www.jec.org.uk

I am a new club member and recently purchased a nice 2000 XK8 convertible.

I have notice a puddle on the floor just under the left side just in front of the left rear tyre. It does not smell like gas or oil but could be hydraulic fluid possibly for the top mechanism.

Looking under I see a line with 3 brass fitting. The wet spot is in this general area and also further up on the floor panels.

Any thought would be appreciated.

Tom Ryan

I cannot comment on the location of the puddle but if its clean water its most likely from the aircon condenser drain. Quite usual if the car is left standing after use.Be careful to be sure what the fluid is before getting worried !

If you cannot be certain that the fluid is water (from the aircon system) it would be as well to have someone else check and give you a second opinion. The other likely fluids in that area are petrol and brake fluid; the escape of either could cause a life threatening situation. Mike.

Thanks. I will double check.

a life threatening situation. Mike.

bloody hell mike you dont mince your words, straight to the point lol


dont worry mate, i have a similar problem i put a drip tray under the it only to find out after a taste test that it was just water (dont taste it , its vile like someones rotting foot thats been baked )
turns out its a drain for the air con , well at least thats what the jag dealer said , it might be something more though , i'll look for you in the obituaries

Having found myself partially or completely without brakes on a number of occasions over the years and survived to tell the tales, I've never found these incidents to be positive experiences. Others may not be so lucky. Hence, IMHO, there's no room for ambiguity when it comes to the basic safety of brakes and similar areas. If you're not sure, you can do a lot worse than asking someone who knows the answer, even if it means paying a Jaguar Dealer. Better to be safe than sorry. Mike.

Good point Mike. The fluid is not water, it does appear to be brake fluid. I will have a professional check it out. Thanks for the advice. Tom

Having found myself partially or completely without brakes on a number of occasions over the years and survived to tell the tales, I've never found these incidents to be positive experiences. Others may not be so lucky. Hence, IMHO, there's no room for ambiguity when it comes to the basic safety of brakes and similar areas. If you're not sure, you can do a lot worse than asking someone who knows the answer, even if it means paying a Jaguar Dealer. Better to be safe than sorry. Mike.


just trying to inject some humour mike , no harm no foul


i found a bolt under my xkr a few days back so does that mean i need a full engine overhaul?

If it's the one which looks like a sump plug, the answer to your question is yes!

uuummmm the what now ,.....engines have oil plugs????

Thanks for all the replies.

My mechanic checked it out last week and said that it is hydraulic fluid from the convertible top mechanism. So he suggested checking the level every so often as this was the first time the leak was noticed since the top had not been operated in a while.

The hood hydraulics do not leak on these cars unless there's a fault. If you decide to run the car in this condition, ensure you are familar with the manual hood closing procedure (it's in the handbook) and the location/operation of the valve key. I'll bet a pound to a penny that it will fail to operate hydraulically when it's raining! Mike.

OK, good advice Mike. I will check this out further. In the meantime I will keep my unbrella handy! Tom

The hydraulic rams (hood lift cylinders in Jaguar parlance) can be replaced. The back seat and quarter panel trim have to be removed for good access. Don't forget to replace the o rings on the hydraulic connections while you're there. Mike.