XJ-S purchase

[paulfrost88960]

Well i've done it. I've agreed to buy a 1988 3.6 auto from a guy who advertised it privately on the XJ-S club website. It cost more than i was intending (when do you ever buy a car for less than you were intending?). He has owned it since 1988 and it is in excellent condition.All fluids clean including the auto box and I don't think it has ever been out in the rain in his ownership so it has really been loved. This is the first one i have viewed and i know i should have looked at several, but this was in such rust free condition that i decided to take the plunge instead of chasing all round the country looking for a better deal. i know i'me retired, but even my time is worth something. (well to me anyway; i havn't got as much left as i used to have!) The aircon doesn't work, don't know whether it just needs recharging or something more pricey, but i'm not too concerned about that for now anyway. The replacement radio is playing up, but he still has the original so maybe i will look at getting updated innards put in it? I won't be able to get it for a couple of weeks as he has to take the private plate off, re-register it and then put a years ticket on it. (at the moment it runs till June.) The only thing i'm aware i need to think about is the headgasket. My understanding is that they tend to go at about 60,000, but this has done 85,000 on the original one. What are your thoughts, should i have it changed soon, or wait until it goes? I'm usually in the "if it's not broken don't fix it" camp, but what's the smart thing to do.

Paul

[cafcpete]

Sounds like a very good purchase, well done. Looking forward to some pictures when you get the car.

I can’t answer your question on the engine but can offer advice on the radio.

The OEM units just look so right in the car, so get the original repaired and add Bluetooth streaming with hands free from
https://retrocaraudio.uk/


I had my X300 unit repaired by Steve Smith at retro car audio for £75 and the Bluetooth added for an extra £75.

Peter

[davidr]

Well done in finding what sounds like a nice car. I hope you enjoy it and look forward to seeing some pictures.
There are many reasons why the aircon may not work and "just needs regassing" is very rarely true. First step would be to have the system tested for leaks. Bear in mind that if the car is using its original system then it will be running (or not!) on the obsolete R12 gas although it may have been converted to the modern R134. Probably best to get an expert to look at it if you're not sure.
As far as the head gasket goes, it's not inevitable that it will fail. I'd be tempted to keep an eye on it and fix it at the first sign of trouble.

[paulfrost88960]

Thanks guys for your swift replies. I'll get in touch with the radio co. that is exactly what i was looking for. I know when i spoke to Brian's helpline about the aircon systems he said " assume it won't be working and if it is it won't be for long!" I know a lot of the adverts say "just needs regassing" but if it was that easy why didn't they do it? Presumably because it wasn't that easy. Still i'll look into it when i've got the car and see if i can get it going without too much expense. If not, i'll just open a window! I think i'll cross my fingers over the headgasket and put some money away just in case. Funnily enough my MGTF160 is supposed to blow gaskets as well but mine has done 80,000 mile now with no gasket replacement recorded. ( i know i had to say it didn't i, that'll be me on the side of the road soon in a cloud of steam!)

Paul

[paulfrost88960]

Hi again all. I've now picked my car up in a gap between storms and it's tucked up in the garage for now. I think it's fantastic and If i can work out how to attach some photos i will do that in a minute. There as expected a few little niggles to sort through when it stops raining and perhaps you can give me some advice?
1)once i get over 60 ( speed that is not years!) in some instances there's a bit of vibration, worse on concrete. (can't be more precise yet as i've only driven 40 miles so far) I will have the tracking and balancing checked to start with as obviously that's the simplest thing. There seems to be some idea that the gearbox mount might need replacing; at the last service the garage suggested it was a little sloppy, but at the MOT they said it was fine. However the previous owner had got all the parts which he gave to me anyway, so i'll only have to pay for labour if it's needed......i'm thinking this could cause vibration?
2)When starting there's a short buzzing from the LHS of the fascia and when in heavy stop start traffic it goes off every 3 or 4 minutes, is this the Teves system and if so should it happen so often?
3)On closer inspection of the service records it seems the head gasket was replaced at 66,000 miles (now done 85,000) so that is good news, theprevious owner had forgotten as it was abouy 20 years ago! Also the IRS was refubished recently which is a bonus.
3)Finally (for now) i have a local XJ-S specialist (Ed Abbott) who i was planning to use for servicing, however i have had my local classic car and MG specialist look after my MGTF160. He is very reliable and trustworthy and no doubt cheaper than the Jag specialist. He has said he would be happy to look after the routine Jag servicing and would tell me if something needed doing which is beyond his capability. Would it be sensible to use him or should i rely on the specialist instead?

