97 Jaguar XK8 - "Kate" needs bottom filler

[duggers]

Do you have a truck place with a contact as 330nm isn't unusual on trucks, they use 3/4 drive TR's

Also use them at crane and train workshops.
Otherwise out with the tape measure, weighing scales, calculator and big bar/tube.

[wightfug]

Jul 19, 2020 14:17:38 GMT theoldman said:

Jul 19, 2020 14:12:46 GMT wightfug said:

Fortunately I have access to the Jaguar tool, a 20T press and a big Ugga dugga machine - not sure about a 330Nm Torque wrench though. I am hoping it will not be too much of a PITA.

Sheesh!

That's tantamount to cheating!

Yeah, good isn't it!

Knowing the guy that has all this gear he will probably have a TW that big!

In other news the flipping O2 sensor is the wrong one, after much hunting OE that early was a Walker 250-24485 and there appears to be very few equivalents. Tempted to chop and splice the plug but the heater resistance is 5.5 ohms so I don't want to risk double the current as it appears to be direct ECU earth switched, plus it might throw a code/light

[wightfug]

So result. New Walker O2 sensor in - all fuel trims back to nominal and no more smokey back end. Should be able to borrow a gas analyser to check it out before MOT.

Next job the N/S sticky brake that it failed on. Then fitting the massive bearing to the O/S.

The not so good news was the persistence of a selection of odd codes in the BCM, - headlight switch, steering wheel adjuster, wiper park and illegal key code - whatever that is and another 4, all of which I will get to latter.

Here she is blending into the habitat..

[kevins]

Some of those codes may just need it to be driven for a while to clear, often they are set when a battery is changed or the voltage drops during a crank cycle and need number of OK key cycles etc to clear themselves, if everything works and there are no warning lights or messages I wouldn't rush to spend too much time or money on them.

[wightfug]

I did expect them to be low voltage related as per a stack of ABS and gearbox warning that all went away with a battery charge, but having cleared them they have been re-set and current.
Have filed them under "entertainment for later" Probably a shared earth as they are all around the same location.

[wightfug]

Pfff well that was a mission.

First up investigate the sticky brakes N/S, - sliders seem ok maybe need more grease, needs new pads as they are way down, I'll just wind in the caliper. Nope not happening, open bleeder, nope still not happening.

Remove caliper to bench, 8 bar of air pressure - still not moving in or out. Pulled off the boot and rotated the piston with a stilson - that moved it, some hitting with a hammer and more air, eventually free. The seal had not been put in properly and let water in - Guess that explains the sticky brakes then. New pistons + seal ordered for both sides.

Right,next. O/S wheel off to get the upright off for the bearing change, locking wheel nut first, damn that's tight, no that's really really tight. Sheared the pins inside of the locking key

The nut looks like this

and the key had 2 vertical bars in it, now smushed. So I milled out the mess inside of the key and welded a couple of beads in it in the right place then gently placed it on the nut with a BFH, used a spider with the end supported on a jackstand and applied a 4ft pipe. Came off but they were all on stupid tight, even had to give the wheel a good kicking to get it to come off!

Caliper off ok - lots of meat on the pads - I am guessing the N/S were not changed last time as they could not get the caliper to retract!

Caliper holder bolts are in stupid tight. Gave up on them and took off the upright off, and put it in the vice to try and get the holder bolts out - one freed off, the other not moving, with a 4ft bar, heated twice, shock cooled, hit it, swore at it and then the 6pt impact socket rounded the nut off  . Welded another nut on the top putting loads of heat in, still not moving!  Ugga dugga machine tomorrow.

[duggers]

Sounds like it has suffered the bodge garage windy gun treatment on fasteners.
" Torque wrench , nah just give it RFT with the air gun, it'll be fine"

[wightfug]

Yea I think they employed a close relative of your avatar to use it as well.

As a bonus though the earth cable to the point alongside the ABS sensor was green and crusty inside it's cover where it had broken in many places - so that's a bunch of future/current issues avoided!

[jamesd1972]

God I hate locking wheel nuts. Has anybody had a set of standard wheels nicked since 1995 anyway?
Sounds like a sweary day. Good effective progress all the same.
James

[wightfug]

Going to swap them all out for standard ones as yes they are a PITA - assuming I can find some for less than a fiver each - Jag tax!.

About as necessary as a radio code nowadays.

[wightfug]

Took the upright to the garage where I am freelancing at the moment, dumped the upright in an electrolysis bath for 8 hrs then hit the caliper bolt with an induction heater and a 1/2" windy gun and it came off eventually.

