Americans have been using 10% ethanol for 40 years. No problem. Whoever told you ethanol was bad was simply confused.
There are 2 types of alcohol commonly used for fuel. Back in the 40’s, 50’s and early 60’s the British used methanol as a cheap way to boost octane. ( the octane of methanol is 116 ) but that stuff is nasty. It attacks everything. Rubber, Aluminum, brass, etc. not to mention if you drink it first you go blind and then you die. It can be absorbed through your skin and cause cancer.
Ethanol on the other hand has an octane of 114 but it’s good stuff. Beer wine booze All has ethanol. Drink a little and you get happy. ( drink a lot and you get drunk)
Alcohol is wonderful at cleaning the inside of the engine. And it runs a lot cooler than gasoline. Not to mention it burns slower. ( which is good because it basically does a better job of chasing the piston down on the power stroke).
On top of that the extra oxygen in alcohol helps make power because it’s in effect like a tiny supercharger squeezing more air in to burn. ( to take advantage of that you need to richen up the fuel mixture. Easy on carbs impossible on EFI.
Just remember this
Ethanol Good.
Methanol bad.

 

Us Americans have lived with 10% ethanol for years. It is hard on rubber fuel lines not designed for it. Fortunately, new barrier style fuel lines are compatible.
The main issue is that ethanol absorbs water from the air and can cause tank rust. For long term storage, ethanol free gas is recommended, with a fuel stabilizer. Fortunately, I can get ethanol free gas near me, mainly used by boat owners, but available to all. It costs more, but is worth it for cars not driven everyday.


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I’m sorry I forgot, England doesn’t offer E85, too bad. Use E10 every chance you can.
Maybe you’ve heard of the Indy 500? They have always used 100% alcohol because of the great properties, like Power !!!!!!! ( 114 octane). Plus the extra oxygen it has over gasoline allows a richer mixture to burn the richer the the mixture that actually burns the more power you make. Gasoline burns 14.7 parts while Alcohol burns as rich a 6.1.

pour a little rubbing alcohol on your arm. Feel how cold it makes it feel? It does that to the inside of your engine too.
I hope you realize that more than 50% of Jaguars made came over to America. England shares the rest with Australia and the rest of the world. I’d be surprised if you got 20%-30% of Jaguars production. We have been burning 10% alcohol for 40 years without a problem. The lads at the Jaguar factory don’t use cheaper fuel lines and parts on cars destined to be sold in England.
Please educate others about this.

 

Awesome. I'm sure y'all do love it. There really is something to love about these kinda cars...

Do take folks advice about wiring,,, especially in the violent Vee of the Vee12...

The windows and the switches. A lot of times all ya really need to do is remove the switches and give them and there plugs/contacts a good cleaning and they will come back to life. Be careful freeing the plug plate from the console and then, well, be care handling all the bits and pieces. 30+yo plastic - but you know that already.

The switches are pretty straightforward. My 1990 convertible has a rocker type switch(s) in the console... DO pay attention the first time you take them apart. Work on a towel and watch for springs and the little bitty bits. Clean and reassemble. Try NOT to break little plastic tabs and fasteners.

The cruise control,,, there are two little actuators on the baffle plate just behind the AC appliance. Vac hoses too. Same thing. Clean then up. Yours! looks like a well cared for car. I wouldn't be surprised if everything came back on line with just a little wiggling and cleaning.

This sounds like a horror, but it's really not. Get some 220 grit sand paper and go around cleaning EVERY ground wire you can find. Some will be multiple eye ring connectors. Don't neglect the grounds around the battery in the boot. There are quite a few of them but cleaning them up pays offt... Shoot, while your there, clean up contacts on relays and B+ connections as well. Honestly, before you check anything off as just not working, this step of cleaning up gound points and electrics really has a pretty impressive effect on just about everything...

I'm happy for ya, Man. Enjoy.
There are a handful of folks who know EVERYTHING about these cars (I ain't that guy) and can and will walk you thru everything. Jus say'n

Welcome, Man!

 

Back in 1957 in Indiana they started to use ethanol. In the 1980’s 10% became standard.
Fuel lines should never be made of rubber. It’s actually illegal to do so. I think since 1937. They use synthetic rubber which ethanol doesn’t affect.
You probably are confusing methanol with ethanol. Both are alcohol.
One is good ( ethanol) one is really bad. ( Methanol)
You drink ethanol in beer, wine, booze. It’s safe and benign.
Methanol is toxic. You drink it and first you go blind then you die. It attacks rubber, aluminum Brass etc. it is nasty stuff get it on your skin and you can develop cancer breath it and you can get cancer.

