G'day guys just wondering if anybody can recommend a specialist mechanic to do some work on my 88 v12. I hate to say it but price is important!!

Cheers

 

Hello Steve; sorry you haven't a response yet ... my fallback would be to ask Grant <Grant Francis> over in Adelaide. Although I lived in Sunraysia for some of my V12 Years, I have no such contacts in Melbourne.

Option 2 is to tell us what the problems are. Suggest you use the "User CP" menu to <Edit Signature> and include full model/year etc (and your broad location - no address or phone) as a permanent part of your further posts. I suggest this because there are vast differences between the S3 E-Type (lucky you), the HE XJS, and the posh top-of-the-line Daimler VDP. What ... you know ... you have all three. Well, bugga me!!!

You know whether it has carbs or efi ... but as yet, we don't. You get the idea. Narrows the field to aid diagnosis and keep replies helpful and accurate ... just what the young buck needed who complained of problems with poor compression, difficult starting, and terrible idle ... probably all symptoms of having a pair of rods poking out the side of his engine!

Best wishes,
Ken

 

Morning Steve.

I have not used them for actual spanner work, BUT,

JagDaim have a workshop, and I have heard NO bad things about them.

H&H Prestige also have a workshop.

I use both of these for parts as needed, and on that side NO issues, and quite knowledgable.

They also both dismantle Jags, and the XJ40 would possible abound, so that odd bit would be available.

Hope that helps a tad.

 

Ken it's not really an issue of know how just an issue of complete and utter lack of time!

Head gasket is the main issue and vacuum hoses! I just know it's going to be a very painful and time consuming job

 

I didn't know H&H had a workshop grant I use them for parts! I may have to hit them up for a quote

 

Talk to "Lucky Phil".

 

I hear you Steve, and I hope neither my suggestions nor attempt at levity implied anything other than a desire to help. Not much point me recommending one of the best auto trans experts in all Australia, Peter Holt Autos in Mildura, if you live in Bairnsdale. Even less help if you have nothing wrong with your cogs-box but simply want new brake rotors and pads.

Anyway, Grant has suggested some good contacts in Melbourne, so hopefully the fix will not be too painful.

Regards,
Ken

 

Hey ken I didn't take offence for a second!! Sorry if that's the impression I gave

 

Steve,Ken mentioned you live in Bairnsdale?? Have you talked to that dude in collins St?
Don't know his name just talked to him once. he had a shed full of XJ 40 bits and cars. Not sure of mechanical ability,also Mobil in Paynesville works on british stuff.

 

Thanks mate actually located in Gisborne (Macedon Ranges)

 

Whoa!!! Hold the bus. Getting wires crossed here ...

No Steve ... no hassles my end either ... sometimes my fingers develop a dyslexia that my brain hasn't intended. For some time now, I have been worrying I may be suffering the onset of Alzheimer's ...
but I can't remember why ...

And no also Neil ... I wasn't placing Steve in Bairnsdale (I had you on my mind for other reasons), I was using your home town purely as an example of somewhere remote from Mildura ,,, which, the more I think about it, accounts for most of Vic.

I am so agitated at all these upset apple-carts. I will have to go lie down with a nurse! I'll leave you chaps to find your own!

Best wishes to all,
Ken

 

Steve,
Just re-read teh post.

OOPS

When I saw '88 XJ Series, I wrongly assumed XJ40.

Being a S3 V12, I still reckon the guys I mentioned are the ones I would use if in that position.

The V12 head gaskets are time consuming, and tricky at best. Not a real common problem item however. Getting the heads OFF is the real test. Then comes that "can of worms" that is unique to the mighty V12 at this age.

My apologies again for the assumption.

 

 

No dramas Grant. I just dropped Phil an email.
Yeah its 6a that has the miss (if I remember the cylinder numbering correctly) closest to the firewall drivers side
It's not leads distributor injector or injector harness, and as I'm sure you're aware it's a very painful spot to do a compression test! But given I've ruled out everything else must be the head gasket right?

