I just bought a 1981 Jaguar XJS HE. It was bought in Europe and then converted to US emissions that same year. It came with the HE 5.3 engine but has since been removed of most of its emissions from 1981. No smog pump, cats, and the strange distributor vacuum setup. There is a good story that came with it as it was bought in Saudi Arabia and driven almost from that day continuing to California!


I am the 3rd owner. I got it as a non-runner but complete. A full parts and service manual came with it. I have since gotten it running but still needs parts before I can drive it.


The vacuum advance did not work. I got another and now it works. I am not sure though just where to connect it to and if it is going to be a problem without all the original vacuum advance parts.


It does run smooth though.


Russ

 

Congrats !

That's a very early HE if it was built in '81. Is the build date sticker still on the car?

More than a few owners have bypassed the complex vacuum advance arrangement. Right below the RH throttle body there are a couple of vacuum nipples, one behind the throttle blade (constant manifold vacuum) and one slightly in front of the throttle blade (ported vacuum).

Attach your vac advance hose to ported vacuum

Cheers
DD