1 General information
1This Chapter is designed to help the home
mechanic maintain his/her vehicle for safety,
economy, long life and peak performance.
2The Chapter contains a master
maintenance schedule, followed by Sections
dealing specifically with each task in the
schedule. Visual checks, adjustments,
component renewal and other helpful items
are included. Refer to the accompanying
illustrations of the engine compartment and
the underside of the vehicle for the locations
of the various components.
3Servicing your vehicle in accordance with
the mileage/time maintenance schedule and
the following Sections will provide a planned
maintenance programme, which should result
in a long and reliable service life. This is a
comprehensive plan, so maintaining some
items but not others at the specified service
intervals, will not produce the same results.
4As you service your vehicle, you will
discover that many of the procedures can -
and should - be grouped together, because of
the particular procedure being performed, or
because of the proximity of two otherwise-
unrelated components to one another. For
example, if the vehicle is raised for any
reason, the exhaust can be inspected at the
same time as the suspension and steering
components.
5The first step in this maintenance
programme is to prepare yourself before the
actual work begins. Read through all theSections relevant to the work to be carried out,
then make a list and gather all the parts and
tools required. If a problem is encountered,
seek advice from a parts specialist, or a dealer
service department.
2 Intensive maintenance
1If, from the time the vehicle is new, the
routine maintenance schedule is followed
closely, and frequent checks are made of fluid
levels and high-wear items, as suggested
throughout this manual, the engine will be
kept in relatively good running condition, and
the need for additional work will be minimised.
2It is possible that there will be times when
the engine is running poorly due to the lack of
regular maintenance. This is even more likely
if a used vehicle, which has not received
regular and frequent maintenance checks, is
purchased. In such cases, additional work
may need to be carried out, outside of the
regular maintenance intervals.
3If engine wear is suspected, a compression
test (refer to Chapter 2) will provide valuable
information regarding the overall performance
of the main internal components. Such a test
can be used as a basis to decide on the extent
of the work to be carried out. If, for example, a
compression test indicates serious internal
engine wear, conventional maintenance as
described in this Chapter will not greatly
improve the performance of the engine, and
may prove a waste of time and money, unless
extensive overhaul work is carried out first.4The following series of operations are those
which are most often required to improve the
performance of a generally poor-running
engine:
Primary operations
a) Clean, inspect and test the battery
(Section 6).
b) Check all the engine-related fluids (refer
to “Weekly checks”).
c) Check the condition and tension of the
auxiliary drivebelt (Section 21).
d) Renew the spark plugs (Section 16).
e) Inspect the distributor cap and rotor arm
(Section 19).
f) Check the condition of the air filter, and
renew if necessary (Section 17).
g) Renew the fuel filter (Section 18).
h) Check the condition of all hoses, and
check for fluid leaks (Section 7).
i) Check the exhaust gas emissions (see
Chapter 6).
5If the above operations do not prove fully
effective, carry out the following secondary
operations:
Secondary operations
All items listed under “Primary operations”,
plus the following:
a) Check the charging system (refer to
Chapter 5).
b) Check the ignition system (refer to
Chapter 5).
c) Check the fuel system (refer to Chapter 4).
d) Renew the distributor cap and rotor arm
(Section 19).
e) Renew the ignition HT leads (Section 19).
1•6Maintenance procedures
3261 Jaguar XJ6
Every 7500 miles (12 000 km) or 6 months
3 Engine oil and filter renewal
2
1Frequent oil changes are the best
preventive maintenance the home mechanic
can give the engine, because ageing oil
becomes diluted and contaminated, which
leads to premature engine wear.
2Make sure that you have all the necessary
tools before you begin this procedure (see
illustration). You should also have plenty of
rags or newspapers handy for mopping up
any spills.
3Access to the underside of the vehicle is
greatly improved if the vehicle can be lifted on
a hoist, driven onto ramps or supported by
axle stands.
4If this is your first oil change, get under the
vehicle and familiarise yourself with the
location of the oil drain plug. The engine and
3.2 These tools are required when
changing the engine oil and filter
1 Drain pan - It should be fairly shallow in
depth, but wide in order to prevent spills
2 Rubber gloves - When removing the drain
plug and filter, it is inevitable that you will
get oil on your hands (the gloves will
prevent burns)
3 Breaker bar - Sometimes the oil drain plug
is pretty tight and a long breaker bar is
needed to loosen it
4 Socket – To be used with the breaker bar
or a ratchet (must be the correct size to fit
the drain plug)
5 Filter wrench - This is a metal band-type
wrench, which requires clearance around
the filter to be effective
6 Filter wrench - This type fits on the bottom
of the filter and can be turned with a
ratchet or breaker bar (different size
spanners are available for different types of
filters)
