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I'm a tad held up on plans to pull the engine so decided to set about some of the electrics, first candidate the distributor since the previous owner had passed the connections from it to the ignition amp via terminal block - badly
Figured I'd pull the distributor and do a deep clean and some refurb because it has clearly been messed about - silicone -
But the distributor markings and layout don't align with the H.E. repair manual. The manual states that there are marks on the inductor and the body - there aren't, it further states that the pickup is three wire - it is not - the ignition amp takes two wires not three, the repair manual shows a ballast resistor assembly - I have no such thing so either the manual is wrong or this distributor has been seriously messed about, you can see the silicone more prominently in the next image.
There's no way I can follow the repair manual here, even the test procedure is flat out wrong since I have only two wires. Thoughts anyone - keep in mind that this car ran so I'm more inclined to think the book is wrong.
This is the image from the book, shows a mark on the distributor body, thie inductor / plate and the pickup sensor - none of which actually exist which makes the 'rotate distributor until no 1 mark on timing rotor is in alignment with the pickup module kind of hard to do - yes I could mark it and put it back where it is - but what's to say the previous people that were in here got it right. The testing procedure wants you to measure resistance between centre terminal to red and then centre terminal to black - which is kind of hard when you have only two wires and neither are red nor black.
The image from the book and the discussion of ballast resistors tells me this book although for the HE is actually for the pre HE - the book I have is repair operation manual 'XJ-S HE Supplement' publication AKM 3455 Ed 4 - so where's the correct book ??
That sounds like the pre-HE stuff, Ben. Not the correct book. My supplement is umbered AKM 3455/S1. There is one page on the CEI ignition with a completely different diagram. Once No 2 son goes to bed I can egt to the printer and make tyou a PDF if you would like one.
Basically, all you can do with the HE CEI dizzy is renew the pickup - they are still available - renew the vac capsule if cooked (it will be) and lube it up.
Greg
Would be much appreciated Greg thanks. I want to ensure that any previous botches or otherwise get knocked on the head because it is clear somebody has been playing in here. Things like the pickup gap and testing would be very much appreciated, unfortunately I think I missed no 1A tdc which I think is the rotor under the line on the dust shield so I get to play around and around again - not much fun with the engine on stands - I'm terrified the thing will fall off them and I'm too lazy to put the engine support back - it's too darn heavy and wasn't in the mood.
I'm not sure about replacing the pickup at this stage because it functioned when I parked the thing and I'm going to run the harness to the front for an amplifier relocate, so I'll be cutting off any connector anyway in favour of more modern sealed connectors. I also have some 'shielding' that I can install the new cables into and braided sleeving to go over that (same stuff I used on my injection harness). I'll take some pics perhaps once done, still not 100% decided on the location of the amp or if I'm going to leave the module in the Lucas box - I may thermal paste the module itself and set it on the bodywork - weather proofing pending of course but it seems pretty well sealed. My secondary coil will be eliminated although I'll be retaining it in case the originality police visit - but they'll be able to bitch about the lack of mechanical fan and its associated pulley, PWM controlled fans and Aluminium rad or the ceramic coated manifolds and the stainless zaust - so I doubt it will see service again. I've remade the injection harness but I'm also considering sequential injection but that terminates any use of the current ECU and a whole raft of wiring that I'm not sure I'm in the mood for (physically or financially) ... we shall see.
I have a vac capsule on order, it is all still nice and loose but I'm pulling and sorting anyhow, sure as heck if I try it in situ I'll drop something in there anyhow.
I was convinced that the book I have is wrong despite the title 'HE suplement' ...
Ben
Attached. The starwheel/pickup air gap is not adjustable, it just bolts in and that is that.
Please do not think me rude, but your last post reads like a 100% guaranteed recipe to screw up the project. My very sincere advice is the get the car running properly in what is basically (what you might call) "OEM +" trim. That is all as factory (suspension rubbers, shocks etc etc) except for some straight forward mods such as better radiator, electric fans, and so on.
But morphing off into an aftermarket sequential injection ECU, which are damn-near impossible to get right, and will make ZERO difference to the power, driving experience, or MPG, means you will just get swamped or lost. Once all is correct and perfect, another story; beforehand...
What I am saying is that Project Control is the key to sorting an XJS.
You will be surprised just how superb a properly sorted XJS is, once you have it so sorted.
As for the dizzy, A1 TDC you mentioned, have you already removed it from the engine, or not?
Don't think you rude at all I come here to seek advice from those that have walked the path already not simply ratify my ideas, on the ECU front that is way out there and on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is likely to happen it is barely a 1, in fact your reaction to that reduces that further but I was already in that camp.
