Hello everyone. I recently acquired a 1967 E Type that has been in my family for over 20 years. It was restored about 20 years ago from a low mileage chassis. In beautiful shape, but has a few niggly little issues I want to correct. Maybe you guys can help point me in the right direction. Even though this is my first foray into E Type ownership, my folks have had one on and off for year. Plus, I am a long time early 911 guy who is not a stranger to a wrench. Would really appreciate your help and guidance.

1. Front right side of the suspension developed a squeak. Bushing? I looked and it is in the right front area, but can't tell exactly where it is coming from. Polyeurethane is a problem in the 911 world. Any intel here?
2. Tach quit working. Suggestions to troubleshoot?
3. Left speedo light is out. How do I remove that and replace?
4. Air ON/OFF lever is stuck ON. What do you guys do to fix this?
5. Map light bulb is bad. Specs do not match what is currently available in auto parts stores. Where do you guys get bulbs?
6. Oil change is needed soon. What oil do you use and where to you source filters.

Again, I apologize for the newbie questions that have probably been covered. Been there in the early 911 community and really would appreciate some guidance from you experts. Thank you!

 

Hi t6dpilot,
Welcome to the world of Jaguar. I am also a fellow P car owner (88 Carrera and ....).
With regards to the a source for Jaguar parts; there are several. XKs Unlimited https://xks.com (Now Moss motors), SNG Barratt https://www.sngbarratt.com ,
Welsh https://www.welshent.com , and Terry's https:// www.terrysjag.com .
Electrical on the jag as with most if not all British cars are very ground sensitive. Check the grounds where you are seeing trouble.
You can reach the speedo light from below. You may be able to reach it, but I find it easier to remove the instrument. You can reach from below and undo the two round nuts holding it in place and remove instrument by pulling outward.
It is not easy to access the lever mechanisms behind the dash. You may have to remove the instruments like the tach to reach it.
Sorry I can't help you with all the issues but there are others here that are very knowledgable.
Good luck and post some photos of your car.
Bill.

 

Thanks Bill. I appreciate the insight. I'll take a look at what you suggested.

What are you guys using for map light bulbs? Looking at Terry's Jaguar, I do not see one that looks like what I removed. Thanks for understanding my newbie questions.

 

T6dpilot,

It is hard to tell what the previous owner might have installed if he/she could not easily find the correct bulb. If the bulb you removed does not look like the bulb offered by the jaguar parts suppliers, there is a good chance that the bulb you removed is not the correct one for the application.

I am in the process of restoring a 68 coupe. When I get to the dash lights, I am upgrading all of it to LEDs. Brighter and less amp draw.

You might want to consider signing up for the XKs and SNG Barratt email newsletters. There is always good information and specials on parts. Also, the SNG Barratt catalogue is a good source for parts break downs.

When are we going to get to see a photo of this jag of yours?

Good luck.

Bill.

 

Thanks for the recommendation on the newsletters. I have all that from my long time involvement in the early 911 world. Starting from scratch somewhat here. Parts diagrams would be awesome.

Here she is... Previous owner was my father. 47k miles and a color change from red.

 

Very nice looking car. One of my favorite color combinations.
Wow, only 47K miles??? That is unusual. The car having belonged to your father is a nice connection. Enjoy it in good health.
Bill.

 

t6dpilot:

Welcome to the wonderful world of E-types! By the way, I’m also a fellow member of the early 911 tribe (‘69 911S).

I’m going to limit my comments to your tach problem. You said the tach quit working...did that just happen suddenly or has it never worked? You also mentioned that the car was restored some time ago...do you know if the tachometer was rebuilt at that time? If so it might indicate that your problem lies elsewhere. Was the wiring harness also replaced?

The tachometer on a Series 1 E-type is different from any other car you’re familiar with...it is an entirely separate system not connected to anything else on the car. The heart of the system is a Tach Generator that is connected to the rear of the right side camshaft. Open the bonnet and look for a doohickey with two wires coming out of it at the rear of the right side camshaft cover. This generator is driven by the camshaft and generates an AC current as it spins. The AC current is transmitted to the Tachometer by the two wires. The first step is to check if the two wires are securely connected to the generator. If there are no visible faults the next suspect is the generator itself...these are notoriously unreliable. A few possibilities here: the internal magnets have weakened over time and insufficient current is being generated. This usually results in an inaccurate (low) RPM reading...not a total failure. Possibly the wiring or windings inside the generator have failed, resulting in total failure. However, there’s one more simple problem (which I suspect might be your problem)... the generator has become disengaged from the camshaft and is no longer turning.

(to be continued)...

Alan
N.J.

 

Continuing:

To see if the generator is producing any current, simply start the car and, using an AC voltmeter, measure the current between the two connectors...you should see about 1 volt AC per 100 RPM’s. If you see voltage being generated then your problem is the wiring between the generator and the tachometer, or the tachometer itself.

If, however, there’s no current coming out of the generator you’ll need to remove it from the camshaft...a fiddly but not very difficult operation.

With the generator off the car connect it to an electric drill and spin it...does it now generate power? If not, you need to buy a new one from the usual suppliers. You can also try your luck on ebay but make sure you get one that has been fully tested.

