Having dragged 'The Ice Princess' kicking and Squealing out of the Garage so I had a lot more room to work

It was time to take the Old Calipers off and put the New Calipers on, where I know from past experience that this can turn out to be the Job from Hell

As the Bolts can seize in the Steering arm and as such be almost impossible to undo and had to cut the Steering Arm off the last one



The Caliper Bolt was seized solid and after a week of trying every trick in the book, following 'Greg's' suggestion I cut the Steering Arm off

This time though I had a Secret Weapon! in the form of an Electric Impact Wrench, which cost me around £30 on ebay

And absolutely worth its weight in Gold, even if you buy one to do just this one job, or you could be there forever getting nowhere like I was

Surrounded by Breaker Bars and Broken Spanners

But first I had to take the Steering Arm off



In order to take the Old Caliper off, I had to disconnect the Steering Arm

I've got lots of Ball Joint Breakers but chose this one for the Job



Ball Joint Separator to take off the Steering Arm and this one undid easy for a change!

Having got that one out of the way, it was time to undo the Caliper Bolts which were seized solid in the Steering Arm

When nothing else will do the Job then you need the 'Nuclear' option and this Electric Impact Wrench has to be the best thing since they started slicing slided Bread

Here's a Video of it in Action doing exactly the same job on one of my other Cars




My Amazing Electric Mains Powered Impact Wrench



These Caliper Bolts were Seized Solid in the Steering Arm but my Electric Impact Wrench soon had them undone

I think that the Previous Owner may have had these Calipers replaced at some time as they didn't look Stock

But Check this out for a Bodge up! and one of the reasons why I always do my own repairs



Not a neat way to wire up the Caliper Bolts

There are also times when only a FBH will do!



There are times when only a FBH will do

Now it was time to put the New Calipers on, which is usually easier than taking the Old ones off

Except for just one thing!

And that is refitting the 'Shim or Shims' between the Caliper and the Arm

This is one of those little jobs that can drive you crazy, as just as you are going to insert the Bolt, the Shim falls out!

I've spend as much as almost a day struggling with that but Not any more!

But why do you need to bother with those Shims anyway?

They are quite important, as they are needed to fill the gap, to avoid putting any strain on the Steering Arm

In order that you can measure the Gap for the amount of Shims you are going to need, just trial fit the Caliper and then 'Nip up' the Bolts but not too tight

Then use a feeler Gauge to measure the Gap

In my Case the Caliper needed Two Shims which are usually Mega Awkward to fit because they seem to drop out the moment that you try and put the Bolt in



One of the Shims that is needed to fill the Gap between the Caliper and the Steering Arm

So how do you Stop the 'Shim' falling out, just when you are trying to put the Bolt back in?

Offer up the Caliper and then put a screwdriver in the hole instead of the Bottom Bolt which will give you a little bit of 'Jiggle' room

Then and this is the Secret put a little bit of a Bend in the Shim or Shims, then as you insert them into the Gap

Because they have a slight bend you should be able to Jam them into the Gap as if they were a Spring Washer

If you need 2 Shims then jam them in one at a time on top of each other

Having done that, then insert a Screw driver through the Caliper and the Shims and then remove the Screwdriver from the Bottom Hole and put in the Bolt finger tight

Then use the Screwdriver at the Top (that you put through the Caliper and the Shims) to slide the Shims around the hole until they are in position

Where the 'Slight Bend' that you put in the Shim, should hold it in place while you then take the Top Screwdriver out to put the Bolt in

Which seemed to work a treat at least for me

Then it just a Question of Tightening up the Bolts and then once having done so Wiring them in place, hopefully much neater than they were before.



