Cheap, high mileage S-Type R, should I ?

[The Voices]

Oh happy day !

Engine management light on, fault code p0420 (catalytic converter) !

And a bonus flat battery !

I have a suspicion that the ODB bluetooth adaptor is constantly 'live' and may have drained the battery ?

First job tomorrow is to remove the battery and get it charged (and see if it has a date on it !)

Then see if the fault code is real or a phantom !

 

[Claws]

Patience of a saint Jon, I think a lot of folks would be scratching their heads wondering if it's worth carrying on, me included 

[The Voices]

Hi Steve, I am from Yorkshire originally so 'paid for it, so got to make it work !'

 

Went to remove the battery this morning but tried the car first out of curiosity.

Guess what ?

It started !

No engine management light but usual array of 'flat battery' fault warnings for no cruise control, parkbrake fault, etc.

 

Removed the battery and put it on charge but managed to shear off the long thin bolt that holds the plastic block clamping the battery in place !

 

On closer inspection, the bolt goes straight through the floor-pan and through a captive nut welded to the underside !

There is not enough thread available under the car to lock two nuts on to it and remove it like a 'stud'.

Tried WD40 and mole grips but still no chance, only option was to drill it out from inside the boot.

 

Of course the remaining portion has broken off at an angle, so cannot drill the centre to get a clean run at it, my plan was to start with a small bit and work up in stages so that I could save the threads on the captive nut.

Only option I could come up with was to drill the whole thing out using a larger bit, this left me with a slightly larger hole in the floor-pan and no captive nut !

I have cleaned up the edges of the hole and rust proofed it, then used a larger bolt and stainless steel nuts and washers to replace the 'skinny' original.

All seems to have worked out okay but another 5 minute job becomes a !Removed! saga !

 

Battery is now charged and back on the car but not had chance to do anything because I am supposed to be shifting a few tons of soil into a skip that has to go back on Monday morning.

 

Considered buying a new battery in case the current one is on its last legs but my 'smart' charger not showing any faults, hope it is the bluetooth OBD adaptor that was draining the battery.

Eurocarparts have a 30% online discount this weekend, I can get the Exide 100ah, 900a cold cranking battery for £152 less the 30%, which looks decent value ?

 

Further updates to follow !

 

 

 

 

[The Voices]

Car has started fine today and no warnings or engine management light either.

See how it goes for now ?

[The Voices]

Seems to be running fine now and no fault codes (fingers crossed !)

[The Voices]

I have to be quiet because the car is listening to what I say !

Look what happens when you speak too soon.

Engine management came on again and then dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree, ABS fault, brake fluid low, parkbrake fault, cruise not available and probably some others that I forgot.

The car started but I think the battery is knackered.

Purchased a new Exide 100ah from Eurocarparts via their eBay shop, only £91 compared to £151 (less prevailing discount) from their own website.

Had to fit it in the dark after work on Friday as Sue was not happy going back into the Impreza.

So far so good ?

Famous last words.............................................

[Claws]

Definitely worth trying Jon, let's hope that puts an end to those pesky dashboard lights 

[The Voices]

I want one of those boards they have for nuclear facilities.

'x' days without an incident !

Just hoping the battery was at the end of the line rather than a charging or battery drain issue ?

[The Voices]

Now I have another dilemma !

Cheap set of 19" Barcelonas and second hand Milltek exhaust available ?

This is how the Impreza started !

[JOE-DOT-COM]

hi

there a S-Type R miltec on eBay at the moment

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-S-type-R-4-2-Milltek-resonated-catback-exhaust-/162245872807?hash=item25c69b8ca7:g:S0UAAOSwNRdYB5G6

cheers

joe

[JOE-DOT-COM]

hi

if your after the V8 burble, then the adamesh rear silencers is a cheaper option

I going to make replacement cats and centre section in summer, out of stainless, replace the 600 cell cats with 200 cell high flow ones, you get good gains from replacing the cats

I've got the adamesh silencers and they sound superb and there not too loud on a run when cruising

cheers

joe

[The Voices]

Hi Joe, thanks for the link.

That is the exhaust I was considering.

Might make him a 'cheeky' offer as I can get a brand new one for £1,100 or less ?

I am also considering seeing what our local Longlife / Powerflow branch could come up with, possibly just smaller rear silencers ?

