Greetings Forum Members! Sorry this is long-winded. Looking over it, I think it's almost a "Dear Diary" entry so don't even bother with it unless you have extra time on your hands today.

My brief honeymoon with the new XK8 lasted but 24 hours. Although I can't blame the car for the first item: When I first got the car home (a 100-mile drive) I checked the oil and saw that it was grossly overfilled (about a full inch over the 'full' mark). So I ordered a fluid-extractor pump since I didn't want to take the car to a shop for that work, for fear they'd mess something else up (and after all, my Audi dealer grossly overfilled my A4 previously...Besides, whenever I get one of my cars back from the shop it's usually messed up, interior and exterior).

But I also noticed that the state inspection was already expired so I made an appointment at the selling dealer's local affiliate where they would inspect it free of charge. Weird that a dealer sells a car with an expired sticker! Usually they have new stickers.

Anyway on the way back from the affiliate (where they affixed my sticker crooked despite my specific request to get it straight) my check-engine light came on. I figure this is from the overfilled oil. I know what can happen from too much oil in the crankcase, so I didn't rev it over 2000rpm. And put the car away in my garage to await arrival of the evacuating pump (my local AutoZone had told me by phone that they had them in stock but when I got there they had nothing of the kind. The 'expert' there told me he's never heard of anyone evacuating oil through the dipstick tube and he has a lifetime of experience and would certainly have heard of such a thing if anyone ever did it. I just said thanks and left). Meanwhile my fluid-extractor pump arrived quickly but I'm still waiting on the code reader I purchased at the same time.

In the end I took nearly two quarts of oil out before the dipstick read near the full mark. No idea how much the oil had been churned--no way of knowing how many high-rev test drives the car had had before I purchased it. Looks fine, not aerated, but I guess it would? Anyway now I felt like I could drive it and when I did I noticed that the (speaker?) grille in the windshield header was seeping fluid. We all know what that means.

When I checked out the car I operated the roof several times in order to check for leaks. Nothing. I'd read in this forum enough to know it was a gamble and that repair could be likely but I felt like I could risk it with no leaks apparent and convertible action seemingly perfect. Didn't last long. I'm not looking forward to the Rite of Passage frankly. This car is in almost-new condition and I don't relish the idea of tearing it apart. 'Fortunately' our weather has turned quite hot so it's not top-down season anymore until September--so not urgent now. I figured this issue would come along, but I didn't expect it so soon.

Anyway I was going to order the pressure-relief valve but it no longer seems to be available from anyone? If so, perhaps a note could be placed at the beginning of the thread to inform people... I spent two nights studying all the material referenced there, only to learn at the end that the resistor method is 'subordinated' and the pressure-relief valve is no longer available. Is that actually correct? I'm afraid to wade into that thread where emotions have clearly run high.

Also I looked for the fluid reservoir but couldn't find it. What am I missing?
TIA!

PS: The car still runs great and looks amazing and that's the main reason I bought it

PPS: Code reader arrived! Mis-delivered to a neighbor! Preliminary results in this thread. Can anyone hazard a guess that there are no throttle-body implications and further that there may be no implications from overfilled crankcase at all? That would be neat.

PPPS: This forum is very strong, with a generally friendly and polite tone and some serious firepower when it comes to identifying and solving problems. It's another reason I felt secure buying an XK8. The XK8 & XKR Frequently Asked Questions / DIY Repair & Maintenance Links / Facts & Data thread alone is an absolute gold mine.

 

Peel back the carpet in fornt of the CD changer/nav unit. The resevoir is on top. The proper level is between the embossed lines.

The roof console grill is the ultrasonic passenger sensor for the airbag. If the fluid is leaking there it most likely is a hose leak or rupture. Less likely is the top latch internal seals, or some fluid in there from a previous repair that was never cleaned up.

 

Oh, and your codes appear totally unrelated to the oil overfill or a throttle body issue.

 

Thanks for the quick response! I've been snooping around the pump etc already (which is how I found that the Allen key was missing) but still cannot figure out this reservoir thing. Hard to see up there but easy to photograph



Those are the reservoirs right? (There are two?) They are opaque near as I can tell.
What am I missing and thanks again!

ETA: the mere fact that the Allen key is missing (and its bracket broken) tells me the the PO had roof issues. Once I get the windshield header off I'll look at the latch etc. I'm prepared that it will be the hose at the fitting as that seems to be the most common issue. But I'll also dare to be hopeful that it might just be leftover fluid from a previous repair. First I will remove the overhead console panel.

 

Yeah thanks I bet it was a loose gas cap. Time will tell. Had to replace the throttle body on my XJ8 so I'm sort of waiting for the shoe to drop there. Wish I could tell if it had already been done... carfax doesn't show it but maybe my dealer SM can tell.

 

No, the reservoir is part of the pump body, you can see the fluid level through the opaque plastic. It should be between the lines.



The relief valve kit has been discontinued, steveinfrance did his own version, so you may want to search his posts.

 

Oh wow thanks, that explains it. Now why is mine so much higher under the fender than yours is? Is my audio-equipment bracket higher for the amplifier etc?

 

That's not mine, it's a pic from Gus's site, the nav unit and cd changer sit on top of each other if there is no nav the pump will be lower.