New Calipers on and time to make up the Brake Pipes

Having just put the New Calipers on 'The Ice Princess' which still need a final Torquing up before I put the Locking Wire on the Caliper Bolts

It was time to make a New Set of Brake Pipes, which I do with a DIY Brake Pipe Kit which I bought a few years ago for around £30

I've used this Kit so often that its paid for itself time over, although like many other things it does require a 'knack' to get it right



My DIY Brake Pipe Kit has saved me a fortune and is worth its weight in Gold

The First Job is to cut the Pipe to length and in my own case found 10 ins best



The Cutter supplied with the Kit does a very nice job and keeps the ends square and as for length my preference is 10 ins

Having Clamped the Brake Pipe maker firmly in the Vice, the next job is to Clamp the Pipe into the Brake Pipe Jaws where the amount of pipe protruding out is absolutely critical or it won't pass 'Quality Control'



The length of Pipe protruding is absolutely Critical or it will not pass your quality Control 'Practice Makes Perfect'

Next insert the right size die in the Tube and lube with grease



Die in the Brake Pipe already for Forming the Fitting

Forming the Fitting this requires a bit of practice or it could all go 'Pear Shaped'



Looking Good! and time to take it out



That looks pretty much perfect and should do the job nicely

Don't forget to put both of the sets of fittings on before you go and do the other end!



Don't forget to put on both sets of Fittings before you go and form the cup on the other end



Forming the extrusion on the other end of the Brake Pipe 'Refer to the Instructions' to Form the Shape you need

Refer to the Instructions to Form the Shape you need to fit your Brake Pipe as they are not all exactly the same



I decided to double Flare the other end but refer to the Instructions in case your Brake Pipes need a different shape

The next job was to do a Trial Fit on 'The Ice Princess'



Trial Fitting the Brake Pipe on 'The Ice Princess'



Looking good but needs some final adjustment



Nearly there but now I'm going to take it off before I wire up the Caliper Bolts

Already to give the Calipers a final Torquing up before I go and Wire up the Caliper Bolts, except there was a Problem as I could not remember where I put the Wire!

OMG! Where did I put that Stainless Steel Locking Wire!

As it wasn't indoors or in my 'Shop' or even in the Boot/Trunk of my other Car 'Cherry Blossom'

There was only one place it could be and that was in the 'Cubby Box' behind the Seats of 50 Shades my Grey XJS

Which then presented yet another even bigger problem, as 50 Shades was still wrapped up for the Winter

Though as it turned out this was something of a 'Blessing in disguise' as my ultimate Goal was to get 50 Shades out of Winter Mothballs

Then put her in my 'Shop' with 'Cherry Blossom' although on 'Paper' maybe not as easy as it sounds

Because I hadn't Started '50 Shades' since I laid her up for the Winter, in October last year and didn't even know if She would go

And even if She did Start there were lots of other Cars to move around but maybe most important of all, I needed my Car Lifter Free

Which '50 Shades' was sitting on, so I could get to the Rear Brakes of 'The Ice Princess' to Bleed them, when it got to that stage in the game

But even if I got that far I still needed that 'Locking Wire' before I could continue working on 'The Ice Princess'

To be Continued.......

Before I could do any more to Restore my Arctic Blue XJS 'The Ice Princess' I had to find the locking wire to wire up the Caliper Bolts

Where having looked everywhere that I could think of, I came to the conclusion that it must be in the Tool Box that I keep in the 'Cubby Box' of 50 Shades my Grey XJS

Except of course for just one little problem, as 50 Shades was on my Car Lift all wrapped up for the Winter and had not been Started since October last year

And so apart from hoping to find the lost locking wire, this seemed to be as good a time as any to see if She would Start

Then hopefully drive her off the Lift and Park her next to 'Cherry 'B' which was already safely locked up in my 'Shop'

With the added bonus of having my lifter free, so that I could get underneath 'The Ice Princess' to bleed the rear brakes

It was going to be complicated as I've got lots of Cars all over the place, including my XJR Supercharger which I'd forgotten about

Though right at this very moment in time the only Car that I had on my mind was my Grey XJS '50 Shades'

And was wondering if She might possibly Start after being left for all this time, where as such it was now time to take the Covers off and have a look



She may look quite good in this photo but close up She looked a mess!

