A rolling renovation...

It has been a busy few days for the Jag with a lot of fairly trouble free running about done since Thursday.

To start with I took it into the college again on the Friday so that I could head off to the Borders straight away for the fan parts following a pit-stop at the classic-car garage, Mulsanne Motors, where I explained the fiasco with the transmission fluid filters. My boss responded to it by getting on the phone and ordering the right parts in. It looks like that wee job will be getting done next week afterall! 

With that sorted I set off down the A1 to a location near Eyemouth to meet up with Rob Jenner from the JEC. Rob has a barn full of Jags and a driveway mostly full of very, very dead ones that are being stripped for spares. He's also a font of obscure knowledge and experience which is going to come in handy as I work my way round H9 WAP's foibles. 

The drive down was really nice and easy thanks to the cruise control and I found Rob's house without getting too lost. Once introductions were out of the way we set about getting the bits I need, plus a few extras, while talking over some of the issues that I've noticed on my Soveriegn. Rob supplied me with a complete fan set (both cooling fans) out of an XJR, a radiator temperature sensor (for the fans), a fastener or two to sort out the engine bay, plus a new phone aerial to replace my missing one. All that for £40. He also popped in a new bulb-control module as he thought that was what had been causing my intermittent rear lights (on the drive home though I noticed that the problem was still there so I'll give him back that bit). 

While having a look about my Jag Rob spotted that the offside front damper was probably knackered and gave me tips on how to check the front subframe rubber Y-mounts on the car, seeing as these are now of an age on these Jags where they are starting to delaminate. He confirmed that my memory seats work and that both rear bumper brackets could do with replacing.

With all the bits loaded I set off for home in torrential rain. Visibility was crap, not helped by what's probably an old wiper blade in need of swapping. £3 from ASDA for that I think... Once again the drive was enjoyable and uneventful. The Jag performed well, the non-working rear lights fixed themselves, and fuel consumption was OK. I found myself relaxing into it, enjoying the car more and being less worried about what else might go wrong.  

The same was true today with a run into Grangemouth and Carronshore for Mother's Day, then on to Denny to give my Dad a shot of it. 

Before I left I fitted the new fan pack and connected it all up. Didn't fit the temperature sender as that's best done on a ramp with 4 pairs of hands to minimise coolant loss. I've had enough of that recently! Everything bolted on sweetly so off we went after I adjusted the seats. Somehow the driver's side had straightened it's backrest up automatically meaning that I didn't fit in the car anymore. Sun out, sunroof open and radio up, we hit the road and cruised through to the central belt. The Jag was introduced to my Mum and Gran then my Dad got the chance to go solo in it for a while. He'll be putting petrol in it for the privilege. There were no dramas or leaks to report, no odd noises or anything, just space, grace and pace as it should be. 

The seat bugs me though. Every time I use the keyfob it seems to reset itself to some weird long legged, short-arm driving position right up close to the wheel. It never used to do that. I can't adjust it fore and aft anymore either. I also noticed that one of the keys no longer works in the ignition for turning the car on. It clicks round OK but does nothing. Very odd. I'll speak to Rob about those ones.

So, to sum up, the Jag is running great. New parts are fitted and the wee problems are on the road to getting solved. My Dad has a loan of it the now but I should have it back sometime over the next few days. I hope it behaves!   

Fan-tastic...

Well, I've decided to dispense with the daily updates. I'll keep the posts to events and musings from now on as college work & other things are taking up a lot of time.

The Jag returned to the college today and the plan was to change the transmission fluid so that the gearchanges are smoothed out a bit. I managed to get the right Dexron III fluid eventually but no had no joy with sourcing a filter so the job will have to wait. In the meantime though I was able to do a bit more cleaning in the engine bay and around the boot, plus try to track down an intermittent tail light fault and remove the fans for stripping to see if I could coax the upper one back to life.

