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you should never buy a Series 3 XJ based on the odometer mileage. These speedos can be replaced in under 10 minutes. You need to look at the overall condition of the car, the exhaust system, the underside, the engine compartment, and the interior, to tell you the true mileage. The gauges are the last thing one needs to look at, and then only to see if they work.
If you are going for a volvo drive train it would be great to use a T5,6 or 8.
Might as well as it's going to be a similar amount of work.
Are the T series engines reliable? Used to love seeing the volvo turbobrick racing!!
Don't know much about Volvos though I'm more of a Saab nut.
The reason why this won't work is two fold.
1: the T5 and up engines are made for a transverse engine mounting by default so they won't fit. The 5 cylinders can be mated up with the four speed transmissions or a manual gear box from one of the bricks (last year for a RWD application is a 98 S90) with some effort. The twin turbo six also can be made to work with this set up.
2: CAN BUS. Everything 99 and newer is all about the CAN BUS networks. If I wanted to directly fit in a newer drive train I would need to retrofit a lot of modules into the car for the immobilizer systems so that it would actually start. I'm not sure what a lack of speed signals would do to the engine management systems, and custom tuning would be an absolute expensive must.
To fit in a V8 could be done, I'm sure you've see turbo bricks with them and it's a lovely engine. I wouldn't have an XC90 with any other engine.
The reason I'm sticking with the I6 is because I like the simplicity and "purity" of a naturally aspirated six. The 960 engine has a similar output of the later AJ6 engines with some gentle modification. They are simple undemanding engines and I have plenty of them just waiting to be reborn.
I like the DIY side of this project, so analog signals only.
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But now I am curious. If you're a Saab nut, to which ones do you incline? I used to know Saab very well, but ever since the second gen 9-3 showed up everyone's fled the scene.
you should never buy a Series 3 XJ based on the odometer mileage. These speedos can be replaced in under 10 minutes. You need to look at the overall condition of the car, the exhaust system, the underside, the engine compartment, and the interior, to tell you the true mileage. The gauges are the last thing one needs to look at, and then only to see if they work.
Yes, I realize that. I brought it up and found it significant because the car had the same owner for a significant portion of it's life and presumably sat for a great portion of the later side of it. The history had matched the miles and everything seemed to be lining up.
It was the deception of the seller that bothered me. If I was told the speedo didn't work I would have shrugged indifferently and went on with the assessment of the car purely based on condition.
Well, by accident I have put my project on hold. In searching for another SIII I found a really nice 93 Sage Green XJS with the 4.0. I actually don't mind that engine and don't see a lot of reason to change it.
Though, I really wonder if the modification of improving airflow into and out of the engine that I was going to do to the Volvo 2.9 would have a similar benefit to the 4.0? I'm really not as familiar with this engine to what benefit that would produce.
In the Volvo the engine is built to be quiet and be doing said modification there are claims of performance being increase by as much as 20-30 hp. For the Volvo finding a replacement exhaust manifold was going to be easy as a BMW manifold would bolt up without a lot of modification. I would speculate I would not be as lucky for the Jag considering the displacement being so much higher than most engines.
But I'm just theorizing. The stock power is adequate, but I like to tinker. I don't really want a load exhaust though. For a point of reference I have a Mina Gallery rear exhaust on my Super 8 and I almost think that's to loud...
Here's some glam photos of the new cat taken by a friend of mine.
I've only had the opportunity to take it out a few times since purchase, but I'm very fond of the car. It makes me re-consider any idea of putting the Volvo engine in the SIII when I could put an AJ6 in instead. Not many more horses, but around 80 extra foot pounds of torque, not to mention it still badged Jaguar.
My wanting a SIII isn't dead though, I did find Jag Spares International has a body kit that resembles the Arden kit, but they don't offer pictures of it fitted to a car. Is anyone familiar with this kit?
3. An old Quonset or a modern replica. The building, that is.
As to modifications. At times, just tuning the existing gear to optimum
gets more results than changing out stuff. And, ill advised mods
result in poor performance.
Many of the after market stuff merely fattens the pocket book
of the seller.
Unknown to many is the factoid that nose does not mean power.
As the IC engine is an air pump, increasing flow does things, good ones.
But, it must be across the board. Intake through exhaust. And, that isn't enough.
Added fueling must be provided. Partials just don't work.
It takes a lot, not just a little to feel it n the seat of the pants...
3. An old Quonset or a modern replica. The building, that is.
As to modifications. At times, just tuning the existing gear to optimum
gets more results than changing out stuff. And, ill advised mods
result in poor performance.
Many of the after market stuff merely fattens the pocket book
of the seller.
Unknown to many is the factoid that nose does not mean power.
As the IC engine is an air pump, increasing flow does things, good ones.
But, it must be across the board. Intake through exhaust. And, that isn't enough.
Added fueling must be provided. Partials just don't work.
It takes a lot, not just a little to feel it n the seat of the pants...
Carl.
1: Thank you
2: I will pass on your comments to the photographer. I believe it was shot with an iPhone 6. It is a wonderful thing the technology rolled into our mobile devices.
