Me "****", just ask her indoors about that! And Dr Phill, he rolls his eyes when I wipe all the tools and rearrange them after he has put them back in the right drawer, but the wrong place.
I was always taught when an apprentice "get yourself a routine and stick to it".
lesson has stuck to this day because my foreman was one scary mother F......

Actually, all 110 kg 40+ men wearing size 11 boots were scary when I was 15, come to think of it.

 

Me too, and I wish some of those guys were still arond and able to teach the way we were taught, but the fear is thet these "juniors" might break if you are too tough on them, DUH.

What I was trying to get at, is dont try to over engineer a 1940's designed engine. It is what it is, and yes, gaskets are better now, coolants are better, so are oils, and there is a lot of learnt stuff that caused failures on this engine, and most of that is prevented by common sense maintenance.

My daughters first car, a 5cyl S2 XJ6. She got it for free. She rebuilt MY spare engine and fitted it, and ran it in trying to outrun her boyfriends Skyline.

That was 12 years ago.

It is still running, not in her hands however, but a retension of that head every 6 months for the first year, then annually, then it went to the new guy, who did that same for 2 more years, and when I saw him and the car 4 weeks ago, that engine is just fine, and he DRIVES it.

You are not racing the thing as in Le Mans style, maybe Jnr is, but that will never be told.

If you ever rip it out and rebuild it with stepped liners, balanced fully, S3 valves etc, then MAYBE, and I mean MAYBE think about that other stuff.

Overheating these long stud engines is probably worse than overheating a V12.

 

Your daughter and I would get on Famously, Grant!
Famously, I say!!
(';')

 

Grant, if he is I hope he is doing it safely and enjoying it.

Got the news from the shop this morning, valves being replaced, welsh plugs removed and holes repaired, cam bearings being replaced(hope they arrive from Jagdaim tomorrow morning so we get the head back tomorrow). Comes in at $1000 + bearings.

Went shopping to get the bits and pieces.

 

Well done.

Those add ones will be worth it in the long run, especially the cam bearings.

That price is a good one, in my opinion.

 

Cashie, always saves a few bucks.

Sorted the gaskets in the VRS kit just now, no intake manifold gasket. So I will have to try and source one in Brisbane tomorrow. I assumed it would have one in it. If I can't get one I will have to make one.

Got a few small wiring issues sorted today, as well as butcher the throttle cable bracket to allow the heater hose to pass through it. The old one was twisted over it and nearly worn through.
Must have something to do with the S3 block with SU's on it.

Bought a new multi meter today too, Phill used mine last weekend and binned it. It was only $15 from Dick Smith, it was giving false readings all over the place. No wonder I have been chasing wiring issues and getting nowhere.(not on the Jag,on a bike) Just thought I would add that.
Now just got to work out what all the cables are for, came with no instructions.

 

Just thought I'd mention that this is an excellent thread to follow...thanks Clarke.

 

You are looking for a JA793 for that Inlet Gasket.

I would be informing the mob that supplied you the VRS they have short changed you.

Good luck.

Dick Smith Electronics is now a dead duck, all stores are closing, I just heard.

 

Thanks Grant, my local exhaust/mechanical guy I use has a parts shop attached that his wife and daughter run. If there is one in Brisbane they will find it, I'll duck over at 7.45 with the part number.

Once I have done that I will let Doug at Jagdaim know I didn't get one.
No time to waste waiting. If my bearings arrive tomorrow, will be back on the road Sunday.
If the bearings don't arrive,assembly will be a week or two away.

Carless at the moment, Jeep out on loan. I had forgotten how annoying it is running all over town picking things up and putting bike gear on and off numerous times in 30+ temps. Leather is great in Qld. But actually have only had to borrow the daughters Jazz once to buy food. I ride to work most days and her indoors walks, so most of the time the cars are home alone.

 

I've three meters. Each came via Harbor Freight. Fluke quality, not so.


But, seem to work quite well. I keep them in the boxes they came in.
Each had a paper with directions for use. As, I forget, I leave the directions in the box for ready reference.


1. Reads Volts by inductance. More useful in home circuits.


2. Analog. Best at some tasks.


3. Digital, Used the most.


I'm quite proud of the patch cord I made for the digital unit.
An accessory plug for the cigar lighter. cords from my "odd box" with probes that fit the meters. Volts in real time under various load and rpm's.


Flop: I was chasing an electrical issue in the Jaguar. None found where it should be!!! Why oh, why? then, duh, the car's battery had gone tango up!!! Bye, bye, Slick older Optima Yellow top.


In with a fresh battery and things began to make sense....


Carl

 

Hey Clarke, sorry I was MIA again at your critical bit . . .

+1 all the way with Grant - especially about the "fire ring" surrounding the immediate 2-3mm around each cylinder's mating to its combustion chamber. From a compression and combustion perspective, and ignoring the need to seal around water passages from block to head, the remaining "body" of the head gasket is really only a structure to precisely locate those 6 sealing rings - nothing more!

