I just acquired a 1974 jaguar xke original paint garage kept around 34000 miles. It has not started in 20 plus years know there is rust in the gas tank. Any help on the best way to start this project to get the car running again. Any tips would be appreciated. Planned on resurfacing the fuel tank blowing out fuel lines and changing all the fluids . Unsure if I should rebuild the carburetors or see if they are still functioning. Justin

 

Ok, it's been 5 days and no one else has replied. I don't own an e-type but I've owned old Triumphs and '60s era cars that had been sitting for a while.

You're first ideas about the fuel and fluids are right on the mark. - Change ALL of them.

Also:
- Use the lightest weight of motor oil the manufacture recommends but DON'T over rev it or let the engine get above mid temps when you first run it. After you've run it for a few hours or a couple hundred miles of EASY driving, change it again with something more suited to long term use.
- **IF** you plan to use any snake oil (Lucas / Seafoam / Marvelous Mystery Oil) use it in that breakin period. Most of these snake oils are detergents of some form and (with the help of friction) will be dislodging rust particles and other gunk that's formed in the engine in the last 20 years. All this crap is going to be caught in the oil filter (hopefully) and so, again a few hours or a couple hundred miles of use and the oil and filter need be replaced.
- Magnetizing your drain plug and putting magnets on the bottom of you oil pan will help to catch anything steel/iron that is trying to disintegrate.
- Replace every piece or rubber you have to disturb. Hoses, bushings, etc. No matter how good they look, they're rotted. I don't care how lucky you think you are - you aren't that lucky.
- put some oil in each cylinder before turning it over to prevent the dry rings from damaging the cylinders.
- if the oil filter is a screw-on type fill it, let it sit for a few minutes and then top it off before putting it on the car so the oil-pump is fully lubricated when attempting to start it. If you can squirt oil up into the pump do so.
- expect every moving surface to be dry as a bone and realize that you will be causing thousands of miles worth of wear in the first few minutes even if you are only turning it over and it doesn't actually start. lubricate anything you can reach and again DON'T OVER REV if it catches. Let it warm up and get flowing.
- if the carbs are SU types you will likely need to REPLACE the oil in them. A rebuild is not unlikely, but is not the end of the world.
- unless you think the tires have some collector value, replace them before you try to drive over 30mph. Expect them to have bad flat spots (if they even hold air) and to make the car feel like the front end is torn up.

When starting for the first time, make sure that you let it warm up before revving it up over 2000 RPM. (hmm... am I repeating myself?) If the oil isn't warm, it's not flowing into all the places it needs to get. If you take the valve cover off, I would take a brush and paint the cam and chain in motor oil just for the heck of it.

For the fun of it you may want to watch a "A Car is Reborn" on YouTube. Mark evans rebuilds a series 1 e type.

Hopefully these comments will jump-start the conversation. Good luck and remember that not posting pics of a project will almost certainly cause you to loose your hair and impede your male performance. Just saying....

 

I too had a xke that had not been run in 25 years, The seller said the engine turns over ( with a wrench) I listened to all the advice, use this oil, replace fluids and belts, remove and clean carbs, and on and on................. All BAD ADVICE ! This is what I did, I took a bore scope (a skinny camera on a tube) and removed all the spark plugs first, by sticking the tube camera down the plug holes I could see that one of the exhaust valves was broken off and laying on top of the piston !! The person that turned-over the engine to make sure it wasn't seized had broken off that stuck valve without knowing it ! By taking the time to check the engine condition first, I avoided a MAJOR rebuild !!

 

Well i just did this exact job except min e has 29k miles now. It has taken me six months. Call Matt Meisner at Terry's jaguar. Tell him Edgar sent you.

1. take out the spark plugs and fill cylinders with Marvel mystery oil. Let sit for a week.
2. take out fuel tank and replace or have it restored.
3. replace fuel sender unit.
4. replace all filters and hoses and belts
5. Take out radiator and have it cleaned and rodded out or if necessary recored. Cheap aluminum units will not last.
6. replace brake and clutch master cylinders
7. Inspect pedal box most likely needs new return springs
8. rebuild carburetors. The rubber o rings and bypass valve gasket and in the starter box and the temperature compensator will leak and the car will not run correctly.
9.. Replace steel pipe portion of radiator piping they rusted from the inside and will leak soon after the car is running.
10. Remove and rebuild steering rack. It will be leaking. ADCO in Houston will do a great job for less.
11. Install SNG Barrett ignition conversion with new plug wires.
12.Probably will need to replace clutch slave cylinder.
13. Replace front and rear brake hoses and pray your calipers are not frozen. Probably will need to be repaired or replaced for safety reasons.
14.Check rear end. It leaks slowly and after 20 ears is probably empty.
15. Clean PCV screen and make sure vacuum hoses are property connected to carbs.
16. replace battery
17. Replace tires and tubes.
18 Highly likely you will need to replace front and rear shocks
19. Probably have to replace thermostats. It is likely the antifreeze turned to jello. You have to flush this out of the engine.
20. Spend two weeks finding all of the vacuum leaks.
21. replace carpet
22 Put on European bumpers.

 

I also did the borescope before I turned over the engine.

 

send a picture. Would like to know your starting point.

 

Definitely move up to electronic ignition so you'll likely go with Petronix or one of the other popular brands, but be sure to pair the unit with a compatible spark plug wire set. Much discussion on early E Types that the original solid core wires will not survive. Fortunately, at least in the Petronix upgrade, Petronix specific early style spark plug looms are available. As for the gas tank....unless you get really lucky with a restoration coatings system, don't waster your time and $. You'd best opt for one of the new re-pro galvanized tanks. As an added bonus, the repro tanks are much easier to refit thanks to narrower panel flanges.

 

If you have wire wheels and plan to use tubes, get rim bands (Moss Motors, others) Some owners just use duct tape or gob silicone on the inside, I prefer the bands.

Check your electrical. Get the Bentley (publisher) combination workshop and owner's manual

Jaguar Repair Manual - Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12 Repair Operation Manual: 1971-1974 - Bentley Publishers - Repair Manuals and Automotive Books

The fuses in these cars need to be Lucas rated fuses. Although they look like American tube fuses, an American 20v fuse will blow at a higher point than the equivalent
Lucas.

https://triumphtr6.info/Manuali/fuses.pdf

Several good sources for parts/info: Moss (they can mail you a fairly decently illustrated parts book), Rimmer Bros., SNG Barratt (has US distribution)

Good for you caring for this lucky car!

 

please post pictures of your project

 

A 1974 came from the factory with an electronic ignition on the V12.

 

Make sure to rotate by hand a few revolutions clockwise as facing the engine, never the opposite on these engines, then add some marvels or similar to each cyl and let sit then spin with starter with plugs out to allow oil to get on upper valve train, cam boxes. Then attempt to start. Rags over the valley will save your garage ceiling oil spatter.

 

Oh and I also used a gravity fed remote tank to first start mine after 21 year slumber with 2 cycle gas to help add lubrication to dry upper cylinders after slumber and on first start