The reason She looked so awful was that when I put her in Mothballs for the Winter, I put Polish on her but I didn't Polish her off!

Thinking it may provide her with some extra protection when leaving her outside during the Winter



50 Shades my Grey XJS covered in a residue of White Polish and as such looked nothing less than blinking awful

That Photo was taken just before I laid her up for the Winter but as of now the question was would She Start?

Just like 'Cherry Blossom' my red XJS, 50 Shades was also fitted with a Battery Discarnect Switch to isolate the Battery

Where much to my delight, I turned the Discarnect Switch and the Boot/Trunk Light Came on!



Looking good all the Lights came on in the Boot/Trunk, so hopefully She might Start

But before I turned the Engine over I had to do the usual pre-flight checks, Oil/Water/Power Steering/Brake Fluid etc

All of the Fluids were up to the mark but just to help her along, I poured a Quart of Magnatec down the filler cap to lube the Chain and whatever else was down there



I poured a Quart of Magnatec down the filler cap to lube the Chain

Having done that I opened the door, got out the Key and sat down on that Connelly Hide, She just felt so special that the memories of last Summer came flooding back

But even if She did Start we weren't going far, as I hadn't Taxed her yet because the Weather of late had been so awful

So as I slipped the Jaguar Key into the ignition, I turned it to position One and all the lights came on!

And then onto position Two where the Engine just spun like a turbine, as She Started on the button

With Oil Pressure in 3 Seconds as She sat there on the Lifter 'Purring' like a little Kitten or should I say a roar!

Although to be quite honest I was much too excited to care, as I snicked the Shifter into reverse and very carefully backed her off the Lifter

With lots of White Smoke to begin with, as it was such a Cold day although within about 5 minutes after the AAV closed down

All you could see was a jet steam of almost invisible red hot gas coming out of the Tailpipe of the Exhaust

But with no Sunshine on offer, we weren't going anywhere today and so grabbing a New Tea Cloth, I decided to Polish her off



Polishing off the Polish that I'd left on from last Year!

By the time I had finished with her She Shone like a Star, so time to put her in my 'Shop' alongside 'Cherry 'B'

But first I had a look to try and find the 'Locking Wire' for the Caliper Bolts on 'The Ice Princess'

Where much to my shock horror, the Caliper Locking Wire just wasn't there and so I'd have to get some more of the stuff in the morning



An unintentional 'Moody Shot' of '50 Shades'

To be Continued...........

The only reason for getting '50 Shades' My Grey XJS out of Mothballs was to try and find the locking wire that I needed for the Caliper Bolts on 'The Ice Princess'

Which I was convinced was in the Toolbox in the 'Cubby Box' of '50 Shades'

Where much to my amazement, I found it wasn't there and what was worse if it could get worse was that I could not think of anywhere else that I could look

The lack of locking Wire was a big problem, as without it I couldn't get on with fitting the Calipers

And so the only job I could do was try and loosen the Bolts on the Anti Roll Bar, as the Rubber Bushes were completely shot away



Undoing the Bolts on the Anti Roll Bar, they were really hard to undo but the Rubber Bushes were completely Shot Away

Having done that work came to a halt, as without the Locking Wire I just couldn't get on and so the search was on to try and find some

But after a few phone calls I manged to track some down, so sent the GF out to go and get some

Where being a Zen Master or maybe that should be Zen Mistress in the Art of Flirting, She managed to pick up a Coil of it for Free!



'Bird got the wire!' She does have her uses sometimes and got all this for Free!

Now I'd got the Locking Wire, at last I could Torque up the Bolts that hold the Calipers



Torquing up the Caliper Bolts on 'The Ice Princess'

Having Torqued up the Caliper Bolts, it was time to put on the Stainless Steel Locking Wire, using a Twisting Device that I bought in a Yard Sale (50p!)