The tail light fault is an odd one. The inner rear light on the driver's side works when it wants to, and one of the brake lights also just seems to work when it wants to. The tell-tale on the dash shows me a bulb has blown but, when I check, the bulbs are fine. All the connections in the light unit too seem OK so I just cleaned everything up with fine emery paper today and we'll see how it goes.

On the fan front, removal, bench-test, stripdown and re-assemble confirmed the top fan is unserviceable and cannot be resurrected. During the testing I'd discovered that fuse F17 had blown (one of the ones that controls the fans) no doubt caused by the fault in the top fan unit, so that has been replaced and I am sorting out a new fan & motor from Rob Jenner of the JEC which I hope to collect tomorrow. To prevent the fuse blowing again the top fan is disconnected at present. All the new coolant seems to be staying in OK and the thermostat is working as it should. Not having working fans though does make city driving more exciting than it needs to be as you balance the temperature gauge on a razor's edge by trying to stop for as little time as possible. Not easy in rush hour Edinburgh!

As for the oil leaks, they are still there. A can of Pro-Tec additive in the engine oil should soften up and puff out the seals a wee bit, hopefully resolving the leaks in the short term. In the long term though the faulty seals will need switching out.

Other than those wee things I've been gradually pushing the envelope on the Jag to give her a bit of exercise on longer runs and to build up my trust in both her capabilities and mechanical reliability. I was pleased to welcome Kat (my partner of over 7 and a half years) to the passenger seat for a wee trip about the town and will take my Dad out for a drive shortly too.

Kat isn't a car person, even though her Dad is a mechanic and biker. She just doesn't get them. If I was to ask her something like "What kind of car is that in front of us?" while out on a drive, she'd reply, completely seriously, with "It's a blue one.". I was quite surprised to find out that she likes the Jag. I really like that Kat likes the Jag. My Dad certainly does, he's wanting to borrow it and has offered to fund some of the paintwork in return!

In other news and away from the Jag I've started a dream job working in a classic car garage. It's pretty casual just now but gives me a chance to earn my stripes. I've been working on an Austin A30 and a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II so far, plus I've had the opportunity to run about as a chauffeur in the boss's daughter's Beetle (modern version). It's brilliant to be doing something I really enjoy!

Here's a gratuitous shot of the 4.0 AJ16...

Day Eleven... Back to School

Today was a learning experience. Always double check any work you do on a car to make sure everything is as it should be. It's never a problem until it leaves the workshop... Today, I forgot to do that, and learned a bit of a lesson.

The Jag was in at the college for the thermostat & temp sensor to be fitted, the coolant flushed and replaced, plus the upper cooling fan was to be checked for serviceability. I also had it in mind to trace the oil leaks and clean up the underside of the old barge too.

Everything went to plan thanks to the great cooperation and help from my classmates and lecturers, but I forgot to ensure that the bottom radiator hose was seated and fully tightened. As a result of that oversight, on the lunchtime test drive the low coolant light popped on and, thinking I had to just top it up, I discovered on my return to the college that the bottom hose had come adrift and ALL the fresh, new coolant and de-ionised water was gone. Some swearing, a new jubilee clip and 2nd refill sorted everything out. Won't be doing that again though.

I'm pleased to say that after the drama, the new bits fitted do make a difference. No more running too cold. However, both the engine cooling fans still do not come on. The upper fan has been confirmed as faulty which means it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. In the meantime I need to avoid being stuck in traffic.

The oil leaks have been traced to the connections for the autobox cooler, plus a possible weep from the crankshaft oil seal. The car really needs pressure washed underneath to track the origins down for sure. Wherever the leaks are coming from it has been a long term issue. A thick coat of oil and dirt covers the underside of the Jag, preserving the bits it has clung to. I don't like it losing oil or ATF though so will be looking to address the leaks as soon as practically possible.

