My Jaguar Is SO Much Worse Than I Expected! Jaguar XJR (Pt2)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- My Jaguar Gets Checked By Specialist - It Goes Badly Wrong! I've just bought a very cheap Jaguar XJR X308, i thought at £4K it was a bargain but it seems I was wrong. I got it checked out today by Jaguar expert Tom Lenthall and it is much more broken than I thought.. including one potentially catastrophic issue. The Truth About Buying A Cheap Supercharged V8.
Check Up By Specialist Goes Badly Wrong - Jaguar XJR (Pt2)
Cheap Luxury Bites Back - Specialist Check Up Goes Badly Wrong - Jaguar XJR (Pt2)
Huge thanks to Tom: www.tomlenthall.co.uk
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You're descending into Hoovie territory, and that's not a good place to be.
@@oldansloHoovie??
@@Assimilator1 I don't quite under stand
@@donaldmaguire2345nor I, why are you asking me? ;)
Man used cars are cheap in the UK,,,same money here in USA would get u a bicycle with both tires flat
As a mechanic off 40 pus years here in Australia i can assure you this mechanic you have on your show is tip top ,very very solid operator ,to be honest in your 26 minute video i just got educated myself on various things too,outstanding tradesman
Didn't see anything wrong with that metal wrap MIT weld repair on the rear frame? I would have thought that was a life and safety issue should the rear bumper takes a good hit. Seen @15:50
You must be "servicing" kangaroos and lame Wallabies,,, lmaoooooooooooooooooooo
another armchair mechanic whos read a haynes manual once... lol
really like this guy, needs his own channel "the difference between driving home and you getting the bus"
Brilliant!
He does have his own channel
www.youtube.com/@tomlenthallsworkshop
Tom Lenthall's Workshop 🙂
Hi Jack.. I'm in agreement with the other comments.. 😂 was worth getting the Jag just to visit Tom.. great appraisal of the Jag, honest and straightforward love.. hope you've made it home ok.. looking forward to the next part already😊😊
Tom is a TH-cam natural. And what a wealth of knowledge he has!
My thoughts exactly!
Love the channel btw. I find your interviews especially good (eg that episode with the insurance expert; what otherwise would have been super dry and boring you managed to turn into something i watched start to finish)
he's had more confidence to be on camera from being on other channels in past year a fair bit.
on the autoalexs "£5000 NURBURGRING ADVENTURE!" a car broke on the way, tom had a lorry pick it up, got it to workshop, fixed it and drove it to nurburgring. because he had "worked too hard" to not have the shi***er make it to nurburgring already.
That Jag Man is Mustard! Really brilliant to see someone who actually knows what he's talking about a true expert 👏
Jaguar owners in the south of England learn this. If anyone knows... Tom Lenthall knows. Please keep this beauty on the road Jack.
Thanks 🙏
I've got a XKRS from 2009 just last month, I am a bit far away but have saved your details@@tomlenthallsworkshop
Number 27 knows FA about any car.
@@chrisdorrell1 strange choice alright
Good to know. I hope to buy my first jag, an xkr sometime next year.
Those code readers and old computers for diagnosys are like gold, here in Italy. Very hard to find a garage that still has one. Last summer my XJ8 had a warning light and the message: "Gearbox Fault" but It was "just" the throttle body that was gone and the car put herself into limp mode with the message about the gearbox (She only knows the reason why). I've been very luky (just a refurbished Throttle body because a new one was not available anywhere), but when I read the message, believe me, I nearly felt in desperation (which is the Italian way, despite Pink Floyd). Thank you for the video!
Lovin the Floyd reference - hanging on in quiet desperation 👍
I have one of these cars. A 1998 with 63000 on it. I use it as a daily driver and love it. It never fails to put a smile on my face. Only Jag I have ever had that doesn't use oil
You are living my dream. I always wanted one of those as a daily driver.
I'm not looking for the Nuremberg line.