My focus has been on Grants list Post Purchase initially, though the project has escalated from a simple reawakening, that happened the day the front subframe was condemned, the excellent work by Kirky Palm Experience in a Book the servicability, reliability with a measure of attention paid to heat management under the bonnet and an a blitzing of rust where practical and visible - and a liberal treatment with marine grade materials where not visible not the overpriced stuff in the auto shops. I am also attacking leaks of any kind - in - or out replacing O rings / and generally anything perishable - which led to the engine being removed. I do have replacement dampers for the front but they aren't Boge - I wasn't able to find a pair in the UK - these are easily changed out as and when I do if the selected dampers don't play nice.
Now I do confess to probably doing some jobs that aren't strictly necessary but this all comes down to the 'while I am in here' element of servicability such as replacing the old starter (functional though it may be) with a geared unit which is smaller and consumes less amps that this could fail of course is also true but it is smaller and should be easier to remove.
All bushes except for the steering rack are already on hand and are OEM, the steering rack are a more of a more rigid and modern material. There are still some things outstanding - master cylinder service kit is seemingly unavailable which is a significant concern at the moment.
The 'Mods' so far are
Full R134a AC system - Fenair
Aluminium Radiator - Radtec (I've not decided yet on integral or external transmission cooler)
Cooling fans / Radiator shroud - Revotec - this is not available on their website (Control will be a pair PWM 'H-Bridge' 50 amp DC drivers still in design - yours truly)
Geared Starter - WOSP
Ignition Leads - Magnecor
Injection harness - Silicon wire and SuperSeal connectors (significantly improved thermal tolerances)
Stainless Exhaust - Simply Performance (decided against the extractor from A6 - not interested in ECU mods after talking with others from the Lister camp)
Everything else is OEM.
MPG simply isn't consideration, nor is sports car performance - I have a V8 Supercharged XF for that - not that there's any point with all the stupid cameras around in the UK.
The dizzy is still in situ - I'm ordering a new pickup, I already have new cap, rotor and leads.
That "while I am in there" is how my HE "sort out" started, and that was an oil leak, 3 months later, back in the =beast and back in service.
The PreHE came before that, and the books I scuttled were as wrong for that as the one you have is for yours.
That was in the late '80's, so Shade tree, Dog, Beer, and the constant "how does it work that makes at least some sense" sorted it all, but it took 8 months.
Couple of dizzy etc write ups to assist you a tad.
OK, Ben. No need to remove the dizz can change all that has to be changed, and lube the sprung rotor return mechanism without having to disturb the timing at all.
Your list seems ideal to me; I am all for modern materials etc where at all possible. As for the fans, why not get Radtec to build in the shroud to the radiator itself? Alicool do this is asked, just choose the fans and send them to Radtec.
I'll chase Radtec and see what the response is. I think my only concern with a built in aka welded shroud is that it makes keeping the radiator clean a little more challenging.
The dizzy will stay where it is and I'll put my back out cleaning it all out in situ instead of on my nice cosy well lit bench ... your approach makes sense it doesn't seem that complex and I can't see a lot for my fat fingers to drop.
I'll chase Radtec and see what the response is. I think my only concern with a built in aka welded shroud is that it makes keeping the radiator clean a little more challenging.
Fixing in the electric fans well is very difficult. "Well" = 1/2 inch from the fins, rigidly mounted, easy to remove. It took me several goes (I am not saying this proves anything about the difficulty!) to get them how I want them. Undoubtedly, fixing them to a rad welded flat shroud is the easiest and quickest solution, which I would go for if I ever have to do it again.
My options are still open on this one. I've sent out the questions, I shall assess the responses, no money has changed hands yet. Such a pity that Kenlowe seem to have got out of the game I used a great many of those on my previous vehicles - they didn't even have a 1/2" gap they were right against the radiator.
I do of course have the 3D printers so I could ensure there would be no short circuiting of the fan. I don't get why Jaguar put all the sponge stuff between the rad and the bodywork unless they knew the flow rates were marginal through the radiator. Given that the claims for the new rad are that it is 40% improvement over original (not seen the numbers to prove of course) then I won't be closing up any holes at the front - still pondering the bumper mod but I think I'll buy a second bumper and experiment somewhere down the road.
Oddly enough they are on the shortlist particularly because of the Spal fans - I was uncertain because the left hand side isn't XJS standard - not saying it won't work but requires pipework adjust - I was uncomfortable with the rigid non removeable shroud - that seems to obscure an awful lot of radiator - and I want to help air get through the front not hinder it any more than necessary,
but that has got to be 20% of the radiator obsured, if you look at Revotec they obscure much less of the radiator
it's a topic for discussion for sure. My Sabre's electric fan is around 8" from the rad and it works fine, clearly I need to research more and get the calculator out to see if the obscuration helps or hinders.
Can't afford it he says with 2 Jag projects, a Porsche project and a Goldwing project - with a Jag as a daily driver
My grandfather once told me that any man can run a Rolls Royce - but it takes a rich man to run an old Rolls Royce ... I think that also applies to Jaguars (based on personal expenditure on my two to date)
08-30-2021, 11:58 AM
Manual vs Reality .. Electrics
... your approach makes sense it doesn't seem that complex and I can't see a lot for my fat fingers to drop.