Here is Steve's thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...mp-plug-70317/

 

Thanks Norri... actually mine has a blank space for the nav unit but there is an additional amplifier on top which I believe is for the optional audio upgrade. So it's all a bit higher if I'm not wrong.

Anyway sure enough I'd been looking at the reservoir all along without realizing it. Level seems perfect (you can also see that my garage floor is sloped )



Thanks also for the link to Steve's thread. I'm reading it now.

Edit: Here's what I mean about the amp...it's located two bays above the CD player:

 

Sorry to hear about your bad luck with the convertible top so soon. I am astounded that the pressure relieve valve is no longer available. Perhaps you can cajole Gus or Walt (the geniuses behind this valve) to check into an alternative of at least ordering the parts and pieces to make the kit.

There is also TopHydraulics which is a company that has posted hear about rebuilding the top cylinders. Perhaps they can be talked into providing or building a relief valve?

By the way, you should look into getting a replacement allen key or you will not be able to open/close the latch if the hoses or pump fail.

Good luck,

Doug

 

Thanks Doug, in the back of my mind I sort of figured that one of my set of Allen wrenches would work if it came to that. I won't be driving this car in inclement weather anyway but you never know!

Top Hydraulics had crossed my mind too... they are sponsors over at BenzWorld and have made products for many different cars. Their rep has been very helpful and responsive to many people there. Currently I see that for Jaguars they only supply the cylinders; however we're getting ahead of ourselves in my case as my specific issue hasn't yet been positively identified. More later and thanks again to everyone.

 

Hope you don't get discouraged. BTW, there is a thread somewhere here that deals with the fact that the oilpan can hold more oil than your dipstick allows. In otherwords, overfilled (within reason) may not be a bad thing on these cars. There is even a replacement dipstick to cover the new, authorized Jaguar fluid level. It all depends on the years.
Keep believing, you will get it all sorted out and feel rightly rather smug about it.

 

Well. I am thinking now you have either a very slow leak, or more likely now this was repaired before you bought it and they failed to dry out the roof header console.

 

Yeah RJ--the mechanic at the Audi dealer said something to that effect. The dipstick markings are no real analogue to the overall crankcase capacity. So I worried too much for nothing apparently, but I guess that happens with a new car.

Meanwhile I just removed the overhead console and operated the top with the engine off. Nary a drop anywhere. I'm tempted to always operate the top with the engine off henceforth, the logic being that the pump runs with less current (voltage?) that way and hence produces lower pressure.

Anyway it'll be watchful waiting for now. Always a bit nervous with a new (used) car! I've got my thinking cap on about the whole thing though. At the risk of inflaming passions here, I keep thinking of ways of addressing the standout flaw (the hose fitting at the top latch cylinder). We're replacing the entire hose at considerable expense of time and effort when it's only this one end which is failing. Right?

So I keep thinking of ways to splice a good (new) end fitting onto the existing hose. Clamps exist which can withstand the operating pressure, right? And wouldn't also this be a great place to install a pressure-relieving fitting of some kind (if there is room)? Anything which would permit even minor expansion to modulate the spike in pressure which has been comprehensively documented here.

Now, I don't delude myself that out of the blue I'm suddenly going to come up with a superior solution to those of some very skilled engineers here who have wrestled with this problem at great length. Something as obvious as what I describe above will surely have been considered and dispensed with long before now. But I keep thinking about it anyway.

I'd also be in favor of a solution which returned the entire top operation to manual. If only we had manual latches to start with! WhiteXKR, the whole area above the o.h. console panel seems dry as a bone. Mystifying.

 

Hey Marsden--we are sort of on the same wavelength here about how the hydraulic leak problem SHOULD have been fixed. There should have been metal lines brazed onto the latch mechanism that run along the header and maybe partly down the A-pillar. At that location is where the hoses should have been attached. Moreover there should have been a few sections of hose rather than one single long hose running the entire distance to eliminate the pita of replacing the entire length of hose.


Doug

 

My top hose failed on my '05 and I replaced it with the colliflower kit.

Other than that, and an obscure vacuum diaphragm failing, my '05 has been amazing.

A year later and I'm still in my "honeymoon phase" with it. Ok, maybe I don't stare so intensely at it when I walk up to it or walk away from it, but I still stare intently.

 

Just a note, Marsden. I recently experienced the 'green shower' and considered having the hose/connection repaired rather than replacing the entire hose runs, (I have acess to an excellent hydraulic custom hose supply/repair source) but when I got the headliner apart and found the rupture, right at the crimped fitting at the top latch, I also discovered that the black plastic coating on the oem hoses was deteriorating in places. I went with the Colliflower replacements (great people to deal with, by the way) because I couldn't see risking trying to re-clamp to a deteriorating surface.

 

Since I'm no longer treading on toes I'll post a complete parts list for a DIY relief kit on this Forum.
BTW shouldn't the fluid in the reservoir be green?

 

Honestly I can't tell what color it is through the plastic.
Meanwhile the Honeymoon is back on for now

Edit: Yeah it's green. I used a flashlight.

 

I just bought and installed the relief valve. I searched this forum quite for quite a while and found one through LSI Controls. Maybe they weren't not the original designer. Fairly easy install though.

Have same issue. Little fluid had filled up dome lights but it appears to not have been cleaned up well from a hose repair. Or my latch has small leak. Going to clean it up and operate a few times with the cover off so I can see if I am done with the honeymoon.

Good luck.