I just want to blast down the roads in the comfort of a smoking room.
Gotta love Tom's straight talk. He gives you the facts, and realistic options to address.
Loved that he didn't sugarcoat the fact that the car wasn't worth £4200
@@lptomtomYea, and just about diplomatic about it! 😂
Tom has come to life in this encounter with you, Jack - he was very deferential with Harry, but much more fun in this. Glad you avoided the bus, mate!
Wait until you see Tom with Alex Kersten. It’s comedy gold
So - the electrical issue might mean a gear change was missed which (if pushing on) means you could reach an overspeed condition i.e. the electrical problem could be at the root of it all.
That is a merc box. That plug leaks and syphons up to gb ecu. Fix the leak, dry it all out, ALL the way up to ecu. Done it loads.
Similar problem on my SL merc, it would stick in first or second gear randomly. Power off/on then ok. Rain getting into that plug.
exactly.. that box is not toast,, i would be looking at where the leak is and als osee how much oil left in the box...
Jack gearbox isn’t toast, you need to change the pilot bush plug it has two oil ring seals on the new plug bush £25 from Mercs then you need to find the actual external mercedes gearbox control unit unplug it and clean the oil from the plug pin and open the control unit case and clean the board from oil, oil wicks up the loom to the control unit
Very common in the w210 and old MLs, w203 etc
Not too bad really, the plug is secured by a slide lock and a small bolt, pretty easy once you have the car lifted. I would guess the fault could be the solenoid board. A common issue especially if you have a leak and containments got in. If it's mechanical though, rebuild time.
I had an e39 528i BMW for 20 years. When I first got it, a main dealer diagnosed it as needing a new gearbox as it would not go past 2nd gear unless you changed it yourself (steptronic). And they wanted £4.5k for a new one (in 2002) The gearbox was rebuilt through an aftermarket warranty, but the fault remained. More inspections were done. It was a £65.00 wheel speed sensor. Not sure if the warranty company got the main dealer to cover the mis-diagnosis.
Lol - I took my second XK8 to Tom and he shattered my dreams! We went from how much for a manual swap and a fuel pump to errr it’s a total rot box! So at least you have a solid starting point Jack. It could be much worse!
First there was Sir William Lyons, then we got TWR and these days we have Tom Lenthall
Fair dues to Tom, he was much more polite about that welding than I'd have been, it's awful. Good luck with the transmission and the minor issues, they're actually a lovely motor.
I've been driving Jaguars for 10 years now (2000 XJ8, 2011 XJL). Have had to accomplish no maintenance other than oil changes. Totally satisfied (except for sagging headliner, both cars).
A brand new one of these beauties pulled into a filling station,that lovely teal blue colour they did. I was so distracted by it's lovelyness I put petrol in my brand new Citroen van! Keep it going. A real headturner amongst the ugly blobs cluttering up the roads.
Repaired 3 of these transmissions in different cars as well as in my XJR.
Dont just replace the plug but also the conductor plate availible from febi bilstein with a removed mercedes logo.
The sensors go usually bad in the plates while the transmission are bulletproof. My ml430 had also the same problem with over 200th miles. Greeting from Germany;)
I worked at a jaguar garage for quite some years , and you have definitely got a good one. I saw many scrapped for rot and engine and gearbox failures. Alot looked like really nice cars until you got them on the ramp . I was always surprised how they rotted because many were pissing and spraying out oil 😂
If that's a version of the big Merc auto from the 90's that went into things like the W210 they are known for leaking fluid into the wiring plug and screwing it up, usually replacing the plug fixes most gearbox issues.