The hub nut was as toight as expected but the special tool is a good fit and has a 3/4" fitting so we put the hub in the disk and the disk in a vice. Then added a brace to stop it sliding in the vice and bounced about 80kg off the end of a 2m pole and it moved. Took it the rest of the way with the big impact.



Left the circlips to soak in penetrating oil before using the press on Thurs probably - don't think my little 4T will do the job!

Bough a caliper refurb kit from Frentech www.frentech-uk.co.uk/ - absolutely lovely stuff, very well machined pistons (heavier than the originals), quality rubber parts and well packaged. At £20/side for everything except new sliders no complaints on the price either.

[bstardchild]

Jul 23, 2020 22:25:31 GMT wightfug said:

So result. New Walker O2 sensor in - all fuel trims back to nominal and no more smokey back end. Should be able to borrow a gas analyser to check it out before MOT.

Next job the N/S sticky brake that it failed on. Then fitting the massive bearing to the O/S.

The not so good news was the persistence of a selection of odd codes in the BCM, - headlight switch, steering wheel adjuster, wiper park and illegal key code - whatever that is and another 4, all of which I will get to latter.

Here she is blending into the habitat..

Are the cats removable?

You can clean up the contamination with a hot water and washing powder mix

[time]

My brother had a bad Front wheel bearing on his 98 XJR, he ended up getting a complete used hub with a good bearing from a Jaguar breaker based in Lye in the West Midlands Think he paid £40 for it
They are great cars, I like the little touches like the Valet mode button

[wightfug]

Had to take a chisel to the backing plate torx bolts snapped 1, and 2 came out ok.

With help from the right kit (and the owner!) everything came out and new bearing went in with no issues. It was a 12t press but at a guess only 3-4t to get the parts out, certainly no strain. I did check the wheel before I took it apart just in case the MOT people had written down the wrong side!


ABS nut on tomorrow, then caliper rebuild.

Then I might convert it to a manual gearbox..

[biturbo228]

Dude manual XK8? Hell yeah

Any preliminary plans?

[wightfug]

Phew - well that was a mission. Hub nut done up to 283nm. The most difficult bit was getting the back plate and caliper bolts off.
It was all easy with a full set of garage kit to use - but it would have been right at the DIY limit even with my press and tools. If you are considering this I strongly recommend a really good set of circlip pliers as 80mm circlips are something not to be messed with.

biturbo228  From research a Tremec 5 speed box seems to be a solution as the ratios mean you don't have to change the diff. I will need to fool the TCM  and ECU into thinking that it still has the auto box - but whilst challenging it is just sensor inputs/conversions. Might go for a German box though as Tremec would have to be new (2-3K) or an import.

It has been done in 2007 by "Eliite and performance jags" and later in 2014 ish by Tom Lenthall - both of which now have no mention of it. I am kicking around the idea of setting up to offer a conversion service and/or buying and converting them for sale. - Very early days but I think there is a market.

[strikey]

Goes from better to better-erer!!

[biturbo228]

Dead cool 👍 I've seen tremec conversions for the V12s so I expect it's the same people using a familiar gearbox.

There's some very affordable and strong gearboxes you can get from BMWs these days. If you don't mind a super-short first gear then the gs6-53dz from 330ds is very affordable and built like a tank. Similar 6 speeds from petrol cars are a bit more expensive but nothing like a tremec.

[wightfug]

Thanks, that's a good suggestion, I had been on the look out for something BMW/Audi like seems to be the same box from various cars: 120D 320D E87 E90 E91 E92 M47 about the £250 mark used.

Do you know if there is anything (RWD obvs!) that is cable operated, if I can avoid repositioning the stick that would be good.

Further research (well phoning someone that's already done it!) tells me that the Jag s-type diesel 6 speed is the same bell housing pattern and is rated to 600Nm which is right up to 4.2 SC Jags. The Landy disco uses the same box I think but 4x4.

[biturbo228]

Not come across any cable operated longitudinal RWD gearboxes yet, but the Bimmer one should still be a decent option. They have a little shaft that comes out of the gearbox attached to a c-shaped shaft on a joint. You can quite easily reposition the gearstick by cutting and welding/extending that c-shaped intermediate rod.

The gearstick itself is housed in an alloy extension that locates half on the gearbox and half on a little rubber bush on a pin at the back. I don't see why you couldn't just chop the whole thing off and mount it directly to body though, alloying you to put it basically anywhere

Interesting. I'd come across the Disco versions with the transfer case on the back, but didn't know abut the S-Type using the same 'box as well. If so, the 600nm is a very conservative rating. They're popular with the big power diesel crowd on the continent and have been holding up just fine behind 1000nm torque monsters unless there are differences between the Getrag-made version and the ZF-made one.

Is the S-Type version the same bolt pattern as the BMW one, or the same as the Jag V8?