If your tach generator produces juice in the bench-test then your problem lies in the physical connection between the camshaft and the generator. Look into the hole at the back of the camshaft...there should be a plastic piece with a slot in it where the generator shaft fits into. This “drive dog” may have broken and is easily replaced. Final possibility...the shaft on the generator has retreated into the body of the generator and no longer extends out far enough to make good contact with the drive dog...a very common problem. In this case, mount the tip of the generator shaft in a vice and gently tap the generator away from the vise, pulling the shaft out a bit. The end of the shaft should protrude from the body as shown in the photo below:



Now it’s a simple matter of reinstalling everything.

Follow-up questions welcome.

Good luck,
Alan
N.J.

 

Alan, thanks for your response. Tach Gen, now that is something I am familiar with. My old T6 had one of those. I'll check it out and report back. Thank you for the detailed troubleshooting description. I do not think it was rebuilt during the restoration. New issue I am now researching/diagnosing is intermittent starter clicking and engine does not turn over.

Are you an ESR forum participant? I seem to remember your user name over there. I was pretty active there up until a year ago or so. Thanks for your insight and help understanding this new animal.

 

Great post Alan.
Very informative and to the point.
Bill.

 

I checked the tach generator with the car idling. No voltage on the VOM. I will pull it off and check those things your mentioned. Question - do you have to remove the wiper linkage to get the generator out? Also, the tach quit working suddenly FYI.

 

Yes, I usually remove the throttle linkage before removing the generator since it just snaps on and off and gives you a little more room. The sudden-death symptom you mentioned points to a disengagement with the drive dog.

When removing the generator be extra careful not to drop the bolts!

Alan
N.J.

 

Regarding your oil question: my engine builder, one of the best in the business, swears by Valvoline 20w-50 Racing Oil. I also use that in my air-cooled 911S and 328GTB.

Alan

 

Finally, if you never changed an oil filter on an E-type you’re in for a real treat (if you like wailing and gnashing of teeth).

Get a replacement filter from the usual sources. Also secure an E-type Workshop Manual (indispensable!!) which will show the dozen or so intricate pieces inside the filter canister, which must be re-installed in a precise order. The most “fun” part is getting the large rubber gasket (it comes with the oil filter) to properly sit inside the groove in the “filter-head” (the part attached to the engine block that receives the filter canister) as you try to re-fit the canister. All of this will become self-evident as you try it the first time. The gasket will keep jumping out of the groove in the filter-head which ensures that your garage floor will be bathed in expensive motor oil as soon as you start the engine (ask me how I know).

My trick, developed over 42 years of owning my E-type, is to use a few tiny spots of weatherstrip adhesive (applied with a toothpick) to hold the rubber gasket onto the end of the canister. Don’t let any adhesive seep into the inside of the canister. Once the adhesive has dried you then offer up the canister to the filter-head while clumsily turning the 10- inch bolt with your third hand, making sure to turn only the bolt and not the canister (turning the canister will disturb the gasket).

Of course, you must also remove various splash shields and the air filter assembly to gain good access the the oil filter assembly. I usually budget three hours and four shots of good bourbon to do this simple oil & filter change.

Good luck,
Alan
N.J.

 

I see nobody has said anything about the suspension squeak. There are two ball joints on the front suspension and if the protecting rubber boots are split, the joint can become dry. Normally the inner trunnion bushes don't squeak. If I were you i'd get the road wheel off and have a look around the suspension.

 

Alan, I agree with you on the Valvoline 20W50 Racing oil. I too use that in my early 911s. Very funny description on the oil filter change. I was watching a video on that and thought to myself that this is not going to be your typical 40 minute oil change. Thanks for the adhesive tip. I'll give that a try when I tackle it this winter. So not looking forward to this.

Regarding the suspension squeak, I tried bouncing the chassis up and down using the frame members near the suspension attach point. It appears the noise is coming from the bushing area in the upper right suspension arm. I think... Tough to be sure without the car up in the air and the wheel off.

 

Are those bushes Jaguar OEM or Powerflex ?

 

I do not know. What is the best way to determine which they are? I can get a photo if that helps.

 

Get a photo if you can.
I believe Powerflex bushes can squeak a bit. The old rubber bushes consist of an outer and inner steel sleeve with rubber bonded to both. As the suspension moves the rubber takes up the movement. With Powerflex bushes the inner stainless steel sleeve moves with the suspension, the Powerflex plastic bush does not move or take up any movement.

 

Get a photo if you can.
I believe Powerflex bushes can squeak a bit. The old rubber bushes consist of an outer and inner steel sleeve with rubber bonded to both. As the suspension moves the rubber takes up the movement. With Powerflex bushes the inner stainless steel sleeve moves with the suspension and moves relative to the bush. The Powerflex plastic bush does not move or take up any movement. It is claimed to give better control of suspension geometry, but the whole point of the old rubber bushes was to control the suspension and also provide refinement. Powerflex get round this by providing their bushes in various softness grades.
Edit
Just found this: -
https://www.poly-tek.com/suspension-...ane-vs-rubber/
Squeeking is specifically mentioned.