The 'E' Type Forum

Hi I am building an e type for someone and I have been trying to work out the dipstick set up. He has a new chrome e type 4.2 dipstick but it obviously just rattles in the block without a tube fitted . I have put 15 pint of oil in a dry engine (not turned over yet so it will go down) and it shows in between top and bottom marks. Any thoughts. Sorry forgot to mention he told me today it is a 4.2 xj6 engine.

Hi Bryan...think this is the first time youve mentioned it was an xj6 engine. .....what sump does it have ...when you say top and bottom marks do you mean the oil level is in the cross hatch area.....Steve

If your problem is not incorrect level but just a rattling stick, put a felt or rubber seal under he stick collar (depending on stick type). That will prevent metal-to-metal leaks, and then fit a dipstick bracket to the rear exhaust manifold to stop it moving by putting it under tension. If it has no tube in the block anymore but the E-Type stick reads correctly with an E-Type sump, there's nothing wrong.

Yes I meant between top and bottom marks it was in the middle but today I am going to turn the engine over so the level will drop . I have also just fitted the short tube to the dipstick hole in the block which will drop the level on the dipstick further. I presume it has the correct E type sump etc and it was fully rebuilt with new pistons and cams. What is the difference between MK10 and E type 4.2 engines apart from sump cr ratio and maybe cams. I only found out from the owner the other day about its origin. Bryan

Why do you want to know difference in mk10?

I hate to tell you this but a complete mark 10 engine with carburetters will not fit under an E bonnet. The carburetters and inlet manifold are too tall . If you have the original manifold from an E somewhere, it is mandatory to change the mark 10 stuff for the original . There is no difference in cams by the way . If you post the number of this engine we can tell you what it really is

In Post 1 Bryan said it was an XJ6 engine.

Yes, but now he says or at least implies, it 's from a mark 10 . Better to find out now what it really is rather than when you have dented the bonnet !!

Forgive my ignorance but would an XJ6 engine fit under the bonnet of an E Type with the saloon car's twin carbs? Or would that also present a problem? I know the Mk10 triple set up doesn't fit and the saloon's twin carb set up isn't to be preferred but does it physically fit? All assumes, of course, that an E Type sump is fitted.

Regards

Engine mountings can be different - some holes are not drilled in the XJ6 block - you would have to address this.

Barrie

Really depends which xj6 engine you have
Post the engine number as there a few different ones that had different specs
Series 3 was the last and best with high compression pistons and big valve head
There were many other alterations as well inside the engine
If the engine is already fitted I would assume its already had the e type different engine parts swapped over by someone
E type sump will need e type dipstick and dipstick tube
To be sure drain out all the oil, re fit recommended amount of oil from the e type workshop manual and re check dip stick
Joe

It was only last week I asked the owner about the engine when he told me it was a MK10. We could not at first work out the mounting for the alternator bracket on the block . I had ordered one of the mounts but the top two water pump studs were to short. I then looked on line and found pictures of the adjustment strap bolted to a lower water pump stud . It has the correct sump and carbs so that is fine for clearance .
I was really asking about internal differences in E type and MK10 engines .This engine has been refurbished with new pistons and cams . I will see if I can find the engine number today . Bryan

Bryan ; it's not just the carbs that are the problem, but the inlet manifold as well. The e type manifold is stepped down towards the carburetter side by a significant amount . The mark 10 manifold is almost level across its width and thus the carburetters sit higher and will dent the bonnet even if they are correct ones for an E type. There are no significant differences in any XK engines internally other than the offset between some bore centres and the combustion chambers which arose as a result of the introduction of the 4.2 litre block in 1964, and the alteration/lengthening of the block at the rear which took place in about 1967

Hi Christopher. Yes it is the correct manifold for an E type . I do not think being a MK10 sourced engine will make a great deal of difference to power. It will be ample he is not going to thrash it I don't think .Just tried to do what I thought would be a fairly straightforward job fitting the exhaust .NO he bought a stainless system for it many years ago and it dose not match the standard hangers that I had already fitted . So I will have the fabricate something . Agh .
Thanks for input Bryan

Power output of Mark 10s and E types was identical except for the rather theoretical difference between 8:1 and 9:1 CR which according to Jaguar made a difference of 15 bhp. My own experience between my rebuilt engine with 7.8:1 pistons in my FHC, and my 9:1 engine in my OTS is that there is no real difference other than that the rebuilt engine is much smoother and if anything rather more powerful than the older one . The 4.2 cars have a huge amount of torque where it matters ( as long as the cams and exhaust have not been "upgraded" ) and I have yet to meet anyone disappointed with an E's acceleration