While working up near the engine fuse box I knocked some tool and heard a clunk, thud, clang, as something dropped. I stepped back but didn't see anything missing or lying on the floor or in the fusebox well. A few seconds later I couldn't find my favorite Stanley knife. And then I spotted a big hole at the top of the fender. I shone a light down inside and sure enough, right at the bottom was my favorite green knife.
I've only had the car for a couple of weeks so I thought what a stupid idea it was to nasty gap right there and didn't think anything of it until I compared this LHS with the RHS and suddenly saw no gap on that side and that there was obviously some piece of black trim missing. A piece of trim that was obviously supposed to prevent knife swallowing! Anyway, I peeled back the wheelwell fender liner and got my hand in there to retrieve the knife and that was when a jug of water splashed on me and tons of soggy foam bits. The plastic bag surrounding the foam around the ABS pump nearest the wheel, was partially disintegrated and full of water. Where the knife had fallen near the driver's door there was no foam, but on the right fender I saw that the end of the fender nearest the passenger door was filled with a foam bag.
All this got me wondering. My car has a nasty resonance when I drive, very un-jag like. It's almost like when you drive at 60mph with the rear windows down on my wife's SUV. Not as bad as that but still very tiresome on long journeys. Could this missing foam (I assume there's supposed to be some in there) be part of the problem?
Anyone else have missing foam and a resonant Jag?
Mark

Missing trim 6W83-16D179

 

I suspect that a previous owner was involved in an accident and the body shop cut corners doing the repairs. That omission wouldn't pass the factory QC inspections.

 

There's few threads on here about that. Its basically a noise/vibration damper stuffed into the fender. It gets wet over time due to rain, washes, etc..

I had mine out, dried it, wrapped it in saran wrap, and stuck it back in there. Now it looks like im transporting a kilo of heroin inside my fender.

And yes there is supposed to be a black trim piece there.

 

I have the missing trim piece ordered but now I have to decide what to do about the foam. I'm sure it's special Jaguar foam that comes from India or some other part of the empire, but for now, just temporarily of course, I was thinking of cutting up some foam blocks of my own and sticking them in there. I wonder how hard it is to unbolt the fender and what the original blocks look like? (Mine, I'm afraid won't have "By appointment to her majesty the queen" stamped on them
Mark

 

interesting. of course I’d expect a proper part number for the oem replacement but there are so many closed cell self expanding foam in an aerosol can these days, I’d might try that... or the closed cell marine sound proofing I use around the marine diesel engine... easily cut to desired pattern and won’t absorb moisture.

 

Just a little addendum to this and also linking back to my post concerning a broken wire to the engine fuse box which stopped the cigar lighter working:
I removed the fender. It's fairly easy except you also have to remove the rocker cover which covers the lower bolts of the fender, and to remove the rocker you have to unbolt the black scuff plate with the silver "Jaguar" strip in it and to remove that you have to peel off the Jaguar strip to get at the 3 bolts that attach it . . . .but, once you've done that, it's easy.
Anyway, check out my photo and you can see a mouse nest! No wonder a couple of my wires were chewed through!!
I added some Noiko sound deadening sheets to the fender and then made up some foam blocks which I placed in plastic bags and surrounded the ABS pump. All the bags were Jaguar approved and fully tested to last as long as I own the car!!
I then added the missing trim piece below the windshield and buttoned everything back up. Remember to connect the turn signal BEFORE you bolt the fender back on. Someone I know didn't and spent a while fiddling amongst the foam (Jaguar approved) bags trying to get it plugged back in!
The silver Jaguar strip needs to be replaced unless of course you peel off all the adhesive and spend 20 minutes bending the strip carefully straight with your thumbs until it looks, . . .well . . .better than it did. I, of course wouldn't do that but if I had, I think some 3M super strength trim adhesive tape lying around the garage would stick it back just marvellously.

The fender is extremely light. It's amazing. I feel like I could contort it just with my thumbs.

LH fender removed to reveal cat with mouse

 

You have yellow Alcons?? OEM?

 

That's just the way my car came. What color are they supposed to be?

 

The ​​​​​​/R logo is cast into the caliper.

Is your 2008 XKR a Portfolio model? If so, the Alcon Performance Brake Package was standard equipment. If not, it was an option.

 

I don't think I have a Portfolio model. Weren't they black with 6 spoke wheels?
Here's my wheel.

 

I think the yellow is pretty... a pleasant change from the common red. Good job removing the fender. I wouldn’t have thought to do that as realigning it on installation maybe problematic. Please let us know the tricks to that??
Thanks.

 

That's correct. All 2008 XKR Portfolios were Celestial Black and had Cremona wheels. If your car's sill plates don't say "PORTFOLIO", it's a standard XKR with the optional Alcon Performance Brake Package. That's a rare option, because it cost $5,000!

 

There is a secret formula to re-aligning the fender which I shall now reveal. It goes back very easily. The Jaguar manual lists gap dimensions and tolerances, but if your fender is currently installed correctly all you need to do is look at the marks left on the frame by the fender and the old bolts and simply align it so it's back in the same position. Mine were very clear to see.