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You're living right my friend. Gorgeous. She looks perfect. Ready to enjoy right now.
My two cents.
Depending on what you like you can get a small but noticeable bump up in performance by getting rid of the resonators and going with straight pipe into custom exhaust tips or re-use the ones from the resonators. Also, given its age, as a preventive measure either a) eliminate the Cat's if local laws allow, OR b) replace the 4 stock units with 2 after market ones. Cat's at this age begin to crumble on the inside and the car will not run with clogged Cat's. You don't want to be cruising along on some great day with your favorite gal pal and have your Cat's crap out on you. Far easier and cheaper to do it on your own terms rather than on the emergency repairman's time.
I was surprised that both junk yard cars, which are both '89's, had the Lucas ignition.
Cats aren't required in the UK? That would let them certainly breathe easier.
I liked getting rid of the resonators. Yes it has a little louder engine noise but not overbearing. Just a little lower grumble letting you know something special is under the hood.
Very unlikely to have Cats on a 1989 in the UK and the 'LADY IN RED' will almost certainly be a Marelli with ABS.
Ha! I'll have to get my Gene Wilder wig on... I really have gone into this one blind my friends - as yet I don't have a clue if she's got ABS or Lucas/Marelli. She looks good tho and the brakes are definitely getting better with use - she only covered 1400 miles in the last 3 years.
Great news is she looks to have a mainly stainless system, with no cats tho she's blowing from near the manifold somewhere, seems to ease off as she warms up...
I used to do cars full-time then I left them alone for the past 15 or so years. I guess I'm jumping back in but I do feel a little rusty and I really appreciate this community already. And yes, Brad - let's get her breathing and sounding right!
Plan to fix the AAV and check the state of the fuel rail pipes and HT leads this weekend - ease myself in gently...
As your XJS is an 89 I very much doubt if your Car will have a Brake Servo which would have a Vacuum Boost.
She is much more likely to be fitted with the 'Teves' Brake Master Cylinder Actuator, which requires a Special Brake Bleeding Procedure unlike no other.
And also has an Electronic Brake Pump, that's the thing with the Black Pressure Ball on the Top (The Accumulator)
So if you have a Problem with the Brakes, it can get 'interesting as well as expensive'
If your Car is fitted with the 'Teves' ABS
A couple of things to bear in mind.
(1) If/When Changing the Brake Pads, DO NOT lever them back in the Calipers, without having the Bleed Nipples open, as forcing Brake Fluid the wrong way up the System, can be 'The Kiss of Death' for the Valve Block (For which there are no Spares)
(2) Do not let the Brake Pump run for more than 20 seconds MAX without a couple of Minutes Rest in between, or it could over heat and then burn out, an expensive mistake to make if you don't know.
(3) When Changing Brake Fluid DO NOT let the Reservoir run dry or you will have to Bleed the Low Pressure Side of the System, which can be more Scary than a Bungee Jump without a Cord, as this involves the removal of a Plastic Elbow which is very easy to break.
If it gets to the Stage where you have to do that, then I'll tell you more.
Perhaps you could detail what happens, when you turn the Ignition on.
Does the ABS light come on?
Do any other Warning Lights come on?
Does the ABS light go off after 20 Seconds or does it Stay on all the time?
Do any Warning lights stay on all the time?
If you have to Push the Brake Pedal really hard to Brake it could be a number of things that are causing the Problem.
As if your Car has ABS then your Car has Two Different Separate Brake Systems both working in Tandem. (Remember what I said about self harming)
So it is entirely possible, that you drove home with just the Front Brakes working but not the Rears.
Which 'Could' but not necessarily mean that your Brake Pump has Burnt out, or your Accumulator Ball (The Black Tennis Ball Thingy) needs replacing.
If your Car also Violently Snatches to the Right or Left under sudden Braking, then that could be a Valve Block Problem on the ABS Master
Cylinder Actuator (no replacements available) but I can show you how to rebuild it, if you haven't already decided to jump off a Cliff by now.
If only you'd gone out an bought a Fiat 500!
Anyway First things first.
Check for Stuck Brake Pads and Calipers, then detail what happens when you turn the ignition on and we'll go from there.
If you Car has one of these, then She is fitted with the Teves ABS Brake Master Cylinder Actuator.
The Brake Pump with Accumulator Ball
You Car is almost Certainly a Marelli, if it were a Lucas there would be a Square Black Box sitting on Top of the Inlet Manifold on 'B' Bank with a Lucas Sticker on it. 'B' Bank is the Bank on the Passenger Side of the Car.
Last edited by orangeblossom; 02-09-2017 at 05:37 PM.
Video here of startup. ABS light seems to be behaving. Bit of a whine from somewhere first few seconds then disappears. Oil pressure takes a few seconds to build - stays around 70 when cold, obviously drops a bit when warm but stays between 40-70 when humming along the road... Oh, and the voltmeter stays at the top...
Hi mate, perhaps she does go a wee bit high but not alarmingly so... and yes, she is definitely blowing from near the engine somewhere, gets better as she warms up. At this stage I'd say it could be manifold but until I get right underneath it's a mystery - exhaust looks good from what I can see and I'm pretty sure it's stainless, or certainly shiny!
I'll take a swig of her coolant and see how she tastes! She hadn't been started for about a week - is it normal to take a few secs for the oild pressure to register? And should the chargemeter go to 17?
Sure, sure - battery is a brand new Bosch, would hate to kill it so soon. Will report back at the weekend boys - will add a new multimeter to the growing shopping list..
Evening all, so, as suspected the Lady in Red is charging as she should with 13.9V at the battery when running so the chargemeter has lost the plot. She shoots all the way to the top when I switch the ignition on. Very excitable. Where's the best place to source another? Is taking the dash apart fun? I like it when it's fun.
No signs of cooking, unlike when I've been in the kitchen. Temp stayed at a steady quarter all the way home, oil 60-70 and she doesn't smoke. she came with full history, all dealer and specialists, 3 owners...
02-08-2017, 05:45 PM
