I found out the "Low Coolant" light that keeps coming on isn't from the water pump. The car is eating up coolant as quick as I can pour it in, and the water pump is fine. It's the thermostat housing. My tech said all of that coolant can leak out right around in that area and that I'd never see a thing. $70 part, $830 labor!!...Does anyone have instructions anywhere on how to get to this thing?

 

another unknown factor is WHAT YEAR IS YOUR VDP!!!!!!!! or is it just your screen name?

 

Terribly sorry. Slipped my mind that I left it out! It's a 98

 

Thermostat housings made from aluminium are available from various suppliers; try searching the internet. Better than plastic !

 

call ken at motorcars(site sponsor) they have metal for about $85 same price as plastic. I would also replace both heater hoses under the intake while youre in there too. And $800 is extremely high priced for that. You dont have to remove the intake only unbolt it, unclip the injectors and remove the air intake elbow. Then pivot the whole intake assembly up( has 2 bolts below the throttle body to do this) then replace the housing and heater hoses, you should probobly be prepared and also buy the part load breather hose if you can find it cause its plastic and while probobly crack and or break when this repair is done. Theyre no longer being made by jag. I would also replace the cross over pipe for all the same reasons about(plastic and probobly rotted also)

 

Brutal,

The last year for the 4.0 V8 was 2003. I thought US Federal law required OEM parts be available for 10 years. Why is the part load breather hose not available?

 

remember the GM, bailout, Chrysler etc....well no ohe ne bailed out the suppliers and part manufcturers and many went bankrupt. Parts are not as easily avail as they used to be. And I am pretty sure that only goes back 7 years. But I know that many times we have to wait for parts that are back ordered while Jaguar/Ford (and others Im sure) work to find a parts supplier to make needed parts. The parts are still out there, but many times are done on a dealer locate. When Jag gets parts like this made, they contract for a certain number they feel will supply the market. If the need exceeds what they focasted, then you have issues. I just waited 7 months for a new passenger seat weight sensor kit for the air bag system on a new 2009 XF. And then when I got it, it was bad. But since they had more than 1 made, I got a replacement quickly. As a dealer/manufacturer you just cant have Millions and millions of $$$ of parts sittign around in todays global economy if you want to stay in business....I think its Toyata that says something along the lines of "the right part, at the right time" Basically order and stock only what you need in a given span of time

 

Normally the "after market" supplies parts that are big sellers and most at prices and quality to match the original (but NOT all of them, mind you !!). Parts specific to particular cars that fail rarely and which are expensive mean you are dependent on the car maker or the car breakers. As Brutal says, car makers can't have millions of pounds/dollars of parts in stock that may never be sold.

 

try autoparts warehouse. i bought an extra breather hose from them to keep on hand. likewise, i think they also sell the aluminum housing.

 

I thougt Toyota said something like "Full throttle, any time, when you least expect it".