Routine checking and retensioning is just so smart - especially as it will not affect valve clearances and thus makes it an easy, quick job. Both Grant and I emphasized a 3 stage process - as per Jaguar recommendations but often overlooked or ignored - initially at assembly; again after several hours running, road testing etc; then annually. If you really are a stickler for precision, theory says readjusting head tension may affect top t/c tension, but never in my experience. Checking and, if necessary, adjusting valve clearances is a real PITA in car but should be done at least once after sufficient use (and miles) to see the new valves and seats fully bedded in.

I also agree you have paid a fair price for bits . . . but I bet the grog bill for you and Dr Phil will put a dent in the budget!

So, Clarke, whether you do the Pliobond thingy or not is perhaps a moot point. I understand the claim it will protect the "body" of the gasket from water trying to turn it into porridge, but I don't see that as the issue. Focus on Grant's last para about truing the block face (yes, it is critical) and put your faith in your new gasket's "fire rings".

May the force be with you,

Ken

 

You are not wrong Ken. The grog bill is never good when we get together, even if not working on cars.

I sourced an intake gasket, none of the usual parts places had one. But I found a Jag parts place I have never even heard of, only 15 minutes away.
One of those old tin shed type of places with so much stuff around there wasn't a clear path to get around and not enough space on the counter to put your wallet down. Plenty of series 1 parts, 3 gaskets on the shelf.
I stayed for a while and chatted about a lot of interesting stuff, two series 1's wrecking. I walked away having learnt a few things and knowing I will return.

Come to a grinding halt with the head, cam bearings didn't arrive when they should. So off the road for at least another week. 1 pm Friday and still waiting, the rebuilder shuts at 3.

 

Hi Clarke,

Great pics once again Cecil B de Mille. I have zoomed them up as far as I can to look at bores and there are no huge combustion ridges above top rings; no ugly holes in piston crowns and really, after all earlier fears, the block face and water galleries look in good shape. It appears you have been busy on the block face - the area between 5-6 looks good, perhaps even better than 1-2. Nearly ready for head - but not quite. Bugga that bearing supply will cause that delay. Let's see if we can use that time for some related investigation.

Neat that you have not yet cleaned the tops on the thingies that go up-bang-down (narrowly avoiding the thingies that go down-bang-up). Can I suggest that crowns on 2 and 4 look like they have been running a bit leaner than 1,3,5,6. Perhaps, the latter are just more coked from inlet valve guides leaking oil into the combustion chambers during induction, but I look closely whenever I see whitish brown ash. What did the spark plugs tell us about each cylinder?

Great news that your t/c and camshaft sprocket gears show so little wear - but do check again in another 500,000 miles!

Last issue for me really focuses on block rather than top end - and specifically those Welsh Plugs. Did you replace them? I was sure we addressed the need while the engine is sitting, waiting, but I can't readily find your response (was it perhaps PM?). Not sure from your pics here.

For all others following Clarke's work here, now with all manifolds and accessories off is the ideal time to pop out all the old ("Bring out yer dead"), clean the seats, apply new sealant, and hammer in replacements. So cheap; so quick . . . but so frustrating to get back on the road for a month or two only to have one let go! Ask me how I know . . .

Cheers,

Ken

 

Scrape piston tops or not? I used to do that in each and every case.
In situ, has differing thoughts. Do it, but use a strong vacuum to get the "swarf' away. Hard carbon bits into the bore can scratch the walls and/or the pistons. Don't, unless it is really bad, cleaning last only a short time, and the carbon will be redeposited, not worth the risk.


That head surface does look good. I've used a framing square and a feeler guage to verify "flatness". Somewhere, I picked on .04 inch as a max defection.


Hard to deal with with studs in place, but removal has perils.


I've read material on a four fastener per bore system vs a five fastener system. Fours in other specie have been known to have gasket issues.


I just can't wrap my mind around a filling of the slot with Pliobond or anything else in a street engine. Jaguar engineers were/are pretty smart.


Good surfaces, a quality gasket and proper torque sequence and value should get at least another 90,000 miles!!! And, coolant discipline. Never let a 4.2 get hot, they don't handle it well.
Don't ask.....


Nice work.....


Yahoo, got the scuttle and cheek pads on the passenger side back in.
The jaguar is now all buttoned up. My selection of driver tip found just the right tip for the fussy little fasteners. Poke, hope and twist
worked after a few efforts.


Antique spoke shave almost done. House, shop and old office spring clean up begun. Plenty of "debris" to the recycle and landfill cans.


Carl

 

Ken, Phill assures me the welsh plugs are fine and best left alone. As he is the man on the ground here and has done me right since we left high school I'm going with his call. If he is wrong, a good excuse for the amber happy juice to flow(like we need an excuse). I did offer to get a set and do it.

