I’ve rebuilt multiple older engines over the years, some oiled without a pump just an oil mist to those with pumps. Yesterday while working on my 4.2 I opened the oil filler cap above one camshaft with the engine at idle and was amazed at the river of oil flowing in the chamber. Is this common on these engines? Seems like a lot of excess but better than none at all. 😊

 

Sounds quite normal, especially if the oil pump has been refurbed or renewed
BTW, we found that this is most often overlooked, even on otherwise good rebuilds.

The real test is actual oil pressure at engine idle and around 3,000rpm, using correct viscosity oil.
This has critical impact on bearings and timing chain tensioners.

Many fine XK inline DOHC 6s of the 50s and 60s topped out at 35-40 psi.
By comparison, our pre-HE XJ-S 5.3L V12 brought up a verified 50psi by 2,000rpm.

Cheers and best wishes,

 

Being a double-overhead cam engine, a lot of oil is needed to lube both the cams and also the cam bearings, and don't forget the timing chains too !. Early XK engines used to burn oil like it was going out of fashion, most of it going down the inlet valve guides. Jaguar spent a lot of time and effort on piston rings and so on, but this thirst for oil, (every fuel fill-up, one added a pint of oil !!), was only finally cured when seals were fitted to the inlet valve guides. This then created another PITA job of replacing them once they got a bit hard and worn !!