Alcohol, the right alcohol makes more power, has 114 octane, cleans the engine, keeps rings from sticking and valves from loading up the backside of the intake valve. causes the engine to run cooler.
ethanol 100% ethanol is in Indy cars. 15% ethanol is in NASCAR puts you in faster classes drag racing and land speed racing.
10% Alcohol is good for American Jaguars. Better
Than non oxygenated gasoline unless you want to periodically rebuild that engine.
With regard to fuel tanks and long term storage Since gas tanks are vented moisture in the air will get into the gas tank. Even with non oxygenated fuel. sometime in about 2000 gas tanks started getting a coating to protect them. But 10% ethanol in a XJS is 2.4 gallons of alcohol. In a month ( varies depending on humidity ) you might absorb a quart of water. Less during the winter when humidity is low anyway. Obviously things are different in Arizona Southern California Florida etc. But fuel stabilizers are a good idea for any stored gasoline. Remember fuel systems have to be vented. And the light ends of gasoline ( the stuff that makes starting easy ) are the first to disappear.

 

Congratulations! Looks like a really sharp example....and "no rust" is a real bonus, of course.

As you jump into your list keep us posted. Almost every possible problem on these cars has been discussed and the fixes known and documented.

Consider repair strategy: there are many areas where it makes tons of good sense to do various repairs simultaneously....as doing them individually is either harder and/or means back-tracking over tasks you've already done.

Always always work slowly and methodically. If you do, you'll enjoy the work. If you rush, the car will fight you every step of the way, I guarantee. Ask anyone here and they'll tell you the same

These cars are worth the effort. Whatever time and love you invest the car will repay in more than equal measure.

Cheers
DD

 

I'm not confusing the two. Instead of rubber, I should have said flexible fuel lines.
Ethanol is far less energy dense than pure gas. That's why cars that can run E85 get horrible mileage when running it. Yes, ethanol increases octane, but it also absorbs water which is bad for steel gas tanks. Corn, the mainstay of ethanol production in the US, is also an inefficient producer of ethanol. Countries that rely heavily on ethanol for vehicles, like Brazil, use sugar cane for efficient production. The corn Mafia in the US has hold of the politicians with subsidies and stupid mandates by the EPA not backed by science. Take away the subsidies and mandates and see how much corn is grown for ethanol.
To run high amounts of ethanol, the fuel injection must be properly tuned for it to flow more fuel. You can get more power in those scenarios, but stock XJS see no benefit. Turbocharged engines see the most benefit because they can run higher boost pressures without fear of detonation with the higher octane. They live with the reduced gas mileage.
Most of our XJSs are pleasure cars, not driven everyday. For them, the downsides of ethanol outweigh any perceived benefit IMHO.

 

6. 7Camaro,

As mentioned, windows are invariably sticky switches.

But when you go to look at the switches, DON'T try and remove the switch plinth or switches from above. They will break! Instead, you need to lift the centre console veneer, known as the ski-slope. Fairly easy, post back if you get stuck. Then the first thing you do is swap the wires over from the working window and see if that proves it's the switch. If so, remove the switch by carefully depressing the retaining tangs from underneath. Then CAREFULLY open it as you'll have little ***** and bits of metal falling out.

Cheers

Paul

 

Paul,,, why do always say exactly what I was trying to say, lol?

 

Jay,

Apols! I've just found your post covering the same thoughts on the windows which I remember 67Camaro had mentioned earlier! I had just missed amongst all those ethanol posts!!

Good thoughts on the A/C and earths (grounds) too in your post. I must be the only XJS owner who has never had an earth problem on their car, which is such a common problem for so many owners! Whether it's because my 4 litre is a late car or because I'm quite disciplined on preventative maintenance, or whether I've just been lucky, who knows?! Fingers constantly crossed!

Cheers

Paul

 

Hey Man... No apologies necessary, at all.

I was kind of playing around, but at the same time commenting on how clear and concise you comments are, as compared to my meandering, lol
About the grounds,,, for me, believe it or not, I was cleaning grounds where I had NO problems, but cleaning them just because. I would find some crusties here and there, then things that definitely need some attention (but not acting up) and then yes, some things that came back to life (after an 11-12 yr layup outdoors on ground/grass) due to the cleaning - and I still have a ways to go on some electrical stuff... But love driving the car more than working on it lately...

Thing is, I SWEAR that there is/was a difference - all else being the same - after the scrubbing... I mean, things just seemed more,,,, seamless,,,, in the running. Turn signals, idle, shifting - all kinds of little things. I would just pull ANY relay I came across (spending a day doing it) and hit'm with the paper or a file or

Anyways - Peace, Paul. All's good in the Hood!

 

I don't have anything against ethanol! (I live in farm country, I'd get tarred & feathered if I bad-mouth it) I run it in all the newer cars, but the non-ethanol is 2 or 3 points higher in octane (at least around here) and it gets better mileage in the XJS... only a bit more, but it's noticeable. Still, it's nice to know it's not really the issue I was lead to think it was! Thanks, Mguar!

And sorry guys, If I took the thread off-topic... Congrats on getting the car, 67Camaro! You're going to love it!