Experience
in a Book
Cold
Weather Mods
ENGINE HEATERS: If you live where it gets cold and
use your Jag in the snow, it is highly recommended that you
invest in an engine heater. There are several types
available, in various wattages. There are heaters that
replace a freeze plug. There are heaters that are installed
in a radiator hose, some of which include a pump to
circulate the coolant. There are heaters which attach to the
surface of the oil pan, and there are dipstick heaters. Some
heaters have thermostats to turn them on when it gets too
cold, and some have timers that will warm the engine in time
for you to drive it.
While preventing engine damage due to frozen coolant is
the most obvious intention, those in the know can claim many
other advantages to engine heaters. They reduce engine wear,
because running a cold engine results in accelerated wear.
They save fuel, since a cold engine burns a lot of fuel.
They save wear and tear on the Lucas starter. And, last but
not least, they render the cabin heater operational much
sooner.
There are some who claim that the dipstick heaters,
especially high-wattage ones, can be harmful to the oil and
result in accelerated breakdown.
Regarding these heaters, Chad Bolles provides Jaguar part
numbers: "For the XJ-S you would need parts C41103 hose to
rad, C34403 heater element (110 volt), C36996 elbow for
heater element and C41099 hose to water pump."
RADIATOR COVERS: Would you believe your car can
overheat when it's freezing out? The answer is definitely
yes. The radiator is designed to efficiently transfer heat
to the incoming air. When very cold outside, the coolant in
the radiator may be cooled to the point where it begins
freezing, and a slush containing chunks of ice starts
collecting at the bottom. When the chunks get big enough,
they can plug up the hose taking the coolant back to the
engine. Once the flow of coolant stops, the coolant in the
radiator freezes even more solidly -- and the coolant in the
engine overheats.
If it's really that cold, the best prevention is to block
some of the air coming through the radiator. This is easily
done with a piece of cardboard. You'll be amazed at how much
blockage is necessary to restore proper operation; it seems
you have to cover three quarters of the radiator.
If this proves to be a regular problem, there are
actually products available that provide a radiator cover
that is adjustable from within the passenger compartment by
means of a cable.
OIL: Many winter drivers have found that use of
synthetic oil helps with cold weather operation. Synthetic
oil apparently does not thicken as much as natural oil when
cold.
John Goodman: "A tip passed on to me many years ago was
to put a waterproof thermal jacket over the oil cooler in
the winter months (bit hard to get at in a Jag !)"
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Miscellaneous
Modifications
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