Thanks for speaking "so clear " in the vídeos. Its much easier for "non english speakers" to understand everything without hardly read subtitles and enjoy the beautiful images from the tests... Its a really pleasure. 😊
You're very welcome! Thank you for watching 🙏
I don't own a car but love Jaguars and that truly interested me. I got the impression that Tom Lenthall is a very knowledgeable and sound man. I would take my car to him for servicing if I had a Jaguar. 👍
I knew you would end up going to Tom Lenthal when you asked if anybody knew a good jaguar specialist near Oxfordshire in your last video. You can't go wrong with Tom
Hi Jack. What a top bloke Tom is. I realise that channel revenue may weigh against costs on this car because we would all be interested in what you do with it, but I would love to dissuade you from putting any money into that car. I don't profess to be a Jaguar specialist, but I know an awful lot about old rusty cars, especially V8's. Firstly, rust issues are worse than they look, always. You need to strip the inlet side of the engine down and if it is full of oil, which I'd bet it will be, then that will be why it had next to no oil in it when you picked it up, indicating a worn engine. Also, we don't seem to know whether the timing chains and guides have been done. Gearbox absolutely smacks of clutch pack issues. If you add up all the bad bits, not forgetting the interior, it is going to be massive financially to get sorted. I do all my own painting, it is the only way I can afford to restore anything to a decent standard, and that is because the "little bit of paint" scenario generally adds up to a grand.
scrap it!!
Presents me with chilling memories of when I impulse bought an XJ-S V12 5.3 H.E. on an X plate (82) in 1990. At the time I was trawling through "Exchange & Mart" and every seller I called said "sorry it's been sold". I paid £4,995 for this car and when I brought it to my mechanic "Staf" - he phoned me later at work and I will never forget it, he said "Are you sitting down?". Later he said "Honestly, the C*** who sold you this car wants putting against a wall and shooting".
Can’t really be Tom. Wasn’t remotely swearing enough. Legend!
0:09 that is a very cool transition. Well done!
That was cool...
Ouch.....good luck with the gearbox. I hope you stick with this car. I hate to see cars with a low value effectively written off because of an expensive fault, especially a car as cool as this one. Lets hope you can fix it and keep him on the road!
Been a Jaguar enthusiast since a child. I bought a 2000 W reg XJ8 one owner 44k for £2,500 in good condition. The car is looked after by Mister Matic pure Jaguar Swansea.Highly knowledgeable the mechanics are Jaguar enthusiasts with many owning Jags. Real keen to keep these beauties on the road. The service they provide can only be described as brilliant and also the lady on reception is welcoming and polite.
Love how the mechanic is referring to “corrosion.” I’m a material scientist and corrosion engineer. I keep telling people, “rust” is a colour. I’d send any of my cars to this guy in a heartbeat.
Dipped into this for two minutes over a cup of tea intending to watch the rest later. Found myself still sat here after 19 minutes. Always good to see somebody who really knows their speciality. Also quite an education - that Jag's got bits I didn't even know existed.
Hello Jack! Loved that honest video and input from the experienced Tom. As you both know, any 20+ year old Jaguar will have the odd fault no matter how well looked after...
Reading your viewers valuable comments - and Tom's - it appears your XJR is well above average condition.
As for the your gearbox problem, from my personal experience - these are exceptionally robust. Having said that, I belive the damp - especially if never drying out - can cause headaches, not just on lower bodywork but specifically on electrical connectors/plugs.
My '98 XJR, a 182k miles young, would occasionally "throw up" electrical faults when I first imported her from the UK to Spain. Over time these "amber" faults dissappeared. I belive that, apart from looking after her, the mostly dry conditions here - and garaged too - helped enormously to erase these faults.
In my little village I have a very competent mechanic and we have an agreement: I buy any parts needed and he (they) carry out the labour.
The 5/30 motor oil and filter is renewed every 6 months, about 60 euros all in, and we follow the "service instructions" for the rest: Apart from the gearbox oil! This he renewed - with filter - when I first brought the car over here: it was showing the same symptons as yours, sometimes hesitating on upchange, eventually that amber light warning. The gearbox "service" cured that permenantly. At about 250 euros all in, it's about the most expensive bill I've paid - although another full engine service, including spark plugs and supercharger service etc - cost about the same some years ago.
