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I’ve just bought a 1987 British Racing Green V12 Coupe. Exactly the XJ-S I’ve been looking for. It’s rust free and has been sitting garaged for 5 years, mostly untouched. The seller is moving and needed it to go away, so $100 it’s mine. It would have been $2000 if the economy hadn’t suddenly collapsed.
So here’s what I know of the car’s recent history. It was bought in 2014, and ran well without any problems until it was put away for the winter. In the spring it ran roughly, fresh gas and injector cleaner made better but didn’t totally solve the problem. I know it broke down and got towed once in the spring of 2015. The seller, now previous owner, did some work, but he’s quite tall and retired and found working on such a low car uncomfortable. So it sat. Now I’m trying to get it going and back on the road. So far it has a fresh battery and fresh oil and it cranks over but doesn’t fire. I have no idea of there is any gas, the gauge says no, but I don’t trust it. I’ll work through the very helpful no-start HE sticky, but before that I’m hoping you can all help me identify a few disconnected wires. They may or may not be crucial to starting, but I’m sure they’re there for a reason...
First up is this little green guy on the A bank, looks to be two spades in one socket.
Next! We have these two. They could plug into each other, but they’re coming from the same place and I’m not sure that makes sense. Also on the A bank.
Overlooking the acorns, that connector goes to the cruise control right? The cruise control itself is in a box in the trunk. There’s quite a bit of red sealant on the bellows, and a new in bag bellows right next to it.
There is this fuel line with a filter no connected to anything. On the B bank side of the car, comes in near the brake cylinders, is this the fuel return?
Vacuum line? Or maybe really big vacuum leak? A bank
And finally, this doesn’t look original somehow. Not sure if it’s hooked up to something or not.
Someone cut off the intake trumpets, I always thought they looked really cool. I’ll have to get a set once it’s running.
Welcome to the Forum. A few answers, but not all by any means.
The Vac tube off the front of A bank is I think part of a complicated advance/retard system or the cruise control safety system. I am pretty sur it goes on that little plastic spigot beolw your little finger, level with the line in your palm, just above the aircon hose silver ferrule in the photo.
The Intake trumpets have gone because the previous owner has installed a cold air intake mod. This is a good idea for power and efficency at high revs, but keeping or not is up to you, obviously.
The little fuel filter thing is to filter the air that is sucked through the dizzy cap as par of its design to keep it fume free. If you follow the line it goes to the dizzy, and one exits the dizzy to the b bank intake - hard to see it bit it does.
Fuel: I would look in the boot (trunk), under the battery is a small petrol tank which is fed by the main tank and w#from which fuel goes to the pump and to the engine via a filter behind the spare wheel. Under the small tank is a hole in the boot floor, if you look under the car you will find a rubber grommet in the hole. Remove the grommet and undo the bolt which is a drain plug for the small tank. Drain all the old fuel, replace the plug. Then undo the locking ring on the tank and look inside, you will find a filter over the exit pipe, change it and clean out the tank. Also change the fuel filter being careful to note the direction of flow. Then before fitting the new filter, undo the pipe leading into the A bank FPR in the engine bay and blow out the fuel line. Then new fuel.
If you get stuck in and enjoy fixing cars you will end up with a great GT car, but be prepared to have to renew all wearable parts such as suspension rubber, ball joints, coolant hoses (all 14!), spark plugs, HT leads, distributor cap and rotor, shockers, etc. Work methodically and all will be well. And everyone on here will do their best to help, that is for sure.
Last edited by Greg in France; 03-31-2020 at 02:23 PM.
Welcome and congratulations, I want a green Jag! Follow Grants sticky it will guide you through. It might just be the coolant temp sensor. Good luck and keep us posted.
It won't be the coolant temperature sensor.
It will be something completely different.
But change it anyway.
Just in case.
Welcome to the pleasure dome!
Welcome ... if your not already gray and thinning you will be soon!. But seriously what an excellent buy.
With a bit of luck there will not be to much wrong with the car and you will have some fun fixing it up.
Some seriously good help available on this site... also look for "The Book" "Experience in a Book" by Kirby Palm, it is a bit of light reading on the XJS and available free on the net.
PDF - 722 pages LOL
Keep posting pictures as we all like to see people age before us...LOL
$100????? man I remember putting $100 in gasoline in mine
Where in New Hampshire are you? I’m in Jaffrey and have a bunch of XJSs if you want to test parts on a running car, or take a peek at what something should look like.
Wow what find, and what a buy! Follow the so you got a V12 that won't start sticky to the letter, and in a few hours she'll be purring like the kitten she is. Greg's advice on the fuel system is spot on, and equally necessary. Good Luck, and I think we're all a little jealous. Wow! I can only wish mine looked that good. Congrats!
$100????? man I remember putting $100 in gasoline in mine
Where in New Hampshire are you? I’m in Jaffrey and have a bunch of XJSs if you want to test parts on a running car, or take a peek at what something should look like.
-John
We’re practically neighbours! I’m in Fitzwilliam (for the sake of the rest of the forum, it’s the next town over). I’m pretty sure I know where you live, if you’ve got a large barn and a Mark X/420G out back.
