in the price.

British Parts are well known to me and a place I always go to to check part numbers. It looks as though C2C41900 and C2C41300 are one and the same SC tank. The ebay ali tanks are not suitable as any tank would have to have the extra divider for supercharged application. Thanks for the ideas and leads though.

OK, it looks like a bullet has to be bitten. £80 plus VAT and post. No way around it due to the car having a charger. That has knocked a hole in my nitrous oxide fund!

Any one looking at buying a V8R should note that a car with a leaking header tank will need £105 thrown at it to fix the issue. NA car tanks appear to be available for about £60 plus postage unless you can find seller listing one as being with P&P included.

In the meantime, I`ll tighten the Jubillee clip again!

Mike

[J44EAG]

Here is an illustration taken from the Jaguar Classic Parts site of the supercharged header tank. The view is taken from the rear of the car looking forward.

The stub pipe which is giving me issues, receives pipe (5). The expanded part of the stub pipe moulded as part of the tank, is no longer there. So pipe 5 now has to rely on a Jubillee clip to obtain a seal and to stop pipe 5 from slipping off the stub pipe. It is worth noting that these stub pipes can crack where they join the tank or break off completely.

Of note is the large moulded fitting at the bottom of the tank and also its large push on connection. This type of fitting is common to many Jaguar tanks. The pipe fitting pushes on to the tank. It has two slots to the top and bottom of the pipe connector into which a U shaped (U turned 90 degrees)clip is pushed into and forms the locking device to ensure this connector cannot disenguage with the tank outlet. The U clip is inserted across the car and if present on this illustration would be pushed into the pipe connector from left to right. Obviously, working at the front of the car when fitting this tank, the clip pushes from right to left.
Removal requires the clip to move from left to right. This can be achieved with the use of a good pair of long nosed pliers making sure you have a good grip on the clip before attempting to remove it. The spring U clip can easily be dropped into the bowels of the engine bay and be impossible to recover. I`d advise fitting a cloth sheet below the tank and connector to catch the clip if you drop it! The replacement clips are only available as part of the hose and connector component and are not available separately. Be warned! Don`t drop the clip and store it safely as you work on the car!!

Having had this tank out of the car previously to change drive belts, I can advise it is not one of my favourite jobs. Space around the tank is tight, the clip is awkward to access and there is some form of low tank level sensor and cable connector plug which also has to be removed. The tank has to be moved from left to right during the last stages of extraction. Two moulded tangs enguage with the car body to provide a secure location. Changing this tank only requires removal of the header tank contents to a level just below the bottom hose connector. You don`t need to remove the entire coolant content from the engine.

Having refitted a new or used tank, ensure coolant is replaced, hoses burped of air by squeezing and bleed screws are opened to further remove air from the system.

Mike

[ptjs1]

Mike,

If you do have to go to a main dealer, you should still be able to pull some discount, perhaps up to 20%. Find the best price at your dealer, let me know and I'll give my guys a ring and see what they'll do.

Paul

[3.8etypephil]

With all due respect Mike, a £105 component that lasts 80,000 miles plus, is an irritation rather than bank breaking.

[J44EAG]

Yes, I appreciate that the cost is not huge, but it is just a bit frustrating to have to buy yet another Jaguar header tank. For me, that makes a total of three in thirteen years.

I`ve been fortunate. Taunton Jaguar often advertise on ebay. They seem to have a regular parts clear out. Found yesterday is an unused OE original part for £71.82 delivered. That seems rather more acceptable so I pinged the button.

Onwards and upwards.

Mike

[PaulGover]

I wonder if there's a DIY mod to strengthen the failing stubs - perhaps wrap in foil, or add a layer of fibreglass around the joint - or maybe an extra support to the hose, if that's causing a vibration which makes the stub crack?

[J44EAG]

The polypropolene plastc has an extra molocule on the surface. I`ve come across this issue on marine fuel, water and dump tamks. Nothing will stick to it and it can`t be welded.

If space around the pipes were available, one might try drilling and taping a tread into the tank. But then how do you acheive a seal? PTFE won`t do it and space is tight around the pipe in the region of the tank.

So for me it is a new tank at the right price. Its probably winging its way up the A303 right now.

Mike

[poprivet]

When I read Mike's original post, I imagined something similar to the XJS tank and thought that would be a great little project for some stainless steel and the TIG welder.

Then I saw the diagram that was posted! These companies must have a 'making simple things difficult department'

[Alan C]

It's a shame nobody makes them in aluminium as the Land Rover suppliers often do,