All,

I just had my A-Pillar and Header reupholstered. When I picked it up, I noticed a dark circle in the middle of the new header. The spot has grown, and the car has not been subject to water, so my thought is a small hydrolic leak.

How do I determine if this is the rebuildable latches or a hose issue?

Thanks!

 

Take the cover off the top of the windscreen and you should be able to see where it's coming from.

(Pics courtesy of Gus JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource )

 

Thanks!

Do all hydrolics run through the car header or is anything located in the top itself?

Do I need to pull the upholstered part to remove the top header?

Again, thanks!

 

Nothing is in the top. Yes you can remove the black metal cover without disturbing the interior header. Removing the cover is easy. Along with the visible screws on the top of the cover there are screws hidden in the corners by the rubber molding.

If you have a leak large enough to stain your new header then you should see evidence when you look along the channel from the valve in the center to the drivers A pillar.

Mine was weeping from the connectors at the valve.


Here is a pic of the whole thing apart.

 

Nothing inside the top itself..

No need to pull the upholstered cover to inspect.

Likely the latch ram, can be repaired by top Hydrolics.

 

Thanks all! I'm away from the car until Thursday night, so I'll pull that black piece off and see what I see when I get back.

Hopefully it's just those latches which I'll send off to TH (fingers crossed it's not hoses).

Again, thanks all!

 

Assuming it is the latches, are there instructions for removal (didn't see on Gus' page). Do I have to worry about fluid pouring out with these off being rebuilt?

Thanks!

 

You should plan to cap off the lines if you remove the latch and want to continue to use the car. Also open the pressure relief on the pump. The latch is easy to extract once you get the lines disconnected.

My bet is on the lines leaking more than the latch seals failing.

Have you done the pressure reduction mod yet?

 

I do have the LSI relief valve installed. Any idea where to get caps?

Does anyone know of the TH lines come with instructions? They say they have a tool so you can pull from A Pillar, how much of a pita is this job?

I'm having the upholstered header pulled so it does not hit the a pillars.

Again, thanks. It's the car that keeps on giving.

 

All,

I'm confused on the number of hoses that make up this system. The TH site references 6 hoses. Is that 2 hose runs between the latch and the pump broken into 3 sections each?

It's killing me I'm on a plane and not able to address this right now.

Thanks!

 

It's two hoses to the latch and two hoses to each lift cyl

 

Again, thanks. If I'm just replacing the latch hoses (2) do I need to remove rear seats with the TH hoses?

 

I was in Ashburn yesterday.

 

Yeah those and a LOT more. All this needs to come out just to replace the latch hoses.


However not a lot of fasteners involved.


My brief write up about my experience doing the job is here

 

Ugg...

 

I'd be happy to come out to you. Name a price :-)

 

Mine was the cylinder seal leaking, easy enought to remove just go slow and take pic's. As noted open the pressure relief valve in the trunk. I did not bother with capping the hoses, only a drop or two came out, just wrap a rag around them. TH gave me a one day turn around on repair, with shipping it was three days total from removal to reinstall.

 

As I'm out of town, I asked my wife to bring the car in so we avoid additional damage.

Worst case scenario, I was quoted 10 hours labor to replace all 6 hoses and the latch if I provide them. Given the effort involved, that sounds like a reasonable quote.

I'm sure I can do the work but would probably take a full weekend. Hmmm.

 

It's the latch. Sending for rebuild.