AIR SUSPENSION PUMP RENEWAL

1The air suspension pump on our car had logged a fault and the suspension felt harsh, so we ordered a new pump from SNG Barratt, then started to remove the Jaguar’s front grille.

2The front bumper on this car is secured with an assortment of Torx T30 screws. It’s also clipped into the corners and has some release tabs around the headlights. After the multi- plugs for the foglights were detached, the bumper could be lifted away.

3John at Tasker & Lacy recommended draining the old windscreen washer fluid and cleaning the plastic reservoir with a mixture of disinfectant and water. This helped to remove any microscopic fungal spores from inside the container.

4After removing the horns from their mounting brackets, we could see more of the air suspension pump, which is located behind the nearside edge of the front crash panel. Next, we detached the electrical plugs and air pipe (10mm union).

5Three 13mm nuts secured the air suspension pump to the front crash beam. As the last of the 13mm nuts was undone, the pump needed to be supported to prevent it dropping out. We then removed it from the car.

6The new air suspension pump from SNG Barratt was identical to our old one and also included the mounting frame and pipework. Air pump failure is a common problem on Jaguars equipped with air suspension.

7We fitted the new pump on the car and replaced the three 13mm nuts that had been undone in step five. The short drain hose must be routed through a hole in the crash beam otherwise it will cause an obstruction when fitting the pump.

8The electrical plugs were refitted along with the air pipe (10mm union). We then left the engine running to make sure the pump adjusted the ride height. The suspension sat low for a few minutes, but eventually rose up to the correct height. A test- drive of the XJ8 confirmed a duff pump was the cause of the problem.