changing down.

[fgw1530]

When changing down 4th to 3rd revs don't drop off and give the effect that cruise control is active but it isn't and you have to brake to lower the rev's.Any help would be appreciated.

[J44EAG]

The first thing is to avoid guess work. You need to know why a particular component might be faulting.

You really have two choices. To have the car interrogated via the OBD port by an independent Jaguar specialist who might or might not charge you for the service.... OR... you could buy an iCarsoft 930i small diagnostic unit from UK Diagnostics for around £90. This plug and play unit will allow you to diagnose and often clear faults yourself. A highly recommended piece of hardware which you can keep in the glove compartment.

These modern cars are complex and so you need the kit to allow you to shoot straight for the right target.

The problem you have is perhaps linked to the throttle body, its sensor or perhaps the cruise control interface. A poor connection, an air pipe leak or similar, or may be just a little damp in the wrong place could cause the issue you describe..

Mike K

[piman]

Hello Mike,

this is of interest to me having just bought an X type (collecting it tomorrow)

I had seen elsewhere that a Mongoose is the reader to get as it is dedicated to Jaguar/Land Rover? Why do you recommend the unit you mentioned?

Thanks,

Alec

[J44EAG]

An easy answer with that one, Alec. I have one myself and it is Jaguar/Landrover dedicated and can be easily updated online via a USB link cable to a PC. Value for money it is excellent. Fault codes can be cleared and the scan facility is a good one. It does vastly more than a simple code reader would do but does not extend to airbag systems for which a higher level machine would be required. This is most certainly a quality piece of kit but although not dealer level, is certainly a nice up to date piece to have around and even extends to current new Jaguar models.

I also have one of the ebay OBD discs and a USB/OBD lead which I find difficult to use with 2002.5 model year onwards cars which have later software and at that point this system falls very flat. On pre 2002.5 cars it worked quite well but was at its best when I used it on Windows XP on which I believe both the early OBD cars were originated and designed. I found that cheap set up hopelessly defunct when compared with the iCarsoft 930i. Not only that but that old OBD disc caused pc port issues and in the end i gave up with it. Tedious described my final session with it before buying the 930i.

I also have a Torque app on my Android phone with an ELM37 blue tooth OBD unit. That works quite well as long as you upgrade to the paid software which is around £3.50. Cheap and cheerful but it works quite well once perameters are manually set. i need more practice with Torque before I`ll feel confident with it.

I`ve no experience using a Mongoose set up. I`ve heard many XJs or X300 guys use the system successfully but am unsure if it is compatible with XK8/S-type onwards design architecture.

Mike.

[piman]

Hello Mike,

this is a new world to me but I want to go that route as I prefer to look after my own cars.

Certainly when I looked at Mongose readers on E Bay there is a wide price differential, depending on source. These need Windows 7 (Which I have, fortunately, on an old laptop), will the reader you mention work with that?

I'll have a look at it anyway.

Thanks for the explanation.

Alec

[Brakebuster]

i have the mongoose setup and use it on my X,

it can seem a bit complicated when using the full software , but quick google searches help a lot

BB

[J44EAG]

There we are. BB confirms OK with an X-type.

The 930i by comparison is a self contained unit about the size of a large Avo meter and comes in a zipped pouch with just one lead which plugs into the OBD port on the car.

At the end of the day, you have a number of choices from which to choose.

Mike

[Brakebuster]

There we are. BB confirms Ol with an X-type.

The 930i by comparison is a self contained unit about the size of a large Avo meter and comes in a zipped pouch with just one lead which plugs into the OBD port on the car.

At the end of the day, you have a number of choices from which to choose.

Mike

as mike says, there are huge amounts of choice, but only a few real good value options

i went down the mongoose route because thats what i thought would give me the flexibility i needed , however, i have to break out the laptop , charge it up , lug it to the car and sit with it somehow in the car, its still the tool for me, but i can fully appreciate the compact benefits of a self contained diagnostic tool ,

and for quick diagnostics, and not reprogramming the car, i think i will get one like Mikes as well , but also like Mike, i can't stop buying tools , lol

BB

ps., i remember my old Avo 8 with fondness, lol , i even built my own version while taking electronics at college aged 16............., lol

[piman]

Hello BB,

"i remember my old Avo 8"

I still have one but must admit that it very rarely gets used as modern meters are so much smaller.

Alec

[J44EAG]

Here is the link for the 930i. £90 delivered. A lot of tool with good features for the money. Nice and compact...keep in the glove box and just one lead to the OBD port which powers it up when you plug it in. Hassle free and a lot less bovver than a lap top. Recommended by meself as doing what it says on the box and good after-sales service if you need to chat aspects of its use after purchase.

http://www.diagnostic-world.com/pages/f ... 189115.cfm

The Autel unit is also for consideration but that is about £360. It may well do quite a bit more than the 930 but its a lot more money as well. One has to draw a line somewhere. In my opinion, the 930 has enough features for our level of diagnostics unless say you were wanting to have a go at DIY ecu remapping or have a specific need for airbag type diagnostics. The 930 strikes a good compromise where reasonable cost and level of facilities are concerned. It will do most of the things we commonly need to tackle.

Occasionally a used ex-garage professional unit will appear on ebay. Bidding is often fierce in the last few moments. Remember that with such a unit it may well need an annual license agreement and even a fee which could well cost £1000 to keep serviceable year after year.

Don`t ignore the cheap Torque app for an Android phone though. PTJS1 and I also have that set up. Paul is full of praise for it. For me though, the 930 is just so compact and easy to use and that seems to win for me for those reasons alone.

Mike
.

[piman]

Hello Mike,

thank you for the link.

Where exactly is the port, somewhere in the drivers side of the car?

Alec

[robv12]

OBD port on an X Type is by your left knee when sitting in the driver/right hand seat, tucked up behind the trim, easy when you know where to look

[piman]

Hello Rob,

thanks for that.

Alec

[andypryce]

Alec,

For more basic use you might want to try something cheaper, I have used a few different code readers in the past and the one I use now is the 'Dash Command' app for android or i phone, it doesn't have bells and whistles but coupled to a generic OBD wireless plug in ( a few quid on amazon) it does tell you the codes, you can then google for more information. Recently used it to diagnose an ABS fault, it told me it was the sensor and which wheel, part was £40 from Eurojag and fitted in 15 minutes, job done.

As the unit is wireless you can leave it plugged in permanently and just connect it to your phone or laptop when you need it.

[piman]

Hello Andy,

thanks for that but I don't have (or want) an Android/I Phone etc.

Alec