Hi,
Can anybody please help.
My 1996 Jaguar XK8 has only covered 74K miles from new, however it has developed a major problem with its engine management system. My local garage has tried in vain to help, but I am informed that the ECU has two amplifiers, one for each bank of cylinders and one of these has failed, the garage swapped them over to confirm, on their computer, that one remains OK. Needless to say I am informed that these are no longer available. I have tried to find a second hand component, but really don't know what I'm looking for (if it hasn't got points, condenser and a distributor I'm out of my depth), which frankly makes me hesitant to make a purchase. Incidentally, the motor runs intermittently from safe mode to all is OK, making diagnosis and safe driving a problem.
This beautiful car is currently languishing under a cover in my drive, I would like to get it up and running before the spring.
Many thanks in anticipation of a helpful reply.
Barry

 

I believe they are referring to the ignition module LJA1450AF. They are located just under the cowl near the center. You should be able to find a used one at a breaker or ebay.

 

Unclear what the garage means by banks of amplifiers, but assuming the ECM (ECU) is not fully operational, first would be to go to the ECM/ECU and get the markings off of it. It's under a black box cover with 4 torx screws which may or may not be under a cover near the engine housing firewall, depending on whether the cover is missing or not. It's the horizontal one, the vertical one is the transmission control module (TCM). See below

Right hand drive ECM location under boot near left firewall. For LHD, is on the other side.

Then go to the boot under the left hand side carpet and you will/may see a module specification listed on a label (something like ECM:LNC1410CA/001). This is the 'VCATS number'. That last part, the 001, is the programming level, which will need to be matched for your car if you replace it. If the vendor does not know the VIN for the car, make sure it came off of an XK8. A warning, though, many, many of these ECMs from these years will be broken. Hopefully, the first number from the module and the second number from the boot match except for the last part, which will not be on the module.

Then, two paths. First is to find someone who will fix your ECM. These failed often so there are vendors who will try to repair yours. Send it to them, have them fix it. There are several vendors, like
https://goecm.com/pages/ecm-repair-services
https://modulemaster.com/rebuilds/sh...7-ecu-rebuild/
I'm sure others will weigh in on other vendors, but make sure they have experience in XK8 rebuilds.

Second is to buy one take to ebay. Warning, it is quite likely they may need to be fixed as well, and you need to be careful about that VCATS number or which car the ECM came from. For example
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ECM-ENGIN...IAAOSwsrBco0td
may be correct, but it likely came from an XJ8 and would have different programming than you need for your XK8 (VCATS number), even if the module number is the same on the module. You can interact with the sellers to determine if they know the VCATS number and/or the VIN. If you find the right module used (and the module rebuild shops may have repaired ones, likely not cheap), you may need to have the vehicle immobilization setup programmed, a 30 second procedure which will tell the electronics that the new ECM is okay to work with. I am uncertain about this.

Good luck and let us know, always a shame to lose an XK8.

 

That could explain the 'bank' comment. Clarification from the garage would be needed. If it is the ignition module, no programming necessary, find one that works, should be cheap. E.g.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/JAGUAR-DENS...75.c4#viTabs_0

 

It does sound like they mean the module mentioned above. (The newer cars in effect have them built into the PCM aka ECM.)

Used should be fine.

 

Many thanks for the information, very helpful.