For the second part Yes. rotor should point directly at 1A on the cap if its 10:30 big thumbs up!
Again timing is at 18deg at 3000rpm. This is straight from Boyces Autolibrary for XJS 5.3 HE 1983.
Centrifugal advance, starts 900rpm, intermediate 12-16deg@2000rpm full 20-24deg@6200rpm
Correct timing is 18deg@3000rpm vacuum advance disconnected.

 

Thanks for the great info Grant,
I would never get under car will eng runnung.Thats forsure.
I thought if dampner is at 0° and then set rotor at 10:30 (1on cap )

 

Great point Grant, I apologise, I should not assume just because I work on the car with a hoist that everyone else has that luxury. I did once to change the front control bush,s and from then on swore to myself I would never get under that car again unless it's on a hoist.
I just had a look at Autodata as well to see if they listed a timing at idle but they don't its still the 18@3000.
Go with Grant's suggestions.
Sorry can't help further.

 

Ok,So let me understand, If I put the timming mark on dampner (1A) on the 18 btdc mark on scale?eng not running??or on 0° on scale?

 

OK.
I set the engine at 0 BTDC, and fit the distributor with the adjuster set ALL the way to retard. That way you have about????20deg advance available.

If you wish to leave it at the 18 you currently have it at, then I suggest ensuring the adjuster is in the FULL advance setting, coz I reckon you will need some serious retard from that 18 static setting you started with.

Once the idle is at Grant's sweet sound, vac etc connected, just as you will drive it anyhow, I take my screwdriver and 13mm spanner and out on the bitumen, and drive the thing. If it PINGS when I nail it, STOP, retard the adjuster a tad, drive it some more. If it dont PING, advance it a tad, and so on, until you can drive it as designed without that incessant PING scaring the hell out you. This is Grant's "drive timing".

As I said before, this is the method I adopted many years ago, and the fuel we get here sometimes prompted this method for my own V12's, and it simply works. I have never been back under any of them to actually look at the timing plate, as it means so little to me. However I do REMEMBER to mark the rotor etc PRIOR to removing anything to do with the timing settings I have locked in. The HE has not been touched in a very looooong timr, apart from the annual drops of lube down the centre shaft, and a quick look at the carbon brush.

 

ok good,I used a socket,1 5/16 and turned eng by hand,till the mark on pully is right on the O° on scale between after and before.my rotor is a 12 oclock on dist so ill remove dist and put the rotor pointing as close to 10:30-11:00 as possable.ill set adjuster all the way retard.got it
thanks

 

ok,I put timming A mark on crank pully at 0° on timming scale.looked at rotor,it was pointed at about 7:00 on dist, so pulled dist out, put it back in with rotor now at aprox 10:30.Now my question is, even with crank pully mark at 0° it can still be 180° out correct??

 

7:00 is a fare way out. to answer your question, Yes you can be out 180 remove plug 1R cylinder should be at TDC if you move the crank 90deg further and the inlet valve starts opening your 180 out, an easy way to check is simply get a hose that fits the plug hole size snugly, take care not to drop any crud in there and blow through it, if you can the inlet valve is open if you can,t then your in position, but you will have to turn the crank round again as you don't go backwards o these motors.

 

As said.

You MUST confirm that you are on the compression stroke. I use a thumb over the plug hole, to establish compression "puff", then a wire down the hole to "feel" TDC, then confirm that on the plate. That plate is mounted on 2 bolts, and the holes in the plate are slotted, so really a back to basics TDC setting for YOUR engine is critical in my opinion. It is just so easy to do the rest once TDC "actual" is confirmed.

It is really a 2 person job, as manually winding this engine for the TSC setting is the only real way of getting it out of the guessing stage.

Once TDC compression is achieved, refit the distributor with the rotor point adjacent to the MARK on the cap that is #1A spark plug wire. I have an old cap, that I have cut up to give me that piece, so the underside, and the rotors relationship is really easy to see.

This method has worked for me for a long time, and the V12 fires up instantly at that "base" setting, and then advance it to sweeten the beast, then time it to driveability as I mentioned before. It also works for the PreHE engines.

 

Thanks you guys,Great info..I just ordered new cap and rotor for distributor today.And I understand the prosses.ill let you know what happens.
thanks

 

Thanks again for all the help..Is there a thread on here for ignition coil values? Mine is ohming out on both primary and secondary values,but was wondering what the voltage output of coil to distributor should be while cranking eng? 10,000 v 20,000 v?? I have a spark when grounding lead from distributor to eng holding it about 1/4 " away,its a yellow orange color.Should it be a blue spark?

 

Probably.

I used Bosch Australia's work sheets from waaaaay back, when I did schoolling on vehicle ignition systems in about 1981.

The +ve to -ve ohms on the factory coils is somewhere around 1.2 singularly. Link up, as in the car, somewhere around 0.6 to 0.9ohms.

The single coils I use are 0.9. Made by FuelMiser.

The spark should be BLUE, and a FAT crack should be heard. Be careful with the testing of spark from these systems, as the "whack" that can be given can do some damage to us mere humans.

