No good fobbing OB off with a JD label floated off an empty bottle, Grant. He will want a full-on pukka certificate! Or a full on bottle, of course, which I am sure would be a quite acceptable alternative.

Greg

 

With a Certificate on offer, from 'The Wizard' himself, I better get cracking or what little 'Street Cred' I have left is going to hit the floor, so I am going to look on this as a way of redeeming myself.

For neglecting 'The Ice Princess' for so long!

A JD label would be fine, as long as its Signed by 'The Wizard of OZ, so that I can print it off and hang it on the wall!

 

Nice idea!

But I'm 'Tea Total' Greg, apart from the occasional bottle of 'Absinthe!'

You have probably got a Shed Load of 'The Green Fairy' over there!

If 'The Wizard' gets into drinking that Stuff, then I am afraid we're all screwed!

 

Careful guys.

My "Minister for everything" reads some of this.

We have a situation brewing. The planets appear to be aligning in our favour for the first time in 30 years.

When she has had her hip replaced, in the next 3 months we hope, we are planning a little trip.

Inclusions in PENCIL sre Rome, France (where ever Greg hangs out}, MAYBE UK, coz Bromwich Castle, etc is there, then Toronto, Miami, Houston, Las Vegas (2nd home), Honolulu, then OZ.

Sooooooooo, if this all keeps lining up, I might be seriously tempted to "hand deliver" said certficate.

Dont fire up the BBQ just yet, as we all know how the planets get shitty from time to time, but the plans are at least in writing, and HER idea.

Of cousre this puts me getting an S Type R way on the back burner. No biggy, there have been zero for sale in OZ for a very long time.

 

It's a date Grant. Nearest airport Lyon. Paris not that far either so no big deal. I shall start the polishing routine directly, prepare garage and tools for full kit inspection, and load up with the finest 98 octane. Meanwhile the Management will be polishing the best silver cutlery and the boys lining up for autographs! We all hope that Madame's surgery goes to plan.

Greg

 

It would indeed be an Honor to meet with 'The Wizard' 'The Legend Who Is' in Person!

We may even drive up to 'Castle Bromwich' to meet with His Excellency in 'The Ice Princess' which 'should be on the Road by then, if not this very Week!

If 'The Wizard' would consider granting an audience with one of his humble Subjects from the UK.

All Hail To 'The Wizard'

'We are not Worthy'

OB

 

Hi OB
Glad to hear you are tackling the ABS and seemingly doing well. I have just been away in my XJS for a few days and did a few hundred hard and fast miles. The first real test since I have done my brakes and ABS and all is still well, no sign of misbehaviour from those valves. Phew!!! Keep going and I am sure you will soon be driving her. I just used a 5mm bead of Silicon for the pedal box seal and no sign of smells from the engine bay
best of luck
Dave

 

Hi Dave

Thanks

I was really dreading this Job! it has taken me 12 long years of frustration that I may never have been able to fix it, as even so called 'Brake Experts' were

unable to shed any light on the problem.

Its now even more annoying to find that the 'Fix' is so easy, once you know how! which of course is all down to Yourself and DJ.

Mind you I haven't run her yet, so there's still time for things to go wrong.

There has also been a hold up while preparing my Grey XJS for an MOT. Today.

While I am there, I will ask the Tester what the situation is, if I 'Retro Fitted' Non ABS to my other Car, just in case my ABS rebuild somehow fails to work.

I've got Non ABS on an XJS Coupe, which won't be going on the road anytime soon, which looks so simplistic, it makes you want to scream!

The foot print is exactly the same, its just a matter of doing a bit of re-plumbing, which is what I am planning to do if my ABS rebuild doesn't work.

It is now already to go back in the Car and I'll probably do what you did and use some Silicon to bed it down.

I have also found this firm who can fix me up with some new 'O' rings which is near where I'm having the MOT and have a machine that can cut them out while I wait.

So even if I don't use them, they might come in handy just in case.

Thanks Again

O.B.

 

OB,

Good luck with the MoT! Always a nervous experience, even if you know the car is good.

If they are cutting the O-rings, you might as well get a dozen cut, as I and others may be coming to you for a supply soon!

