So after just a month and about 1000 miles of Jag ownership I had to give it a little drink last Thursday. Friday night it had a misfire for a few seconds on start up so yesterday I did a compression test.


All was going well until the last cylinder which was about half of the rest


Ive either bought a pup from the guy who knew it was dodgy or ive just been unlucky, either way though it needs fixing.


Am determined to keep it as ive sort of fallen in love with the car now but am dreading the phone call from the garage to tell me how much of my hard earned will be exchanged for a car that works !

 

I feel your pain. Mine wasn't an engine problem, it was the heater blowers, the rusted out driver floor, the Whole entire front suspension, and the whole brake system from booster to master cylinder to 4 calipers.

Between storming through the house shouting, "LIAR!! LIAR!!" when I found yet another item he Had to know didn't work and lied to my face I was on my head under the dash, or under the car addressing some problem critical to the car's safety and drivability.

I'm often reminded that when one buys a used car from an individual, there's a reason he's getting rid of it, maybe more than one. It sounds like you've found the first one.
(';')

 

Well, in almost if not every state, a used car transaction between private parties, is "AS IS". And, most if not all used car dealer's Brightly declare their older wares as "AS IS". Some will offer a "warranty". usually limited in time and caver, and in most cases, not cheap.


Material misrepresentations can be a basis for recission. But, generalities are mere puff and not a basis for undoing the deal. It runs great, never a problem. Puffery.


But, new brakes, new tires, engine just replaced, etc. If not true, that is a fraud. Basis to undo the deal.


A few states have modified it slightly, in favor of the consumer.


But, generaly, when money and keys change hands, it is done!!!


Fake SMOG is surely a deal killer....


Carl

 

I've always found it amazing that normally honest people will lie through their teeth when selling a car!!
Someone needs to write a psychology thesis on that!

 

To be honest I'm not 100% convinced the seller knew the head gasket was on its way out. If he did then he's an arseholed but it's taken a month and 1000 miles or so for the problem to become apparent.

Ive never used any of the "magic" instant gasket sealers before but I've never heard good things about them and can't see that kind of thing lasting as long as it has, especially after some "spirited" driving on the way home and since.

At the end of the day it'll just set me back a little while and delay my wheel, tyre & suspension plans a bit.

 

If I were you, I would first try to find out what is wrong.

You mention a head gasket, but have you taken of the head yet?

First look for the source of your problems, before blaming somebody.

 

Wilfred88, have you read my posts ? I've said on 2 occassions that im not sure if the seller knew there was a problem. In my book, this isnt me blaming someone ! He may have known there was a problem and he may not have done.


Also, ive done a compression test which has proved that one of the cylinders is down on pressure, its loosing water and sometimes has a slight missfire on start up. I'm no mechanic but im sure you'd agree that these are pretty good telltale signs of a failing head gasket ?


No matter, im sure the garage that is fixing it for me will diagnose the problem before they fix it.

 

Sure looks that way, a slight "blow" that can do nothing but get worse. Don't ask!!!


Some of the sealers can delay things. some better than others. But, the day will come...


I'd give your PO the benefit of the doubt. Easier way to live. An, oin most cases, the only option, so... Now, if a proven liar, another matter....


A look at the spark pug is another clue. Unintended water injection can produce a spark plug and cylinder that is quite a bit "cleaner" than the others.


Not the end of the world or the car, by a long way...


I've swapped many a head gasket, but never on a more complex Jaguar.


Carl .


Carl

 

I bought mine off a mechanic who had done all but fix a vacuum modulator in the trans. Some $8000 later it has a new rear end, front end ,starter,air con, alternator ,cooling system and much much more..............(mostly parts, I'm too tight to pay labour)
I can't blame the PO as I drove the car and bought it,knowing it had some issues.
Still in my my mind it is the beast coin I ever shelled out on 4 wheels. But that is a passion thing,not a sensible choice! For the money this thing has cost me I could have a really nice "rice burner",but jap crap is jap crap so they say.

Fix your engine and enjoy the driving experience it will bring you.

I have had over 17000 miles of fun motoring and loving every second, if it breaks on one of our road trips I will have it transported home to do it all again.

 

OR:


I went to the "pharmacy aka drug store" that has all kids of stuff. Including great ice cream. Two quarts for seven bucks. Yumeee. and a special n beer. Got a 12 pack , of Shock Top, a craft Belgian white for ten bucks. Other neccesities of less interest as well.


As I was loading the Jaguar's boot with my loot, I noted a brand spanking new,still on paper plates gleaming black VW Passatt. The owner came out. I complimented it. but, asked, "not diesel, I hope!!! "Yup, it is, I got it just before the news came pout"!!! But, he said, it will come pout OK. 45 MPG. My response, "I wonder if it will last as long as this one?: He: "I'll never know". True, white haired about my age or close.....


Carl . .

