E-Type Recommisioning
Discussion
I have spent two years rebuilding my E-Type from ground up. The good news is that it looks great, the bad news is that it appears that the piston rings have become stuck in the piston and the blowthrough into the crank casing is pushing the oil up my dipstick!!
There are a few minor things to do to the car, it runs but may need new rings, the only thing I didn't replace when I had the engine in bits as they seemed fine at the time
!!
I'm based near Sevenoaks in Kent, have a trailer, would anyone recommend a garage who understands E-Types and would want to take this on, at sensible rates, as I have worn thin on this project?
I've been to a couple of garages and they either don't seem to have more of an idea than me on the finer fettling or don't want the aggrivation of perhaps pulling the engine back out.
It is sensibly modified, Getrag box, triple webers etc..
There are a few minor things to do to the car, it runs but may need new rings, the only thing I didn't replace when I had the engine in bits as they seemed fine at the time
!! I'm based near Sevenoaks in Kent, have a trailer, would anyone recommend a garage who understands E-Types and would want to take this on, at sensible rates, as I have worn thin on this project?
I've been to a couple of garages and they either don't seem to have more of an idea than me on the finer fettling or don't want the aggrivation of perhaps pulling the engine back out.
It is sensibly modified, Getrag box, triple webers etc..
Edited by jonnyw on Monday 21st May 12:16
They may have stuck if you haven't turned the engine over in those 2 years. You could try putting some plus-gas down the bores overnight or for a day or so, then turn it over with no plugs in to clear it out. After that try running it for a while to see if they loosen up.
BTW how do you know the rings are stuck and it's not a head gasket?
BTW how do you know the rings are stuck and it's not a head gasket?
Edited by falcemob on Monday 21st May 13:17
Thanks guys, I know Racing Green well as I race TVRs and they supply me the odd part. Whilst they obviously know what they're doing I was after a smaller independant where I could cut more of a deal on cost or am I being short sighted?
I've tried all of the tricks, plusgas, redex, running it, changing the ignition timing etc.. no joy. I Changed the cylinder head gasket when I rebuilt the rest of the engine and the head is totally rebuilt and skimmed. The compression test also shows 4 cylinders down, the gasket normally goes at the front of the engine where there is just a thin piece of metal before the timing chain chamber, so I am assuming four pistons down will be the rings?
I've tried all of the tricks, plusgas, redex, running it, changing the ignition timing etc.. no joy. I Changed the cylinder head gasket when I rebuilt the rest of the engine and the head is totally rebuilt and skimmed. The compression test also shows 4 cylinders down, the gasket normally goes at the front of the engine where there is just a thin piece of metal before the timing chain chamber, so I am assuming four pistons down will be the rings?
I wondered on this, the valve issue, and have to say that the manifolds are running red hot very quickly so the timing isn't right and the carbs are spitting like cornered wildcat! So I'm not opening or closing at the right time. This does need fixing, I'm probably out by a tooth or two?
The issue I can't get my head around is the phenominal amount of blow back that is coming from the breather, it is like a boiling kettle, and is similar to a blown gasket, but I doubt that it is for the previous reasons.
In summary there are a few things wrong that are beyond my capabilities! It needs the head coming off again at least and at worst the sump removing and the rings changed.
I think you can do this with the engine in but I am told this isn't possible. If the plate that secures the front torsion bars is removed, as per when the engine is removed, then the sump can be dropped?
I just need a local garage in the know with vast Jag experience.
The issue I can't get my head around is the phenominal amount of blow back that is coming from the breather, it is like a boiling kettle, and is similar to a blown gasket, but I doubt that it is for the previous reasons.
In summary there are a few things wrong that are beyond my capabilities! It needs the head coming off again at least and at worst the sump removing and the rings changed.
I think you can do this with the engine in but I am told this isn't possible. If the plate that secures the front torsion bars is removed, as per when the engine is removed, then the sump can be dropped?
I just need a local garage in the know with vast Jag experience.
When I was talking to Chris about an engine rebuild a few weeks ago he quoted much lower prices if I gave him the engine out of the car.
It might be worth having a talk with him and getting some investigation work done first. Then if it's likely to be more serious taking the car away, doing what you feel you can constructively do before taking it back to him to finish off.
Whilst I've never tried to get an E-Type fixed, looking at the pricing of things for E-Types (or XKs in my case) on eBay are usually 10 times the price of anything for say a Mk10. I'd expect the same to hold true when getting things fixed.
Chris might be able to find a cheaper way of fixing the problem.
Alternatively, buy yourself a running Series 3 XJ6 engine and drop it into the E-Type, sacrilidge admittidly but cheaper than fixing a sick E-Type engine.
It might be worth having a talk with him and getting some investigation work done first. Then if it's likely to be more serious taking the car away, doing what you feel you can constructively do before taking it back to him to finish off.
Whilst I've never tried to get an E-Type fixed, looking at the pricing of things for E-Types (or XKs in my case) on eBay are usually 10 times the price of anything for say a Mk10. I'd expect the same to hold true when getting things fixed.
Chris might be able to find a cheaper way of fixing the problem.
Alternatively, buy yourself a running Series 3 XJ6 engine and drop it into the E-Type, sacrilidge admittidly but cheaper than fixing a sick E-Type engine.
They all say that! Pulling the engine out of an E-Type is just awfull, hence I am trying to avoid doing it myself. I'll give Chris a call and chat it through. I'm not so sure that there aren't some funny details on the block that don't allow it to be interchangeable with a more general 6 cylinder Jag engine. The tollerance is fractional with the fit and alignment. I don't know if this is true but I have had a couple of Jag specialists warn me offthis route.
jonnyw said:
Thanks very much for all the help, just had a long chat with Chris who as you said knows his stuff and it's going in in June.
