Interesting. That slot in the head of the pin might be used to unscrew the pin through the emergency port.
working up through the cramped space of the wheel well would challenge my old shoulders.
However, if pressed. A long bit on one of my cordless drivers, might be the ticket. But, how to get on point??? PUN???
Carl
Thanx car, it is a bit if a phaff
Tools are so useful !!! I installed new struts on the hatch of my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Seemingly, a simple task. Two Torx fasteners to each,
But a bit more complex. Up high location and hatch weight.
Solved. I held hatch wide open with assist of tree branch. Son used cordless drill/driver ands long
extension to drive the fasteners home, as I secured the hatch in full open,
Old strut repurpose in contemplation .
Carl
Carl, I like the creative license with the tree branch.
I used some creative license when I tried to get the front spring back in its perch after taking the bottom spring pan off because my OCD got the best of me and I wanted the parts painted.
Needless to say I didn’t think the process through and I don’t have and can’t locate factory the spring compressor that keeps everything in check to make it easy to put back. After days of phaffing about trying to get the bolt holes lined up with a non-Jag spring compressor, I ended up getting 8” bolts, cutting the heads off and screwing them into the bolt holes where the pan will eventually screw into, and using the bolts as guide pins so all of the bolt holes line up. It was by no means perfect because I didn’t take into account the spring perch might bend a bit underload, and there may be some binding while trying to get things aligned and in place.
I finally got it into place. Come to find out, the spring is gonna come out again to replace the lower wishbone pivot bolt because I got carried away with trying to get the spring back, and didn’t look at the condition of the lower wishbone bolt, that is rusted to its nearby metal neighbor.
Now the S-II won’t start, it’s raining, and the car is filling up with water. Ugh!!!
Status update
Thank you gentlemen, Rob, for the access hole. it worked like a champ! stuck my camera in the hole to get my bearings, then stuck a medium screwdriver in the hole, Pop! went the hood.
I was able to investigate what why it overheated. apparently two of the fan blades wedged themselves between the top radiator support and the other bit (obviously I don’t know what its called) that the top radiator support bolts onto. fortunately, I did have another fan kicking around. Lucky me!
I hope my autobody guy (panel beater) can put my favorite Jag back together. the way it was. 
**
Do you say that the fan hit the shroud, or whatever, as a result of the collision, Mark - and the hood also failed to release afterwards…?
Which means quite a jolt - but in any case; have you successfully readjusted the release mechanism…?
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
**
I’m not so sure, that’s the case. As I inspected stuff in the engine bay, I noticed the hood pins are bent, the radiator has a nice fan clutch impression, and I I believe the two bars that shape the V (bracing) are ever so slightly bent. The bonnet (or hood) is seriously out of alignment.
Anyway, I ended up cutting two of the fan blades off in order to get the fan dislodged from the cowl; I had an extra fan under the in the basement, but as I was cleaning the dirt and grease off, I noticed what I believe are stress cracks; or could be injection mold seams. I’m in denial right now because I want the cracks to be injection mold cracks. Ugh… stress cracks I’m assuming; which means this fan is a bomb. See what I mean? Here’s all for cracks which follow all the way around - except for the one at the 7 o’clock position.
this is a better picture of what I’m on about.
anybody have any history with these fans coming apart? or am I just being paranoid?
Thanx
m
**
You are not paranoid, Mark - those are ‘stress’ cracks, the fan was injection moulded in one piece…
I would not use that fan, though it may work OK - and may only burst if the clutch locks up, but a ‘bomb’ indeed. Considering the result of a fan bursting at speeds, which has been listed; better safe than sorry - there are no remedial actions for fan cracks…
A ‘simple’ rear-ender should not really cause such damage as you describe, but forces are transmitted in odd ways. The engine would move back and forth on the mountings, whiplash if you like, particularly if the mounts are ‘soft’. The crossbraces in the engine room are there to stiffen the body - the lack of body metal there is only partially alleviated by a closed hood…
Before going further; make a walkaround inspection of the car, checking the door gaps - if they are even and there is no door snagging, there is no serious body distortion. The bend in the struts should be checked with ‘straightedge’ of some kind - but the length variation due to distortion is likely minimal.
However, the hood must be realigned before pins are adjusted. The best idea in this case is to remove the striker pins - allowing the bonnet to be closed for alignment checks with no pin interference. While hood alignment is sometimes an epic battle; the hood may have slipped on the mounting bolts - causing the misalignment. As an aside, the fenders are adjustable - but the rear gap is a fixed reference…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
**
My thinking is along those ex[pressed in detail by Frank.
When I examined the yellow fan left over to sell, I found the same kind of cracking. Only mine had a lot more of those cracks. I tossed it so it would not cause anyone any trouble. Clutch and all in my case.
My theory is that plastic is in a liquid or soft state when molded.
As it cures it hardens. But, the curing/hardening process continues until the material is brittle and cracks.
So, NOS plastic stuff isn’t much better than the used stuff.
To be avoided.
I was given a black plastic newly cast unit and clutch by a business colleague that retired his V12 powered XJS. Just plumb wore out, the both of 'em.
My theory on frontal damage from a rear ender is he
“whip saw” motion made famous by a past orthopedic surgeon
to describe neck injuries. A term, he later sorely regretted having coined it!!
In your case, the mass of engine trans whip sawed and the frontal structures took up some energy. I suspect weakened engine and transmission mounts contributed. Might have a look at them!!!
But, Man made it, man can fix it.
Side bar. No better time for E fans. I really like mine.
Carl
I’ve thought about an electric fan. Did yours come as a kit?
My immediate questions are
Mounting the fan, I don’t think core mounted fans are the way to go. I’d think the mount would put stress on parts that aren’t designed to hold things, the radiator core for example.
Relay – I imagine a regular 30 amp relay would do just fine
Sending unit to trigger the relay – this one has me a bit perplexed.
Then there’s wiring the whole thing. Where to tap into, fusing the circuit putting in a delay to have the fan run until things have cooled off a bit…
XK unlimited has the fan – I’ve got two fan clutches one doesn’t turn independently (at ambient temp) of the fan and the other (stressed cracked fan) does. I probably should’ve taken a bit more care getting the old one out instead of cutting off the wedged fan blades and wiggling them out independently. Oh well, what’s done is done.
Mark:
No, mine came not as a kit. But, a search can find kits.
My son gave me a set. Unknown brand. New and possibly intended as a Mustang application. Two fans, a shroud and installation brackets.
It fit my SII perfectly. Only two holes drilled in the lower valance. I did make a stud brace for the upper. But, other simpler ways would have done the job. Indeed, I did avoid any attachment to the radiator core of any type.
My car is an LT! lump. The donor car, a 94 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham featured dual E fans. As such, I used it’s PCM, that included fan management.
But, stand alone temperature sensors exist. Some sense the core and others the coolant in the water jacket.
Check the old J-L archives. Past installs are there !
Alex Carnara for one did it.
Carl
I did find a kit for an XKE but it’s nearly the price of a new radiator, fan, and fan clutch. I also found a generic variant, where I’d have to come up with the bracketing. Not a big deal.