 

A 1984 car should have the engine with the slotted block that was designed to stop cracking between the bores. These cracks caused head gaskets to fail very quickly as in my case. However despite this modification, these engines find it hard to get beyond 80-90k miles without a head gasket going. Doing a head job is daunting the first time, but provided you follow the correct procedure with the cam chain sprockets it is fairly easy, and a lovely thing to work on, although head may be a PITA to remove due to corrosion around the head studs.

 

pnwrs2000, from your sig photo, you are into hot rod racing (or banger racing) so you must know your way around an internal combustion engine?


Now, while not as crude as a Kent or Pinto engine, with a bit of patience and understanding (No1 being flywheel end etc...) these are relatively easy engines to do a head gasket on.


The biggest difference being the weight of components and the fact that the head is fastened by Nuts and Studs, not bolts!
And cams are run by chains not belts, but the principle of cam timing is the same, chain or belt.

 

Banger racing ! Bloody banger racing !!! Ha ha, not a chance - rallying does it for me.


Thing is, im more into the bodywork side of things. I've done mechanical jobs before like cambelts, waterpump, suspension & brakes stuff but a head gasket on a Jag is a bit out of my comfort zone tbh.


The garage is a small independent that ive known for many years so hopefully their labour costs will be reasonable...

 

There is really nothing to it. All you do is unbolt stuf, clean a bit, new head gasket and bolt it back.

Really, all it takes is some bolting in a particular order. That's it.

 

!!!!!! Although nuts and studs are used, corrosion appears in bolts as well. I've busted my share, but never on a Jaguar!!!


Tis the "stuff" that is a bit daunting, so much of it. And, that big long heads, even f of alloy is clumsy to lift and move off out of the bay. No handles. when I did a couple of GM 6's the cover hold dowen suts were perefect to place a pair of long sockets on.


Pintos simple??? Well mebbe some. My daughter tortured a 94 Ranger pickup for a spell. Four banger. a Pinto engine. Tough as nails. Well, some scan shop diagnosed a need for new spark plug leads. I volunteered. Gotta be a snap, little four, and all.


Wrong!!! the little beast used 8 plugs and the requisite 8 HT wires. Four on the right side, easy. Four on the left, buried in "stuff'. hence, it is the stuff that gets one!!!


OTH, spark plugs and wires on a Jaguar 4, 2 are a picnic in the park.


Reminds me of my Dad's tale of a park adventure. Our family car at the time was a 28 Ford roadster. It replaced the T coupe. Dad learned to fix T flat tires.
When the A needed a pair of new ones, he got them and went to the park to
swap them. Mom, brother and I lolled and played. Pop got the off. But, could not get the new one on. Stiffled much language he would have used while shoeing a horse or mule. An older fellow came along and showed him the delights of a "drop center" wheel. Air? No issue, fifty strokes each with a hand tire pump. I used that much later in life!!!!


Still have one or two around here. Is one the same one? Very possible!!!


Carl,

 

My brother-in-law restored a 70 Mustang Convertible. He replaced engine, steering column ( for an adjustable, because of his size ) replace quarters ( not perfectly ) and did a decent job. Well, he sold the car, made decent money and moved on with a 64 Cobra 289 Slab Side replica. Anyway, a few years later he saw the Mustang at a dealer lot and stopped. It was advertised a numbers matching, one owner. He was looking at the car when the salesman ran out to tell him how good the car was. After my brother-in-law showed him the wrong steering column and engine #s and his welded seam for the quarters, the salesman said he must know a lot about Mustangs. He said, "No, I got this car used from my Father-in-law, who bought it from the second owner, then I restored and added to it for 10 yrs., then sold it and saw it as it looked like my old car and it is." So a 5 owner car with different #s and mods advertised otherwise may be more common than we know. BUYER BEWARE, get help whenever you can.

 

Yeah, that puffery thing. But, nevertheless, I expect it was a very nice Mustang.


That numbers match thing is exasperating....


Just me, though, to each his/her own...


Carl

 

Right, I've given it some more thought and had a chat to my mechanic mate at the garage and the car is booked in the week after next but the best bit is that I'm going to be doing the work under his guidance.

Ok so it's still going to cost me a bit but I'm hoping that a bad situation is going to be an interesting and rewarding situation instead. I'm actually quite looking forward to it !

I'll keep this thread going with updates & questions etc along the way

 

That's the best news in this thread!!
Under the guidance of your Experienced mechanic you'll learn a Boat load!! The experience and confidence you gain will carry over into other projects on this and other cars. As a bonus you'll have Such a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction for having done the job yourself.

Go Get'em!
(';')

 

A little bit of guidance and experience is a good confidence booster, and a second pair of hands comes in handy when trying to lift the head.


As long as there (hopefully) are no horrors when you peep inside, it isn't too bad a job!


Will follow this thread with interest, Good Luck.