Rings are shot basically.
Jonny
Rings are shot basically.
Jonny
It's the fact that getting the engine out is a real pig that makes it cheaper if you can give Chris an engine on the floor.
I understand that the blocks of all the XK engines are basically interchangeable, the late (Series 3) heads had extra cooling channels that need welding if you want to mix and match the heads and blocks. I believe the sump needs to change, and probably the engine mountings. I read a posting on www.jag-lovers.org once from someone who'd done this. I haven't, so I could be talking out of my a[
]s. Fitting Series 3 heads to earlier cars is quite common, they have bigger valves. I'm thinking of fitting a Series engine into my XK150 temporarily to limit the off road time whilst I get Chris to rebuild it's own engine.
Getting the engine out is a pig. I've done it twice, I have a hoist and all the gear in my garage at home but I have always broken or damaged something doing it and the block and box etc are so heavy I value my fingers plus I can't ask my next door neighbour again, having spent the best part of 8 weekends helping me in the past.
Chris was great, he spent the time talking me through the issues and working out the probable diagnosis. I'm confident, including the valuable feedback from you helpful fellows that this is the right route.
On top of this is the setting up of the car, the road testing and getting it back absolutely right.
The head is fine, just rebuilt with hardened seats and valves etc. It however has a light weight flywheel, Getrag Box, 6 into two pipes, triple Webers, twin points etc..all of which add to the needing the experience of someone like Chris to set-up (and his team) rather than a botcher like myself
.
Thanks again
Jonny
Chris was great, he spent the time talking me through the issues and working out the probable diagnosis. I'm confident, including the valuable feedback from you helpful fellows that this is the right route.
On top of this is the setting up of the car, the road testing and getting it back absolutely right.
The head is fine, just rebuilt with hardened seats and valves etc. It however has a light weight flywheel, Getrag Box, 6 into two pipes, triple Webers, twin points etc..all of which add to the needing the experience of someone like Chris to set-up (and his team) rather than a botcher like myself
. Thanks again
Jonny
Getting the engine out. well firstly you have to get the bonnet off - caused us huge worry that we were going damage the wretched thing. Then there's the huge bolt which took us days to undo (mostly locating the right tool)... We rebuilt the engine at home. Probably for the brave only. Hope you get it sorted in time!
jonnyw said:
I wondered on this, the valve issue, and have to say that the manifolds are running red hot very quickly so the timing isn't right and the carbs are spitting like cornered wildcat! So I'm not opening or closing at the right time. This does need fixing, I'm probably out by a tooth or two?
The issue I can't get my head around is the phenominal amount of blow back that is coming from the breather, it is like a boiling kettle, and is similar to a blown gasket, but I doubt that it is for the previous reasons.
In summary there are a few things wrong that are beyond my capabilities! It needs the head coming off again at least and at worst the sump removing and the rings changed.
I think you can do this with the engine in but I am told this isn't possible. If the plate that secures the front torsion bars is removed, as per when the engine is removed, then the sump can be dropped?
I just need a local garage in the know with vast Jag experience.
The issue I can't get my head around is the phenominal amount of blow back that is coming from the breather, it is like a boiling kettle, and is similar to a blown gasket, but I doubt that it is for the previous reasons.
In summary there are a few things wrong that are beyond my capabilities! It needs the head coming off again at least and at worst the sump removing and the rings changed.
I think you can do this with the engine in but I am told this isn't possible. If the plate that secures the front torsion bars is removed, as per when the engine is removed, then the sump can be dropped?
I just need a local garage in the know with vast Jag experience.
The problem is that if you take it to a garage it will cost you a fortune and you can't guarantee them getting it right. I do all my own work on my Jaguar engines after having one professionally built and it lasting 4 months plus hearing some horror stories from friends.
The actual cam timing isn't that critical if its only one or two teeth out as it will still run but may just be down on power. I was thinking more along the lines of valves not seating properly or badly worn guides.
Where abouts near Sevenoaks are you?
Tim,
Thanks for the thought but it has effectively been off of the road for 30 months and I am under pressure by Mrs Wilson to get it mobile. I started to disasemble it two weeks ago but a dark cloud decended and I realised that it would soon become an eclectic set of parts scattered around the garage for another 12 months.
The problem being time as I race a TVR in the Tuscan Challenge and one of my son's races a VW GTI so they both take priority over spanner time, then comes the three domestic cars soon to be four when Sam learns to drive....................you get the picture!
After a very reassuring chat with Chris yesterday I have swallowed my pride and am now firm on the plan to get it down to Racing Green and to get it back as a hassle free solution.
Thanks for the offer and a very nice looking D-Type being pushed on!
Jonny
Thanks for the thought but it has effectively been off of the road for 30 months and I am under pressure by Mrs Wilson to get it mobile. I started to disasemble it two weeks ago but a dark cloud decended and I realised that it would soon become an eclectic set of parts scattered around the garage for another 12 months.
The problem being time as I race a TVR in the Tuscan Challenge and one of my son's races a VW GTI so they both take priority over spanner time, then comes the three domestic cars soon to be four when Sam learns to drive....................you get the picture!
After a very reassuring chat with Chris yesterday I have swallowed my pride and am now firm on the plan to get it down to Racing Green and to get it back as a hassle free solution.
Thanks for the offer and a very nice looking D-Type being pushed on!
Jonny
Go to Colin Ford of CF Auto. He is a "one man band",who specialises in E- Types (& has done so for 25 years)& operates a small facility just off Ext 1 of the M25.He has looked after my Series 2 Roadster for the last 6 years during which he has changed just about everything (gear box, starter motor,ignition, alternator, interior etc) for reasonable sums. He is also the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club expert on E-Types (& you can find his address on the JEC Web site).
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