 

Basically just backing up Grants figures, this is straight from Boyce,s Autolibrary
Primary winding resistance 0.9-1.1ohm Secondary winding resistance 1100ohm Ballast resistance 0.9-1.1ohm if that helps. I was just about to suggest you throw those twin coils in the bin and use the latest single coil. IGNITION COIL :: ENGINE ELECTRICAL :: 1984 :: XJS ::... then just noticed your in California of all places, its a much better coil, but read the thread on now regarding using a single coil in California. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...lletin-118528/

 

Thats my figures on the coils,Since im in Ca I will keep it two coils till I smog it.Ater that I will replace them with the single.Now regarding the main and auxiliary coils,as in a previous post,are ohming to specs.Main coil,primary + to - is @aprox 1.1 ohms, secondary is about 6.6 k ohms little low.would that cause the weaker spark.? also if I replace the main coil,do I need to replace auxiliary coil also.? by the way that link to British parts for coil,Thats a great price.I wilk get that for after smoging.
Another thing I noticed when I was trying to start car.I had the air cleaners open exposing air filters,and noticed a burnning smell,after i tried to start car it made a deep poping sound,I looked at left bank intake,there where two very small hot burnning embers lodged in the air filter,right adjacent from intake .hose to air filter.In that area on the filter it looked a little black with charing burnt..

 

Only replace the coil that is bad, and yes, the front coil being that for out could cause that spark issue.

Also a BAD engine earth path will do the same. I forget if that has been mentioned in this thread to date. Soooo check the earth straps, make sure they are good and clean, AND are actually earthing the engine to the body of the car. Many I have seen have had a good earth to the cradle, nothing more, BUT, the cradle is basically insulated from the body, that second strap is needed.

The aircleaner, guessing. With all the starting, and mis-timing going on, I reckon its backfiring via the inlets, and carbon is being blown out. Never seen that before. Backfiring, yes, mainly PreHE, but burning carbon, no.

 

Ok,well im thinking if main coil secondary resist,is only giving me 6.7 ohms,theres a good chance it may be weak,I may replace it.First im going to get everything dialed in,and check ground straps,before I do anything else.I have new dist cap and rotor.waiting on plug wires.Today im just going to clean as many grounds as I can find.

 

I was checking my friends xjs manual,It states on setting timming,to put your finger over 1a piston hole,crank eng,short burst's til finger blows out.Then rotate ieng till A mark on crank pully,lines up to 10° BTDC.on timming scale.It then says to line up timming mark on timming rotor,to middle of pick up modual.so is this correct?? if so then where should I put mark on adjuster??

 

Ok,This is whats confusing,I put finger over hole (1A) plug.Had someone crank eng,short burst,till finger blew off hole.rotor on dist was at aprox 7:00,so I know i was 180 off.Heres where things get wierd.I went under car and A mark on pully was off scale,not even close to 0° on scale.so I rotated crank pully in correct direction.to the 10°BTDC like my friends book says to do.went back up top and looked at distributor,took it out and pointed rotor at 11:00 checked 1A piston it was all the way up..I noticed on my reluctor disc in dist.the timming mark is not lined up with middle of pick up modular.Its off by about 30° ill take picture and put it on my garage.Now Im asuming the two hash marks on reluctor wheel should line up to middle of pick up modual? unless im wrong.please advise.

 

My suggestion once again.

Remove the distributor, it is confusing with all this O'clock stuff.

Put the engine on either TDC or 10deg BTDC.

Have a drink.

Place the cap ON the distributor. Look at the post that has the #1 cast alongside it, and transpose that mark TO the casing of the distributor. Remove the cap.

Fit the distributor with the rotor TIP pointing at that transposed mark. The reluctor wheel tip and rotor are aligned by the manufacturer, and you nor I can alter that relationship.

I use TDC, with advance only available on the micro adjuster at the front of the distributor. If you use the 10BTDC setting, then some retard may be required, once the "drive timing" process is undertaken.

This engine is now static TIMED.

The mention of the rotor pointing at 1B spark plug is a vague comment to give the idea of its general location when timed properly, and not to be taken literally in my opinion.

 

Jagernut old mate, your starting to confuse me too! LOL

What Grant wrote is spot on, there is really no need to repeat it.
The only thing that I am thinking at the moment is have you got your banks mixed up which is easy to do as we all know especially me as I did it not so long ago. It may explain why things are not lining up.

If you sit inside the car and look forward the right-hand bank is bank A the left-hand bank is bank B, When yo look at the motor from above, from the distributor pointing to the middle of the radiator is 12:00 from distributor pointing to the middle of the gearbox is 6:00 then 3:00 would point centre of the A bank and 9:00 would point centre of the B bank if that helps.

The the cinders in the air-box, again I agree with Grant, backfiring through the inlet more than likely igniting fuel from the cold start injector and burning your air filters down making them crispy.

If I will just expand on this very briefly, if the timing marks line up on the crank, the timing lines up on the dizzy and cylinder NO1 bank A or Right-hand side as we sit in the car, closest cylinder to the radiator is not at TDC, you could be looking at some other issues, but lets no go there at the moment.

Please keep us informed as to how your getting on.