Q&A

XJ-S convertible hood hydraulics

Q My new-to-me 1989 XJ-S convertible is everything I’ve ever desired, and I owe Jaguar World a debt of gratitude for educating me over the years with the knowledge of what to look out for. It drives superbly, having previously been fitted with a Harvey Bailey Engineering front cross brace, which renders the scuttle shake undetectable.

My only problem is with the electric hood retraction, which is very slow and jerky and leaves me concerned that it might fail in some intermediate position. While being quite handy in a DIY sense, I have no idea how this system operates and whether the electric motor I can hear