[Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating

Robin Jackson apexbrit at msn.com
Tue Jul 29 20:27:04 MDT 2008 

Having been in the "trade", ethically, I do not recommend where I think you
should go, Charlie.

I have seen the work from all those mentioned and think all are capable;
Otherwise they would not be in business. And everyone likes the familiarity of
a known shop.

For your particular problem: overheating, any trained mechanic should be able
to repair this regardless whether he or she works on domestic, asian european
or whatever.

A couple of alternative suggestions are: John Sparks at PJ's Automotive. They
specialize in Volvo and Suburu, but John was a founding partner of British
European and has helped some of my former customers after I retired.

In addition, there is a German car mechanic across the street from John who
may be interested in a Jag challenge. An excellent mechanic and in the County
for decades.

There is also a Brit Car guy in Corte Madera, on Paradise Drive, who I got to
know slightly. I visited his shop and was impressed - but expect to pay more.

Just a few more two cents worth while I am on light duty due to hand surgery!

Cheers, Robin
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Charlie Saul<mailto:csaul at noleak.com>
  To: North Bay British Car Club<mailto:nobbc at autox.team.net>
  Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 6:05 PM
  Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating


  Deano:
  OMG!
  Charlie

  -----Original Message-----
  From: nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net>
[mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net]
  On Behalf Of Paige, Dean
  Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 1:44 PM
  To: North Bay British Car Club
  Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating

  Comparable to any other charges for auto repairs in reputable shops in
  this area. Highly qualified mechanics. Owner Mark Singleton a Brit
  trained in the UK. Knows Brit cars inside out. A large portion of his
  business is in restorations, and I have to say BEM restorations are
  incredible. I've known Mark since 1988, while I gasped over price
  sometimes I was always pleased by the quality of work. He kept an 85
  XJ-6 of mine running and beautiful for 225 K miles until it's untimely
  demise in a crash that ended with me and the car under a center divide
  guardrail caused by a Ford 250 that rear ended me & hit the gas instead
  of brakes and literally drove me under the rail. Only alive because I
  saw it coming and laid down over the consule. Roof came down to the dash
  board. Seat head rest was sticking up through the smashed left rear
  window. I digress.

  BEM has been taking care of my 98 VDP since and also built an engine for
  my TR-6 after the original went irreparably at 320 K.

  You get what you pay for.

  Deano
  -----Original Message-----
  From: nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net>
[mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net]
  On Behalf Of wendell bain
  Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:58 AM
  To: North Bay British Car Club
  Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating

  Hi Charlie,

  I had the shop in Rohnert Park, British European, make up a brake line
  for me when I didn't have the flaring tool for the Morgan. He did a good
  job and it wasn't very expensive. It was also more than ten years ago.
  I understand from others that the shop is quite expensive to have them
  do repairs. Other than that I have no experience with them. There are
  frequently very interesting cars in their parking lot.

  Good luck,
  Wendell

  On Jul 28, 2008, at 8:55 PM, Charlie Saul wrote:

  > Robin,
  >
  > Thanks so much for your very constructive suggestions.
  >
  > If being a mechanic was a prerequisite for buying and appreciating a
  > classic, I would be banned. I know just enough to be dangerous.
  > Therefore, I shall take up all of your suggestions with a mechanic; in

  > fact I'll print out this stream and we'll go over each any every point

  > to be sure.
  >
  > I used to bring my car to a chap in the San Rafael canal area. I know
  > there is a rather expensive shop in Greenbrae. Does anyone know about
  > the shop along the highway in Rohnert Park?
  >
  > Thanks a bunch,
  >
  > Charlie
  >
  > -----Original Message-----
  > From: nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net>
[mailto:nobbc-
  > bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:bounces at autox.team.net>] On Behalf Of Robin
Jackson
  > Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 5:03 PM
  > To: North Bay British Car Club
  > Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating
  >
  > Hello Charlie - My gosh! before you add fans, an oil cooler, or have
  > an overhaul, consider this: Your Jag  was not designed to overheat;
  > altho it was for a cooler climate and shorter runs than we do in CA.
  > All mechanics in the car being good, it should not overheat and
  > coolers and fans will not fix the real problem, whatever it is.
  >
  > I don't know what you mean by overheat. Does it reach 220, 240?
  > Does it
  > "boil over", hence the overflow tank? Does it blow steam like the
  > Edinbrough Express?
  >
  > First things to check are: coolent level, slipping fanbelt, defective
  > water pump, sticking/closed thermosat, rust and scale clogging the
  > system, airflow through rad, external leaks.
  >
  > If these elements are right, then start thinking about hot gases
  > getting into the coolent through an internal leak.
  >
  > Thermstat check is easy: let it idle and watch the temp gauge. it
  > should rise to as much as 200 and then drop back to 160 or 180
  > (whatever your thermstat is). You can put your hand on the top hose
  > and feel the warm coolent flow when it opens.
  >
  > When was the last time you flushed and changed coolent in the rad?
  > (Always run 50/50 coolent and distilled h2o). Just a few tubes
  > obstructed can cause a loss of cooling.
  >
  > Do a pressure check on the system. Pump it up to 15psi and see if it
  > leaks down.(Napa has this tool.) Yes? look for external leaks - hoses.
  > No? Maybe an internal leak, but let a pro test for it,(you could scald
  > yourself.)
  >
  > Any water bubbles on the dip stick?
  >
  > Have you had to fill the system lately? When filling a cooling system,

