I've gone through the service books and there is nothing that mentions synchronising the upper and lower joints, anyone here have any hints how to reconnect this thing to the bottom of the steering column aka the lower universal joint and get it synchronised without messing about for a month - I reckon the pinch bolt will only pass through with it one way but the splines aren't keyed so I'm poking around blind - the splines slip on but making it happen in just the right spot is testing the patience, even held the steering wheel with a bungee against the lock but the lower joint falls out of position then we try again, on the occasions it slipped in it is hard to see just where the groove is per the pinch bolt. So glad I'm not re-installing this with the engine and subframe in the car !!!.

Jaguar instruction "Refit the lower column assembly. Fit and tighten the pinch bolt." : "Refit the universal joint, first to the lower column, then to the upper."

The way it reads makes no sense unless they expect the universal joint in the car connected to the lower joint first and then pushed onto the column itself but try doing that when the bottom joint is hanging in fresh air - perhaps I'm missing something .... ability to be in two places simultaneously would help ...

This is the part I'm fighting with ....

The yokes must align at each end or the joints will not work correctly and will fight each other - they must be 'in phase' - same as synchronising a prop shaft but Jaguar don't make any mention of this, there will be all kinds of wierdness in the steering if not in phase and potentially premature wear of something. Universal joints do not rotate at constant speeds - they are not a CV joint.

Explanation here >>

Phasing

and here

Joint speed

 

Ben
Because of the indent in the spline part, at both ends, the lower column can only go in one position, both into the rack and into the top UJ of the column. Therefore whatever the phasing is or is not, the system will be in the intended position.
You only have to be a couple of splines out and the bolt that goes through the indent will not go through.

 

Might explain why I'm struggling so much - would be so much easier if I had somebodies head and hands in the footwell. I'm going to fabricate a card tube / support to put inside the car so I can at least get the ***** in far enough to stay put and not fall out the second I move ... only time I've managed that the bolt wouldn't go in

 

I just refit one- the steering column was still connected through the firewall. Of the three steering rack bolts, the pair on the bottom were loose and the top bolt removed. This allows the steering rack to pivot and you can slip the knuckle over the splines. Took a few tries to get it lined up properly as you all discussed above. But at least I wasn’t having to hold both ends.

 

Neither the rack nor subframe are in the car ...

 

Put the subframe and rack back in the car, then hook up the joint to the rack. Trying to hook it up as you put the subframe back in will be difficult, as you are trying to line everything else up at the same time. Be sure to remove the bolt on the joint in the drivers footwell first so you can push the shaft up to provide clearance to engage the splines on the rack.

 

I think I should explain why I seem to be making life complicated - it is a combination of other tasks that need to happen and the order in which I need to do things - it is a mixture of events and personal issues that mean I need to follow a sequence I had not intended. I remember well the grief getting this sucker disconnected so I know how much clearance there isn't, it is partly because of this that I was hoping to install at least inside the car and push in then simply tie back out of the way - one less task to do on my back under the car.

I suppose some reasons may be in order for others to understand my madness.

I need to remove the bottom of the engine so I can do the sumps and oil pick up O rings, I'm not prepared to use the engine crane for this - I have a major aversion to working under suspended loads especially those reliant on hydraulic systems.

Initially I was going to put the engine on a stand, bought a really heavy one specifically for it but there are only four mounting points which in my opinion are insufficient for that kind of weight cantilevered on an engine stand - the stresses that will get applied to the top two bolts would be loads they are not designed for and I don't have an engine stand with a front support. I then decided to turn the engine upside down, this turned out to be a bigger challenge - I simply do not have the equipment to handle this kind of weight for the turn so something will get damaged. Next -plan was two industrial 'saw horses' 1000kg rated - but the stupid sump prevents adequate support being provided by the engine mounts so that plan failed. My only option right now is to sling the engine in the bay where it belongs, that requires me to get all those small fiddly jobs done before, it also means I cannot have the subframe present, I will then suspend the engine between the tops of the wings on a mechanical frame - there is no other support I can put underneath without it getting in the way, I will then work from the sides as much as poss to avoid actually being underneath the sucker.

