very impressed Paul, she looks beautiful. Thank you for the helpful clamp terms, mine has that issue now where the loose fitting vacuum hoses can easily fall off. I’m working on replacing all of it this month. My god there is a lot of vacuum on these.
I think that 14 different colors (12 spark plug wires and the distributor to coil wires) in the engine bay might be a harsh to look at it.
Maybe you could pick one color for the A bank, another color for the B bank, and a third color for the distributor to coil wire(s)? That might look decent and not overwhelming.
Regards,
Paul M. Novak
1990 Series III V12 Vanden Plas
1990 XJ-S Classic Collection convertible
1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1969 E-Type FHC
1957 MK VIII Saloon
Ramona, CA USA
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The technique that I used when replacing the vacuum hoses was to do only one hose at a time and put some blue masking tape on the new hoses until I verified that all the hoses were replaced. Then when I verified that they were all replaced I removed the blue masking tape. It’s a bit tedious, but this is the method that I came up with. BTW, the original vacuum hose, and the metal nipples varied in inside diameters. So I had to keep going back to the auto parts stores to get more because I wanted to minimize the amount of extra hose I had left over. I also put clamps on all the vacuum hose including the CORBIN clamps on the smaller lines and larger NORMA clamps on the larger ones if I had good used ones that looked like new.
I did not replace the hard vacuum line going from the A bank intake manifold to the Marelli ECU because I tested that and it was OK. But I did replace all the vacuum hose going from the crossover tube, down along the left side of the transmission to a metal pipe and from the pipe into the boot to the Lucas EFI ECU over the right rear wheel well.
Regards,
Paul M. Novak
1990 Series III V12 Vanden Plas
1990 XJ-S Classic Collection convertible
1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1969 E-Type FHC
1957 MK VIII Saloon
Ramona, CA USA
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Dave,
Thanks. It was a challenge in many ways, but wonderful to drive now and fun to show others. The San Diego Jaguar Club JCNA Concours is this weekend and I will have this car there on display with the bonnet open, along with my Champion Division 1990 V12 Vanden Plas, which I have done much of the same work to keep that engine bay looking it’s best as well (although that one as all OEM authentic Jaguar parts to avoid the authenticity eductions).
The replacement hood liner made a dramatic improvement over the original OEM one that I had. It’s a shame that Jaguar doesn’t supply the original part number hood liner any more. But since they didn’t carry it, that made it an easy decision to get an aftermarket one like.
The XJ-S (and Series III XJ6/12) came with hose clamps from a variety of suppliers including NORMA, TRIDEN, GEMI, OETIKER, IDEAL, and more. The manufacturer’s name and size/model was usually stamped on the clamp making them easier to identify. The clamps came in a variety of sizes for different purposes. I parted out two Series III XJ6 cars and saved the nice like new looking hose clamps (often located in the boot or other out of the way places) to replace the clamps in my running Jaguars when I did restoration work like this. It makes a big difference to replace the rusted coolant hose clamps with original authentic NORMA hose clamps with the bright gold shiny plating intact.
Yes, those are the Corbin clamps. I didn’t have a name for them at first, but brought a few of them (distributor vent lines, emissions lines, etc) with me to the NAPA Auto Parts Store along with measurements of the vacuum hose outer diameters that I was using. Then I bought a bunch of them in different sizes and put them on as I replaced the vacuum hose one piece at a time, while using blue masking tape on the new hose as I replaced them to keep track of what I replaced. Sorry, but it must be a different Norma. 
I used regular pliers and hose pliers to help put these Corbin hose clamps on and admit that a few of them flew away to the far ends of my garage (and deep within the V12 engine bay) never to be seen again. That’s why I got some extra ones. ;-)
Regards,
Paul M. Novak
1990 Series III V12 Vanden Plas
1990 XJ-S Classic Collection convertible
1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1969 E-Type FHC
1957 MK VIII Saloon
Ramona, CA USA
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Yeah, my outlook on life changed when I encountered those clamps on '60’s Mopars. Trying to get those things loose on a lower radiator hose. They wound up in the trash. Going to the parts store and asking for a “Jubilee” clamp didn’t get me very far, either!
