Does that Fog setting only turn on the European REAR FOG if you don't have the fronts?
My Volvo 850 wagon had a switch for a rear fog light (required in some countries) but did not front fogs (which do not seem to be required in those countries.)
Does that Fog setting only turn on the European REAR FOG if you don't have the fronts?
My Volvo 850 wagon had a switch for a rear fog light (required in some countries) but did not front fogs (which do not seem to be required in those countries.)
I am working on an 87 like this for a neighbor right now, so this is fresh in my mind. The battery tie down is queer, it uses long tubular nuts to reach down to the short "J" bolts, and is a 3 sided frame around the front and sides of the battery. It also does not fit the current generation of group 24 batteries, which are the correct specification
I am making something else, possibly using the extra trap nut in the middle above the battery which would anchor the brake booster on an RHD car. I will take a photo when I am done and post it here for you, since even if you get used original parts they won't work. Your car is very much nicer than the one I do not own.
As promised a few weeks ago, the battery tie down for group 24 battery using the original "J" bolts. All 1"x 14 gauge steel with 3/8 OD tube welded on for "J" bolt anchors.
Also very important, you need a 5/16 British standard wrench, er spanner, for the original battery cable ends , and, more importantly, the positive terminals on the firewall, both sides of the engine. Also called 1/4 Whitworth, it is a few thousanths larger than 13mm. Why oh why when the whole rest of the car is US standards
In reply to TurnerX19 :
That looks awesome!! How much for you to make me one too? 
Regardless I may have to steal your design...
In reply to TurnerX19 :
most Whitworth bolts an nuts were used in the 1940’s- 50’s SU carbs are my last use.
Snap On sold me my set of Whitworth
Oh yes some gauges had Whitworth screws.
First of all, great buy that is really a nice car for twice the price, you really scored on this one!. Couple of comments and then one for fun..... The suspension is way too clean, looks like what I do to my cars, was it rebuilt front and rear? Springs, control arms all look factory fresh, not like a 32 year old car should look, so someone spent some money on this car. I wonder if you can find what it sold for at Mecum back in 2012?
Finally that light switch and the labeling made me think of the old Lucas bumper sticker - "What are the three positions of a Lucas switch? Dim, Flicker and off"!
Great car and I look forward to reading more about it. Always loved these cars and the Series I and III are the best. Rarely is a car improved in the re-style in later years, but Jag did a great job on the Series III XJ.
Robbie said:John Welsh said:Moved
The stray Bosch relay is from the kit of the aftermarket Bosch fog lights.
You want to hear something crazy...I think I have a set of genuine late '80's Bosch Fog lights. The unopened package, still new.They are in my inlaw's pole barn. I'm not sure I want to offload them. I always held on to them to use some time on something cool. I had a set on my '83 Rabbit (sold in 1990) and I've probably had them ever since.
I thought they might be aftermarket as well, but this leads me to believe otherwise:
i don't see where other fogs would be fitted. I could see maybe this was a dealer add on kit or something however.
Robbie, you are welcome to steal the design, that's why I posted it. Frenchy, I was stunned to find the Whitworth hex size on the battery terminals on the XJ6 I am working on, there is nothing else on the car with them. I would have accepted metric, as the Brits were already drifting that way by '87, but 13mm is too small to fit them. I have a full set of whitworth tools, but I did not have them with me when I made the discovery! Robbie only needs the one size, not a full set.
I had to go back and make sure i didnt already say this. That thing is stupid good for the money.
Those Bosch fogs were likely a dealer kit. My Triumph TR7 30th Anniversary edition had a set through BL as well. Sadly, also cracked.
In reply to dherr :
Hahahahahaha. I may have to get a second switch and put custom labels on it. Hilarious.
Apparently there is a euro version of the switch with more options, and just plugs in. Alternatively there is a snap ring you can remove to give the switch push in push out capability to switch the fogs independently or something. I'll have to check it out.
This is an image of my whitworth spanner:
Greg Smith said:Those Bosch fogs were likely a dealer kit. My Triumph TR7 30th Anniversary edition had a set through BL as well. Sadly, also cracked.
Yeah, I think they are a dealer kit too. I may delete them until I find good lenses. I can find promotional material for the 87 xj6 both with and without the fogs, but only in pictures not in options lists.
Robbie said:Maybe it was sold twice at Mecum, no pics so hard to say, but both are IL auctions and both list the car as burgundy with tan/beige interior.
2012: https://www.mecum.com/lots/FP0912-145802/1987-jaguar-xj6/
2010: https://www.mecum.com/lots/CH1010-98563/1987-jaguar-xj6-vanden-plas/
The 2012 sale was for $4960 (matches seller's story of $5k) and the 2010 auction was $5400. Not sure if the 2010 was the same car or not but the colors agree. It could have been the same car in both.
