Lol, I think it comes with the territory...
Honestly, I don't have such a good memory of doing this job. It's strange. I'll need to go look at some photos of others having done it and generous enough to post all kinds of good photos.

I didn't use compressors. Bob (motorcarman) was my friend that day, the advise he gave. I barely remember what the top end of the shock and spring looks like and how it comes together, where and how the shock is bolted in at the bottom. Much of the job. I know I did some wrestling though. A little.

Anyways

 

Yes agreed, I have some replacement isolators for both sides, plus dampers. I just need to find a new cable for the side that twisted up. I can at least see why the CATS error (short circuit to earth) appeared now. There is a chance I have one off of my old XJ8 which also had CATS.

Thanks

 

Hi Guys
Quick update, getting everything ready to re-assemble here.
Looking at the parts diagram inserted below, there are some spring packers (2 each side) that sit on top of the spring against the metal upper spring pan. Taken from SNG's parts catalogue, part numbers:
MNA3562AA which is 3.4 / 2.9 mm
MNA3562BA which is 6.55 / 6.05 mm


2 x Spring Packers (parts 5) in yellow highlight.


I did not have any on mine when I dismantled it.
Are they necessary?
Do you need one or the other or both?

Thanks in advance.

 

OK done some more research, but no definitive answer on can I leave them out entirely.
MNA3562AA which is 3.4 / 2.9 mm - Seems to be CATS / ACD shim.
MNA3562BA which is 6.55 / 6.05 mm - Seems to be Non-CATS / ACD shim.

Still looking for more. guess all it will do is lift the ride height 3mm, so nothing critical to omit.

Thanks

 

The procedure in JTIS for spring R&R states this:



So, essentially, just put back what you have taken off, unless you suspect that someone has been in there before.

 

Update:
I have hit a delay.
Just as I thought I am ready to re-assemble I am missing parts and am unable to find the part number to order new.

Does anybody know the part number for the studs that hang down through the spring/strut mounting (see part 1 on the diagram in post 23. The studs are not listed in the parts diagram so I am not able to get the part number.

I ordered a nice shiny set of the OEM nut/washers, but I have a few of the studs damaged (due to excessive corrosion. I would ideally like to change them out, but as a temp fix I could re-use the studs that came out with the nut/washer seized solid to it and hence the entire fixing came out as 1 piece when dismantled.

Any advice is most welcome.
Thanks

 

You might try TE108041J.

I found it under the X300 parts listing as an 'unillustrated part' :- the rear suspension layout is essentially the same.

It is 8mm, but any images I see don't show the star drive end that the originals have.

It appears to be the same as the stud that holds the brake booster, and SNG Barratt lists it.

 

Excellent, thank you so much I will go check that out. I would rather put new shiny ones in than the original rusty ones, it ruins the look. Well for anybody that happens to be laying under the car's rear end anyway.
Cheers

 

You could just use M8 x 1.25 bolts like the XJ40.
The studs were not introduced until the X300 sedan.

 

Studs arrived.
One thing to note, they are shorter. Looks like it will not affect things.

Longer but looks to work. I fitted them short end into the body with a little copper grease to stop seizing.

Not finished yet, run out of time as preparing to be away (in another car) for the weekend.
Update next week.
Cheers

 

Shame Jaguar chose to shave 2¢ off the production cost by omitting the star end. Makes them a bit of a faff to fit

 

Update.

After weeks of pure frustration and still no repair, I am stumped again. These cars are a pain.

The CATS plug will not go into the top of the damper. There is a groove on the side of the plug and in the socket but they do not align with the pins in the socket.

One damper is ok (I think) the other is out of alignment and it is impossible to put the plug in.

When tightening the top nut up on the damper to 18Nm (as per here https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-specs-240693/) how do you achieve that?

When it comes to the misalignment of the socket pins I really do not know what is going on. Anybody had that?

I really am getting so frustrated with this car, every step forward results in a stop.

Cheers

 

OK I think we have been given the wrong dampers. The ones we have are MXD3540AC. No idea about the ones we took out, the number is rust dust.

The originals have a 3rd alignment pin and a slot that match the plugs as you would expect. As per the plug photo below.
The replacement MXD3540AC dampers we are trying to install have a slot, and no 3rd alignment pin.

4.0 XK8 ACD/CATS plugs.

The other thing is we seem to have 2 different types of the link cable. I am hoping this does not matter, they look the same.
LJD3075AB
LJC3075AE

Confused about the dampers though. Maybe it is worth getting new bushes in the original dampers. All that was wrong was the twisted cable one side. I have cleaned them off completely and killed the rust, primed and painted them as spares. Maybe re-use them.....
What would you guys do?

 

The JEPC shows that part # as applicable only to the very late cars with 'R' performance options fitted. If your VIN last 6 is greater than 024686 (which it should be on a 99MY) then the part # shown is MJB3540EB.

I would return them to your supplier for a refund/exchange for the correct parts. If the old ones are still good then maybe consider re-bushing. What mileage have they done?

I can't find LJC3075AE anywhere in a search

 

Sadly for us, the dampers were donated free of charge by a contact in the business so cannot be exchanged. Although they look like they are the correct ones for a late 99 XK8, these ones look like they were removed by Clyde the orangutang and I suspect the electrical connectors were torn off by twisting and hence breaking the entire connection at the top of the damper.

The originals we took off have seen about 70K miles, so maybe worth re-bushing. What do you all think?

If not it's turned into an expensive repair and time to buy new.
Thanks

 

If you were not getting a little rattle or a chinking sound out of the rear shock, good chance the shock just need the bottom bushing.
Most standard ones that I have taken off with the 70K mark could have been reused but here in the US a good lower bushing is half the price of a shock, so that turned into a no brainer, but with the price of your electric ones, surely you have to give it a go.
Oh, by the way, great information between you and Michael on doing this job.

 

Hi, thanks for that.
I think my plan now is to order some new bushes and swap them out.There were no noises from them at all and the only failure was the CATS wire. In fact, I had not noticed the bush was worn out until I took the dampers out.
New dampers for these are over £700 a pair in the UK.
Some good quality bushes should do the job.
I will update once we are closer.

 

Forget the stability control stuff and run the new shocks?

I'm pretty sure it will default to a "normal" ride. Or soft, or something. In the past had you noticed significant ride differences with the suspension adjustments as accomplished by the E suspension system? If so, is it something you feel you need?

 

I am not sure, not driven an X100 with standard suspension.

When mine failed it defaulted to a "standard safe" mode (firm I believe), which was horrible, like driving a Porsche Boxster, shaking your teeth out, and snapping your spine.

I am going for new bushes at the moment. If I put non-CATS dampers in I will need to disable the suspension computer and that may mess all sorts of Canbus things up.

 

One of my XKRs originally had CATS and the dampers were replaced with standard black Bilstein units before my ownership.
The CATS module was disconnected and no fault is displayed in the INSTPK.(it just rides like a normal XK8)

The other XKR has everything in tact with original CATS still working fine.