You are doing a great job on the old girl!
There is a conversion kit for modern crank seals.
The reason that the older type seals weep, is they were designed to lubricate the very end of the crank, for long duration racing. I have updated mine to the modern seals and have no drips. This was very important for my restoration, since I have a manual stick shift 4-speed overdrive. It's not a good thing for engine oil to get on the clutch plate.
The nice thing about converting to HD-8 SU carbs, is that the smog techs are not going to know the difference between the SU's and the Zenith Stromberg carbs. This gives you a full 2" throat, instead of an 1-3/4" Zenith Stromberg throat. More performance, at the same gas mileage and less expense to maintain. They look very cool, too.
I bought a simple and very inexpensive EGR valve, from Pep Boys, and adapted it to my engine. Works very well. I have since planned to remove all of the smog equipment, since my car no longer requires a smog test. Oddly enough, it runs nearly as clean as a 1990's car, when tested on the Dyno.
My engine ran as hot as the famous Fukushima reactor, when I acquired the car. I installed a V-12 radiator, oil cooler and a stainless steel flex fan. The temp gauge needle remains on c-o-o-l during a 105 degree day in stop and go traffic. The fan blades are quiet and eliminates the unreliable clutch fan. I also use propylene glycol and distilled water with a water pump lubricant. This outperforms the standard ethylene glycol and keeps the waterways clean. Propylene glycol does not cause kidney failure in animals, that happen to consume the fluid that spills out of the overflow tube.
I restored the automatic mechanical pneumatic air conditioner device.
It cost less than $20.00 in parts and used much superior parts than stock Jaguar parts.
Also the skimpy vacuum tubing to the vent flaps were replaced with new tubing.
The electronic controller was replaced by a lifetime warranted model, made by John' Cars in Texas. The air, now blows cold and thermostatically correct.
I have the factory recall fix for preventing dash fires, if you would like to know.
Keep in mind the British Leyland labor was sabotaging the assembly line by something as simple as flipping the perforated choke washers backwards. This caused the carbs to fully choke when the engine warmed up. The British cars that had catalytic converters under the carbs, would get flooded with gas and combust, causing a catastrophic fire. It bankrupted Lucas, that manufactured the carbs.

 

Hi Giovanni, Thanks for the comments and you ideas!!


Please can you explain me about the crankshaft seal update??!! Please, I'm ready to assembly the engine but I will keep it on hold. Please I would love to see an update.


I'm not going to change the fuel system. I've just received back the injectors from the cleaning shop. They test it an now they are perfect! I would love the carbs but since I want to keep it original and I live in California my car has to pass the smog test.


I got a new set the original EGR valves for VERY cheap.


I DON'T recommend you to use distilled water!!! PLEASE NOOOO!!!


Factory recall? Dash on fire? PLEASE, Could you explain me that??? I would love to read about it.


I love LUCAS in general. I use LUCAS components all day long. They are very good but you need to understand, maintain and not compare them with others. They are just different like the rest of British things.

Debbie

 

Debbie,
I didn't realize that your engine fuel system is fuel injected.
This will give you better performance and gas mileage but also high maintenance, with much more complexity. It's a trade off for performance and fuel mileage.
Make sure that the intake manifolds are the same inside dimensions as the intake ports of the cylinder head. They can possibly be bored out to match.
This gives better performance with no gas mileage penalty.
I have used distilled water in my engines for over 40 years, with very good results. Distilled water is not a scavenger of minerals, like some believe. It is the free oxygen in a cooling system that causes corrosion. Free oxygen can be introduced into the cooling system through a faulty radiator cap or the overflow tank. Free oxygen will deplete the corrosion protection additives of the coolant fluids. Also, the dissolved solids in tap water attacks the water pump bearing.
Chlorinated water is a big no-no! Also, some municipal and private well water systems have high amounts of O2 gas and iron oxides. Terrible for aluminum heads. Using dissimilar metals in a Jaguar engine and the cooling system is set up to wear, fast enough. I always use a liquid lubricant for automotive cooling systems to further protect the pump bearing, even though the propylene glycol helps with lubrication. Ethylene glycol is highly toxic and has inert ingredients that deposit onto aluminum heads and radiators. I also use this combination of cooling fluids in commercial and industrial cooling systems, with great success, for over 30 years. One order of maintenance is to test the coolant fluid every year, by using PH test strips or a digital PH tester. These testers are very affordable and accurate.
Please check the PM, that I sent you, to speak with you about the crank seal conversions and the dash fires.
Kind regards,
Giovanni

 

I'm coming soon with more updates!

