New Battery

[ptjs1]

I've decided to move my x308 on due to lack of use so I went to start it up last weekend and realised that the battery was not only flat (expected) but had now expired. It was so bad that a booster starter seemed to get confused and pulled so much current across the battery when connected that it wouldn't even turn the engine. There was just a clunk from the starter and all the light circuits would drop out. l checked the cells and all were very low or dry. I did forlornly fill them up with battery water and put it on charge but the charger just pulled max current then cut out, pulled max current then cut out etc etc. Clearly the cells had failed.

So decisions... Do I buy a new battery merely to sell the car on or think of a different approach. I finally decided that a better approach was to buy a new battery for the XJS and then put the 27 month old battery from the XJS in the x308. Yes, it's slightly under-rated for the car but it's a good Jaguar battery and starts the car fine.

Battery prices are pretty competitive at the moment and I wanted to get a really good one for the XJS. After the usual internet searching I settled on a Varta E44. Nearly all suppliers identify the wrong size battery for late XJSs as we know. You need an 096 size battery NOT the huge 017 battery that they identify but won't fit! The Varta E44 is a premium battery and higher spec than original. Rated at a high 77ah with 780 CCA and a 5-year guarantee(!), it's a really strong performer. I purchased it from www.tayna.co.uk who did the best price at £63.99 + £7.98 next day delivery. A bit more searching on the internet and I found a 5% discount code that I could use which made the delivered price £68.78 (I always look around for discount codes when buying online).

Ordered at 3pm yesterday and it turned up at 1pm today. Packed well and and sealed in one of those large reuseable vacuum seal bags (Will store some summer shirts in it this winter!). All connected up now and both cars started on the button. Sometimes the day just goes works out for you, doesn't it?!

Paul

[BigCatXJS]

77ah? I swear that my battery purchased a few years ago was only 64ah.... and that is quiet happy turning over the 5.3 V12. The Varta it replaced was 62ah.

Incidentally, the battery for my X300 was the size of small truck! Yet that was a 4.0 straight six!!

I know very little about batteries!

Ta, Rich

[ptjs1]

Rich,

I agree it's quite confusing. Early facelift cars had batteries spec'd at 52ah. It then jumped right up to 72ah for later facelift cars and the Jaguar one that I last bought was a 72ah 600CCA. I don't know if the increase was because of better battery technology, or increased electrical equipment needing more power, or just a desire to stop problems through the battery struggling.

You're right about the size of x300 & x308 batteries. It's almost as if Jaguar decided that they had lots of boot space so they fitted a great big long (& heavy) battery!

I'm really pleased with the spec and price of my new battery. (I read somewhere that Jaguar XJS batteries were made by Varta?) It's one less thing to worry about for winter starting and less likely to run down if I don't use the car for a while.

Paul

[XJR-S]

Thanks for this - I've been trying to find a suitable battery for my 6.0 since it packed up a month ago. The knackered battery was causing all sorts of other issues, engine warning lights, intermittent cutting out and stalling, I nearly spent a fortune on electrics, when it was all down to the battery.

As it's my daily runner at the moment, I pinched the battery out of my Sierra. So I've been running around on a Bosch Silver 100 size, 74AH so it starts well, but it's too big for the tray. I made up a hose for the breathers though so that works fine. But the standard clamp is useless. So I've got a number of giant 10mm tie wraps holding it very solidly in place as a temporary fix.

I'll be in the market for a battery in a few months when I get around to changing the broken gearbox in my sierra. So does the bracket fit the Varta? Looks like a great battery.

[ptjs1]

XJR-S,

As you've found out, battery size is critical in the late XJS and nearly every supplier I've seen has identified the wrong size.

If your battery tray is like mine, you need an 096 battery which will be about 28.5cm x 17.5cm x 19cm high. You can go a bit higher up to about 21cm in a convertible, because of the hood electrics that are mounted above. In a Coupe, you might be able to go higher as I presume it's only the battery trim cover that dictates height. See below for a pic of the battery and the mounting bracket fitted in my Convertible:



If you go to ww.tayna.co.uk then you can use the code D2BOYS which I found and seems to still give 5% discount. Let us all know if you can find a better discount code!

Paul

[XJR-S]

Thanks Paul that's great. Disappointingly, mine doesn't have that bottom bracket, only the frame that runs around. Must be missing, something to source from a breaker!

That looks perfect though, I'll get one of those. I'm a big fan of the 5 year warranty batteries.

[PaulE]

We had a lecture about batteries a while ago and I was amazed and saddened to hear that NO batteries are made in the UK now --------unless anyone knows better?

[BRIANH]

Paul,
I am sorry to contradict you on the statement that no firms now make motor industry batteries in the UK.
My favourite firm is Lincon Batteries of Leigh on Sea. They make all sorts for cars, trucks, caravans and boat applications. Over 50 different models for vintage cars alone.
The name and telephone number is lincon Batteries 01702 528711. www.lincon.co.uk The last one, for my V12 XJS, was £69 and is still in use after about five years. It also works very well in the middle of winter where a model standard would not.

Brian Harris

[PaulE]

Don't be sorry Brian, am delighted that you were able to give us such welcome information. Hope you and cars AOK.