You have to have one of these remote clamp release tools on this car. I have saved a lock of knuckle skin.


I just changed the leaking coolant reservoir today on my2004 XK8, thankfully due to the expertise on the forum I was able to get itinto Canada from Rock Auto in 5 days all imported and shipped for $86.00Canadian. It took less than 10 minutes to change, most of the time spentwaiting for the coolant to drain through a piece of IV tube I had and was ableto insert through the tank and down the large bottom connection. I never spilled a drop of fluid doing it thisway. I have also read that people should wire up the clamp on the bottom so youdon’t drop it. I used a remote spring clamp tool which everyone with one ofthese cars will eventually need and it was just slide on and off.

 

Brake fluid flush:
didn't do it myself but at £37 from Halfords was a no-brainer!! Just in case there any prob's with bleed nipples.
pedal is now fair bit firmer.

 

Had Right Side Catalytic Converter changed out. No more CEL for the first time since I've owned the Car. Changed out Cigar Lighter. Now I can charge my Phone. Plan on doing the Brakes next.

 

Replaced the 6 year old Interstate battery for a new Interstate battery...Windows were acting funny, so I knew it was time...

Also, an oil change with Castrol Edge with titanium...

Checked tire pressure

 

Oil change for my 2004 XK8 today. Now at 78K miles. Also had my dealer service the A/C since it had probably never been done. No leaks!

Yeah I spent a little extra for these types of service at my dealer ($279) but I still believe that its worth it to maintain a good relationship with the guys there.

I got to poke around under the car again while it was up on the rack. Everything still in great shape from my view and service guy agreed the car needs nothing right now.

 

Finished changing out the rear anti-roll bar drop links and rubber bushes.

The OEM drop links are silly money so I used aftermarket. These came with four-section 'concertina' rubbers which, I presume, are meant to be cut in half to make the rubber isolators for either side of where the link joins the lower suspension arm.
However, the halves would be much thicker than the proper isolators, so I opted to use the OEM ones. These are 8mm thick.

I didn't find any obvious degradation, but they're the originals and coming up 20 years old.

Also learnt how to remove a wheel from a 1927 Auburn. Must have been quite an occasion back in the day since the wheel bearing has to be dismantled and the brake adjusters released, as the brake drum is part of the (wooden spoked) wheel...

 

Getting an intermittent squeal from the right rear, no rhyme or reason as to when it happens. I did pull the wheels off a few weeks ago (with no noise previously) so thinking the wheel did not mount quite snug enough. I did however find a little bit of play in the hub assembly...might be time for wheel bearings.

While in there I pulled the ABS sensors as I had gotten an sporadic ABS/DSC fault that would reset upon startup. They were very dirty. After some cleaning of the sensor and connector, reassembled everything. Time will tell if those were the issues.

 

What I worked on today:

Located a source that makes the timing chain tensioners, and also is the one that manufactures the entire kit packages, with all 4 chains and guides etc. And the prices I'll be able to get will be under $60 US for each kit. These are identical to all the ones you find online ranging in price from over $1000 to $149. 3rd generation metal.

So no I didn't turn a wrench today, but I believe I have found a way to help everybody save money.

The price is based on bulk orders. So what I propose is a few of us go in together on each order. I can handle the technicals etc. Feel free to write me at rob1958@shaw.ca and we can set something up.

 

I replaced the brakes on my riding mower!

 

Replaced the front stabiliser/sway/roll bar bushes (OEM) & the drop links. There didn't appear to be any real wear or deterioration of either, but they're nearly 20 years old.
I found the plastic ring others have mentioned: no idea what it does as there's only the one on the LHS but I put it back anyway.

The LHS is a real PITA but Rev. Sam's video convinced me it could be done without removing hoses. The rearmost bracket bolt wasn't too bad, but I couldn't get square enough with the extensions working from the top to start the front one. However, it's just possible to get a hand in from under the car if you leave the links disconnected and pull the front of the bar down.

