XJ6 (Series I-III)

1968-1992 / Sedan / United Kingdom

All XJ6 (Series I-III) problems All workshop issues

Common Electrical

Lucas ignition failure (Series 1 and 2)

Symptoms

Misfiring, rough running, hard starting, random stalling. The car runs on five cylinders or fewer.

Cause

The Lucas ignition system uses points, condenser, distributor cap, and rotor arm, all of which wear and fail. Moisture gets into the distributor in damp conditions. The condenser fails without warning.

Fix

Fit an electronic ignition conversion (Pertronix or similar).

It's the single best modification you can make to a Series 1 or 2 XJ6, better starting, smoother running, more reliable.

Costs $200-400 AUD and takes an hour.

Keep the original parts as spares.

Cost mentioned in fix

$200-400

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// More XJ6 (Series I-III) problems

Other known issues

Common Electrical

Alternator and charging system failure

Battery goes flat, warning light stays on, instruments dim at idle, car won't start.

Minor Electrical

Electric window failure

Windows won't go up or down, move slowly, or stop halfway.

Common Electrical

Instrument gauge failures

Temperature gauge, fuel gauge, or oil pressure gauge reads incorrectly or not at all. Warning lights illuminate randomly.

Minor Electrical

Central locking and door lock failures

Central locking won't operate, or works on some doors but not others. Key won't turn in the door lock.

Minor Bodywork and Rust

Sill corrosion (structural)

Outer sills bubble and perforate. Inner sills rot silently behind trim. The car's rigidity decreases, doors sag, gaps become uneven, and the body flexes over bumps.

Minor Bodywork and Rust

Floor pan corrosion

Floor pans rot from underneath or from above (water sitting under carpets). In severe cases, you can see the road through the floor.

View all 28 XJ6 (Series I-III) problems