CLASSIC WORKSHOP

1

Check the battery or batteries are securely mounted with a clamp or strap and also check their terminals are secure (try to waggle them). Protect the terminals with a smear of petroleum jelly

2

If you have a voltmeter or battery tester, measure the voltage for the battery (or each battery if there are two). Some battery testers can health check the battery and confirm it’s being recharged

3

Confident the battery is in good order, test all exterior lighting. Sometimes, a bulb may not have blown, but corrosion could be the problem or water ingress if you’ve washed the car

4

Before running the engine, make sure the throttle linkage is free-moving at the carburettors or throttle body. Hold the accelerator pedal down and check the linkage fully extends

5

If you have SU carburettors, unscrew the damper nut on the top and look inside. There should be a small amount of oil to help prevent the piston sticking. Top up with a light oil from Burlen/SU

6

Check all of the engine bay fluids, including the screenwash, brake fluid, coolant and power steering. Top up with whatever has been used before – don’t mix pink and blue coolant as it can congeal

7 8

If you are unsure when the air filter was last changed, extract and inspect it to look for signs of dirt. If you are at all unsure of its age and condition, replace it. Some reuseable filters can be washed Check the engine oil level by removing and wiping the dipstick, then reinserting and extracting it again to obtain a reading. And only check the oil with the car on level ground and the engine cold

9

Checking the gearbox oil level is often more involved. On automatics, the transmission usually needs to be warmed-up, the gears selected, then the level checked with Park selected and the engine still running

10

Check all the tyre pressures, including the spare wheel. Inspect the sidewalls for perishing and the tread for excessive and uneven wear – as a guide, the tread depth should be at least 1.6mm

11

If you have a spare wheel, do you have the tools to change it? Check you can undo the wheel nuts (and then tighten them to the recommended torque figure) or the centre spinner

12

If a wheel spinner is difficult to undo, remove it, clean the thread inside it and on the hub, then apply a smear of copper grease to both threads before refitting the wheel and trying again

13

Continuing with lubrication, spray a light grease over the locks and hinges for the bonnet, doors and bootlid. Check the bonnet release mechanism and its cable are easy to operate

14

Check the fuel filler flap (if fitted) can be released. Clean around it to ensure any drain holes are clear. Undo the cap and check its seal hasn’t perished – apply red rubber grease if it is dry

15 16

If your Jaguar has a sunroof, check that it will open and close. It may need adjusting or some lubrication. Remove any dirt from inside its channels and around its seals that could block its drain holes Check components such as the bumpers, door mirrors and windscreen wipers are securely mounted. Whilst it may be uncommon for their fastenings to loosen, some can become corroded

17

Try to bounce the front and rear of the vehicle to listen for knocks, rattles and squeaks. Check the suspension settles and doesn’t continue to bounce, which may suggest a problem with the dampers

18

Look around the suspension dampers for signs of leaks and corrosion. These can usually be inspected from underneath each corner of the vehicle. Visually inspect the rubber mounts for perishing

19

Whilst underneath each corner of the vehicle, visually inspect the coil springs or leaf springs, looking for fractures and corrosion. Don’t touch these components as you may trap your fingers

20

Waggle each road wheel from top-to-bottom and side-to-side to check for play in the suspension. This is more effective with a raised and supported road wheel, but takes longer to do

21

Try moving the car on level ground, with the handbrake off and the gearbox in neutral. Apply the handbrake and try again. Problems may mean the handbrake cable and mechanism need adjusting

22

It can be an awkward job, but it’s worthwhile checking the oil level inside the rear differential. Undo the inspection/filler plug – the level should be below the hole. Top up with the correct oil

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Similarly, pumping multipurpose grease through the grease nipples for the driveshafts, propshaft, steering and suspension is time-consuming, but necessary to preserve these components Finally, do you have the tools and spares to fix or investigate typical problems, such as an engine misfire, a blocked fuel filter or snapped fanbelt? Work through some scenarios to check