[cabriolet]

Hi Paul,
I have had my 3.6 XJ-SC manual for about 5yrs now and when I first bought it I had all sorts of knocking issues to deal with. I believe the gearbox mount is a general issue and the parts are hard to find. It is good that you have the parts as I believe the automatic mount is different from the manual. I hope you have the correct parts to fit yours as I had made the mistake of buying one 2nd hand which was incorrect for my car. The problem with my mount is that oil had seeped onto the mount which made the rubber mount slip out of position. First of all I needed to cure the leaks which came from multi areas such as head gasket, oil pressure sensor and the oils cooler system. My mechanic had a mod where he welded a plate on the bottom of the mount that gave more support to the rubber mountings. This was about 2yrs ago and has not been an issue since. I also had front worn suspension rubbers, worn exhaust mountings, worn radius arms and track rod ends which all had an accumulative effect to noise. Unlike when I first bought the car it now drives and handles more positively and does not have those annoying knocking noises. I have invested a lot of time and money in the car but the owning and driving experience you cannot get from a modern car. Good luck with yours.
Alan

[davidr]

The car looks great. Red really suits it I think.
The vibration is almost certainly a balancing issue. Has the car been standing for a while? If so the tyres might have flat-spotted a little. All you need to fix that us to give it a good run so the tyres warm up and round out again.
A gearbox mount that needs attention will usually announce itself with thumping noise in the middle of the car. It doesn't sound like you have that yet.
The buzzing noise from the left bulkhead will be the pump that charges up the brake accumulator and is perfectly normal. In time you will start listening for it not running!
There are aspects of the car which are not conventional (such as the Teves brakes) which require specialist knowledge and my inclination, if you're not going to do it yourself, would be to use a specialist. Do you really want someone who doesn't know Jaguars learning by his mistakes on your car?
Congratulations on the purchase and I hope you enjoy it.

[paulfrost88960]

Thanks very much guys for your swift replies. The car hasn't been used much at all recently, so i'll wait until i've used it a bit more and see if the vibration clears itself. There are no other knocks i can hear so hopefully the gearbox support is OK for now.I take your point about the specialists so think that is who i will use, better to be save than sorry. It does seem a very calm and special way to travel so i'm a very happy camper at the moment!

[davidr]

Inside the rear mount for the gearbox is a bush shaped like a cotton reel. This is made of a kind of foam and it breaks down over time. This is the usual cause of failure although there is also a spring that may fail.

[paulfrost88960]

I can now give you an update as i've driven about 350 miles since friday. (dodging showers!). The first good news is that i seem to be getting just over 25mpg which i am very happy with and overall i love the car. The tyre situation though has gone downhill a bit! The vibration is still there and a tyre garage i trust looked at the tyres and said they were about 25 years old.........they told me they were still in good condition but undoubtedly have one or more flatspots due to lack of use over the years. As the car has been garaged though there appears to be no sidewall cracking. He suggested, as you had, that i run the car a bit more and see if they they regain shape, however neither you nor i knew they were so old.. I know that he is an expert, but i can't say i'm happy at the idea of running round in a fast heavy car on 25 year old tyres, so think i will bite the bullet and replace them.......i had thought i might have to do this when i bought the car so not entirely unexpected. Other than Pirelli are there any tires that memebrs can recommend which are good qaulity without breaking the bank? Also how about best suppliers of same? Finally, car security: the car doesn't have an alarm or locking wheel nuts, is there one that you guys would reccomend or would physical security like a "stoplock" be a better idea? I am most thankful for your replies in these early days for me.

[ptjs1]

A tyre garage told you to drive a bit more in a car suffering vibration on 25-year old tyres?? Really?

Change the tyres immediately and don't ever go near that tyre garage again, would be my suggestion! There is not a single tyre manufacturer in the world that would tell you to drive on 25-year old tyres!

Good luck

Paul

[davidr]

I agree with Paul. Those tyres have done their time!
The Pirellis are getting hard to find and expensive but there is a Falken alternative.
When you have changed them you won't believe the improvement over those old tyres that have gone hard and uncompliant. Ride, noise and handling (not to mention safety!) will be streets ahead of what you've experienced so far.
Have a search through this site and you'll find several threads on tyre choice

[cafcpete]

Tyres are down to personal preference, but have a look at
https://www.blackcircles.com/

Just enter the size you need and it will list all the tyre you can buy in that size.
They will all have labels with state how it performs for fuel/wet performance and noise so you can compare different tyres and make an informed choice.

[paulfrost88960]

Thanks everyone. Yes that's what i thought about the tyres, but the guy went over them with a fine toothcomb and said they were ok. However, commonsense made me decide to change them anyway. The cost shouldn't be too bad in any case when you spead them over the mileage they will give me,and they are, to say the least, safety critical! I will start looking in to what deals are about and also talk to the guy i usually use. (not the one mentioned in my previous post you'll be pleased to hear!)

[paulfrost88960]

After a day or two of research, i have ordered my new tyres. KWE now reccomend Falken ZE914. They are however 225/60 not the original 235/60, their argument being that whilst slightly narrower, modern design and formula more than makes up for this over the old Pirellis. Obviously as my old Pirellis are toast, i would notice an enormous improvement. My normal fitter couldn't get those but could their more recent replacement, ZE310 eco at £108 each. I decided to look into the 310 in more detail and for my use they seemed OK going by all the reviews. I looked around a bit more and found that Halfords will do them for £88.99 each all in and they are also throwing in a free tracking check which is nice! I ordered on tinternet and the local Halford's garage will fit them Wednesday. I'm excited now as i'm really looking forward to seeing how they transform the ride and handling later in the week. I should be fitting my new kitchen, but i've been sidetracked recently; not really much choice is it.......build a kitchen or fettle and drive an XJ-S ? I'll let you know what they are like after a few miles.