I need to replace my starter. According to the service access is through the interior coming in by the transmission tunnel with interior panels removed.
Has anyone ever done this task from below? I have a lift and it seems that coming from below would be less work. (Car needs to be pushed out of garage (over gravel) and back into the lift bay, so don't want to to do something that turns out to be futile)

 

well at least you put all the info. needed to answer your question.

I am only familiar with a 3.8 engine starter, not a 2.4. Fact is I have never even seen a 2.4 engine.

in the 3.8 starter, there are two bolts, one on top at around 12 o'clock, and one at the bottom at around 7 o'clock.

I was able to remove the top bolt from above using extended tools.
Then went under the car and removed the bolt at the bottom.

if the 2.4 is anything like above, the answer is yes you can do it.

 

As Jose states it can be done from underneath the car. Horrible access getting to the two bolts. Starter is bloody heavy so be careful when lifting it out. It comes out of the bottom of the car with a wiggle and patients. It will also come out of the top of the car but you have to remove the distributor and top radiator hose to give you room to pull it out. Pig of a job and possible one of the hardest to do due to the lack of access caused by the carbs and low bonnet. If you are replacing it I would go for a more modern high power starter which is smaller and lighter but it depends on whether you want to keep it original. Once the starter is in place you cannot see it so really no one would know it had been upgraded accept you when you have that smile on your face knowing the car will start first time every time. As you can tell from my smugness I went for the high power starter from SC Parts. https://www.scparts.co.uk/sc_en/high...r-1-26657.html.

 

I forgot to say:

you disconnect the battery first,

then you disconnect the cable from the front of the starter,

THEN you start messing with the two bolts.

In my 3.8, I was not able to slide it down under the car, the oil filter head is in the way.

I slowly moved it towards the front under the carbs until I hit the Transmission Fluid Dipstick Tube which is also in the way. I disconnected the tube bracket / holder and then I was able to keep sliding it forward.

like Cass said, it is a p.i.t.a. to remove, it weighs a ton, adding to the difficulty.

After all this trouble, the starter tested fine and I had to do it all over in reverse.

next time I am fitting a torque reduction starter which I already have. It is about the same size as an alternatot, if not smaller.

 

Jaguar 2.4 is same as other XK engines regards starter. Jaguar realised the difficulty with starter bolts. Most 60+ cars came with the welded hoop on the starter bolts. Makes life easier.






A few came with this more elegant solution but very few I know of.

 

Unfortunately, my 61 is not fitted with that cool gizmo!

 

Pity ~ it does make matters easier. No one has ever been able to give me an introduction date. My 65 has it.

 

Starter out! Moved the clutch slave and oil filter housing out of the way, and, bingo! Putting in the new Powerlite unit I got from SNG Barratt. Very compact...Yay! I had intended to continue using the solenoid mounted on the firewall as it is convenient when doing diagnostics. Did any of you drop the use of the solenoid with the modern starter? and Why?

 

No I left the Solenoid in place as it is so convenient when you want to turn the engine over whilst working under the bonnet. Many a time I have started the engine on the solenoid button and then switched the engine off by pulling the live off the coil.

 

Agree Rob!

 

Oh No! I am having a difficult time fitting the new Hi-Torques starter I got from SNG Barratt. It seems that there are some fuel pipes under the carbs that are binding?! What am I missing? My car was originally fit with solex carbs and they were change to SUs at some pointy, but I can't imagine that would be an issue.

 

Are they the plenum chamber drains or float chamber drains that are getting in the way ~ or main fuel feed to float chambers? If so you can re route them. There should be no pipework on correct SU Carbs for Jaguar XK that can't be re routed around the starter motor.

On top of pipework displayed here you should have two plenum chamber drain pipes.

 

If you got the old one out, the new one which is smaller should just slide in. As Glyn said there are no main fuel pipes down in that area but there are drain pipes. Two are copper and hang down from the float chambers and two are nylon and come from the plenum chamber.
If you are still having trouble you are obviously not using a big enough hammer.

 

I'm just hoping that in the move from original 2.4 Solex carbs (downdraught) someone has not fitted SU's & pipework from another car other than Jaguar. All I can think of??? This car started life with Solex carbs as many 2.4's did.

 

So, finally getting closer. Had the original starter rebuilt. Put it in and it barely turned. Better using the solenoid button. Replaced solenoid...again, starter switch just clicked, solenoid button gets it to turn slowly. One other interesting thing happened before all of this: I had some sparking where the accelerator pedal linkage runs through the guide under the dash as the rubber bushing was gone (I fixed this issue).
1) Could the dash switch be bad and if I disconnect it at the solenoid and use solenoid button, is this a good test?
2) Wires look good and the ground on fender is fine...are there other grounds to check?
3) Battery is new...what am I missing?

 

How are your earth strap from the body to the engine and battery strap to body connections and condition of those straps?

 

They look clean, but Ill check again.

 

I don't know where the earth straps are on a Mk2 but on an S Type the braided strap that jumps the LHS front engine mounting is frequently the issue. i.e. body to engine block.

Suggest you take a set of jumper leads direct from the battery to the starter motor to make sure that the rebuilt motor is not the issue & producing required torque.

REMEMBER POLARITY. Presume you are still running positive earth.

 

The Low Tension (LT) dash push buttons seldom give trouble although I stuck a new one in my car when restoring. The under bonnet solenoid that it activates or you can push manually can get tired. The High Tension contacts internally can get burnt & not provide full current to the starter motor. All wiring of course needs to be good. I replaced all of mine and the solenoid.

If jumper leads provide proper function of starter motor you are going to have to work back by a process of elimination.

Good luck!

 

I think it is the starter motor.