 

Mmmmm, not convinced.

Get one of those "screw in" comp testers.

The idiot light switch will be in the way, but doable.

Being an "open deck" engine. The fire ring at the liner top is the only critical area, and not known as a problem area.

The outer edge basically keeps the coolant inside the engine, so if that is not weeping that is also deemed OK.

The balance of the traditional head gasket probably does not exist anymore, as they dissolve over time, and the only remains are the bits sandwiched between 2 metal bits.

Tight tappets are becoming common, and the back 4 cylinders (2 each side) are the main culprits.

I really like to make 200% sure it is the head gasket. Dealing with that plastic timing chain tensioner is usually costly (last one was $500), coz they break. That is only teh drop in that "can of worms" I mentioned before. Even going the tappets means messing with that mongrel thing.

Last HE I had with a miss was a cracked spark plug 5A, and the terminal inside the boot of the lead was NOT pushing over the spark plug end properly.

V12 head gasket failure, when it is that, mostly has coolant spewing out of the header tank as it cranks over. That 12.5:1 comp ratio is some serious oomph.

 

Hi Steve,

Any other of the usual suspects evident? ... coolant disappearing? ... colour, viscosity and level of sump oil? Given your confirmation of healthy spark and fuel, whether head gasket or valve is a moot point ... and it sounds like the head is coming off.

I agree that this cylinder is a pita for a compression test, but do-able with the purpose designed adapter, which I presume either of the shops which Grant listed, would have.

Best wishes mate,

Ken

 

What sort of missfire is it?

Almost every v12 jag ive worked on has had some horrible wiring where the loom enters the valley at the front of the engine. Ide have a VERY good look to make sure the wiring to the injectors is in good condition as this could be your issue. I dont think they are sequentially injected (meaning all injectors spray at the same time) so in theory you could just swap an injector lead and see if the issue changes cylinder. I do see that you say its not the wiring but the bad bit is normally deep under the manifolds in the very bottom of the valley where the loom makes a sharp bend, you wouldn't see it unless you had the manifolds off or the loom out.

Also could be that the inlet manifold gasket is leaking down that end, although it would probably effect the manifold vacuum overall it would certainly lean out that cylinder more then others.

Defiantly also worth checking tappet clearances if you haven't. ide be doing a compression test and leak down test before i did the heads as you would be mad to do just one head and for the whole job ide be surprised if you got out of it much under 2 grand. ive done one at work and it was a right mongrel of a job. head wouldn't move so we ended up getting a big purpose made puller from somewhere that evenly pulled the whole thing off. On the other hand I did them on a friends car and they both basically fell off and we had them done in a day and a half (half a day was them at the machine shop and us cleaning / polishing bits). However in both cases as others have said it involved oil, water and compression in places they shouldn't be and seeing as its a wet sleeve block you cant really have a leak without having compression leaking into the cooling system unless its between bores which will affect both 5 and 6.

If your convinced its not fuel or spark ide be looking at valve clearances etc. Ive heard they have super duper rings and bores that never wear out so it shouldn't have worn rings. they are also meant to have good valves and seats. Personally as others say ide be very skeptical of valve clearances (which will burn valves if not attended to) and be very very certain it wasn't injection, ignition or vacuum related.

I won't recommend anywhere as I actually work at a Melbourne jag workshop and have heard good and bad about everyone.

Regards,
Jay

 

It's definitely not the injector harness as I have replaced it. It'd bed very strange if I got a replacement and it just happened to have a broken connection on the same cylinder (about my luck though haha)

Ok I'm gonna try do this compression test... But none of the usual signs of a broken headgasket.

Didn't really consider the valves.

Vacuum system is another point of contention I've been looking for a thorough vacuum diagram for a while with no luck!

 

Hi Steve,
I can recommend a good guy in Ballarat if that helps. He specializes in V12's owning 4 S3 E's himself and has all the right gear for safely removing heads. Ballarat is at least on the right side of town from Gisborne.

Regards,

Bill

 

Sounds great if you could send me through the details!