Raistlin

OK, I've found a genuine disk for a reasoable price on fleabay so I've bought it. I'll try it in The Princess and see what happens. Would anybody be interested in the result?

I guess nobody knows then?

I was speaking to a chap last night who assured me that the XK sat nav disks are compatible with the Late model S-Types with the Denso system. He was convincing... but not quite convincing enough for me to buy a disk from fleabay until I found out more. Any knowledge, experience etc please?

Hi Michael, Welcome to the Owners' Club :) Sounds like a very nice car you have there. Lots of people in this Club willing to help where they can. I see you've already had a look at my profile. Anything I can do, just ask :)

Yes Chris. I think that nobody buys a Jaguar if they just want "a car" and as such they are aware of, and appreciate, other Jaguars, along with the history behind the marque :D

I get the impression that it's more to do with styling than any perceived shortcomings of the suspension Andy :) I expect it's akin to other styling mods like for example replacement exhausts. I'd certainly like to see the end result.

I know nothing of coilovers Nathan but I can't see that you'd get "your head bitten off" Curiosity is a wonderful thing. I've found out how to do all sorts of things by asking questions and getting friendly replies :) I hope somebody has the knowledge and / or experience to be of assistance. I can't think that you'd get any negativity going by my experience of the forum members. Welcome to the club btw :D

Driving into town this afternoon to do the shopping, the trip was enlivened by a view of an immaculate XKR. I was pointing it out to my wife, with a big grin on my face, when I caught sight of the driver, who appeared to be pointing our car out to his passenger, also with a big grin on his face. A mutual thumbs up salute and we carried on our separate ways :D

Yes, I think you're on a winner there Ian

Some warranty documents I've seen specifically exclude brake servos. I guess you'd need to check your warranty document in detail. What is the RAC warranty you have? I have AA cover with the breakdown add-on and that wouldn't have covered the cost as they only allow OEM parts and the servo from Jaguar was more than the £500 limit even before labour charges.

Thanks Lui. It's easy to forget about the older satnav. As an inveterate tinkerer, I'd be happy to follow any progress in fitting aftermarket head unit. Especially whether you can find a suitable fascia so the install looks good. I personally use my iPod exclusively for all my music and the Jaguar OEM connectivity module probably cost me as much as a moderately good head unit.

I was right then :) The "skidding car" is DSC - Dynamic Stability Control.

Those look to me, at first glance, like connectors for the switches below the head unit. For example, heated seats etc. What switches do you have in your car David?

I was just about to buy my new transmission sump and fluid from fleabay when somebody told me to use this code at checkout:- CUKFLASH BINGO... 20% saving if paying via Paypal. On the price of a ZF six speed sump, filter, gasket and 7 litres of fluid that is a heck of a saving. Get the discount while it lasts chaps. Finishes 10PM tonight :D

Chris, Definitely Driver's side, assuming a UK spec car <_< Very likely to be a dead pump in my experience. I had one failed when I bought The Princess and the replacement has also failed. Fitted a pattern part now and all seems OK. The high pressure pumps for the headlamp wash are also prone to seize as well.

Thanks Andy, I forgot about the upgrade :)

Chris, I'm not at home at the moment so can't check the precise fuse you require. However, there are three fuse boxes on the S-Type. One is under the bonnet and perfectly obvious. Another is under the boot floor and again obvious. The third is under a small panel on the right hand side of the driver's footwell. This may well be the "fascia fusebox" mentioned. You need to get your head and shoulders into the footwell to get a proper look at the fusebox. A torch is a must as well.

Chaps, I have the OEM sat nav and find it perfectly adequate, in that I look up a postcode and it guides me there. I particulalry like the way it is integrated with the rest of the system. Other than the fact that the latest avaiable maps are a few years old now, can you expand on your views please? I'm not trying to cause a row here. I'm genuinely interested in opinions, whether they accord with mine or not.

