1990 xjs v12 radiator R & Replace with what?

XJ-S
21

Wow. Had mine recored a few years ago and it was about $350, if I remember correctly. Some random industrial park just south of DC.

22

Itā€™s been at least a dozen years since I had a traditional rad recored, and $350 sounds about right for then. Now I wouldnā€™t have any idea what to expect.

23

Old school knowledge is fading. When i called around some auto electric shops here in Seattle, they said they stopped rebuilding alternators years ago. They know of only ONE place around Seattle, down in Kent. I think its the same for driveshafts and carbs. Just one specialist serving the city.

1 Like
24

I do know that two weeks ago I paid $235 for a four row aluminum core / plastic tank rad for my daughters 98 c1500 truck. One of the tanks on the old one cracked. That rad is probably almost twice the size of the one in the xjs. Stating the obvious, its a ā€œreplaceā€ vs ā€œrebuildā€ world.

25

Plastic/aluminum tanks are mass produced in China or elsewhere. I can get one for my Volvo 850 for $150. Sick of it leaking every 5 years, I opted for handmade all-aluminum. $450. Yeah, thatā€™s equal to 15 years, but i dont enjoy the labor/loss of weekend.

1 Like
26

Hi Kirbert,
thanks for advice on my a radiator, Wizard Rad. are the best , also reengineered a better way to drain radiator using the big bottom hose . easy now .

1 Like
27

Gina would you run fluid in it after or water based coolant?

28

Hi Robert ,
I used distilled water for a couple of days and checked for leaks. I also rented a cap and radiator pressure check device and found some leaks . I checked my caps and found that my header tank neck did not seal properly, so I installed a spare and now it seals beautifully. Now if you do not have a good drain plug /petcock you might want to put the proper radiator fluid in right away and hope for the best. The metal T in my lower radiator hose allowed me to install a small ballvalve. So easy to drain into a container. Hope this helps , gina

29

Hi Robert , was reading some of your repairs/ improvements you did on your 89. Do you have to drop the reareed to fix rear brakes? I hope not . I own a 6 cylinder xjs also and work is so easy on it compared to the v12 , where you canā€™t even see the spark plugs. I guess I like the challenge. Take. Care Gina

1 Like
30

I think you should have outboard brakes what year is your car?

31

Hi Robin ,
My Jaguar xjs is a 1990,
Thanks. Gina

32

OK can you see the brake discs just inside the rear wheels?

33

1990 should have inboard brakes, unless someone has changed to outboard brakes.

34

Hi gina ,no you dont have to drop the rear to change break pads but if you want to change the rotors you do ,thats why my new 2 year old slotted rear rotors are in a box somewhere in the garage maybe this winter. The pads in the rear where easy to do. I didnā€™t mess with the e break though .

35

Same here. Easy enough to do just the pads and bleed the brakes without dropping anything.

But the rotors I would say are only good for two sets of pads. My car had 48,000 miles with original pads when I got it. I replaced them, but once the pads I put in are done, Iā€™ll need to drop suspension to replace rotors too.