| Author | Message | ||
| Erich Walz (Deleteall)
Member Username: Deleteall Post Number: 423 Registered: 12-2001 |
Just go with the 6.0 from the 94+ cars. They can be had with tranny for less than $3,000 and they'll drop right in. The 6.0's look good too, not like the rat's nest on the '85 5.3. Get rid of the silencers, get a big bore exhaust and decent mufflers and you'll have the sound you want. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 603 Registered: 11-2002 |
Just fix the Jaguar engine. These things can really go if you want it to, and it will sound good to. Yep not the best engine ever designed, and probably does not last as long as their six, but still not worth the hassle of replacing with another v12 that is just as unreliable. I have heard and seen race versions of the Jag v12 and they go hard and sound good. Pete ps: Jags with v8's in them suck IMO. Totally wrong solution. Ruins the whole feel of the car no matter how well done. The noice is just not right and they are not as fast as they used to be ... or thats what it feels like anyway. | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
Junior Member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 52 Registered: 9-2002 |
THanks for the info. I wouldn't do a chevy conversion on it. The engine I have in it hauls. It doesn't really have any low end, because of the gearing, but the freeway power is great. I've seen an xjs coverted with a 454 chevy in it. It sounded like a chevy. I eventually want to get a 308. I just have other things that I need to take care of. | ||
| Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member Username: Verell Post Number: 895 Registered: 5-2001 |
James, Look at it this way, if you drop the 400i motor into a Jag, you'll tick off the purists in 2 classic car communities: The Jag pureists will be on your case because you've bastardized a Jag. The Ferrari pureists will be on your case because the engine could have been used to keep a 4xx from being parted out. If yo drop in a US V8 you'll only have the jag pureists on your case. You can always brag to your Ferrari friends about how you helped keep a Ferrari on the road(Heheheh!) IMHO, it's your car &(presumeably) engine. | ||
| Steve (Steve)
Member Username: Steve Post Number: 431 Registered: 2-2001 |
I've done 6 Jag conversions and they all turned out sweet. 2 XJ-6 and 4 XJS' with the last one a Corvette 350 TPI with 4 sp (built) auto and 3:31 rear. As for John's car the have a good kit but I didn't like the engine mounts so I did the whole job making my own adapters and using Chev mounts. Had a rad. built by the local rad shop and bought a drive shaft from a local mfg. Also used stock exhaust and the only trick is bending it to fit past the rack tower. Quite fast with no loud exhaust noise. | ||
| Terry Springer (Tspringer)
Member Username: Tspringer Post Number: 647 Registered: 4-2002 |
I did a V8 conversion using a Johns Cars kit on an XJS back in 1991. We put in a 4 bolt main 350 from a Corvette with a 4 barrell holley. It also ran a turbo 400 trans. The kit came with everything... .wiring harness, engine mounts, radiator, hoses, nuts, bolts and great instructions. It even came with new front springs to reset the ride height since the new engine/trans was over 400lb lighter than the Jag units. The only trouble we had was exhaust. The kit pieces fit perfectly, but it was too loud. It had a gutteral V8 sound that was totally out of character to the car. We ended up putting 3 in line mufflers in place to get it so quiet you couild barely tell it was running. Even with that exhaust the car was VERY fast. Much faster and better handling than stock. We were probably getting 300hp when the stock V12 was only 275 or so. That coupled with the less weight made a much more driveable car. If you want a good conversion for a Jag, check into Johns cars. He has ads in every Hemmings. | ||
| Mark Eberhardt (Me_k)
Member Username: Me_k Post Number: 593 Registered: 5-2002 |
It' very expensive to swap engines in any car. Even when the factory offered it, tracking down the "right" radiator, hoses, wiring, mounts runs into a lot of time and money. I've done a few engine swaps and it always costs much more than you think it will. The other thing is changing brands. I don't believe a jag running with a ferrari engine in it is worth as much as a jag with no engine and a ferrari engine sold separately. If you want your jag to be faster, my strong recommendation is hop up the jag engine a little. If you don�t have a jag engine, find one. If what you really want is a ferrari, scrap what you�ve got and buy a ferrari. JMO | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member Username: 91tr Post Number: 1934 Registered: 1-2001 |
Be careful comparing weight specs/data -- I believe what James measured is "(empty) curb weight" (i.e., the car with liquids, but no passengers/cargo) while "GVW"-type specs include car, liquids, and max passenger/cargo. I had the other thought -- use the Jag rear suspension to fix the 400  ... | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 827 Registered: 9-2002 |
By 800lbs??? Damn! I always knew the body panels were made of cast iron!  --Dan | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
Junior Member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 51 Registered: 9-2002 |
Yes, it's a v12. Certain american models are 4600lbs. I thought mine was one of them, then I weighed on a truck scale (when I was doing a move), and it was around 3800 lbs. I have a haynes manual that gives the certain types of xjs and models (american, european) and the weight varies. | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 822 Registered: 9-2002 |
James, Is yours a V12? As I recall, GUVW is closer to 4600 lbs. --Dan | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
New member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 49 Registered: 9-2002 |
Well for one reason, my jag is a pretty solid car, and even though the resale isn't very high, I think the build quality is excellent, I haven't had a problem with keeping it running. It's actually very easy once you've learned about the car, it's very basic. Anyway, It looks to me like the 400i engine is easier to work on, and I think the sound would be awesome. My car weighs 3800lbs. What does a 400i weigh? The 400i engine has more hp than the jag v12. | ||
| V.Z. (Ama328)
Junior Member Username: Ama328 Post Number: 164 Registered: 11-2002 |
one thing i think would be really cool would be to drop a V12 of some sort(maybe 400 would be cheapest) into a mid 60s Corvette Stingray, would really get the Corvette types worked up, but sure would sound neat. Have no idea if it would even come close to fitting, not to mention what to do about the transmission, rear end, etc., etc. If the lotto comes in, might try this after i've picked up about a dozen of Enzo's finest and need a little sumpin' different | ||
| Henryk (Henryk)
Member Username: Henryk Post Number: 824 Registered: 8-2001 |
Your putting in an engine that is worth 5 times what the car is..........makes NO sense! | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Intermediate Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 1359 Registered: 8-2001 |
Just buy and drive the 400i. | ||
| Ken (Allyn)
Intermediate Member Username: Allyn Post Number: 1028 Registered: 10-2001 |
James, if you have a 400i motor, I'd find better uses than dropping it in an XJS. How about one of those Ferrari replicars? It will save another old classic from being ripped apart for the motor. Or better yet, think I can drop it in my Europa?? LOL | ||
| david handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 1085 Registered: 5-2001 |
WHY? Like an xjs isn't enough work to keep running, you want to add a high maintenance f-motor into the equation too! :-) | ||
| Paul (Pcelenta)
Member Username: Pcelenta Post Number: 363 Registered: 7-2002 |
Why bother? Why go from one labour intense engine to another? Just go with a small block chevy all research has been done on it already. | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 795 Registered: 9-2002 |
The real question is whether the 400i engine (about which I know nothing) can cope with the sheer weight of the damn XJS. '88 XJS V-12 here (5.3l), and the damn thing is a bloody tank. --Dan | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Intermediate Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 1294 Registered: 11-2002 |
Sunny where are you? He's probably the man who can answer that... Cheers | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
New member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 48 Registered: 9-2002 |
What would you guys think of an 85 xjs with a ferrari 400i motor in it? Would the engine mount to the trans? They both use a gm400 transmission. Some input please? thanks, Jim |