About 10 years ago I paid 3200 pounds for her, plus 1000 pounds to have her transported to here. Keeping the above in mind, taking her to a Main Dealer for any work doesn't make any financial sense. And, like yourself Jack, I do as much
as I can myself to keep her in tip top shape, regularly waxing her (no jokes please!) and am manic about a spotless interior. The result is that she wears her patina well.
The couple of rust bubbles haven't got any worse over the years.. and when the roofliner began to sag some years back, a local trimmer tightened it back up - with a scalpel and good glue - for practically nothing.
I've replaced all 4 tyres twice... and my choice will seem sacriledge to some of you.. please bear with me: the 255/40 18 are not only difficult to find here but also expensive compared to the deals available in the UK. The best brands - Pirelli, Bridgestone, Michelin etc., - are well over 300 euros a corner here in Spain. The brand PHI is nowhere near as capable I'll agree. But at 103 euros each - including fitting, valves and balancing - their deficit has been much more.. paletable.
The bumpy roads here merits a wheel alignment every 6 months or so.. and have found that a fraction more front toe in helps my style of driving on these roads. I've also done a couple of other simple "mods" including taking out the airfilter box and ancillaries, replacing that with a disposable high flow "knuckle" airfilter. I replace that a couple of times per anum at about 20 euros per time. Also, by accident, I found a simple way of "deleting" the 5th gear speed limiter. (If anyone is interested please contact me.)
Everything works as it should and, apart from the original Motorola phone, I frequently use all equipment - the cruise control so useful for accelerating and slowing often done with my fingertips! Also simple things like regularly greasing the electric ariel lets it work as it should. I have the warning alerts in Spanish too! Just scroll the menu and most languages are available..
have yours in Italian Jack!
I hope your XJR becomes as special to you as mine is to myself. My partner and I have a Mk1 Ford Focus as our daily car. A brilliant, reliable and fun car - thank you Richard Parry-Jones - that complements the "special occasion" XJR. They even have something in common. What? The car key!
The comments from your viewers read so positively.. it appears most miss the one they once owned...
A great video and a favourite model of many Jaguar enthusiasts. The best of this dying breed...
Good luck Jack!
Great vid.. well done Jack. You and Tom made a very watchable double act. Keep em coming.
What a great diagnostic overview with Tom, he is a gem. I watched with great interest as I have recently acquired a 2004 XJR and I'm finding out that learning about the intricacies of these beautiful beasts is becoming a full time obsession. It may hurt to get the transmission rebuilt but they don't make these iconic classics anymore and I doubt you bought a Jaguar from this era expecting it to be an economical and no issues purchase. It looks like this car has good bones and will treat you well once you get it back into full operating condition. Keep going with the videos, we will be watching.
That era Ford jaguar needs a tip top battery.
Low voltage will cause so many issues.
Fuel pump,sunroof module,gear box solenoids not holding.
Replace the battery first.
Do like Tom a very nice and knowledgeable professional.
I bought my X300 in Southern Spain and drove it back to France its first journey with me a 1,000 miles trouble free.
On inspection in my workshop it was even better zero rust anywhere.
Winter weather is the killer.
We have to look after these cars as they will never ever be made like this again.
Great video.
Tom’s a good egg - that was a very considered and pragmatic assessment!
What a wonderful mechanic. Loved the guy. Great video. (As usual...). Sorry about the Jag.
No worries!! It’s not that bad really and I’ll find a way of fixing it!
Thanks 🙏
Thank you both for your service to Jaguar-kind.
Toms a top bloke, really like his style.
I guess when you buy an old barge like this you should pay what it will fetch at auction or a bit more than a breaker will give for it. one fairly innocuous problem could render it a scrapper.
These marque specialists are worth their weight in gold (former X308 XJR owner here), I still get tempted by another X308 sometimes so that overview of the things to check underneath was very useful. PS I'm sure that grey XJS parked outside was racing at Oulton Park in the CSCC series the other day.
