When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
How ya gonna clean them, Dave, I know it's a new engine, but it's in a Jaaaaag!
Hasn't got enough miles on it yet to be properly "marked!"
That's a good one, Elinor, but seriously, I cleaned the whole engine compartment/engine twice this summer. Had very good results with brush attachment and shop made crevice tool for shop vacuum.
I guess I’m one of those who mustn’t be in their right mind then (as if any further proof was needed ).
I don’t spend anywhere near the time I spend on the exterior and the interior on/in the engine/engine compartment but I don’t ignore it either. Without a hoist the underside gets ignored but I do try and tidy the topside several times a year. That includes the underside of the hood and anything I can reach. I’ll use a pail of soapy water to dampen some microfibre cloths to wipe things down and a dry cloth to keep things from drying stealing. I’ll use a degreaser sparingly if called for but it’s not called for very much.
The supercharged V8 in the XJR is much easier to look after than the V12 in the VDP but I find it worthwhile in both cases. In both I can check fluid levels without having to change clothes afterwards and I can “show off” their mechanicals to better effect to anyone that’s interested.
Lastly, as someone who doesn’t do his own work, I think cars that are obviously looked after and cared for by their owners are treated better by their mechanics. I also think it’s easier to spot potential new issues when things are clean than when they’re not.
The Dana 5160X U-joints were the right ones for my axle shafts and the left hand side went together without an issue.
After shimming the inner pivots, the outer pivots are much simpler by comparison.
I need to rinse and repeat for the other side but I am waiting for some new tow plates I am having cut to arrive before I can flip this over and put the brakes back in.
I've been busy helping my Dad rebuild the engine in his 1966 Dodge Charger but this morning I got a little done when my new rear tow eyes were delivered.
Here's the original toe eyes that were bolted to the rear end of the outer pivots. It looks like this car has been on the tow truck once or twice
The good people at SendCutSend make it very easy to design parts you need. The tow brackets on my XJ only attached to the outer pivot, but on my XJS they attached to the outer pivot and the shock link. I wanted to recreate that.
We tried something new this time. I usually have them send me the items I had cut in bare steel, but this time I thought I would try the yellow zinc plating.
Tonight I finished putting u-joints on the right side axle and assembled the hub for that side. With that I was able to flip the cage up and start filling the diff with oil.
My goal is to have the rear cage mounted to the car this weekend. I still need to press the large and small bushings in the trailing arms and run the battery cable under the car, but I think I will be able to get this checked off my list so I can move on to the next section.
Tonight I was able to knock a few items off the list. I realized it would be easier to put the brake pipes on the calipers while the cage was sitting on my work bench so I got that done.
I also cleaned up the trailing arm mounts on the body. These will get a coat of anti-seize before the trailing arms go on - the next person who has to do this job won't need to fight mounts that are stuck to the body.
I also removed the heat shield above the rear cage to make it easier to run the battery cable back to the trunk.
I went out to the garage tonight to work on running the battery cable from the trunk to the front of the car and realized I really needed the rear cage in place before I could figure out how I wanted to run the battery cable. So I used the worm gear winch that's attached to the rafters in my garage to move the rear cage from the work bench to the transmission jack. Here it is starting to slide under the car.
I have to work by myself most of the time and a transmission jack makes it super easy to lift the rear cage into position if you don't have helpers. It took less than 15 minutes to go from the rear cage on the work bench to having 6 out the 8 bolts holding up the rear cage.
I get working alone. I prefer to work alone if at all possible.
Short of Telepathy or Mind Meld (same thing I suppose) it's hard for me to communicate to a "helper" just what needs done, how, where and when.
Having a hoist from the ceiling is Great! We started that project once, but it only got as far as setting the steel beam on the attic floor. By now the need/purpose for it is gone as husband can no longer do this work and all my rigs are well sorted.
Great work, Thomas, it's a joy to watch your progress.
(';')
By the way, where did you get that jack???
That's a Harbor Freight special I picked up when I was working on my XJS a few years back. The platform tilts left and right as well as front to back. I've used it to remove and replace the rear cage on my XJS as well as removing the TH400 and replacing it with a 700r4 on that car. It's pulled the transmission on my Dad's Charger as well as the rear cage and transmission on this XJ. I like to tell myself the more I use it the more I can amortize the cost over several projects.
I had a busy weekend with family activities and yard work but I ended with the rear cage fully back home.
Before the rear cage went in for the final time I put an electrical bulkhead connector under the car into the trunk. This will make it easy to get battery power from the trunk to the front of the car.
I also put a battery mount in the trunk to securely hold the battery.
I also finished the rear trailing arms today. I did this job a few years back on my XJS and re-used the press foot I modified back then. The large hole in the center means the press only presses on the outside of the bushing.
Pressing the large bushings into the arm. I put some anti-seize on the arms before pressing the bushings in. This will make it easier for whoever has to remove these next time.
Metalastik bushings means the next person who has to replace these likely will not be me.
I believe the instructions call for aligning the two reliefs in the bushing rubber with the center-line of the arm. I've read that putting them at a 90 degree angle like this stiffens up the arm slightly. With the V8 I thought that might be a good idea.
Before mounting them on the car I sprayed the inside of each arm with Fluid Film to prevent any corrosion from occurring.
Now that the rear cage is in, I think my next plan is to remove the engine so I can pull the HVAC box and decide what I want to do there. If I end up replacing it with something else I need to start thinking about that.
Thorsen
Great work.
Just a note from my experience of placing the large bushes' reliefs across the front/back line, rather than in line with it: I think that will spoil the smooth yet controlled feel of the car. I tried it on my XJS and it induced at 50 to 60 mph on the straight a slight but very distinct kangarooing motion in the car; Madame noticed it straight away. I believe the rear axle needs the slight extra compliance that the reliefs give fore and aft. Worth thinking about returning them back to normal now, perhaps?
It's funny you say that. Last night when I was falling asleep I remembered how I had to weld the crack in the cage and started second-guessing my decision. I'll take your message as a sign that the stock layout is the way to go.
I spent most of tonight removing the trailing arms, pressing out the bushing, turning it 90°, pressing it back in, and reinstalling the trailing arms. I should be able to sleep better now.
I also started lining up the accessories so I can see how well things fit. I was concerned about space for the AC compressor but there's plenty of room and it's easy to remover and replace.
I also picked up an after-market power steering pump and an 850psi pressure valve for it. I think that's closer to the Jaguar steering rack psi. This pump also has AN fittings but I am concerned about the feed line pointing straight to where the alternator belongs. But I ran out of time so that is a tomorrow problem.
10-28-2023, 07:34 PM
).