The Wire Twisting Device that I picked up in a Yard Sale

It may not have been the right tool for the job but it certainly did the business and made a very neat job of Twisting the Locking Wire



Twisting up the Locking Wire for the Caliper Bolts

When that was done and dusted I put in some New Brembo Brake Pads and Locking Pins



Brake Pipes fitted as well as a New Set of Brembo Brake Pads

That was as far as I could get, as it was as Cold as November and wouldn't stop raining

Although at this stage in the game, the mechanical side of things was done and well out of the way

But the next part was going to be a little bit Tricky, as the next job was to Bleed the Brakes and get all that side working

At which point I then ran into what could be quite a big problem, as when 'The Ice Princess' was in my 'Shop'

I had to try and get underneath to pre-loosen the Bleed Nipples on the Rear Calipers

They were really awkward to get to and what's more they were seized and wouldn't undo

So that was one of the reasons why I decided to Tow her out of my 'Shop'

Then once I had got the New Front Calipers on, the next thing would be to try and drive her on to my Car Lifter

Which would then give me a lot more room to work underneath but this is a bit of a 'Catch 22' Situation

As I need Brakes to get her onto the Car Lift but She needs to get onto the Car Lift in order to Fix the Brakes

In a worst case Scenario, I may have to trust the Hand Brake but that's not a set of dice I want to roll

But I do have a Plan that might work

The XJS has two different Braking Systems that both work in unison together

Where the Front Brakes are Bled Conventionally, like many normal Cars by using the Pedal

While the Rear Brakes are Bled with the Brake Pump with the ignition on

But I can't Bleed the Rear Brakes as I can't undo the Bleed Nipples (at least not yet)

So the Plan is to Bleed the Front Brakes, so that I would have Brakes at the Front though not yet at the Rear

Where just having Front Brakes should be enough to drive her onto the Car Lift

And then if I can manage to do that, I will have more room underneath in order to try and free off the Rear Brake Caliper Bleed Nipples

So that I am able to Bleed All the Brakes

Which may or may not be, as easy as it sounds

At which point I think that I should add a note of Warning!

That if you ever need to Bleed the Air out of the Rear Calipers (which is done with the ignition on)

On No Account let the Brake Pump run for more than 30 Seconds, or you could burn out the Brake Pump

If 30 Seconds isn't enough, then after 30 Seconds turn off the Ignition and then allow 2 Minutes for the Brake Pump to Cool Down

Before you turn the Brake Pump On, to let it run for another 30 Seconds

Then 'Rinse and Repeat' as required

To be continued........

Well I was certainly getting there, until it all went wrong! as having Towed 'The Ice Princess' out into the Open to give me more room to work

I'd put on the New Calipers and Wired up the Caliper Bolts and then made up New Brake Pipes and fitted those as well

Have already previously had The Master Cylinder Actuator professionally rewired for just a few pounds

Rather than spend around £1,500 on a New one! not that I could if I'd wanted to as they are NLA

Before I even Started her up, I pulled the 2 X 30amp Fuses on the Brake Pump and the ABS to prevent the Pump from running dry

Moving her around on just the Hand Brake but then as I have mentioned before, I couldn't get the Rear Caliper Bleed Nipples loosened off

Because this Car has been Standing unused for 15 Years! and so I suppose Corrosion could be part of the problem

As such it would be easier to try and sort this out, once I was able to get her on my Car Lifter

But didn't want to take a chance of driving her onto the Lifter, just using the Hand Brake only

And so the next thing I did was bleed the Front Brakes, for which you do not need to have The Master Cylinder Actuator running

During which time I stumbled across an 'easy peasey way' to Bleed the Front Brakes, which I'll write up later with some Photos

Though it might be worth mentioning, that this Brake Bleeding method gave me the Best Front Brake Pedal feel that I have ever had

