The 'E' Type Forum

Hi. Now my head is off my series 2 2+2, and I have time to kill waiting for it to come back, I'm considering taking the pistons out to see if rings are worn. Doesn't look too hard once sump is off. (Hmmm)
However, the bible says you have to remove the crankshaft damper - why is that? And is it difficult to budge?

Also, I assume exhaust has to come off (haven't looked yet). But does the sump then clear everything if I jack the front of the car up?

Any help much appreciated!

Hi Malcolm,
If you want to restore your engine as you seems to want doing and make a good job with a maximum confort It could be really more more easy for you if the engine was out of the car.
With the engine out, you'll can check all the parts by following seriusly the jaguar book.
I advise you to read the jaguar book BEFORE doing anything to understand how this engine is built and that's only AFTER you'll can begin to work on it.
Mich

Hi Malcom.....i assume you are doing this becaus you are changeing the frames...if so most of the hard work is done...wouldnt take much to take engine out you could then check out the clutch......removing pistons is far easier with engine out..but what are you actually looking for worn rings or bores...did you do a compression test before removing head...Steve

Malcolm : you are developing shipwright's disease - soon the entire car will be in pieces ! If it was running ok before , with oil consumption no worse than 200 miles per pint, and fuel consumption of 20 - 23 mpg , then my advice would be to leave well alone, because piston removal is quite a task with the engine in the car because of the ancillary internal shields and pipework that you have to strip out, and there is always the risk that you will break a ring if there is any lip to a bore. The XK engine is as near bomb proof as you can get - they will run almost for ever even if worn out , so if it ain't broke, don't fix it

Is there a noticeable wear ridge at the top of each bore?

"Shipwright's Syndrome, and, in its more serious condition Shipwright's Disease, is a highly infections condition that breeds in classic British car seat leathers and vinyls.

Very few people are immune.

It's symptoms are an ever increasing amount of time spent putzing around on your automobile, and an ever decreasing bank account. The most serious cases are reported when an infected individual goes to replace a burnt out turn signal light, and, then, many hours later, usually early in the morning after forgetting to go to bed, he or she finds the engine in pieces at his or her feet wondering "Whatever have I done ?" or, in even more serious cases "OK, what's next ?".

There are self help groups, where infected individuals gather to discuss their most recent relapse. They disguise themselves as car clubs and the like.

CAUTION : There is no known cure!

Hello, my name is Bob, and I have "the disease""
Hello, my name is Mich and I have it too...

Marvellous

+1.....

So, a neighbour of mine about 200 yards away is Paul from PJS engineering. He's worked on the cars of a few forum members. He popped round and observed the following:

No lip on the bores.
Previous rebore resulted in +.020 pistons being fitted, and the bore measurement is what you would expect with that size, with no ovality.
Little wear since the rebore, with "tooling" marks from the rebore still visible even. So he felt rings would be highly unlikely to be worn.
Face off block good, no burning and no cracks.

So, with that plus the feedback from you good folk, I'm leaving well alone. I'll see what comes back re the head, and then just put it all back together again. Providing I can remember where it all goes!