'89-'91 XJR-S 6.0L

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• My Car spec.
• General Information
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My 1989 XJR-S Arctic blue/Magnolia with black de-chrome option.

Vin SAJJSAES3BB164048

The smaller JaguarSport Steering wheel (made by Momo) introduced on the 6.0L, there is a slightly different version to the one shown here where the horizontal spokes curve downwards slightly. Black was an option if you didn't like it matched to the interior colour. The Earlier XJR-S's used the HE wheel but trimmed to match the interior, these and the shift knobs are still available from dealers.

note the paper towel pad on the bottom of the passenger's door were the rain comes in!

General view of the engine, looks the same as a HE exept for the JaguarSport badges on the manifolds and special air boxes.

I have owned this car for nearly two years, previously ran a '88 HE for six years and also owned a early '80 pre HE before this. Mysteriously, all these cars have had the same faults, err.. features. Water ingress through doors, heated rear window not working, leaking heater matrix (fixed) and windscreen wiper switches (also fixed).

Still don't know what's wrong with the HRW, power to it but none of the elements seem to work, assume there must be a hairline crack through them all. I don't want to take the glass out for fear of damaging the black finish on the glass surround. Water still gets in past the door seals by the door light switch, and runs down behind the trim panels by the speakers. It's not the quarterlight seals as they both been redone. Oh well, it still runs great!

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General infomation '88-'91 XJR-S 6.0L.

Surprisingly none of TWR's manual gearbox, front brake or exhaust modifications were carried over to the XJR-S and why the special Zytek injection is another mystery. I would guess it's a prestige thing "as used on Jaguar race cars" or TWR had lots of ECU's left over from the Le Mans race cars. The earlier TWR 6.1L engines all used modified standard Lucas injection like the big Lister cars.

The front springs/ shocks on the 6.0L are unique, (different again on the '92 facelifted cars) lowered and uprated but, interestingly, still not as stiff as Jaguar's own "Sports Pack" which is quite harsh at low speed. The previously standard rear springs are now also uprated which may explain the lack of a rear anti roll bar. Wheels are now 8"x16" with unusual tyre sizes 225/50 front and 245/55 rear, this gives the car a slight "nose down" appearance and is to said to aid fast turn in and cornering. With the new engine came revised programming of the shift speeds for the GM 400 auto box. Slightly smaller four spoke sport steering wheel (made by momo) is colour keyed to interior, this and the revalved power steering make the 6.0L noticeably heavier at low speed. An expensive black satin chrome option was introduced for the 6.0L which was not taken up by many owners, it has lasted very well on my car with just a few chips around the door handles, looks good on black cars.

Prospective buyers should be aware that many advertised XJR-S cars are not the real thing, just a standard HE with a bodykit and then marketed as XJR-S. All the '88 cars were 5.3L (96 sold) and most of the '89 cars were 5.3L (206 5.3's and only 66 of the 6.0's from October were sold). 1990 saw 248 6.0's and only 5 of the 5.3 engine cars sold, these sales figures were provided to me by JDHT.

The fact is that some unscrupulous individuals will try to sell a 5.3 as a 6.0, the engines look almost identical to a non enthusiast and especially if it is an '89 check the VIN No. This is mine for example: SAJJ(S)AE(S)3BB164048 the fifth digit denotes it is a JaguarSport XJR-S the eighth digit denotes a 6.0L engine, engine numbers start with 8W**** . The only visible differences to the engine (apart from the cam cover badges) is a Lucas distributor without a vacuum capsule, two injector resistor packs instead of the usual one behind the R/H headlamp, special air boxes with cold air intake from ducts in modified radiator top rail and one small high power ignition coil.

There is available to US dealers a "XJR-S Product Support Manual" (publication No. S-80) which lists ALL JaguarSport specific part numbers, wiring diagrams, detailed fault finding, Zytek injection set-up and error codes etc. However, it is only available in the USA! Chad Bolles (Jaguar Performance) In Columbia South Carolina shipped one to me and to other owners worldwide. This quite comprehensive manual covers the facelift '92 - '93 cars but is useful for owners of all 6.0L XJR-S's.

The later facelift 6.0L cars had more emission control and less restrictive exhausts with catalysts, with an increase of 20bhp over the previous versions 318bhp. Although the "Manual" states only 318bhp for the US versions, who incidentally were lucky to be offered XJR-S 6.0L convertibles! Only 50 rag tops and 50 coupes were exported to USA all were black or red, so very rare and collectable.

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Last revised: February 25, 1999.