  > it is usually necessary to "burp" the system as air pockets can cause
  > problems.
  > Again, this can burn you if you don't know what you are doing.
  >
  > Too much retard and lean carbs, as someone else said, can contribute
  > to heating, but I think you would have been concerned about poor
  > running.
  > It is always good to frequently check timing, dwell and carb mixture.
  > (part of the fun of our old girls is fussing with them.)
  >
  > I am not an automotive engineer, but these comments come from 55 years

  > of working on Brit cars and 15 for a livelyhood.
  >
  > Although I don't think I have suggested anything whereby you can hurt
  > yourself, I just need to remind you that hot cooling systems under
  > pressure are very dangerous and can cause you severe injury. Be
  > careful.
  > I don't know what your experience is.
  >
  >
  > BTW, overflow bottles are a good addition and will help to preserve
  > the environment, drip by drip.
  >
  >
  > Robin
  >
  >
  >   From: Charlie Saul<mailto:csaul at noleak.com<mailto:csaul at noleak.com>>
  >   To: North Bay British Car
Club<mailto:nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc at autox.team.net>>
  >   Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 9:12 AM
  >   Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating
  >
  >
  >   Thanks so much Dick,
  >
  >   I'll be sure to have the advance checked.
  >
  >   Hope to be cool running soon!
  >
  >   Charlie
  >
  >   -----Original Message-----
  >   From:
  >
nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc
-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net>>
  > [mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net]
  >   On Behalf Of Richard Anderon
  >   Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 7:34 AM
  >   To: North Bay British Car Club
  >   Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating
  >
  >   Hi Charlie,  I have a '67 XKE and agree with Dawson on both.
  >   Hopefully the raised bottle will help.  If needed, fan kits with
  > shroud
  >   are available from most Jag parts houses.  Mine runs cool and have
  > found
  >   that the tune of the engine helps that.  Don't be to lean and check
  > the
  >   advance.
  >
  >   Dick
  >   On Jul 27, 2008, at 5:28 PM, Charlie Saul wrote:
  >
  >> Hi Dawson,
  >>
  >> You got it; the bottle is mounted too low. Great suggestions; will
  >> check it out!
  >>
  >> Thanks a bunch,
  >>
  >> Charlie
  >>
  >> -----Original Message-----
  >> From:
  >
nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc
-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net>>
  >> [mailto:nobbc-bounces at autox.team.net
  >> ]
  >> On Behalf Of Dawson Church
  >> Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 9:47 PM
  >> To: North Bay British Car Club
  >> Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating
  >>
  >> Are you sure your radiator overflow bottle is ABOVE the level of the
  >> radiator. I had a mechanic "helpfully" install one in my Lotus, it
  > was
  >
  >> BELOW, and drained water from the radiator when hot!
  >>
  >> I solved the overheating problem in my 2 Lotuses by installing
  >> electric fans that come on a low temperature. Torqueflow brand,
  >> installs in about an hour, sold at Autozone, turned on by a sensor
  >> that goes through the radiator fins. You MUST get a sensor that
  >> triggers at low temperature, the regular ones trigger too high, the
  >> engine is already cooking before they signal the fans to turn on.
  >>
  >> Dawson
  >>
  >>
  >> On Jul 26, 2008, at 7:06 PM, Charlie Saul wrote:
  >>
  >>> Hi All:
  >>>
  >>> Trying to get my xk 120 back on the road:
  >>> I installed a radiator overflow bottle and it overflows a lot when
  > I
  >>> drive for 15 minutes and turn the car off.
  >>> One mechanic says car is overheating due to rings, valves, head
  >>> gasket
  >>
  >>> etc.; car engine needs to be overhauled.
  >>> Another mechanic says that since I likely will drive the car less
  >>> than
  >>
  >>> 1000 miles a year, I should just have an oil cooler installed.
  >>> Will this bring the temp down significantly?
  >>>
  >>> Regards,
  >>>
  >>> Charlie
  >>> _______________________________________________
  >>> Nobbc mailing list
  >>>
Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<
mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>>
  >>>
  >
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/<http://au
tox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/>
  > mailm
  > an/li
  > stinfo/nobbc>
  >> _______________________________________________
  >> Nobbc mailing list
  >>
Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<
mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>>
  >>
  >
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/<http://au
tox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/>
  > mailm
  > an/li
  > stinfo/nobbc>
  >> _______________________________________________
  >> Nobbc mailing list
  >>
Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<
mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>>
  >>
  >
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/<http://au
tox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/>
  > mailm
  > an/li
  > stinfo/nobbc>
  >   _______________________________________________
  >   Nobbc mailing list
  >
Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<
mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>>
  >
  >
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/<http://au
tox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/>
  > mailm
  > an/
  > listinfo/nobbc>
  >   _______________________________________________
  >   Nobbc mailing list
  >
Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net<
mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>>
  >
  >
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/<http://au
tox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/>
  > mailm
  > an/
  > listinfo/nobbc>
  > _______________________________________________
  > Nobbc mailing list
  > Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>
  >
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/mailman/li
stinfo/nobbc>
  > _______________________________________________
  > Nobbc mailing list
  > Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>
  >
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/mailman/li
stinfo/nobbc>
  _______________________________________________
  Nobbc mailing list
  Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>
  http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/mailman/
listinfo/nobbc>
  _______________________________________________
  Nobbc mailing list
  Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>
  http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/mailman/
listinfo/nobbc>
  _______________________________________________
  Nobbc mailing list
  Nobbc at autox.team.net<mailto:Nobbc at autox.team.net>
  http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc<http://autox.team.net/mailman/
listinfo/nobbc>

More information about the Nobbc mailing list