Robbie said:This is an image of my whitworth spanner:
If
I think I have 5-6 complete sets of Whitworth wrenches. Yet too Often a version of the above is what I grab.
Now that the Skylark is sold, I could give some love to the jag today.
Started by replacing the rear brake pads. Yes, they were grinding. Yes, they probably ruined the rotors. No, I'm not replacing the rotors with now. The pads are cheap. I'm planning a more thorough refresh of the entire suspension this winter, so hopefully I can do the full rear brake job then.
Everything came out easy:
And going back together was ok too, but this job is incredibly fiddly. And the room to work is juuuuuuust enough.
No more grinding from the rear though!!
I noticed the diff was moist. Probably the pinion shaft seal, based on where the fluid started. Add that to the list for the subframe out brake job...
Also got to poke around a bit more underneath.
Trans mount is a spring!!
These are the reasons I want to return the suspension. Lots of torn old boots like this:
Next I grabbed some paint
And touched up the areas that I just want to stop rust.
Became
And
Became
Also noticed this tow hook got slammed in the past, actually looks like a backwards hit, like backing up and the wheel fell off a curb onto something or something.
Anyway, I'll add it to the eBay watchlist.
I drove the car around the neighborhood to test the brakes and everything is good. Bit of a misfire but I think it might be a combination of sitting for a few months and the one plug the PO didn't replace. I should probably just plan for an ignition system refresh anyway.
And tomorrow, I'm entering this baby in a car show! It's a small local show at a restaurant, but for $20 my car gets in and I get a hot dog and a t shirt. Woo!
In reply to Robbie :
Warning about replacing suspension pieces ( rubber boots).
More often then not I’ve replaced those only to find them cracked or even split open months later. Yet every once in a while I’ll replace something and have it last for decades. My first thought was I was getting cheap aftermarket stuff. So I got snotty and insisted on OEM, which proved to be just as bad or worse.
Then I started to only use one vender. Who provided me with really good stuff. He sold the company and again I was getting rubber that failed to last.
Mechanically there was nothing wrong with any of them but without good rubber to seal the grease in etc • • •
Try Bill Terry’s. XK’s unlimited, Welsh, and Rob Beere. Plus don’t be afraid to try Rock Auto. And whoever you find on the internet.
I’m convinced they sometimes get NOS which could make that rubber over 30 years old or older. Jaguar is still a low volume manufacturer in comparison to Chevy Ford Honda Toyota. Etc. So while prices are all over the place so is quality.
Mechanical bits I wouldn’t hesitate to use a lot of Junkyard stuff. I’ve found low mileage good engines, transmissions, rear ends and all sorts of mechanical bits. For modest prices. Due to low demand a lot of good parts sit and sit in the yard. Before you shop at a yard go to Car-parts.com and learn the going prices. Don’t be afraid to counter their price unless it’s around the bottom of what you find on car parts it took me a few walk-alway’s ( little chance of them selling due to low turn over) before I got fair prices when I walked in
My favorite yard had three Jaguars stored indoors for over 3 decades and only rarely sold anything off of them except trim pieces and parts not sourced any place else. Shop enough junkyards and you’ll find rust free body parts, good interiors etc.
The leather will dry out and crack, nothing that cant be solved with a regular treatment of leathereque. If it’s really rock hard Treat it very gentle at first. Let it soak in and then a week later treat it again this time barely rub it. I’ve seen very hard and badly split leather come back to the buttery soft original with nothing more than treatment and superglue.
If the seams split you’ll have to pull it off to be resewn but not until you soften the original leather with multiple treatments. Yes you will smell like pears, and during the treatment push the car outside on nice days with the windows down. ( but in the shade ) Realize that all leather is painted, yes even Jaguar. So a little ultra fine sand paper and the right paint will make it just as good looking as that $10,000 reupholster job.
I’ve saved horribly faded and dull paint several times. But not before you do the basic touch up. Any surface rust spots sand down to pare metal and start over, keeping the whole working area as small as possible. Buff, clay bar, and polish something small like the gas cap and bring it in to a place that matches color.
Do not try to use modern 2 part type paint. The factory used Lacquer although the British call it something else.
Washed er up and took to the local car show Sunday. Reminded me why I don't love car shows, lol. Luckily there was a shop owner there who did work on a lot of the old stuff so he was fun to talk to but otherwise it was a lot of standing around with guys who are trying to one up each other with how much horsepower thier car makes and how hp in today's cars isn't as much as it was back in the day... Right...