I had no idea Harry Enfield was a Jag man…
Let me translate for the Colonies: damper-shock absorber, wing-fender, bush-bushing, MoT-Ministry of Transport inspection, passenger side-driver's side, zed-zee. 😉
So glad to see that you got home without getting on a bus! Great episode. I'll be watching with interest as you get to work on this very cool Jag.
I really hope to see all the wonderful work this chap can do to your Jag!
“My gut feeling is… “that its f*^ked” “yea”…..
Youre a braver man than me Jack.
This is so good ive had it playing whilst preparing breakfast. Couldnt wait
Well, Jack... I've tossed a pinch of salt over my shoulder for luck for you. My old tomcat Reggie made it to almost 18, which is damn old in human years, and he chased both puss-cats and rats right to the end, catching both with some regularity. Of course, he didn't have all these electronic gubbins to go bad. This sort of thing is why I love my old analog cars so much and refuse to replace any of them with newer whiz-bang versions. Crossed fingers and all that...cheers!
LOL - You know your brittish motors when you noted that the diff is not leaking and ask - "Does that mean it is out of oil?!
Well done Jack, you never fail to keep us stimulated. I have a '98 Mercedes with the same gearbox (722.6) and the electronic connector plug tends to leak and then what happens is the transmission fluid 'wicks' along the wires and you eventually get ATF in the transmission control unit which might even be the same one used in the Jaguar. When I changed the plug and washed out the control unit with electrical contact cleaner spray my gearshifts were improved significantly. It's a very cheap and easy job and maybe by doing this first you may get to the solution earlier, or at least without corrupted or incomplete electrical signals muddying the waters.
Hey Jack, I can echo what Malcolm says. I had a 722.6 in my E430 and had all the faults you have (and more). The problems were that I had a leaking electrical connector, which had wicked oil up into the TCU, the wrong oil at the wrong level, filthy old oil deposits in everything a knackered conductor plate and worn out overlap sleeves. As it happens though, this is no big deal if you have time on your hands. I did a complete strip and rebuild on the conductor plate, valve body and TCU, put new fluid in it and set the level carefully. All good, 100% happy gearbox. Topped a tonne and buttery smooth. Quite what it cost I can't say but if it had been that bad, I would have remembered. I suspect the part bill was somewhere around £300. I have loads of photographs of the process and can put you in touch with the component suppliers.
Same here: cleaned the control unit twice to get rid of the oil and replaced the loom and fine ever since😊@@tomleaney4780
I balked at £4200 tbh. I would expect £1500 nearer the mark given big luxury cars are going for peanuts now, what with Road tax insurance fuel etc. plus the rust is a concern as it usually goes further than first glance!
their friends, friends dont rip friends off, and its still a running, functional car that they did care for and do miss,
Hat's off to Jack for keeping a cool old car on the road.
I had the same incorrect gear ratio on my XJ8 X350 ZF transmission. It was doing all sorts of nasties, lurch, squawk, hunting (when the torque converter doesn’t know when to lock) and getting stuck not shifting mid kick down throwing up that same error. Notoriously known for sealed for life issues and early torque converter issues. BUT! I fixed it today. I’ve had the car for a couple of weeks waiting on parts and thinking the transmission was wrecked. Changed oil and filter, plug connector seal and also went further and changed all the valve body seals. Fresh ZF fluid and it’s running great. ALL issues gone. But here’s the thing. Someone at some point has tried an oil refresh, hasn’t done the proper fill process and short filled the box. About 3 litres came out, 6.3 litres went in…. Low oil can do what you’re experiencing and seeing as you have a leak, try a full tranny service and hope for the best!
