Wayne,
Since my car has had the annoying “tick-tick-tick” from when
I bought it at
28,000 mi (a valve Brett?) a new valve job might be in order,
so while I’m
at it…
Possibly.
Easy to check, harder to correct a valve lash problem.
Ignore it till the head gasket needs work.
- Port and Polish, and “cc” the cylinder heads
Porting is ok, forget the polish, as its supposed to work better
with a slightly rough surface on intakes.
I seriously doubt this will give you anything, as the intake
tract is quite a mass of stuff you cant get at.
The restrictions are elsewhere.
- Install AJ6 tuned intake runners
This comes as a new intake manifold.
They cut the old one open and do things to it to increase
the low and mid range power quite a lot.
I think its at the expense of slightly lower peak power output,
and they do other things to get that back and more…
- Remove cats and build new custom larger bore exhausts (but
quiet mufflers
for smooth jaguar-grace like silence)
This will get you in some SERIOUS trouble around here.
Instant large fine, no questions asked about who did it
or when.
I don’t think the cats are a huge restriction if they are in good shape.
- Install electric fan to replace (power robbing) mechanical
(have done
this in my XJS)
A normal working fan should not rob much power at all, as
its supposed to spin free above about 1500 rpm,s.
Aftermarket fan clutches tend to stay engaged, and will
take power.
If I warm the engine up, and rev the engine above
about 1500 rpm, the fan decouples and spins in a lazy
fashion.
If you are at speed, the wind will turn it and its likely
the fan takes no power at all.
The old style fans with fixed drive, (flexifan) likely
took more power, but modern ones should not.
Its a bad trade off to remove a very good system and use
something that could crap out.
Electric fans are not FREE, they take power as well.
Possibly more power, as electric motors are not 100%
efficient. The motor loads the alternator, the alternator
load simulates the mechanical fan.
The loss of efficiency in both the alternator and electric
motor add up.
- Larger Throttle Body (does AJ6 engineering sell one like
they do for the
XJS??
I think they do.
They sell new intake bits, the tuned manifold, replacement
mufflers, and a revised ecu chip.
The entire kit is supposed to make quite a difference.
I myself would just get the manifold, and maybe the
exhaust bits, or try removing the rear mufflers.
Eventually:
6) Blue print and balance the engine for smoother, quieter, and more
powerful operations
Don’t you have to take the entire thing apart for that?
What is the blue print about?
Just another 10-20 HP would be appreciated. Well, that’s the
plan for now.
Very easy to do with the manifold and exhaust work alone.
The manifold really helps off the line and in the
range where most people drive.
The other mods pay off more on top speed, red line type situations.
Of course, just buying a newer X300 or V8 would solve all
these problems,
but this is a touchy-feely thing with our personal cars, isn’t it?
Actually, I’d like a V12 sedan!
Along with everyone else…
Thoughts anyone on this action plan?? Other improvements?
On the 1989 year cars, you may get a nice boost by
fitting a 1990 and up air filter box.
I have heard the intake snout (into the body under the hood)
is larger.
It would look stock, but be larger.
Some have fit a bigger hose, but for it to look
nice, it might be better to use a newer box.
I could not find any sort of duct that would
look nice and work well without looking bad, although
I did not spend much time looking.
Brett
1990 XJ6>
Wayne Estrada
Still Homeless Somewhere in the USA
1989 Vanden Plas (Alpine Green)
1989 XJ-S Convertible (Dorchester Grey)