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Bearings were definitely bad in WP once I had it out of car....but my odd clicking still occurs so it is either Alternator bearings or maybe the Crank pulley? I can't see it making a click noise.
I am going to put another new belt on it since the noise stops with application of belt dressing.
But I now know the pump is good to go!!!
So I went to get a new belt and they gave me the same brand. Contitech. I noticed it had a date on it. 1/2013. I asked for a fresher belt and they looked at me like I was nuts at NAPA. They brought out a gates that was nice a supple and the old "new" one was positively slick and crunchy.
All I did was pull the AC belt, run the car. (noise) Pull the Alternator belt and replace. Run the car NO NOISE! Put the AC belt back on NO NOISE!
I think the old contitech was just so hard it slapped and clicked.
Never seen that in 40 years of wrenching on anything.
I bought a Krikit belt tension tool but I don't think the belts span a long enough distance for it to be accurate. Returning it.
Put the old "new" conti in the spares bag in the trunk.
With a fish scale and a measured distance of deflection and the pulley span you would get a tension value other then a rule of thump method . A precise value is dependent on the elasticity of the belt........
I am grabbing some bits off each. Front sway, all five XJ12 wheels. Upgrade head lamps. If you need some weird XJ12 stuff let me know and I will see if it is available. It all goes to the scrap yard later this week.
XJR has mono strut and rear sway bar on it still.
Anyone know where I can find gear ratios for the rear diffs and how to tell if the XJR is an LSD?
Anyone know if the XJR v8 rack will swap to an X300?
Had an interesting bit of minor excitement today. I popped the hood after smelling a faint electrical smell.
The black wire going into the three conductor plug on the secondary air pump was smoking. The Ghost of Lucas Lives!!!
I unplugged the plug and it stopped.
Looks like all the insulation is gone for at least 1/2 an inch.
Next start I got a check engine and pulled codes and cleared.
No more codes after that.
Just going to leave unplugged for now then determine if that is a ground and where it grounds to make sure it is good, then may run a secondary heavier gauge ground for the pump.
My guess is the ground in that harness has gotten corroded / broken and that the wire at the plug was now the weak point and overheated. I'll run a separate ground for the pump, check the harness gorund and repair the harness.
Have you got a wiring diagram that might show the ground location for the engine bay harness that the SAIP would be plugged into?
Ric, I wanted to thank you for sharing all the information about restoring your "new" 1995 VdP. I recently bought a 95 XJR with 50K miles out of an estate here in SW Florida that had not been driven for 5+ years. I have worked through major fuel system problems and once running, found cylinder head damage resulting in cylinders 5 and 6 not firing and major oil usage?? The little driving I have done revealed some of the clunks in the front and rear end you described and solved. Your sharing your restoration journey and other member's contributions are immensely helpful to me as I work through my own 23 yr old maintenance issues. Again, thank you so much for this information!
Ric, I wanted to thank you for sharing all the information about restoring your "new" 1995 VdP. I recently bought a 95 XJR with 50K miles out of an estate here in SW Florida that had not been driven for 5+ years. I have worked through major fuel system problems and once running, found cylinder head damage resulting in cylinders 5 and 6 not firing and major oil usage?? The little driving I have done revealed some of the clunks in the front and rear end you described and solved. Your sharing your restoration journey and other member's contributions are immensely helpful to me as I work through my own 23 yr old maintenance issues. Again, thank you so much for this information!
Thanks!!!! Means a lot. Hopefully this will go an enthusiast who will lavish attention on it. I am just daily driving it and it deserves better..
Finally got around to seeing why the Air Pump throws a code. Lady P had sent me a wiring harness and pump and I had installed. but no joy.
Read the TSB about uprating to a 30 amp fuse. Check RF fuse box and sure enough. 20 amp blown! Replaced with 30, cleared code and viola!!! No more code.
Got three different people all lined up to look at car. Price down to $3900. Any less I'll just keep it. I really enjoyed driving it around this afternoon. I tell you though it is no sports car compared to my BMW.....
Sold the Vanden Plas to a great new owner who is super excited. Used to have an XJ40 VDP!
So it is good to see the old girl go on to a new home.
I will miss her.
Now I have a few goodies left over.
I have a set of XJR 5 spoke wheels. They are not perfect, have some run out and will be CHEAP....but I really dont want to ship. I am minutes off I95 in Virginia/.
Other item is a full under hood tool kit. All the jag branded tools included.
PM if interested in either. Will put up some photos soon!
I found a company in California that will put a bluetooth adapter inside an x300 stereo and completely re-furb the stereo for about $300 They are on ebay Creative Car Audio Shop info@creativecaraudioship.com I have one in my 96 vpd works GREAT!
Stereo sounds great. I need to get an FM modulator and bluetooth interface so I can just use my phone for audio.
The mirror issues are the exterior electrics not adjusting correctly. Will just love with it for now and keep an eye out for a module.
The ABS light is "mostly" off now....so that makes me thing some good cleaning and a unplug, clean, dielectric grease, reconnect session will pay dividends.
Lining up some non dry rotted tires and some shocks.
Congratulations! You will love this car.
My girl wears Kumho tires...great all around
check out Tirerack.com