Hollow victory as I spotted one of the lower shock bush seals has split <sigh>

 

I changed a few spark plugs....the first three in bank 2 went easy enough, the fourth seated itself but when I started to tighten it, the torque wrench kept turning it and didn't break at 20 foot pounds. I backed the plug out, it looked okay, no evidence of cross threading so I counted the threads (12) and reinstalled it counting the revolutions. At 12 I started using the torque wrench and again, it kept turning the plug and the torque wrench would not do it's thing. I backed the plug out again to discover this:



My heart sank as I feared the worst.... I was going to call it a day but I kept thinking that I may be able to get the broken half off as I was sure that I didn't mis thread it or over tighten it, and that it should easily unscrew. A flat bladed screwdriver was used as my extraction tool and I was able to pull this out...




Once it was out, I used my shop vac to try and suck any debris out of the area where the spark plug resides and I also used a strong rare earth magnet on the end of a metal rod and dropped it down to where threads on the head are and I pulled a couple of small bits of metal out and that combined with the shop vac, well I decided to that it was going to be okay so I reinstalled the coils in different positions as I was previously getting a misfire P0307 code and I wanted to see what moving the coils around would do for the code. When it was all buttoned up I went for a test drive and she purred just fine. Later this week the other four plugs will be replaced.

Has any one else experienced this with a plug? These were the fancy NGK iridium laser plugs.

 

Mike, what a headache. You did good getting that out, way to go!
John

 

In more than 40 years of changing spark plugs, I have never seen one come apart like that....

Well done - you certainly seem to have dodged a major bullet....

 

Dyson Air Blade
I have had so much fun drying my hands at various stores in town that when I saw an old Dyson Air Blade available on craigslist I had a friend in Houston pick it up for me.
I ordered a new filter and began my refurb.
The entire unit was disassembled and cleaned, it is a well-made piece of equipment and all the soft parts are of high quality which allowed me to clean them without damage to the sealing surfaces.
This older unit is aluminum and had severe corroding, which required sand blasting, body filler and refinishing. Fortunately I saved a lot of my old paints and equipment from when I was in the car restoration business many years ago. I peered into my old paint cabinet and found some 30 year old Glassurit Mercedes Benz Astra silver #735. Opened the can and all looked okay…some 20 year old PPG Heavy solids clear coat, opened it and sniffed-all looked and smelt good, found a quart of 10 year old PPG epoxy primer, same story…bought a quart of bondo and started at it.
The end result is a perfectly functioning Dyson, located in my garage bathroom with a MB silver finish.
Just thought I’d share my little eccentricity, thanks for reading
wj

 

4.2 from an s type. Lots of work to do to put it in my 1999 xk8. Inc lots of mods.

Existing 4.0 is eating oil at a litre every 600 miles.

 

Had Rear Brakes and Rotors changed. Brake System Flushed and put in new Fluid. Changed Fuel Filter. Feels like I gained 20 HP with the new Filter.

 

Question. My 2002 AC works great in recycle mode and not so great in regular mode. When I put it in recycle mode, it goes to regular mode in a few minutes. Anyone know how to keep it in recycle mode? And any problem with doing that? THX, hot in Florida.

 

Press and hold the button until two ‘beeps’ are heard for continuous recirculation of interior air. Press the button again to switch off. Can't see any problem leaving it in recirc.

 

Thank you woo64, I can't wait to give that a try. THX


Next question, My beige headliner is dirty. Any suggestions on how to clean and with what products?

 

Regarding cleaning the headliner fabric, standard rubbing alcohol on a clean white rag has worked well for me. Saturate a small corner of the rag and rub gently using a couple of fingers underneath the saturated area of the rag. Let the alcohol do the work so you do not wear a visible friction spot on the headliner fabric....

Some folks use brake cleaner solvent, but I would start with alcohol first....