3: The building? This would be a modern example, circa 1998. I helped build it myself.
You are right about the mods for sure. I based my questions purely on the Volvo engine that fairly significant performance gains could be gotten by improving the airflow into and out of the engine. Currently I'm quite happy with the performance of the car. I would certainly have no complaints about having more, but the stock amount is more than adequate for the time being.
Now, reading about the swaybar upgrade is a different story (XJ-S Suspension &Steering Modifications) I want to get feedback from some people, but it seems like an absolute must considering my car currently does not have a rear sway at all.
Now, reading about the swaybar upgrade is a different story (XJ-S Suspension &Steering Modifications) I want to get feedback from some people, but it seems like an absolute must considering my car currently does not have a rear sway at all.
Adding a rear bar makes a world of difference.
I would avoid the Addco bar. Too big. Been there, done that. Stay with one of the two Jaguar choices.
I would avoid the Addco bar. Too big. Been there, done that. Stay with one of the two Jaguar choices.
Cheers
DD
I was searching for people's comments about the rear sway bars and found some comments you made in the past about not liking the Addco bars. I'm curious to get your feedback in context of what it was or was not with the different bars. If you can have a comparison to other cars, that would be most helpful.
Would the Addco bars compare to say, a car running a low profile tire kind of harsh? *low profile being like a 235/35-19 kind of low when the stock size was a 235/60-15.
My background is Volvos and their stock suspensions are general quite soft. A thicker swaybar usually stiffens things up nicely without the jarring harshness of stiffer shocks or lowering springs. Whenever I think of suspension modification, I remember my Volvos as a default subconscious reaction, even though I have for the most part been very unhappy with the results of serious modification I've every personally done to a Volvo.
Probably one of my favorite cars that I've owned thus far was a 2005 Mercedes CLK500 convertible. It was very comfortable, powerful, and the suspension was firm, but forgiving. I was running the staggered 17' stock wheels on that car. This is probably the suspension feel I would incline towards as ideal.
I was searching for people's comments about the rear sway bars and found some comments you made in the past about not liking the Addco bars. I'm curious to get your feedback in context of what it was or was not with the different bars. If you can have a comparison to other cars, that would be most helpful.
The Addco rear bar is too big, even with a larger front bar, IMHO. Of course, in moderately fast driving it makes that corner that much flatter but, when driving hard, there was an undeniable tendency towards very sudden oversteer.....of the oh-my-god-this-isn't-gonna-end-well variety. I ended up being sorta scared of the car. That's no fun.
Would the Addco bars compare to say, a car running a low profile tire kind of harsh? *low profile being like a 235/35-19 kind of low when the stock size was a 235/60-15.
The problem was behavior more than harshness. ...although you DO reach a point with anti-roll bars, as you go bigger and bigger, when harshness becomes a factor. Real world roads are not smooth.
My background is Volvos and their stock suspensions are general quite soft. A thicker swaybar usually stiffens things up nicely without the jarring harshness of stiffer shocks or lowering springs. Whenever I think of suspension modification, I remember my Volvos as a default subconscious reaction, even though I have for the most part been very unhappy with the results of serious modification I've every personally done to a Volvo.
I hear ya.
For street driving I'm a big believer is soft springs with good shocks, bigger (to a point) anti-roll bars, and tires with a fairly stiff casing. Too stiff...from either springs or anti-roll bars...and real world bumpy corners can be a problem. And, after all, there's more to 'good handling' than just staying flat.
IMHO the ultra low profile tires....lower than 50 series or so....are a big headache. Tramlining, damaged wheels, low-tread life. Not worth it for me, personally.
The main concern is the linear response of the car then. Sort of like if the toe was off in a car's alignment? It feels normal and then in a curve when you think things are normal suddenly you are fighting to not over correct as things are much much sharper than expected?
Hmm, that does make me want to stand clear of the Addco bar because in the recent past I've been in two very serious car accidents, one of which was caused by faulty suspension. Ever since then I'm been blind paranoid about suspensions feeling linear. I break out in a cold sweat whenever I test drive someone else's car and something shifts about. It's been three years now, but I still think about it every single time I get in a car.
* None of the car accidents were my fault. All of them were caused by the negligence of others, and that also makes me paranoid about other driver's on the road!
I just gotta say that my Jaguar is as good or better than I am as to "holding the line".
So, before messing with a really good or better suspension design, I'd focus on
optimizing what is there. healthy coils up front. Good or better grade shockl absorbers.
Same for the rear healthy coilovers.
And, taught bushes, tie rod ends, upper and lower joints, etc.
But, if you wish, stiffer or added sway bars, yes, but they do not fix bad stock stuff. it has to be right before you "move up".
And, think. A sway bar is a smart "torsion bar". Just adds "stiffness" on demand.
I don't mean to ignore things said. I am refreshing bits of the suspension that need it. Thankfully a large portion of my car was already refreshed before it came to me and I don't have a lot to do to it.
I was talking to Jaguar parts today and the rear sway bars are listed as not available. I was given a number for a dealer up north that may be able to help me find NA parts. Another search for another day.
10-05-2015, 08:02 PM