Ian, Personally, unless the friction material was down to the rivets, as it were, I'd be addressing the much more pressing problem of the lack of servo assistance mate :) Not convinced that a fluid change will have any effect on it either.

Should be at least 18 mmHg, whatever that is in Bar.

Ian, You are almost certainly correct in your initial diagnosis. The diesel engine doesn't produce sufficient vacuum to operate the servo so there is a vacuum pump. The symptom you experienced is "hard pedal" and occurs when the vacuum has been exhausted and cannot be replenished rapidly enough. Although it seems like the brakes have failed, they are still operative but without servo assistance and the S Type being a big heavy car, direct braking requires massive amounts of force on the brake pedal to be even marginally effective. The servo on the diesel suffers from internal contamination leading to degradation of the seals so I'd be considering this before thinking about the vacuum pump which is anecdotally at least, more reliable. The servos cost ridiculous money at a dealership and are not, as far as I'm aware, available as a pattern part. in the unlikely event that it should prove to be the vacuum pump, they are even more expensive than the servo. They do come up on fleabay and in specialist breakers regularly though but you HAVE to get the correct part number because, even though they may look the same at first glance, they are not. If you lift the felt cover on the driver's side bulkhead under the bonnet you will be able to see the servo and a torch will let you make out the part number as the label will be directly facing you. As you might have guessed, i've been through this before... got the t-shirt as it were I found the car reasonably safe to drive for the most part while I waited for my replacement servo but it requires a bit of planning with regards to when to brake. Swift and decisive braking paying dividends rather than using finesse, as that will exhaust the vacuum in the servo more rapidly. As you have discovered, a few minutes later, there is sufficient vacuum again. Don't be afraid to stamp brutally on the brake pedal if the situation requires it. You are still connected to the brakes, but without the benefit of assistance. If I can be of any further help please let me know.

Solved the exhaust fumes / smoke problem in my diesel. Had the front bumper off today and the flexible exhaust pipe from the Webasto to the silencer was torn to shreds. 0.5m of 22mm ID flexible exhaust pipe costing a few pounds solves it :D

We didn't Peter. We left the undertray attached at the front and removed it with the bumper :)

Well, at last the deed is done... and it works superbly well. I'm a happy bunny :D I first of all need to express my sincere thanks to Denis (X Type Den) and his lovely lady for spending all day with me doing the job AND providing lunch. In theory, it was as simple as I had thought. That is to say. The wiring for the extra high pressure pump was there, complete with protected connector, relay, fuse and appropriate logic control from the car's system. In addition, the bumper certainly DOES have the template for cutting the slots marked out on the rear. You can buy the bits from fleabay or a dismantler's for less than £50 and I'd recommend this retro-fit. That's all in theory. In practice, at times the job was a pig and without Denis' help I would have been up the proverbial creek without a paddle. I was certainly pleased that it was Denis and not me who was cutting the slots out of the bumper. The fitment of the parts is NOT obvious and without Denis I wouldn't have had a clue. Having said that of course, and with hindsight, I'll be happy to assist if anybody else wants to do a similar job :D PLEASE, when you re-fit nuts bolts and screws, take a second or two to apply some copper grease. It will pay dividends if they ever need to be taken apart in the future. I must have depleted Denis's stock of bolts screws and clips but now my front bumper is secured as it should be. Also discovered why my fuel burning heater produced so much smoke and fumes such that I removed the fuse earlier this year. With the bumper off the exhaust pipe from the Webasto to the silencer was seen to be torn to shreds. SO, a replacement pipe and I'll have the benefit of the Webasto heater for the Winter. Also, I can now go ahead and work out the details to make it turn on remotely and heat the engine coolant AND warm the interior of the car . Thanks again Denis. I'm now confident to say that the retro-fit is worthwhile. The parts required are not totally obvious and I'm happy to list them for anybody who is contemplating the retro-fit.

OK chaps. Thanks anyway :) Denis (x-type den) has agreed to do the job for me.