Good luck at the show, Paul! Norma Jean, right?
I think that 14 different colors (12 spark plug wires and the
distributor to coil wires) in the engine bay might be a harsh to look
at it.
No accounting for taste, though.
Here’s an idea: You could create a rainbow series of colors from front to
back on each bank. You’d know you connected one wrong because the
colors are in the wrong order.
– Kirbert
I like the idea of a different color for each plug wire!
Not to put a damper on anyone’s bling addiction, but isn’t marking the cap, wires and heads with a Sharpie a lot easier and cheaper?
Andrew . . .
“easier and cheaper” is not a phrase that is normally associated with XJ-S ownership.
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Oh, me:
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Oh, me. Jaguar trivia and beyond. Not o denigrate Paul’s magnificent effort. Au contraire. I’m always seeking a clean engine bay. But, in the onset of electronics, I quit washing in there!!!
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When I built my 40’s “Hot Rod” I found that Taylor made a quality HT and sold them individualy in various lengths and end connectors. A nice Bllue!!
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On installing my LT1 in the Jaguar, I added new spark plugs, wires and it’s special distributor. The guy at the parts counter touted there premium set. Pricey, but I bought it. This install is even tougher than old Ford V8’s. A lot merely by feel.
I got it right. -
I’m with Limey! Those Mopar type spring clamps were and are a pain in the, At one time, I had the tool for them. Might still be around.
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I prefer the worm drive generics. Lottsa uses. I’ve a couple of tins full of them. But, the newer ones have two ways to drive them. Phillips or socket. I usually never mess with the former and go right to the latter. At times, a par of long extensions eases access.
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I respect seeking to stay original. But I stray a lot. My Jeep
is “original”. In a recent ‘fix’, I’m leaned of "easy off and on " fuel line connectors. Yup, once on to the "how’ part.
Carl
I have another idea. HT lead markers
They are about $4/set. For a V8 though, so one needs two sets.
If you really want to tell the leads for bank A from bank B apart by just glancing over the vee, get two different colors for each bank – I’d think that red/black, red/blue, or blue/black are nice color combos and easily discernible.
Steve
PS On my car, the leads are all black, labeled 1 through 6 (x2)
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I’ve seen those. And, at one time had a few. But, the glue was dried out. Tossed them.
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I swapped in new ignition stuff in my daughter’s former VW V6 powered Passat. Original HT leads numbered. The replacements, not.
I got lucky. Got them right, the thing fired right up and sounded very nice.
- It’s gone. Hello, Nissan Versa Note, hello. Oh, me, son’s
friend, a Nissan tech says they are “junk”. But, OTH, his car is a very nice Mustang V8 !!!
Carl .
The red Magnecor KV85 spark plug wires that I got were already labeled A1-A6, B1-B6, and A and B for the two Marelli coils. It is certainly helpful to have these labels on when removing and reinstalling the spark plug wires. The Marelli distributor caps have the cylinder and bank numbers cast into the plastic, which is handy. I know from my 1990 V12 VdP that the Lucas distributor cap doesn’t have that.
Regards,
Paul M. Novak
1990 Series III V12 Vanden Plas
1990 XJ-S Classic Collection convertible
1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas
1969 E-Type FHC
1957 MK VIII Saloon
Ramona, CA USA
1 Like
The Marelli distributor caps have the cylinder and
bank numbers cast into the plastic, which is handy. I know from my
1990 V12 VdP that the Lucas distributor cap doesn´t have that.
The Lucas cap has the #1A marked. There’s supposed to be a decal on the
air filter housing showing the firing order. I guess Jaguar thought that’d be all
that was needed, but marking each and every position on the cap would
have been soooo much better.
– Kirbert
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Taylor spiro-pro race wires in 10.4mm. Straight dizzy boots to get them up and out of the vee.
Routing is a bit off plan in the second pic. They’ll lie better after some planned changes are complete.
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I’m ordering the blue, those red look lovely but bulky-they should last a good while.