Pic dump:
Clean jag
The winner of the show (only judging was a people's choice contest - and this is proof that the public is better at picking cool cars than most of the guys there - I would've picked this as the best in show as well)
6 clyinders, 3 pedals, nice
This Chevelle had MONEY in it and the wheels and steering wheel were a bit much for me. But the interior was spot on. Rad.
Engine = money
Interior = top notch.
TWO 1987 iroc z28s. I don't know much about Camaros but apparently the 87 iroc z28 is a rare combo. The red one was owned by a woman who got it from her grandmother. She got a full ride scholarship to college so grandma spent the saved college dollars on a contertible for her instead. Awesome that she has kept it so nice all these years.
By far the rarest car there was this Aston Martin virage. I have to admit I had never even heard of the virage. And to be honest it's not a barn burner in the looks department so hopefully it is magic to drive.
I did like the washer nozzles under the hood, even though one was loose.
And this sticker is absolutely hilarious on a 1992 luxury car.
The other neighbor was also an original owner car.
Last few photos I liked.
A couple weeks ago I was able to swap out the final spark plug the PO was a bit scared of. It was tight, yes, but a little penetrating fluid and a good dose of recless abandon and she came out.
The new spark plug (provided by the seller - exact model and make as the spark plugs that came out) went in perfect and it actually solved the slight misfire/stumble I'd been having. Consider me surprised it was that easy, but I'll take it.
Now I need to get the battery tied down appropriately and I'll be confident putting this into regular daily rotation. I noticed the motor does have a slight noise that sounds like a lifter tick. I need to look into that as I think these motors can have an issue where guides move up and hit the cams. Stake down kits are cheap but I'm now even sure it's my issue. I couldn't tell if the noise was from the intake or exhaust side. There's also a bit of an exhaust leak either at the manifold or first pipe connection.
Anyway, progress! And if you have ideas on the exhaust leak or lifter tick noise I'm all ears.
Recent experience with the donut gaskets between the manifolds and front exhaust pipes here. The new gaskets were so far oversize that I could not get them to seat properly in the manifolds, at the same time they were too tight to fit well on the pipes This was with a new stainless system from Welch. Surprisingly, the nuts all unthreaded from the studs after a good soak in PB Blaster. Long ago I also saw the occasional cracked manifold at a mounting ear. Pull your valve covers and check all valve clearance and do a visual on the tappet bores. I have heard of the failure, but only saw it on an engine that had been badly overheated. Happens on Lotus twin cams too. Remember #1 cylinder is the rear one! It is entirely possible to do the cam off procedure without special tools, but it is vastly easier with the cam locks and a pin socket for the chain adjuster. My pin socket was made by my father over 60 years ago when he was a tech at the dealer. Just a couple chunks of allen key welded to a tube. If I can find it tomorrow I will post a photo.
In reply to Robbie :
I pinned the tappit guides on my race car and it’s an easy straight forward job.
What to look for, with the valve cover off you’ll see a slight gap between the ledge at the bottom of the guide and the head. If that happens you can tap it back into place with a brass drift pin on a really hot engine. Then go ahead and put in the pins. I did the work on a fresh valve job but you won’t have to carefully cover the area with paper towels taped down so no aluminum chips or shavings get away.
But you probably won’t have an issue. Only rarely has it occurred and then usually only after the engine got sincerely overheated and the driver kept going at very high revs.
A slight lifter noise at tickover isn’t unusual with these engines and does not indicate future trouble. It has to do with the profile of the camshaft and wear on the factories cam grinding machinery.
If the oil is carefully change based on time rather than mileage like it should be. That engine typically will go a very long time between valve adjustments.
One thing to look for, the tappets rotate in the guide. If you see a straight wear pattern indicating the tappet hasn’t been rotating it’s very possible the last mechanic didn’t take care to return the tappets to the original guide. They are fitted to a relative tight tolerance and a little dirt or too tight a guide will cause that problem.
Finally if you do any work on the head buy the cam guide. It’s in the original tool kit or they often are sold via EBay swap meets or places like XK’s Unlimited Welsch etc.
In reply to NOHOME :
Bwa-ha-ha!
Follow up post from last night with photos of the upper cam chain tension adjuster tool. Also I fully concur with Frenchy that it is unlikely to need valve adjustment. I have only ever needed to do it on a full teardown/rebuild situation. They just don't change like a pushrod car. The tool dimensions are: Pin diameter .140, pin spacing (and tube diameter) 1.25, pin protrusion .150, tube length 2.0. All inches. 9/16 nut to turn it. All welded up by my pop around 1956.
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