I believe that Jaguar actually had a plate that used ALL the block bolts for use on engine stands, I also saw a frame that used the engine mounts and worked n a similar manner to a body rotisserie with the block supported fully. I have neither of these items.

The subframe will be fully built up including rack (presently being rebuilt), heat shields, power steering hoses & cooler etc on a pair of skates - it will be rolled into place on the skates and raised with a transmission jack, if I get this right all that remains is to lower the engine down.

Well that's one lot of exuses - now for the others - I do not have the dexterity or capability that most take for granted and have arthritis in both hands, my ability to grip things is further challenged by nerve damage and neuropathy - very much a case of brain says yes - body says you're having a laugh, I am not able to deliver much grip and what I can cannot be done for long - for these reasons I need to do as much as I can where contortion or sustained holding of parts or tools is minimised - along with the associated pain and frustration - all this is hard to explain - had somebody told me they had such issues 20 years ago there is no way I could have truly understood. Take a 3kg weight, hold it on 1 finger at arms length - see how long you can manage it - that is normal for me.

I would genuinely welcome any suggestions / solutions to turn this engine upside down without breaking it, or me because how to execute the task of changing these damned oil pickup O rings is stressing me out for sure. - If I can get that done I can put the subframe in place and not worry about access.

 

Ben
Commiserations, and top points for sticktoitiveness. Do you have a MIG? When I did mine I welded up a frame that used the OEM mounting points, a couple of pics attached.
If this is no go, why not use your engine stand with a support the other end of the engine, on the engine mounts, tensioned up nicely using a mechanical jack/wedges/or whatever, with the hydraulic crane still connected for insurance? Sometimes "that'll do" is the way to do it!



You can just see the support attached to the engine mounting bracket

 

!00% thats the sort of thing I need I have just been putting it off. Yes I have a MIG that could handle this sort of stuff, I had no idea you had made such a thing - 10 out of 10. I was watching this video with a certain amount of envy.


the replacement of the O rings is a simple task but it is presenting the most challenges. I will get the tape out and see what steel stock I can get my hands on - I appreciated the picture too - it answered a question 'Where did my starter top bolt go' - I forgot they were different and was looking for one the same as the bottom.

 

Is the engine still in the car? If so, changing the sandwich plate and pan gaskets is fairly easy in car with the front suspension out of the way. Get an engine support crossbar such as this:https://hftools.com/app96524

No hydraulics involved, and the engine is supported very securely. I've used my crossbar more than I thought I would, even for tranny fluid changes where the rear mount has to be removed. Yeah, you are laying on a creeper, but it's a simple job to do what you want to do with everything out of the way. It doesn't take long if you have all the gaskets and seals on hand.
Jon

 

And that presently is exactly the plan - I just want to ensure that all those 'stress points' that are easier to do without relocating the engine and cross member are done - for example the lower steering joint - all the insulation panels, hoses at / nr the bulkhead because once I sling the engine back in it isn't coming back out. When I raise the front subframe into position lining up the lower steering onto the rack will be simple if I don't need to fight locating it in the car at the same time. The front sub will be fully assembled out of the car including steering rack and will be raised into position in that state, during this it will be on wheels to locating stuff should be far easier than fighting both weight and positioning, compounded by trying to locate something in two places at once, I should be able to get the lower joint located on the steering column joint and push it right in - then slip it down to make contact - least that's the plan if I could get it to go in with the correct orientation so the pinch bolt will fit (I do not want to fit the pinch bolt at this stage but I want to make sure it will go in when needed).

For those unaware the UJ at the bottom of the steering column does not pass through the bulkhead - it cannot be seen readily either.

 

The steering joint is in - and the pinch bolt in place - 3 hours !!!! - I figured eventually that if I didn't pull it out all the way that there was a spot where I could actually feel the spline so 'one spline at a time' with breaks here and there because I had to crawl out from under and check the pinch bolt for every spline, even had my boroscope on the job but it didn't help much. I am definitely not doing that again ever if it needs doing I'll pay someone. I'm so glad I didn't try to get that done with the engine etc in the way - I honestly believe I would not have been successful.