 

 

[Russ68]

At £700 they're hardly giving it away and I agree with Joe. For £500 you could get some brand new Adamesh tail pipes which sorts the sound out, the rest of the system is pretty efficient, so the advantage of the Milltek is that it's stainless. Plus if Joe has a plan for a custom build next year, perhaps this is something a few of us could go in on to help spread the costs? I'd certainly be interested in stainless system for mine despite her being a humble AJ6.

What is the condition of your current exhaust? Part of the reason I went for my stainless rear cans is that my original ones were pretty shot! 

[JOE-DOT-COM]

Hi

just looked at the adamesh rear silencers

There £450 Now!!!!!, when i got them they were only £299 and that was less than 12 months ago

I replaced my rear silencers, just for the sound,

its a bit of a rip off really there's less than £100 worth of materials in the rear silencers and they want £450 for them

for the replacement high flow cats, the materials come to just under £200 and shops want £1100 for them

if you have one made Jon, make sure they use mandrel formed bends, as some exhaust makers just use a pipe bender and they partially crush the pipe, where you would actually get a loss in power

cheers

joe

[The Voices]

Hi Joe, thanks for the tip about the pipe bends.

My current exhaust is fine, just want it to sound a bit more like a V8.

Another option is to replace the rear silencers with straight through pipes, I have heard a few sound clips and they sound okay ?

[JOE-DOT-COM]

49 minutes ago, The Voices said:

Hi Joe, thanks for the tip about the pipe bends.

My current exhaust is fine, just want it to sound a bit more like a V8.

Another option is to replace the rear silencers with straight through pipes, I have heard a few sound clips and they sound okay ?

HI

They do sound ok, but there a bit louder, than the adamesh one and can do your head in on long runs

to give you a idea, you could remove the rear silencers and take it for a drive, that would give you a good idea of straight through pipes

cheers

joe

[The Voices]

Worth a thought !

[Russ68]

I don't suggest this will work for you Jon, but as Joe suggests removing the the pipes will give you an idea how load it will be. I did this on the V6 and believe me it was very loud! My new rear cans are pretty minimal and just on the right side of too loud IMO, but my better half disagrees and would like them quieter. I plan on swapping these out at some point, either with a some Adamesh, or ideally a complete stainless system. The V8 may be different but I doubt if it's quieter than the V6...

[The Voices]

Hi Russ, I expect it will be very noisy without any silencing.

Might give it a try at some point, the second hand Milltek would be my preferred option but only at the 'right' price.

[The Voices]

I decided not to buy the Barcelonas after all.

Concerned that the lower profile tyres would make the ride a bit harder and then Sue would give me earache for 'ruining' her car !

I may regret the decision in future..............................

[Russ68]

Good call, the Vulcans are the best wheels for the S-Type IMHO, maybe as I have a set and really like them 

I've heard of people swapping 19 and 20" wheels back to 18's for ride quality and you just spent money and time on your rear tyres, so good to stick with them. You can spend your money on refurbishing the Vulcans or on exhausts instead 

[The Voices]

Hi Russ,

I am still watching the second hand Milltek exhaust.

The fact that it is still for sale suggests that the target audience is very small and the price is too high !

[Russ68]

Have you tried a cheeky £500 offer? This is only a bit more than a decent set of rear boxes and would constitute a bargain in my book .

I want to go for a full stainless on mine, perhaps next year. I love the throaty, raspy sound of my rear cans but the Mrs thinks they're too loud, so I'll stick with them until I can replace with something better.

There's no benefit in us looking at having a small batch made I guess? I know Joe had a plan, and being in manufacturing (or a sort) myself, it's the 1st one that's expensive to do, after that it's often much cheaper to run off a few more, so I'm happy to consider this if anyone else was interested? Mind you, if you get a good deal on the Miltek, you won't need this 

[The Voices]

I wondered about speaking to the local Powerflow / Longlife exhaust centre in Kendal (where I work) to see about a price for custom back boxes ?

I am biding my time on the used Milltek, I can get a new one for about £1,000, so £500 would be the maximum I would pay for the used one.

[The Voices]

We had a trade- in car at work with the number plate P88 URR (PURR ?)

It was on the car when the previous owner bought it and he didn't want to keep it.

My boss said I could have it if I wanted for the cost of the retention fee.

Seemed like a bit of fun for £80, as we are also cat lovers (as well as 'big cat' lovers !)

Retention certificate has come back so just ordered new plates ready to do the online DVLA transfer.

 

I think it should look reasonable ?