 

We haven't seen an update for 3 months, it must be coming along well now.
Looking forward to the next batch of pictures.

 

Yeah, Debbie, we have missed you and your car.


Giovani:


I agree as to distilled water. It is only different from tap water, in it's absence from chlorine and natural minerals. some tap is "cleaner" than others. Up to now, our EBMUD water is pretty good. The source issue. Snow, Hetch Ketchy, or the Delta!!!


Catching rain water in plastic pails oughta be pretty durn good.


Way back when, Some of us didn't use antifreeze. Just not there. WWII or the budget. Drain on cold nights and refill in the morning!!!


And, yeah, the lube, actually an emulsion. I recall Mac's as a brand.


Propolyne is less toxic than Etheylene, but still bad for critters. I use the Sierra brand.


But, no more driveway flushes. Spills are inevitable even if not intentional. For no good reason, I still have one of those plastic adapter things to do them with.


Carl

 

NOOOOO! I kind... want to make it easy. It's all about 'imbalance' chemicals! I wouldn't write two pages here in the middle of my thread about coolant. I don't recommend distilled water at all.


During the distillation process, water is vaporized into its gaseous phase, so all impurities are left behind. These impurities include a number of minerals, including calcium and magnesium, the two components of hardness. The water is then condensed back into its liquid phase, so the resulting liquid is pure water. In fact, some of the purest water on earth. The problem is that distillation strips impurities from water, resulting in water molecules that are electrochemically imbalanced. So distilled water will actually strip electrons from the metals in a cooling system as it attempts to rebalance itself electrochemically. This can result in damage to metals in a cooling system.


Only some 50/50 glycol coolants are design to mix with distilled water providing all theses missing minerals in to the water.


I recommend you running to the supermarket and getting any drinking water with reverse osmosis.

 

Debbie:


I'll not challenge your knowledge on water. But, grocery store water is varied. Ranging from spring, to filtered to just plain tap water.


However, is not distilled water, pure H2O ? Little if any minerals. From high school chemistry a stable compound. So, minerals like iron or alloy as in the engine do not combine to make a different compound. HAL2O or HFE2O? Sorta like the FEO (iron oxide) that is common to many Jaguars!! Excuse the weak joke.


So, if any alloy or iron particles are displaced, they are merely carried in suspension.
The soluble oil comes in here. Or the inhibitors in either form of antifreeze.


In the last part of WWII, I worked in a full service gas station. Etheylene glycol gone to war.. Our oil company franchisor provided gallon tins of alcohol as an antifreeze.It worked, sorta, But, if the engine got a bit too hot, off into the atmosphere via the overflow. No catch tanks then.


Don't get me wrong, your opinion is valid. And, who am I to judge???


Carl

 

PS


Our previously pristine tap water is now less so. Pumping from lessor sources.


Carl

 

Hi Guys!


LOL!! you are getting crazy with the water and coolant LOL!!


here is a good source if you like to read about it. I'm using the No-rosion for long and with very good results. http://www.no-rosion.com/tech_coolant.htm and if you want to go super very deep into the coolant science you could talk directly with them. Very good and friendly people.


Debbie

 

I was going to rebuild the battery tray... but my coworker/friend Nigel convinced me to make a new one from scratch. He is from Coventry, England. He has an awesome background. He started fabricating body panels for Rolls Royce and currently is working on Italian super sport cars. So I'm very proud of my battery tray. Now waiting for the powder coat.

 

Nigel is going to help me with these hooks too. One it was bend and the other was completely broken. Now waiting for plating.

 

Hey the first round of chromes is here!

 

FINALLY the roof is perfect! OMG it took Forever... Dave and Allen helped me with the dents. Then small dents and more small dents . They have a pretty good eye and the whole roof went back into it's own place. It was a great accomplishment since it was BADDDD (just like somebody walked over it). Then some 'magic' REFACE primer and perfectly flat. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP GUYS!! Is a huge roof surface... It took me several full weekends sanding and sanding.

 

After kill all the rust and some of my own fabrication is time to seal, primer and undercoat the rockers. I've just decided to only undercoat the half where you can't even see it.

 

Here gapping the body panels.

 

There are a tone of parts ... Clean, repair, paint... repeat!

 

The best or nothing!


Checking this old battery. It came with the car. I sand it to remove the letters texture and its ready for the new decals.

 

Car is in the booth ready for paint and clear coat. Undercoat the inner fenders.

 

Hey my little puppy is here every day too!