DaveR

Yes Pete, tyre monkeys with windy guns are a pain, never seen one start using a socket & bar first, the gun should be the last resort. Have seen them using a torque wrench to tighten them so some have moved on. With Jag nuts the locking ones can get a real hammering (haha), they seem softer than the ordinary nuts & they are a real pain to get off if they just rotate. For anyone who has iffy ones its certainly worth changing them as well. Yes, I saw that comment about Toyota ones but never checked up. Will google them later & see if I can find them. Cheers Dave

Hi Opie your recommendation for an engine oil for my 13 plate 8 speed XJ 3 litre diesel with dpf, 31k on it, no mods etc. Handbook says Jag recommend Castrol Edge Professional 5w30 ACEA C1 complying to ford 934B spec. It seems this product is only available from Jag dealers or from motor shops in Germany. Appears that the German Castrol has to be fully synthetic to comply with their trade description law and is formulated with group 4 or 5 synthetic base oil. U.K. "fully" synthetic oils look as they use group 3 mineral base & our law allows manufacturers allows them to describe them as "fully". Are we getting an inferior product albeit at a lower price (but of course not from Jag)? If the latter is true I can't see how the oil can do a 15k miles service interval nor why Jag owners should pay a fully synthetic price. I've had a look at your site and you list motul & Fuchs Titan products meeting the C1 spec. Are these made in Germany and are they fully synthetic? Regards Dave

In case anyone doesn't already know about jag wheel nuts, they look good when new but they corrode internally to the point that they are difficult to remove. The nuts in question are those 19mm ones with a bright ss outer. Under this thin cover is a standard 18mm steel hex that rusts. The outer is a press fit over the 18mm & when this rusts enough the outer bit will just rotate. I've recently replaced 8 of them on our 03 v8 that's just gone to a new home. There is a simple way to find out if yours are on the way out. - grasp the nut, if the shiny cover moves/rotates or rattles then the nut underneath is corroding - if a 19mm hex wheel brace or socket is tight on the nut, then it's likely that the 18mm underneath is corroding & swelling. - if there are rust stains in the nut recesses on the alloy, then the nuts are rusting. Any or all these show that they need changing before you get stranded with a puncture. The nuts I replaced were all swollen to the point where a 19mm hex socked had to be tapped on. For 7 of them this compressed the cover tightly onto the inner nut allowing them to be easily removed. On the last one the outer just turned! I had to carefully cut the top off the outer with a dremel diamond cutter then split the outer with a thin drift. Fortunately the shiny outer metal is soft. This revealed the rusty 18mm nut with no corners. An 18 bihex socket didn't grip so I had to resort to tapping on an old 17mm bihex socket. (I didn't have a 18mm hex impact socket!) The nut came off with no excessive force & all the hub studs weren't corroded ( because they all have had a smear of Lithium grease on them) i got new nuts from Taunton Jag eBay shop. There are cheaper copies but I wouldn't trust these. Hope this info helps someone! regards Dave

Happy to report that our old V8 has now gone to a good new home in Wakefield. Buyer has a RR Vogue diesel, Jag X type 2.5V6 AWD bought from new & 3 garages so I'm confident that it will get looked after!

Looks very good Paul! Some good cars out there at the moment for very reasonable money. As it's diesel and with a low mileage may I suggest you try two fuel products. I've used them on my 3L diesel XJ and they've made a significant difference in refinement & running. Early days but looked to have improved the fuel consumption. It would be good to hear another opinion particularly as there is a lot of debate about diesel cars at the moment. Both products are made by Archoil in the States.The first is a cleaner for the fuel system, injectors, turbos, DPF & catalyst, the second is a fuel improver. The latter seems significantly better than the Millers product I have used. they are: Archoil AR6400-D MAX Professional Diesel Engine, Turbo, DPF & CAT Cleaner Concentrate Archoil AR6900-D Max Advanced Fuel Synthesis Both are available through http://www.powerenhancer.co.uk I don't have any links to these companies but they came up when I looked for info on DPF's, fuel quality and engine oil. I came across this site: http://www.oilem.com which is certainly worth a read. The author is a oil/triboligist mechanical engineer and speaking as a ex pro chemist the info appears to be correct & moreover makes sense! I found his views on engine oils and fuels quite thought provoking. Regards Dave

Thanks Jhdee, yes, you have to hang on to those nuts! I thought it would sell quickly as well but sadly not. Have it on Autotrader twice now, lost count of the enquiries, but only two shows to view. First a German from Dortmund ferry & drove all the way over here, spent nearly 3 hours inspecting it, said he couldn't fault it yet couldn't make up his mind! The other a guy from Harrogate, loved it then came back and said sorry "wife preferred a blue one in Manchester". From the pics and description mine looked the better one, cheaper, much more service & preventative maintenance & less miles. It looked to have sooty exhausts, delaminating glove box and had been fitted with 19 inch alloys but still had the original 18 inch spare so colour over condition. Very strange.

Morning Peter, we all must keep on the right side of SWMBO! That's what I'm doing! regards Dave

Thanks Joe, will have a look at doing that. Dave

This is my 8 that I've had for 6 years. In lovely condition but having to sell due to also having a X351. The car needs a new home & to be driven regularly. The person who was supposedly coming yesterday to drive/view cried off at last minute! So hopefully a forum member or friend will like a "new" Jag. Metallic grey (code LHL) with ivory interior and green bits. Has 77K on the clock, MOT till Nov 2017. Maintained regardless of cost and always with OEM parts and in my ownership has had new oil & filter every 6K and oil at every 3K. I always use the correct 913D oil. Box fluid (Lifeguard 6) changed at 56760 miles but filter pan didn't need doing as the old fluid was still yellow. Just replaced the air supply unit and electronic park brake. No suspension issues including leaks, car does not settle overnight. Glove box not delaminating. Jag service, last service was by expert Jag independent and excel list of the other work I've done. All books, codes and keys. Clayed, polymer sealed and waxed every year so bodywork is excellent except for a few very minor from stone chips. Perfect emissions data on both banks, silent vibration free engine. Returns average 25 mpg (mainly town short runs) and have seen average 38 mpg on the motorway runs. Runs & stops perfectly. The images were taken yesterday Looking for £5K but open to offers from a Jag enthusiast.

Thank you Carole & Peter for your welcome messages. Carole as listing my 8, I've had it on auto trader a few days & have had an enquiry. The guys working out when to come & have a look. I'll hold on the listing at the moment. regards Dave

Hello All, I've now had a Jag for the last six years, started when I retired with a 03 plate metallic grey X350 v8 sport HE. Always promised myself one after years of trudging back and forth to work in a Rover 75 diesel! Been a joy to bring the 8 back to its best, always done my own mechanics whenever possible & most jobs on this Jag are relatively easy. Now also have a 13 plate XJ 3L diesel, so the wife says the 8 has to go as I don't drive it much! Resisted for the last 15 months but she's right (as always) so will be listing it here in the hope that it can go to an enthusiast. Regards Dave