Nice buy! Can’t help much but would love to hear the backstory on you finding the car. Always dream about getting great deals but rarely does it happend
Fuel: I would look in the boot (trunk), under the battery is a small petrol tank which is fed by the main tank and w#from which fuel goes to the pump and to the engine via a filter behind the spare wheel. Under the small tank is a hole in the boot floor, if you look under the car you will find a rubber grommet in the hole. Remove the grommet and undo the bolt which is a drain plug for the small tank. Drain all the old fuel, replace the plug. Then undo the locking ring on the tank and look inside, you will find a filter over the exit pipe, change it and clean out the tank. Also change the fuel filter being careful to note the direction of flow. Then before fitting the new filter, undo the pipe leading into the A bank FPR in the engine bay and blow out the fuel line. Then new fuel.
I’m having trouble getting the drain plug out. It’s not centred on the drain hole enough to get a socket on it, and I must be using the wrong size wrench, because it either won’t fit or won’t grip. I’ll get an 11/16th and see if that’s the right size, it’s in between the two I’m using. Most of my tools are metric since that’s what all my other cars have been, 2 BMWs and an X350. More tools is always the answer right?
I’m having trouble getting the drain plug out. It’s not centred on the drain hole enough to get a socket on it, and I must be using the wrong size wrench, because it either won’t fit or won’t grip. I’ll get an 11/16th and see if that’s the right size, it’s in between the two I’m using. Most of my tools are metric since that’s what all my other cars have been, 2 BMWs and an X350. More tools is always the answer right?
The XJS is almost 100% American fractions of n inch sizes. Only the brake bolts and fixings are metric. So as you say, a nice set of new sockets and open enders is a must!
I’m having trouble getting the drain plug out. It’s not centred on the drain hole enough to get a socket on it, and I must be using the wrong size wrench, because it either won’t fit or won’t grip. I’ll get an 11/16th and see if that’s the right size, it’s in between the two I’m using. Most of my tools are metric since that’s what all my other cars have been, 2 BMWs and an X350. More tools is always the answer right?
The XJS is almost 100% American fractions of n inch sizes. Only the brake bolts and fixings are metric. So as you say, a nice set of new sockets and open enders is a must!
Nice buy! Can’t help much but would love to hear the backstory on you finding the car. Always dream about getting great deals but rarely does it happend
Well, it showed up on Craigslist for $2500 with a short description saying “rust and rot free, runs but roughly” or something like that with a few pictures that turned out to be from when he bought the car. Contacted the seller, went and saw it, agreed on $2000. It was going to take me a couple of weeks to move the money around. As the world’s economy suddenly took a dive and I lost my ability to work overtime, I started wondering if I should spend so much money right then. I asked the seller if I could wait a week or two to see where things went. He wasn’t thrilled with this idea, but didn’t have a whole lot of choice. 5 days later I got an email from him saying “I need to shed myself of this Jaguar, how does Free to a Good Home sound?” I thought that sounded fantastic and told him that. I was there with a tow truck two days later. You can’t actually sell a car for free, so $100 seemed like the least I could do.
Moral of the story; find someone who is selling the car you want because they are moving.
I’m having trouble getting the drain plug out. It’s not centred on the drain hole enough to get a socket on it, and I must be using the wrong size wrench, because it either won’t fit or won’t grip. I’ll get an 11/16th and see if that’s the right size, it’s in between the two I’m using. Most of my tools are metric since that’s what all my other cars have been, 2 BMWs and an X350. More tools is always the answer right?
Just a warning - that drain bolt can completely sieze up.
I actually had the sump tank removed from the car at one point & I didn't dare put any more force on that bolt when trying to undo as I thought it might actually tear/distort the sheet metal of the tank, so ended up leaving it in place.
I found an easier way to drain the fuel is to take the hose off the fuel filter, stick it in a container, & bridge the fuel pump relay so it empties the tank.
As greg said shove the vac pipe onto the end of the blue solenoid valve. Connect the black and yellow wires back together. They are part of the cruise and wont stop it starting. I'd trace all the after market wiring. Looks like theres plenty of earths on it and a relay built in but electrics aren't my forte. Good luck with the car it looks nice. Add a nought to your budget to start with. Ask me how I know. Lol
So, it turns out that when you’re trying to undo a bolt it matters which direction you turn it. Who knew?
Anyway, I was able to loosen the drain plug and some gas dribbled out. Then I realised I didn’t have enough time to finish the job before I head to work, so it’s sealed up again should rain all day tomorrow, so Saturday the plan will be to fully drain the tank and change the filters.
On top of the already important list, that yellow plastic fan needs to go ASAP.
They are renound for exploding and i think i know why, they get old and brittle...............................as do engine mounts, When engine mounts have failed and you give it some welly the fan will touch the shroud, you can hear this with the metal fan, im guessing with the brittle plastic when this happens it just explodes.
lts a long list, but if you like a challenge and have a curious mind you will have fun and a great deal of satisfaction.
When draining the fuel out of the surge tank, how much will be left in the main tank? It’s currently dribbling out, but there’s still a bit in the main tank, maybe a gallon. Is this normal? I want to open up the surge tank to change its filter, but not until it’s empty. The flow has defiantly slowed down. Here’s the view inside the main tank at the moment.
03-31-2020, 01:41 PM
Gareth’s XJ-S Resurrection Thread