Good news is the bearings arrived at 1.34 pm and as I was opening the packet when Phill arrived only to grab a coldie and send me on my to Ipswich to drop them off to the shop(while he enjoyed my beer and fiddled with car). Not a bad effort, I made Ipswich in 12 minutes and home 15 later. Licence losing speeds included,lucky it's freeway all the way,but a nice day to exercise the Kwaka).
Shop closed early today, but just a slight chance of getting the head back tomorrow morning.......might be a little beer economy included to have the guy work Saturday morning.

We will move mountains to have "Miss Fireball" on the road for O'Rielly's Sunday week.

 

Foin, foin, foin . . . Dr Phil will be basing his advice on hands on inspection and I respect that enormously . . . I think you said you found evidence the bottom end had been overhauled and that would be a logical R&R then. I am still feeling a bit disconnected doing "overhaul by correspondence". Current frustration is grappling here with an electronic problem whereby I think the bottled up "magic smoke" may have escaped out of several components, but trying to get the owner to sniff, smell and report by telephone is like pulling teeth.

Nah, Occifer, I think he went THAT way! Never know these days when grandson may be listening in, so gotta be careful but, back in "the days" at Lithgow, we had a much more useful alternative than the Mt Panorama that you know well. We also had the benefit of "derestricted" roads - essentially no speed limit and with onus of proof that one's speed was excessive resting on the police. They knew it and rarely bothered unless you were "stupid" or came to grief. Perhaps we went close on both counts.

Our "circuit" involved a run from Lithgow up Victoria Pass to Mt Victoria; north across the ridges to Bell; then back down into Lithgow via Scenic Hill - probably a total "lap" of about 30 miles. I recall the fascinating way Phil would bounce the tacho needle off the post as he double declutched to grab 2nd and the howl of those Pirellis.

That Phil, ex ARDC race driver, sometime Forty Bends Hillclimb Champ and local Speed Shop owner, laid down some terrifying times on these mostly empty mountain roads. I was with him one evening, 1970, in his 4.0L Mk2 race special, BRG and from a distance, matching his road car except for white rondels at front, both sides and back. We were safely at home when the local blue arrived, knocking at the door.

Cool as a cucumber, but feigning ignorance, Phil accompanied them out to his "road car" garage, where they felt the bonnet, cast him a deadly look and departed. I choose not to recall the times or speeds traveled. What I do recall is that none of Phil's cars still had porcelain on the exhaust manifolds; what said exhaust looks like when glowing cherry red; and the curious "chinking" noise that XK engines made for up to 30minutes during cooling down from such punishment.

Another of the fearsome Jaguar Mountain Men was a country GP (no names) whom I worked with during my hospital visits across Blue Mountains. He brought his dear old Mum up from Sydney in his brand new Jag. She hated her son speeding so, when asked if he went too fast on this maiden trip, rushed to his defense "He sat on 35 all the way!"

Yes, she was reading 3,500 on the big tacho closest to her and in O/D top, that is a very fast clip . . . indeed so fast past the Halfway House at Lowther that the GP claimed to have "sucked all the paint off the facade as they swept past". The real twist to this true tale is that it was told to me, complete with much laughter, back-slapping and shouts for the next round of drinks, by the very big and burly, local Police Sergeant who, still in uniform, was enjoying his prodigious "quota" at the local club!

Alas, couldn't happen today . . .
Cheers and best wishes across weekend,

Ken

 

 

Scandalous buggas; I can see all the beer cartons!

Take away all the shiny bits . . . the lumpy thingies that go whizzing around, "clickety-clack", the shiny headed stuff that pokes "down, up, down" and the passages for all the "magic smoke" to circle around . . . there's really not much to the classic ole XK is there. The careful preparation by you two, Clarke and Dr Phil, the excellent work by your "head" guy (who is?) and your poor, battered bank balance . . . have combined to produce an outstanding result.

All of us applaud you! Not quite on the home track, but gosh, this is looking the real deal. With all your brill pics, you have gotta turn this into an R&R Sticky - see Graham [GGG] - great for ALL XK engine owners, not just XJ6. Should post a complementary in the Sticky in QLD region section for suppliers, services etc with link to main Sticky for procedure and pics . . . but with a theme of detailing the local sources for parts, service suppliers, alternate suppliers of gaskets etc.

Congratulations and great work. Make my day by telling me you -

• WILL NOT overtighten the top t/c tension - that's chain tension; not tensioner retention bolt, OK? See Grant's advice; check manual.
• WILL chuck any cork based camshaft cover gaskets and replace with the top shelf Loctite "blue goo" liquid product that is hi temp flexible.

What a top job!
Cheers mate,

Ken

 

And Schazzam! There it is!
Ah, Clarke, that's Pretty!!

I see more overtime and 12 hour shifts in your future.
(';')

 

Supplies for tonight's production meeting. Ready for assembly tomorrow.

JOH Engineering in Ipswich, can't say enough about the stellar effort from these guys. They were putting the doors down before I had closed the boot.


Very perceptive of you Elinor, need a few days OT to put the money back to extending the rear deck of the house.

$1486 total, not including essential hydrating fluids for two.