XJS Celebration 1995

Hello Team!
I have just bought an XJS Celebration 4.0 litre convertible miles.
I will driving through Europe next year for my 50th notching up 5000 miles! on the clock.
I want the car to last the whole trip which will include many mountain passes!
So I was thinking on the follow and would very much like to hear from the Groups experience on these matters?!:
Best Oil and filters?
Up rating brakes discs and pads?
Poly bushes all round?
Up grade suspension
Up rated radiator?.(increase cooling)
Re mapping the engine?
and anything else?..
Much regards James (Somerset UK)

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Congrats on the new purchase James. I have a 94 4.0 coupe and just completed a extensive refresh of various items:

I use a factory Jaguar filter and 20w50 Castrol oil year round.

Replaced all shocks with Bilstein, depending on your ride desires they could be a tad stiff and the “Jaguar” smoothness may evaporate.

Replaced all suspension, engine, transmission and subframe bushings with rubber bushes as original. The rear cage had 2 of 4 mounts broken. Also replaced upper and lower ball joints. I only used poly on the steering rack to eliminate any wandering.

Inspected front wheel bearings. Replaced all with Timken.

Replaced radiator with a higher capacity unit and replaced all coolant hoses along with all vacumn lines under the bonnet.

Replaced pressure and return fuel lines under bonnet. You’ll notice a trend here. All rubber products have been replaced due to age and brittleness.

Brake pads are factory but new hoses (rubber again) for peace of mind.

New spark plugs, cap, rotor and wires and fuel filter, all factory parts.

Drain and fill diff. Flush transmission fluid.

Installed the missing lower under bumper shield and brake cooling ducts.

My car has 88000 miles on it and purrs like a tomcat in a creamery! I’ve taken it on a 900 mile trip with no issues and trust it to go anywhere.

Gordon

Cheers Gordan mate!
Thanks for the update!

:uk:

If this was my car with such low miles, I would just have it properly serviced and replace any and all wear items with OE replacements. Engine oil upgrade can never hurt. It’s not so much of a performance boost, but cheap insurance to keep the engine running well for a long time.

Best Oil and Filter,
Oil - I’d recommend Amsoil European formula improved ESP. stick to the weight in your users guide. I run 20-50w in my V12 XJ-S’s
Oil - Filter Filter Mann Filter 930/13
Air Filter - Mann Filter 1596
Fuel Filter - Mann Filter WK 612/2

Keep in mind, the XJ-S was never intended to be a sports car or an E-type replacement, it’s a GT or Grand Touring car. but If you’re hell bent on “upgrades” then ask yourself, how much GT comfort are you willing to give up for sportiness?

Brakes.
This one is personal, and is dependent on your driving style.
I run Stoptech (Centric) Drilled and slotted rotors. Slotted for decreasing stopping distance and reducing brake fade when driving hard, the holes? well because they look cool.
If tracking your car, then I wouldn’t recommend drilled and just stick with slotted. Both EBC and Stoptech have brakes for Jaguars. EBC is based in the UK so these may be a better choice.
I run Stoptech, because the based in the US and are half the price of the EBC equivelent product. Probably not as good…

  • Rotors
    If you’re happy with the braking performance, then stick to OE brakes. If you want the car to stop a bit quicker then a slotted rotor. If you want the added coolness and you’re not going to be tracking the XJ-S then drilled and slotted. Keep in mind if you’re considering a drilled rotor, and are crazy like me, then the crap stuck in the holes on the rotor will turn an already laborious task of wheel cleaning ever more laborious. by cleaning the gunk out of the rotor holes.

  • Pads
    I’d review the manufacturers pad wear chart.
    I run organic pads because less brake dust. under extreme or track use organic pads aren’t the best choice. Keep in mind, the weakest link between the rotor and an organic pad is the pad - meaning the pads won’t last as long as a metal or ceramic pad; however the organic pad will be kinder to your new rotors than a bi-metal / ceramic pad, I’d rather replace the pads over the rotors. Oh, and organic pads will fade a bit under extreme braking. Then it’s your choice of bi-metal or ceramic. Organic pads typically don’t squeal when cold like a ceramic or bi-metal pad. Also you will be changing the pads
    and rotors come time for a brake change.

Bushes…
Again, driving style and comfort are the biggest determining factor.
GT comfort or Sporty - pick which one you’d prefer. I’ve monkey’d around with different stiffness of Poly bushes as well as combination of rubber and poly mixed installation. what I’ve learned with my V12 XJ-S (and XJ6) the best of both worlds comes with poly bushes every where except where the IFS & swaybar attach to the car. I stick to the OE bushes. Poly bushes resonate any surface imperfections up the steering column and (in my case) rattled any bolted on bits loose.
I’m still on the fence about poly rack bushings. Poly Rack bushes will make the steering extra responsive. I would consider a bit twitchy. Again this is also determined by the stiffness of the poly bush.

bottom line - If you want the factory feel - driving experience then stick with OE bushes.

Suspension mods
Have it properly serviced to ensure there isn’t any leaks and the wear items are in good nick.
Shocks
again this is determined upon driving style and what your willing to give up for “your” driving style. I did KYB Gas shocks first go around, did stiffen up the ride a bit. When I do my next Jag; I will probably stick to the OE shock.

Cooling
I upgrade to a 4 core aluminium radiator; along with electric fans. I think yours already has electric fans. If there isn’t an over heating issue, then I wouldn’t change it. My V12 will overheat in the summer months. I can’t count how many times I’ve sat in traffic on a hot summer day with the heater on and my trousers off. trying to bring the engine temp down to the normal range.

Remapping
I don’t have any experience with this one. other than my XJR-100 I undersized the crank pully and had a remapped computer. I’m not sure that was a good idea.

Anything else?
I suppose if you want more go you could consider tracking down a '96 XJR engine It’s the one with the supercharged 4.0l 6cyl. along with the necessary OE electronics to make it go.

If it were my car. I would just do a proper service maybe add a little braking bling with drilled and slotted rotors, but everything else - I’d make it factory fresh.

Cheers Mark !
I appreciate the lengthy script!!

Thanks for your honest suggestions!

Cheers James :uk::+1:

I wouldn’t get too hung up on the brakes, some better spec pads like EBC red/green stuff would be sufficient. Cooling - definitely check this, a new radiator would be a good idea if you don’t know the previous history, and electric fans if not already fitted. For cruising in a GT you don’t really need fancy shocks or poly bushings - except for the steering rack, the difference is huge.

Thank you mate!
I building up a good idea how its going to go!

cheers

Should also add: fuel lines (new hoses) and ignition (new HT leads and whatever recommended mods for your flavour - Lucas or Marelli).