While the Jag was up on the ramps I took the opportunity to clean out the dirt caught in the arches, which left me with four neat piles of crap to sweep up. The collected gunk in the arches can cause them to rust badly by acting as a moisture trap. I'm glad they are cleaned up because fixing mechanicals is one thing but sorting rusted bodywork is most definitely another. Speaking of bodywork I re-set the rear bumper a bit to make it sit nicer. The reason it doesn't in the first place is due to broken brackets. It is actually held up by a cable tie or 2 if you look closely. Again, brackets are other parts to add to the list of bits needed.

The minor problems and frustrations are starting to build and I'm a bit fed-up. I admit to having lost a bit of my mojo.All I want to be able to do is drive the Jag without worrying when it's going to boil or what's going to fall off. The potential for it to be a great car is all there though, she just needs the TLC that's been so evidently lacking in the past.

I suppose it's like taking a rescue animal home. It's an unknown quantity, a stranger. It might bite you, hide in a corner or be generally awkward until there's a trusting relationship built up. Right now I'm doing my best for the Jag and want to take care of it - but I don't trust it yet...

Days Nine and Ten..

The Jag passed her MOT retest today! I have a nice fresh 12 month ticket, which is brilliant! All I need to do now is slowly bring her up to absolute A1 condition and keep her there.

First thing to do tomorrow is the coolant as noted before, and while she's up in the ramp I'm going to have a look at the top shocker bushes up front to see if they are the cause of the clunk, and try to trace where the oil leak is coming from. That'll be followed by a wash and a clean then a wee run maybe.

I feel fantastic! There are moments when I think "My God, Bones... what have I done?' having bought a big, thirsty, expensive classic car when I have no full time job, nowhere to put it and the thing still needs taxed this month. Then there are other times I'm simply elated that I've bought a Jag. A previously impossible dream that I've made happen by throwing caution to the wind. You only live once, right?

On the drive back from the garage I enjoyed the waftiness, the featherlight steering and the gentle wuffle from the engine. At home, I made a point of hiding her in a back street away from the main road & the pub so as not to attract the attention of anyone who takes exception to it and vents that jealous rage in a petty act of further vandalism. When I come back from College tomorrow I'll take her straight back to the nice, posh part of town to hobnob with the assorted Beemers, Merc and Lexii - well away from any would be vandals. Over the coming weeks I may shift her further afield, to Dunipace and my Dad's driveway - or whetever other potential (hopefully indoors and free) storage comes up. I know Dad will look out for it. he's desparate for a shot!

Day Eight...

DAMMIT!

The Jag has been on the street by my home for only a week and it has already been vandalised. Sometime between Thursday evening and today some idiot has dragged a key along the bonnet, the nearside wing and somehow managed to scratch the roof above the rear nearside door too. I am raging. Though there's nothing they can do I've reported it to the police. If other residents in the area have suffered damage too then maybe patrols will be increased or something.

As for fixing it, well there's no point in calling my insurance. I just have to suck it up and add another bit of the bodywork to the 'to do' list. It may polish out but the scratches are right down to the undercoat...

On the plus side though it did mean a pleasant wee drive to a quieter, posher part of town just a few minutes walk away, where I hope the Jag will be treated with a bit more respect. She started first time, no fuss, and seemed eager for a run. I noticed that the fuel gauge was bouncing all over the shop so perhaps the indicated fuel burn isn't what it was and there's actually a problem with the sender. It now reads half a tank. There is no way, NO WAY the Jag could have burned 40-odd litres in less than 10 miles since fill up. The tank certainly isn't leaking. Once she's MOT'd and legal I'll run it till the tank is almost empty then remove the sender to give it a clean. Hopefully that will make a difference.

Keeping with the positive vibes I bought a thermostat and coolant temperature sensor today for fitting on Thursday. Those - and a flush of the radiator - should help with the cooling issues. The cost was less than £40.

The cost tally so far is...

Car - £600.00
MOT - £50.00
Balljoint & 2 Tyres - £98.00 (est.)
Thermostat & Sender - £37.64
Insurance - £209.10  
Fuel - £85.00 (most of which hasn't been used)
Bulbs - £5.00

Coolant, Redex, some oil, some & cleaning stuff I already have, while the valeting at college was free.