Really enjoyed this! Love Tom and met him briefly at the NEC last year, had me smiling a lot watching this with all the back and forth 😅👏
Had 2 of the x308s, and 1 of the next gen x350 xjrs. All in black. Mine were in about the same shape as yours. The x308s are, imho, one of the most timeless, beautifully designed cars I have seen. I will probably end up with one again at some point. Had trans issues with 2 out of 3. Damn that limp mode! Lol. Luckily, the ol restart will usually get you home. One thing Tom may have not mentioned is the infamous "hose of death" mounted underneath the supercharger. It's for the throttle body heater. On the non supercharged cars, replacement is simple. On the supercharged model, the entire supercharger must come off to get to it. I believe I invented a few new cuss words during that repair. Hopefully, it's been replaced, perhaps along with the other new hoses Tom noted. Unfortunately, all the Jags left in favor of an '03 Merc S55 amg. I tell ya, depreciation is awesome for a guy who can turn a wrench (or spanner on your side of the pond). I paid $3500 for the Merc and drove it home, $2200 or less, for each of the Jags. I still miss the look of the Jags, but the 493hp/516lb ft of power in the S55 helps me forget 😊. Great video, Tom looks to be an honest, experienced, and entertaining fellow. Folks like him are in high demand/short supply these days. Good luck. Looking forward to watching your next installment.
That left front ding looks as though a paintless repair might be possible/
Always enjoy spending time in the shop with a knowledgeable technician. 🛠 Excellent learning opportunity.
I would definitely trust this shop for repairs as he is super honest
My experience with these cars has told me that malfunctioning ABS sensors can throw up all sorts of gearbox issues which go as soon as the sensor is replaced.
Nice video Jack, Tom reminds me of my local "Jag Man" 😀
Now I can see why we don't import used cars from the UK here in New Zealand! If that car was NZ new, there wouldn't be a spot of rust on it...
It's odd to hit the 'like' button when the news is not too good. Good luck Jack, hope it turns out better than it seems 🤞
Simply one of the best indeep vids of the XJR on YT. Greetings from a German Jaaag addict and save this baby.
Oh wow what a dilemma !! Think the worst hope for the best, Tom is a hero, buy more Jags to get him on !!
I have enjoyed many of your vids of TVRs, Jags, and Lotus cars. Time I subscribed. Also, you took a hit for our entertainment. I feel for you. My heart would sink learning of these issues on a new car. Hence, I contribute with a tiny donation. Good luck to Reggie. Hope you can bring him back to life. The Jag mechanic looks good. Great to learn of him.
Hey Spenny, that’s really kind, I really appreciate it!! And really glad you’re enjoying the vids!!
@@Number27 A question regarding the rust underneath. I wondered why people don't oil or protect the underside of their cars. I would like to see when you coat the, e.g., A frame, etc. Regardless of parts being galvanised, I think this should be done anyway. I'll ask a specialist to do my FF.
I couldn't agree more.I have inherited my brother's ' 89 Ford Sierra 2.0 Ghia estate , bought off eBay 18 years ago with 27K miles .He'd had an average one before which gave good long reliable service but it eventually fell to bits !.Looking for a worthy replacement and this one came up owned from new by a marine engineer who'd from new injected oil into every vulnerable orifice , mechanics and structure and despite now in semi-retirement for pleasure use , it is still like new everywhere
and always commented on when it goes for an MOT and always asked if it is for sale ? !.Also recently involved seeing many quite recent prestige cars underneath and surprised at the advanced decline through lack of protective oil which would have been so worth while in the vehicles early years .
new everywhere
@@Roger.Coleman1949 I would like to know what oil he used, if you know or can find out.
@@Spenny909 I don't know but have kept it all ' topped up ' annually using a particularly oily motorcycle chain lube in an aerosol which should be more than sufficient and chases off damp and wet .The guy was called ' Chris Brown Marine ' down in Devon and was the son of the original owner who'd had it passed down .
Got a Range Rover specialist near us and regularly pass their yard when walking dog. Missus asked me why always same cars parked outside; I replied that RR's don't ever actually go anywhere as their much more reliable when stationary.
