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Today me and my dad replaced the wiper blade with a pair of Bosch AR 608S, and oh wow, it improved the wiper speed and how the wiper operates (smooth, quiet, no more sticking feeling, streak free...).
Taking a look at the blade show how faded the rubber coating has gotten over the past 16 years.
Cleaned my interior including the front seats as we’ve been touring up the coast for the last 6 months. I try to keep her garbage free and I wipe her down every 2 weeks or so but you could see some dirt starting to build up on the center console, interior handles, and the seats (specially the yarn trim). Used Meguiars Interior Cleaner and Protectant for all touch surfaces. Used Chemical Guys for leather cleaning and conditioning. Looks creamy and new as she should!
Brought my '05 XJR out of Winter hibernation. I had started it a couple of times but today was the official wake up. Happily, all systems are go. All the aggravation I went through last Spring replacing front air springs was paid off this year as the cover came off and she hadn't dropped at all through the Winter. Knocked out the first project of this year as I replaced the rear stabilizer links and the toe links. Old ones were shot. Thought it would be easy as I had done it on my previous '08 XJ before, but soon realized that you have to remove the parking brake calipers on an XJR in order to get the bolt off on the uprights for the toe links. Made for a much longer afternoon but it all went well and after its first wash of Spring took the Mrs. out for ice cream after dinner. Happy Happy.
I refrained from setting it on fire after trying to diagnose the cursed air suspension all day.
I feel your pain. Last year I changed out one or the other front springs six times in 3 months before I went into short term debt and bought new Bilsteins. I am now an expert at front air spring removal and installation. Hope you get your issue solved soon. It is definitely maddening.
Yesterday I finally got my lift cleared to change the oil/filter and air filter, my '05 x350 at 78k miles is my daily driver - along with my '00 x308 at 128k miles and the Castrol Titanium Edge was getting up to about 4250 miles since the last oil change. I am usually on schedule with oil changes when the oil is notably dirty or 3000 miles whichever comes first.
I prefer the WIX manufactured filters # 51228 as they are longer in length and upon disassembly comparing between the stock Jaguar filter have more filter surface area.
Also filled the fuel tank and the MIL extinguished after a few miles like it typically does - so I will need to hook up IDS/SDD to see what that code was to sort out the evaporative system error.
The last oil change I had repaired the underside air deflector reinforcing the rear sides with some Polycarbonate sheet stock, washers and rivets and a fixed a couple of cracking areas. I am considering adding removeable access cover large enough to get to the oil filter by just removing a few bolts and pivoting the cover away, and make another access cover to access the drain bolt and allow oil to flow out for changes. Some polycarbonate sheet stock and some clip nuts should work well so I'll do that next time it is up on the lift
Now at 78k miles I am noticing the outer tie-rod end boots are deteriorated so it is time to order a set, as I am sure like my 308 the upper and lower ball joints are soon to need replacing too
Yes, so it can fit under the cowl. Your going to grind down the first 4 rows of fins from the throttle body end of the RR intake.
You'll also need a 80mm to 90mm straight coupler to mate the RR intake to the pipe.
It takes a lot to get the rubber coupler fitted on the RR end. I just fitted mine yesterday utilizing my heat gun, my son holding the intake to the work stool and a bit of vaseline and a pick...
Any chance you can help point me in the right direction to pick up one of these couplers?
Edit: Also, when I make the swap I’m planning on putting in a Mina intake. Do I need to get a new MAF sensor?
Completed a total suspension rebuild with a 4 wheel alignment today. Rides nice and smooth.
Spent about six days replacing the entire suspension. This included up front: two air struts, compressor rebuild (Bagpipingandy's rebuild kit) sway bar links, upper & lower control arms, inner & outer tie rods, spindle ball joints, hubs, rotors & brakes. And on the rear: upper & lower control arms, sway bar links, rotors and brakes and tie rods. Then when all was done, I had to replace the front left marker light socket with a new (Volkswagen) bulb socket. Think I'm going to take the next month off
My 05 XJ8 has been in the shop for 2 weeks getting all new front suspension, discovered one of the coil/overs was leaking, so new pair of those as well. I got it back Saturday, just in time to drive it 150 miles round trip to a World of Outlaws sprint car race. Next business day, Tuesday, I drove it a short distance to a local tow yard, and it seemed to be barfing coolant after I parked. Turned out to be a burst heater hose in the upper radiator hose tee. Got a replacement in short order from Autohaus Arizona, Inc. and put it on today.
Perfect example of Click N Clack describing the perfect auto repair: "150 miles of carefree motoring before something unrelated lets go, necessitating another trip to the parts store and/or the shop."
A couple of years ago, the remote fob which is always with me forgot its memory of the car, so I put it in a drawer and started using the spare. Yesterday said spare did the same, prompting me to spend five minutes dealing with the pair of them.
I've had a new auxiliary heater pump and thermostat sitting on my desk for a year.
The car has been taking ages to reach normal running temp and suffers from the poor heat in the cabin syndrome.
So I looked at `them both and thought, they're not doing much good on my desk...
So fitted the two of them.
