Was there a 4.2 e-type engine with a single carb?

 

Hi 71JagXKE,
No there wasn't an E-type produced with a single carb engine. Even the early MK I 2.4L XK engines had 2 carbs.

Military XK Engine
The specification was changed considerably from the car engine. The standard SU carburettors were replaced with a single, large, down-draft Solex carburetter, fitted on top of the inlet manifold. The distributor was screened and waterproofed. The HT leads were also waterproofed and covered with braided metal sleeving and led to military grade standard spark plugs. A revised breather system with flame traps, to protect from an engine fire, was specified by the military.

 

Thanks for the response Bob.
I am currently looking at a 71 4.2 that has the engine out on a pallet.
He also has another engine that I can have with the rest of the car.
The first engine has two carbs. The second engine (in the photo) looks like it only has one carb.
I will not actually see the car or parts until the 27th of the month.

 

The photo shows a fuel-injected XK 4.2 engine. The large horizontal "cylinder" is the inlet manifold with the rather large inlet from the Mass Airflow Meter very prominent. A 90 degree casting here links this to the actual MAF unit. This is an early EFI engine as it has the tubular fuel rail that is so prone to leakage where the flexible puipes connect. I reckon on mine I was once close to getting an engine bay fire but smelt the petrol just in time.

 

I agree with Fraser. The head should also have larger valves than the e-type engine.

 

Thanks guys. Now I have a whole new rabbit hole to explore!
All seriousness, thanks for the help.

Jim

 

No E-Type ever had a fuel-injected engine from the factory. However people may have installed this themselves.

 

Any idea where it would have come from?

 

Picture looks Just like an early fuel injected XJ6 engine.

From memory, the intake manifold from an injected XJ6 engine would interfere with the tube Engine/Suspension frame of the XKE.

All fuel injected XKEs that I have seen, have (6) Throttle Body intakes, mounted on a Weber Carburetor intake manifold. The engine would make a good retrofit to an XKE, but would need to have different intake manifold, with carburetors or Weber style fuel injection.

When you get a closer look at it, if you will post the serial numbers, some one on forum can tell you what year it was produced.

Rgds David

 

No idea, but there is a lot of ingenuity in the United States !! Of course the 4.2 with EFI could, I suppose, be fitted, but the engine frames may prevent this. What is the point, anyway ?

 

Sorry. Misunderstanding. The car I am looking at has an additional engine and, from the photos, it looked different.
Just wondered about it's providence.
Thanks for all the comments.
Jim

 

If the EFI engine is the additional one, then clearly, it is not an E-type engine. I would keep to the engine that is in the car, as the early EFI engines with the long head studs suffer from some fatal faults that are very expensive to fix, and the reason so many XJ saloons have been lumped in the US. However the cylinder head would be useful as it will have the big inlet valves as per the Le Mans D-types

 

Jim

I agree with Fraser, if both engines are out of the XKE now, and your going to do some investigation into both engines condition (cylinder head and oil pan off), the best combination would be the XKE block and the EFI head for "repair, refurbishment, or full overhaul".

I did the EFI block stud replacement and cylinder head overhaul, with minimal machine shop work, and it wasn't too costly. If you have a shop do all the labor, it it will be a big bill. You'll want to get the XKE back on the road first, and sort the spare engine out down the road.

It will be a fun project, best wish to you on this.

Rgds David

 

Thanks guys. Yes, both engines are out and will be checked out prior to installation.
Looks to be a fun project, just need to complete the acquisition and transport the 1000 km home first.

 

If you're going to be using the EFI head, make sure you carefully check the coolant passages block-head, and also the oil drain passages at the rear, I'm not sure if the later 4.2 EFI engines have them. Also replace the inlet valve guide seals, as these will be shot by now.

 

Thanks Fraser.
I'll have to see how they look.

Jim