Which I think may be worth a little Post all on its own, as Bleeding the Brakes on an XJS is something that can be the stuff of Nightmares

But anyway back to the Plot:

Having got the Front Brakes Bled and working, better than they ever did before

I was able to drive her up on the Car Lifter, although I had to push the Brake Pedal hard because as previously mentioned

I'd taken the 30amp Fuses out of the Brake Master Cylinder Actuator, which took away all power assistance from the Brakes

Once She was on the Car Lift, I put those 30amp Fuses Back in the Brake Master Cylinder Actuator

Then Turned on the Ignition, fully expecting to hear the Brake Pump run, except instead of doing that, it just Blew both those fuses!

Maybe I have got a trapped wire, where the insulation is broken down and it is shorting to earth?

Or maybe I need a New Brake Pump, which could be Very Expensive but either way the very first thing that I need to do

Is to try and undo the Bleed Nipples on the Rear Brake Calipers, without snapping them off



With only the Front Brakes working, I managed to drive 'The Ice Princess' back onto the Car Lift

Isn't She lovely and She hasn't been Washed or Polished for over 15 Years!

This is exactly the way She looked when I took off her Car Cover and though I originally purchased her from a Jaguar Dealer

She came with a big problem that at the time I didn't know how to fix, which was a massive leak on the Power Steering, which needed to be topped up after ever single trip

This is something which I never got around to fixing and as such is still on 'The to do' List

But if that wasn't bad enough, very soon after I purchased her the 'Oil Cooler' burst

This was one of the first mechanical jobs that I'd ever done on a Car and hadn't got a clue what I was doing, so maybe not surprising that it took about a Month for me to fix it

And in case I forget to mention it, also cost me what I considered a fortune but nothing like the eye watering sum that a Garage wanted to do it

Though with the Oil Cooler leaking, there was really no way that I could take her there, so all I could do was buy the parts and have a go myself

But before I go any further, as already mentioned, I've got a couple more problems to sort out

(1) Try and free off the Rear Brake Caliper nipples

(2) Find out why the Brake Pump keeps on Blowing Fuses and if She needs a New Brake Pump, then I'm going to be tempted to go 'Retro' and take out the ABS and replace it with a Brake Booster

Why does She keep blowing Fuses?

Good job I have got a few Spares



Why does She keep blowing fuses?
Good job I've got a few spares!

Some days you just can't buy a goal, no matter what you do and today was just one of those days
The Brake Pump was blowing fuses as soon as the Ignition was switched on

Even though the Brake Pump wouldn't run

So I decided to swap the Brake Pump for the one that was on my Parts Car and that one wouldn't run either although it didn't blow any Fuses!



Swapping out the Brake Pump for the one that was on my Parts Car





The Brake Pump from my Parts Car wouldn't run either

It was either sheer coincidence that neither Brake Pump would run, or there was something else that was wrong somewhere

As while the Original Brake Pump kept blowing fuses, every time the ignition was turned on

The Brake Pump from my Parts Car did not blow any fuses

Does anyone know if there is a Brake Pump Relay anywhere, as it could be that?

The other problem is to be found underneath the Car, as I cannot undo the Bleed Nipples of the Rear Calipers (at least not yet)

Although I've doped them up with the 50/50 Mixture and then will give them another try tomorrow, as its pointless throwing money at her on

maybe a New Brake Pump If I can't undo the Bleed Nipples on the Rear Calipers

With her MOT expiring soon, I thought I'd book her in early so She's ready for the Summer which finally turned up to-day

Though not for long as the Weather Forecast for next week, is looking a bit suspect with rain showers expected anytime soon

Where in fact the Weather has been so bad in both March and April, that this will be our first trip out this Year!

If you can count going for an MOT a Trip but then at least I guess its better than nothing

She's all checked over and all polished up, so all that I can do now, is to hope for the best and see what happens