garbage-overlord

Ooo but it is lovely! I do like to see tools neatly stored in a custom case. Even if I never use them.😀

If it's automatic like mine, mine won't start unless my foot is on the brake pedal - are you trying to start the engine while standing outside? Otherwise, I'd suggest it sounds like an imobilizor problem, although I'm not that familiar yet with this cars electrics.

Good evening everyone, hope everyone is wafting along happily in thier Jagwahr's. I have a couple of questions that I can't quite seem to get definitive answer on, so I'm hoping the collective may be able to help. 1. Steering wheel - mine is badly worn, and I'd like to replace it with a wooden one if possible. I'd also like to have one with the cruise control buttons, as I understand that the car potentially has all the rest of the parts already fitted. Will the wheel from a pre facelift interior fit my 2004, and will the buttons be compatible? There seems to be more of them around at more reasonable prices. 2. Is there a source for suspension bushes? I'd like to replace the rear outer tie rod bushes without having to remove/replace the whole arm. Many thanks for any help.

In my last car, hitting a huge pothole at night resulted in offset steering wheel - it required the alignment to be re done to correct it.

I don't really have any decent pic's yet, but this is is what a few hundred pounds buys you...😀

I'll look into that at some point, don't have access to a vice I'm afraid. The hub puller made getting the hub off the drive shaft a breeze, great tool. Removing a front one may not be quite as easy when I come to it, but we'll see. I've seen some in YouTube who virtually destroy the carrier chiseling the old hub out, then have to re-cut the bolt holes for the new bearing. Er, I don't think I'll be doing that!

Well, what a jolly afternoon I had today - tackling a failed wheel bearing. How hard can it be? Er um... Well actually, not that bad. Now which side at the rear is it likely to be? Well the offside seems ok when jacked up, but the n/s had 1/2 inch of free play! Gasp. Guess I'll start with that one then... Now, I'm motoring on a budget, so if you are of a nervous disposition you may wish to look away now...a new bearing is only about £20, but since I don't happen to have a 10 press lying around, and having watched an excellent YouTube video showing "how easy it was" to remove the hub (I skipped the "take it to the machine shop" part - I can't imagine today's spotty yoofs would have a clue what to do with it...), I decided to purchase a second hand complete hub from a Jaguar breaker on eBay, with what I was assured was a good bearing. It duly arrived, and said bearing seemed good with no play. Since it's a while since I've tackled major work like this, I decided to purchase a additional tools - on a budget mind, so no Snap-on gear unfortunately. After watching lots of YouTube reviews and scouring the internet, here's what I purchased to over the course if the last month when I came across any bargains on my wish list, hopefully ensuring a successful outcome. 3 foot breaker bar for the hub nut battle £12.99 Halfords spanner set ( I didn't have the 19mm or 8mm spanners for the upper wishbone nut) £12.50 Hilka 2 ton "low profile" trolley jack from a shop called The Range - £39.99 delivered. 36mm impact socket £6.99 eBay Clarke 12v impact driver £35 delivered. Hub puller £12.99 eBay So what happened? Well it all went pretty smoothly really. Unlike other jobs where you need to apply heat on bolts etc, everything came apart well, and nothing rounded or snapped. And the floor didn't seem rotten, taking the jack with no problems on the "triangle" plates either side. Woo. The star of the show was the 12v impact driver, which I'll post details for if anyone is interested. You connect it to the battery with crocodile clips. It easily loosened every bolt I could get it in to (having pre wire brushed and lubricated all threads), but it's star turn was the way it loosened the 36 mm drive shaft hub nut, saving no end of heaving on a long extension bar. I'm really impressed with it, and highly recommend it. Also, the hub puller easily and smoothly pulled the old hub off the drive shaft splines. The Hilka trolley jack was excellent also, stable, and effortlessly lifting the car, and low enough to easily fit under the low sill. Reassembly was, as they say, a reversal of the earlier procedure. The road test gratifyingly showed much improvement, although it means I can now hear another rumbling at bit - a front one I think, although it's ok for the present. The second hand hub assembly was £30, so excluding the extra tools purchased, an economical repair for the present. Now I need to lie down and recover ; I'm not as supple as I once was...😁

No offence intended, just being tongue in cheek! I don't actually go for the "is it a real one or not" debate when it comes to cars - if it has thier badge on it and you like it, what does it matter? In truth, it's not really true that the X-type is a Mondeo in drag, theres not as much in common between them as the people image. And if you are basing your new model on another car, there's worse starting points than a competent car like the Mondeo anyway. Friends of mine have a gorgeous X-type estate in black with cream interior.😀 I'm just curious at how uncommon the S-Type seems around my local area - I haven't seen a single one, which makes me feel rather conspicuous...I know the early ones were bad for rot, but...

I'd like to talk to you all about a serious matter for a moment, one that affects many in today's selfish and unthankful world. Many people are on thier own these days, and while it's great that we are all supposed to be looking out for each other, as a single man I've recently felt the loneliness more acutely. You see, since I got my Jaguar S-Type, I haven't seen a single other example while driving around. Now normally, when you get a new car you suddenly start noticing other examples passing you every day, so you can understand my emotional stress - just where are all the other Jaguar S-Type drivers? Where are you all? Don't you know how it cuts a middle-aged man up inside to be unloved, alone in a sea of bland Nissault Cashcows? I pulled up behind an X-type at the lights earlier today, and I just wanted to jump out and hug the driver, until I remembered that it was really just a Fraud Mundano in a party frock, so I composed myself, and carried in in lonely isolation. I'm not sure how more of this secret sorrow I can bear - a man must have the company of like-minded individuals. Where are all the S-Types?😕

The battery ideally needs to hold 12.6 volts for over 24 hours. If it tails off down to 12.5 or 12.4 then it's failing, and needs replacement. Remember that a reading of 12.4v actually means the battery is only at 75% capacity.

Check the battery first - if it's holding 12.6v, and the alternator output is around 14.5v with a load it's unlikely to be battery related. Having once owned a BMW 5 series that developed similar problems suddenly, which turned out to be 2 faulty coil packs, I'd be inclined to continue looking at something along those lines. Also check the MAF sensor, as my last car coughed and hesitated under acceleration when the MAF sensor failed.

I does indeed stay off. After sitting with handbrake applied for most of the last week, it came off with a jolt today. Before switching off engine when parking up again, I operated the handbrake on and off a number of times to keep it moving.

Mmm, that wood looks nice. Much as I loved them, I wouldn't have another 75 - the V6, while a lovely engine, is difficult for some jobs, ie the cambelts (there are 3!) are an expensive job, and the plastic inlet manifold is difficult and expensive to source now, and the thermostat is awkward to do being situated inside the "vee". Good examples are going up in price now, quite rightly as they were undervalued for years. But enjoying the S-Type so far, although I'll enjoy it more when it's 2 worn wheel bearings are replaced!

Does the one on the left have a plastic impeller?😮

A Rover Sterling? That must be an Rover 800 - a lovely car, I had one too. But I'd certainly agree - the S-Type is much better.