Running Total - £1084.74

So, I'm over my budget of £1000 but that's due to the cost of the fuel being added in. Without that being taken into consideration - I'm bang on target. Yes, there are other things to do, replacement front springs for instance but I've sourced some for £20 a side and fitting can be done at the college or with help from the owner's club. The paintwork is a consideration too but maybe a rattle can, some sandpaper plus assistance again from people who know what they are doing should mean an acceptable repair for minimal outlay.

And let's face it, if you take into account the tax rebate that I unexpectedly received, which basically pays for the Jag, then all I've spent so far is £554.74...

Days Five, Six and Seven...

Not a lot happening with the Jag herself just now after Thursday's trip to the college. I'm waiting for parts to arrive, have more to order and expect to have her in for the MOT re-test this coming Wednesday.

While she waits patiently I've been registering to as many X300 forums as I can find, and have joined the Jaguar Enthusiast's Club. I've also sorted insurance for the year and, thanks to the club membership, will only be paying around £200 for the year fully comp. That's cheaper than my wee Ford!

In another serendipitous development I've been taken on casually by a local classic car specialist, to work there on the days I'm not at college. Not only is it much needed income, but they work on Jags too so I'll be learning a whole lot relevant to my own one. It's a foot in the door doing what I want to do. Kinda odd to think that a year ago I had all these seemingly impossible dreams about clearing debt, becoming a mechanic, helping restore a steamship, buying and running a classic car, and ultimately working in a garage. The fact that they've all happened is welcome but still a wee bit surreal!

Day Four - The big clean...

My intention was to drain and flush the cooling system today but that didn't happen. It's imperative that it does though at the earliest opportunity because the Jag is not running right at all.

Here are the symptoms: all new rampant overcooling plus loss of heater function at speed, with completely opposite and continued rampant overheating in traffic causing such a hot blast when directed into the cabin through the footwell vents that it's burning my toes - through my steelies. Also noted today was the fact that the upper cooling fan is not kicking on, and there's horrific overfuelling - plus what appears to be a fault with the temp gauge on the dash because it doesn't register that the car's having a meltdown. The overfuelling is making my eyes water. How does burning through an 8th of a tank of fuel sound on a sub 10 mile journey? I'm pretty sure there's no hole in the thing...

So - to cure all the maladies (I hope) I'm going to order a new 'stat (it's probably stuck open) and I'm also going to order a full new set of temp sensors as they control the fans & temp gauge. They'll all be replaced when the coolant is drained, the system flushed and refilled with fresh antifreeze, probably next week. I am also considering a new water pump and belts to be on the safe side but don't want to get carried away so I'll discuss the probs with the Jag expert at the College and consult the Jaguar Enthusiast's Club once my membership comes through.

The list of parts needed to make H9 WAP run perfectly is growing. Bear in mind that there are two new tyres and a ball joint still to come, plus the prospect of further, intense suspension work over the coming months and the need for a new bumper mount for cosmetic reasons. There's an oil leak to trace then eliminate and on the trip home tonight (admittedly after a long and hot run) the autobox began making odd noises at slow speeds - like a knackered release bearing - which may, or may not need further investigation. Oh, and the throttle sticks occasionally...

Sigh...

Tell you what though, the Jag made a massive impression at the college today among both staff and students. No one can quite believe (me included) that I could have so much car for such a small layout. The overall consensus is that I bought a bargain. Myself and a lad from the class called Dean got stuck in about her today with the cleaning products, hoover and pressure washer. The interior looks and smells a lot better but I'd like to feed the leather to soften it up and remove the last of the dirt and discolouration then have the carpets shampooed to finish things off. Overall though the old girl has scrubbed up really well.

Looks is one thing - she needs the go to match the show and I want to be able to relax while driving it.