Jaguar Repair: Series 3 XJ6 headliner, etc..., windshield replacement, haynes manual

Question
QUESTION: Howard,

I wasn't clear before. It isn't removing the sunroof again that bugs me, I've had it out once to clean and re-lube the tracks and cables, and the mech works flawlessly now. I just doubt I could pull off a headliner job to my own satisfaction. I am restoring this vehicle to a point that it is one that I can enjoy for years to come, and show on a casual basis. I do have the Haynes manual, but as you may realize, once one reaches a certain level of ability, the manual mainly serves as a guide at times, and is often of little use. I appreciate having an expert such as yourself available to nail down things at times, in simple terms.
With that said, I tried a couple of the tests you mentioned, and was able to get a "click" at the turn of the key just once with the lights on, and they did not go out. On every subsequent try, it tried to crank, and I aborted. I did notice that when I aborted cranking the engine, I got a puff of smoke from the intake horn that smelled very much of sulphur, or similar to spent model rocket fuel or fire crackers. Any thoughts on that? Other than that, it started any time I tried on Sunday, so I ended up taking it on a 50 mile trip up through Dayton, and back without any problems.
I'm just tinkering with a car that otherwise runs well until it goes in for new floor pans on the 27th...

Thanks,
Michael

ANSWER: I found the headliner job a lot of work and found it difficult to get the head liner board out of the car once I got it down. I have tried it a couple of ways and the safest way was to remove the front passenger's seat and remove it through the rear door on the passenger's side. If someone had to do a windshield replacement and a headliner it would be easy to get out through the front with the windshield out but it is too difficult to remove a windshield to just remove it to do a headliner. The other method I tried was to lay the front passenger's seat down all the way in a reclined position and take it out the back door but I did minor damage to the board that way so I remove the front seat to do it. All the trim has to come out all the way around so that is a lot of work too.

I did find the material at a local company that supplies material for upholstery for furniture and automobiles too. It is exactly the same material that the Jag had.

I was pre-warned not to spray the contact cement directly at the foam backing as it would "Wet" the foam and cloth and ruin the material. So, that is why I said to spray at an angle and from a good distance so as not to wet the cloth through the foam. Cut a scrap and spray up close and directly at the foam and you will see what I mean and what to avoid. Also take a scrap and spray the the cloth along the edge with carb cleaner and see how easy it is to peal the foam from the cloth on the edges that need to be folded over the board and how you can peal the foam off of some of the material to recover the beading around the sun roof opening.

On the starting problem, it is very difficult to impossible to find a fault when it is not there at the time you are testing. You have to be able to "See" electricity when something electric fails and then works form then on. You could replace a lot of parts and maybe not get the faulty part that way.

I did one time design a box with 9 LEDs and 9 test leads. I made 5 of them (+) and 4 (-) so I could monitor 5 power supplies and 4 grounds while driving a car. I used LEDs because they only drew about 30 miliamps and thus didn't interrupt even a signal from an ECU or an electronic ignition system. I used it on starting problems like yours that only happened at times when it was not in the shop. In a case like yours I would have connected each lead to critical points along the rout from the starter relay down to the starter solenoid so that when it went "Click" as you refer it. I could see which LED did not light up that was suppose to and thus that would tell me where the intermittent fault was.

Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Howard,

I had figured the headliner must be installed before the windshield at the factory, as that seems the most convenient way in. I am settled on hiring that out and have seen on Jaguar forums estimated costs of $200-$300. Does that seem realistic and or reasonable to you? I haven't gotten local estimates yet, just thought I'd ask.

On the starting issue, I did find tonight that it very much sounds as if the "click" is the solenoid actuating, but without the starter motor turning. I have messed around with starters enough, most recently trying to spin a newly rebuilt engine on a stand to check oil pressure; and am familiar with that sound meaning current is weak. I also found after three "click" attempts that the white/red stripe wire from the relay to the starter was quite warm. I will try the second battery test another night.

Since it seems I am likely to be purchasing a deep cycle, or marine battery, is it typical to modify the posts, or am I not looking hard enough? I seem to recall seeing those with wing nuts, or lead tabs on top, but not with side posts.

Any thoughts on the puff of acrid smoke I described in the last question? To refresh - when I aborted cranking because the engine tried to start, and not "click" like I wanted, I saw a puff of smoke at the intake horn, smelled of spent solid rocket fuel, like that in fireworks, etc.

Thanks again!
Michael

Answer
A "click" when trying to start was never a symptom of needing a deep charge battery. The symptom was it would spin over fast but not fire off. And when a jumper battery was added, it fires off instantly.

A "Click" from the starter solenoid and the 12 gauge wire hot is most likely a starter bendix or solenoid problem because the "engage" coil in the solenoid is very strong and draws a lot of current which would over heat even a 12 gauge wire. When the solenoid and bendix is working correctly, that "engage" coil is only active for less then one second and the Iron core piston travels to the end of the solenoid and hits a button switch in the bottom of the solenoid and disconnects the "engage" coil and connects a "holding" coil that is not as powerful and it can stay there holding the iron core piston in place for an extended time which does not conduct a lot of current, thus it would not make the 12 gauge wire get warm. So that means the bendix gear is either sticking or hitting the teeth of the ring gear or something is faulty inside the solenoid.

I don't know what they charge to do a head liner. I did quite a few but always on my own cars. After I retired I purchased series III XJ-6 cars wholesale and fixed them up and sold them and almost every one had a bad head liner. One time I bought three in one lot and all three had bad head liners.

Howard