Range Rovers are great offroad cars.
Really enjoyed that, thanks. Good opportunity to stick a manual in it :)
Yes, why not - although Tom said the V8 conversion is steep ££ !!
I was once quoted £12k for a manual swap in one of those. Too much electronics to unpick which is where most of the cost comes from.
Overall then not bad. I think what you pay for a car is down to what you think it is worth having done your research. First thing I would do is replace the loom having done the resistance test. As I understand it Tom is not saying you need to replace the entire car loom just part of it. Once that is done you can then decide if the gearbox needs to be replaced, you might be lucky and the electrical replacement has cured the problem. If there is a need for a gearbox change I would look at a reconditioned box, you get the 'new' box put it in then take the 'old' one in as part exchange. I have no idea of the cost but it is something I have done in the past but I should point out, not on a Jaguar. An alternative would be to find a lower mileage box but you could be taking a big risk going down that route and you need to ask yourself if that would be worth it. I will stop the waffle now and say thanks for the update on Reg, don't lose any sleep Jack! 👍👍
Cracking video, Jack. Two great characters - and a third with the Jag itself! - Have we got another 'Influenzo' on our hands?😎
My XJR cut out in the fast lane ,cruised to the hard shoulder and restarted the car.
Turned out to be sticking throttle body, very gummed up but cleaned it up and it was ok.
Happened a couple of times and I believe it was a recall on the throttle,you can still get the recall throttle body secondhand but i just cleaned mine periodically,cheap fix.
I like all XJs starting with the Series 1 up to the X308. I had the pleasure of driving an XJ81 Majestic Insignia and then an X300. Both were sloppily made, rust-prone cars with a catastrophic chassis set-up. But they had character, they were exactly at the opposite end of the automotive spectrum from the Ferrari and the two Maseratis that I had at the same time. Luckily, I had a capable workshop that always reliably repaired the Jaguars' numerous breakdowns. Despite the poor workmanship of these British cars, for me they were very efficient in terms of smiles per miles and smiles per euro spent :-)
A wire brush and a little rust treatment underneath and the car will be in good shape (but with a knackered gearbox!)
722.6 Transmission , needs a new conductor plate on the valve body , new pilot bushing electrical connector and clean the trans control unit and the plug.
This is normal maintenance after 15 years or so.
Easy.
Spray some Lanoguard on those chassis parts. Brilliant stuff.
Isn't this year guy who rebuilt Harry's v12 XJC?
And he helped Mike Brewer out with some bits for his wheeler dealer XK8 once upon a time. He’s really good with the slightly more unhinged but very entertaining bunch over at autoalex…Tom is versatile!
Hey there, I just bought an XJ40 about the same time you did, over here in Seattle, USA. I'm pulling for you! So far mine has been great, just a little slow to start up in this miserable February weather. Cheers.
I know the conductor plate is those Merc boxes can fail and cause all manner of problems also the leaky connector can wick oil all the way to the transmission control unit and cause that to fail.
Something I noted was the Mercedes gearbox, I had a ML320 and the symptoms were similar to yours, changed the solenoids, cleaned the valve body, filters,and swapped the loom from the box due to oil in it, still the same, it finally was down to the correct version of AT fluid at the correct level. Worth draining and sticking the right type and amount of ATF in it, plus check the fluid in the plug and clean it.
Hope tom reads these comments he gets a lot of love and it's well deserved hes got lots of knowledge stored up top you can tell
I know that gearbox well and I would say it's the wiring plug oil leak. see it many times bringing on warning lights and makeing the box stick in gear etc swap the the plug and seals also change the electro plate and filter in side the box easy job.
Very enjoyable watching and a pleasure to listen to a tech who knows his job and explains clearly
Well, now this takes me back to the Influenzo days, and I must admit this is the stuff I've been missing. Now youve got me again and I wish you all the best in your quest to sort it- and the reason I love this sort of stuff..... we've all been here too! Good luck mate, not great news for you but from a selfish point of view a classic episode and who knows maybe another cult classic like the Ferrari?!