Cheers

Paul

 

Hi Paul

She Passed the MOT with Flying Colors! and the Guy who did the Testing was absolutely Ace and used to have an XJS himself.

The Garage was so immaculate, you could eat off the Floor and what is more he didn't even leave the engine running.

This is hopefully going to be the Perfect place to Test 'The Ice Princess'

He is also a Petrol Head and so we spent most of the Afternoon talking about Cars, so didn't have time to go and get the 'O' rings which is a good excuse for another run out tomorrow.

And I'll get as many of them as I can for a couple of quid.

Have you or anyone heard of Sikaflex? you can gun it round all sorts of stuff and is maybe just what I need?

Sikaflex 221 Adhesive & Sealant 300ml

 

Hi OB
Congrats on the MOT. Always a huge sigh of financial relief when they go through!!
That Sikaflex is really good stuff. The trade use it a lot for bonding all sorts of things. I used it on an old kit car which had wood frame doors with an aluminium skin. In fact the whole car was built pretty much like that. It did a fantastic job but be warned, it is tenacious stuff and won't let go easily once it's cured.
Whereabouts are you in the UK? I am in Somerset
Dave

 

Hi Dave

After I posted that question, I was thinking exactly the same, as I vaguely remember using it on one of my boats once and found it was almost a substitute for Welding!

There is no guarantee that my ABS repair will work like yours did, in which case I might have to pull it out again, in view of which I think I'll pass on that Stuff.

But I also seem to remember a bedding down compound, that you could buy in Strips, so I'll have a look round the hardware store the next time I'm in Town.

Although I now live in the South East, I'm originally from London, up in the Smoke.

 

Hi Guys

While I was going to go with Sealant, to put the ABS Actuator back in my XJS V12 I got lucky.

Because the firm that I went to for some Sealant, offered to make me a Gasket while I waited!

They do this by cutting the Gasket out of Rubber using a Water Jet, so all they need is a drawing with the dimensions.

Does anyone have such a drawing or can find one on the net as if they are not expensive, then I might have a few of them done which could help someone else.

Also the 4 flat 'O' rings in the ABS Valve Block, they can make these as well and all they need to know is the type of rubber they are made from.

 

Hi OB,

Good to hear that you've found a useful source of parts!

I haven't got a diagram of that gasket, but if you don't get any response, use the old gasket-making technique of putting a sheet of paper over the back of the unit. I guess you'll have to cut a hole to for brake pedal attachment to go through. Then use a small ball-pein hammer or similar and go around the paper against the edges of the unit so you can cut out an accurate template. Probably best to transfer that to another bit of paper and add 1/4" all round the inner and outer edges.

Good luck

Paul

 

Hi Paul

Thanks and that's exactly what I did and here is the result, I also bolted the Template in place just like it was the real thing.



Then I went to this Rubber place, where I had a Silicone Gasket laser cut to the same dimensions but wanted to put the holes in myself, so I could make minor adjustments.

As for Thickness I went for 5mm, which will either be perfect or else a bit too thick, in which case I will have a Thinner one cut.

They suggested I opted for Silicone because of the High Temperature in the Engine Compartment.

So I am optimistic that this will do the job.

 

OB, that is a fantastic service, a couple of questions:

Greg

 

Hi Greg

Considering what you get for the Money, I really didn't think it was very expensive and took along the ABS which they checked out with a Micrometer to make sure it was perfect.

Then they Cut it while I waited with a Laser Water Jet which took about 5 Minutes and would have put the holes in as well, if I had wanted that done and

suggested using a Silicone Rubber suitable for High Temperatures.

Just in case I messed one up (which thankfully didn't happen!) I asked them to cut me out 2. Total Cost £18-62 inc vat.

They can make Rubber Gaskets out of all sorts of rubber and have loads of different rubber stuff in stock and if you can name it they have probably got it.

Except for those ABS 'O' rings, so I'll reuse the ones I've got and see what happens.

I don't know if they can post you one but they are very helpful so I wouldn't rule it out.

Rubber Matting & Rubber Extrusions - Walker rubber