Before I put the new thermostat in I threw the old and the new one in a pan on the hob and sure enough the old one opened up at around 70 deg C (not 84 as the new one ) and stayed open way longer than the new one.
In the process of fitting the new pump spotted that the hose between the thermostat housing and the auxiliary heating pump was bulging seriously at the thermostat housing, so replaced this as well.
The heat in the cabin is much better (just what I need now its summer). and the car is reaching normal temp much more quickly.
Oh... I forgot to say, the old auxiliary heating pump was as dead as a doornail.
My driver side door opening trim had been damaged under previous ownership. The rubber was worn through half way up the door opening. I guess I must have a little OCD because it bugged me every time I opened the door. Of course you pretty much can't buy it new anymore and it is even getting hard to come by used. After doing some measuring I realized that a piece meant for the rear door would fit but you would have to keep a small piece of the original under the kick plate trim and have an additional seam. I found a nice rear door trim piece in mocha on eBay and installed it as described. It actually came out very satisfactory and looks so much better than the worn trim. I can live with the extra seam. It is barely noticeable under the kick plate. I will post a shot the next time the cover is off.
As a side note, I recently had to partially remove the headliner in my Chrysler 300. Unfortunately a rodent had gotten into the car somehow and died in the headliner. Yes it smelled badly. Anyway my point is that in removing the trim around the door openings to remove the headliner I realized it is almost exactly if not perfectly like what is in our Jags. They only make it in tan and black as far as I can tell, but I may get a piece to confirm it would be a good substitute and post a separate thread if I find it to be true. Chrysler sells it for around $78.00 a door so it would be pretty reasonable if it works.
@jluvzcarz Yes that seems to be very common on the X350 series, mine have deteriorated in the very same places
What is the year and model of the 300 you think has about the same or similar weather trims?
I would think that with the Ford ownership of JLR from 1988 to 2009/2010 there might be a Ford/Lincoln - like a 2005 Lincoln Town Car that would be closer to the same design of the door weather strips on the 2004-2009 x350.
Of course finding that similarity between makes and models is the challenge.
I note on mine that only the long sections are deteriorated and not the custom molded rubbers in the complex gaps, so possibly locating pieces to replace the damaged straight sections is a good way to go and then rubber seal the joints
@jluvzcarz Yes that seems to be very common on the X350 series, mine have deteriorated in the very same places
What is the year and model of the 300 you think has about the same or similar weather trims?
I would think that with the Ford ownership of JLR from 1988 to 2009/2010 there might be a Ford/Lincoln - like a 2005 Lincoln Town Car that would be closer to the same design of the door weather strips on the 2004-2009 x350.
Of course finding that similarity between makes and models is the challenge.
I note on mine that only the long sections are deteriorated and not the custom molded rubbers in the complex gaps, so possibly locating pieces to replace the damaged straight sections is a good way to go and then rubber seal the joints
Thanks for the observations!
Been a bit crazy so just getting back to a reply. My 300C is a 2012 and at closer inspection this past weekend there is a bit of discrepancy in the size of the rubber seal itself. That said I would have to try a piece to see if the Jag door would seal without wind noise. As far as other Ford owned products using a similar seal that is something I would have to go look into. The Jag is the closest thing to a Ford product I have ever owned so I have no reference.
Anyway, here are a few shots of the Jag seal installed, and of the Chrysler seal. Note that the extra seam is under the kick plate when using a trim piece that came from a rear door. It is very pliable and I had no problems forming it to the front door pattern. I imagine it is driver door seals that see the most wear, hence they are hard to find used. But the rear trim worked fine. I am happy when I open the door now. One extra seam under kick plate when using trim from a rear door. Driver door opening looks nice again Chrysler seal very similar width of Chrysler seal just a bit different.
Today I cleared my personal effects and removed the plates.
See previous post from 6/4. Took the car back to the shop for final front end alignment after $2000 front suspension replacement, where it was awaiting it's turn when Friday night's thunderstorms brought flash flooding. The shop was filled to 4 ft, as was the parking lot where 5 cars were situated. The 3 newer ones floated long enough for the back ends to drift to a 45 degree angle from where they started, before the water filtered in past the door seals, etc. and let them settle back to earth.
all 4 vehicles were at 90 degrees to the building, parallel to the white truck.
Inside the shop, all the files were in 2 drawer filing cabinets below desk surfaces, those drawers are now pulled out and drip/draining on the floor. Also inside the shop is my friend's 1966 Camaro SS Convertible. Red paint, black top and interior. Both doors open, hood up. Maybe easier to save, since cars were so simple 55 years ago.
State farm will be towing it away to a body shop for an estimate, but I may never see it again, so I went through it and found, among other things, the ashtray, cupholders and cubby all full of standing water, and the glovebox dumped out more water when I fished out the soggy registration, etc. The water seems to have floated some of the dye out of the seats, and I think it made the veneer darker in the shifter surround. The floor mat on the right wasn't anchored down, so it floated and landed on the seat. So wet, so sad. I'd like to get some of that $2000 back, too.
Gold car is gone, '05 is looking dim, '01 VDP is my last Jag...for now. One door closes, another one is open.
04-23-2021, 07:20 PM
Routine maintenance '02 x350 base @ 78k miles