HA! I called it! I knew it was going to be a trip down to Tom Lenthalls!
He's like Misha for the Nurburgring, every TH-camr who gets a Jag goes to see him
I can tell you don't hand wash your car, as washing and drying a car is a great way of finding all the bodywork issues on it.
I had an XKR 4.0 (2001) for a good 17 years and loved it. Had a few issues though and could have done with someone like Tom - as the morons where I live in Austria were often clueless! Regularly took me several visits till they found the problem (eg. one of the two fuel pumps had had it).
My 2004 XJR Vanden Plas had the gearbox fault code. I replaced the transmission cooling lines, found several vacuum leak, and once addressed, the car ran beautifully.
You always end your videos of your own cars with a smile on your face Jack, whatever the results. Great video, nice to see a bit of honesty in the motor trade from Tom.
This was great love Tom and great vid as always Jack ❤
Love that smile when you got that result for the front suspension!
Greetings from the Netherlands
I loved all my MGAs and Jaguars. Had excellent mechanics, so never had issues. Shame to see a beautiful auto meglected. That great Jaguar roar..
...love it!
On that particular Mercedes-Benz gearbox there's a few o rings that fail on that plug yiu can see.one 7mm bolt if I remember correctly in the centre.the plug seals are or was cheap from Mercedes-Benz around £16 that can cause the electrical problems like you are having.the oil gets in the electrical plug
Nice opportunity to put a manual in it. There is a kit out there uses a Tremic from memory with elecreonics to keep the ecu happy.
I love my XJR100. Funny when the rust items were pointed out, I thought they were looking over my car as they are in exactly the same places.
This video really touches home... Upon the advice of my ex-mechanic (an experienced Jag guy), I bought a 1996 XJR. The first year of ownership was great, then the honeymoon was over... real quick. The car soon started costing me about $1500 a month on repairs, month after month after month. I couldn't sell it fast enough! In contrast, and perhaps surprising to many, my 1976 Aston, which I've had for 20 years, has proven far more reliable and less expensive to maintain...
Luck of the draw IMO.
Those straight-6 engined Jags were generally solid.
Rust got all cars in the '90s and earlier.
Fingers crossed you can keep it alive.....Great video
The gearbox fault is most likely the seal in the harness connector which fails and causes the connector to fill with oil and short out. Common for the mercedes transmission that only the XJR uses and its very cheap and easy to fix
As a owner of 2 jaguars . 99 xj8 an 2005 xjr I can tell u if u buy one used an not up on maintenance b prepared to have transmission problems. Both mines needed trans rebuilds . Had multiple faults but once trans was rebuilt they were great cars especially the xjr . Loved that car
Great video. As an Alfa owner for many years I feel your pain. Some nice Jags around in the workshop.
Best of luck mate, I ADORE older Jags like these. Really hope to someday own my own.
Sorry to hear that. But not surprised. As much as I love my XJ8, it had sooo many issues, that it’s now fallen out of favour. A new gear box was the least of my problems. They are lovely cars, but they are utterly rubbish. Mine is therefore now going
I had a similar experience when we bought a used 2003 S type V6 with 30K miles. The car had been owned by an older couple who traded it in for a new Lexus. During our 2 years of ownership it had one problem after another all of them were expensive to fix. The transmission went into fault mode on a long trip. When I called the Las Vegas Jag dealer I was told that the transmissions were a "sealed" unit and the service dept always kept new transmissions in their inventory and it would only cost me $6500 plus labor. When we returned home I went to an independant shop and was told the transmissions in the S type were nothing more than a Lincoln (Ford) unit and any shop could repair, which they did for $2500 total. Next was the computer that controlled the Hvac. $1200 to replace. Next were the coolant lines that started leaking all over the engine. $1000 to replace.