The problem Brent has is the car is stuck on a steep driveway, so it's a safety issue rather than practicality unfortunately.

Oxidation on Aluminium does protect it as long as the enviroment stays fairly Ph Neutral. Oxidation does still continue, but the rate slows up dramatically after the first layer occurs.
The covers you sent had obviously been left for quite a considerable time as the layer was pretty thick and hard, but a few hours of elbow grease does wonders.

 

Here's a picture of the core plug set SNG sent me, are they meant to be like this? The core plugs I remember replacing in the past were like little cups, these ones look more like saucers...

 

That's completely correct Brent, these are known as Welch washers.

 

The core plugs or Welsh Plugs in your pic certainly look the real deal. You may be more familiar with the "skirted" style of plug on other engines, but Jaguar XKs used ones in the form of a domed disc . . . giving rise to a number of observations . . .

• sealing is confined to edge lip only so a close fit is essential, aided by use of suitable sealant;
• fit with domed face out, then use hammer and solid drift only slightly smaller diameter to flatten dome, thus expanding plug diameter to seal;
• IIRC, number of plugs supplied seems right . . . beware ending with one left over!

Last point needs clarification. All but one of these are somewhat easy to get to . . . with manifolds away, they can be replaced with engine in situ. Too easy! However, the final one is in rear face of engine block, below engine mount and with no chance of replacing if engine is in situ . . . although few consider cutting a 6" access hole through middle of dashboard and firewall . . . sooo hard to patch it afterwards!

Time for the dreaded Murphy to make an appearance . . . if you replace all the other plugs with bright shiny new ones, guess which will start leaking exactly 29 days after you have buttoned up your shiny new engine? Oh . . . and ask me how I know.

Cheers,

Ken

 

My attempt to replace the rear frost plug under the inlet manifold, only discovered when I capitulated and removed the block to replace the rings, this lead to the bearings being replaced and the oil pump checked out, radial clearance is close to max on the pump I had in the spares box. The incumbent had ingested, (I am guessing) the tails of the split pins from the big ends. I tuned up the end clearance of the pump and it should be good for another 100K miles.
With the split pins I open the ends sufficiently wide so they cannot back out and then trim off until there is about 8mm protruding. With the retaining springs in the cam sprockets, once everything is locked up remove and hang on a nail in the garage. They can’t do any damage to the engine up there!

 

Just a quick clarification.

The recess the Welch washer sits in should be clean and free from defects, so be careful when cleaning the recess to avoid scratches or gouges.
The plug should not be flattened completely, it should be flattened more than 30% of it's dome height but not completely.

If they are flattened completely they can leak, and you have to start again.

 

Yes, I was used to the other ones.

So they're different on the Jag.. Of course they are. What a surprise.... *sigh*

I am just going outside. I may be some time.



Yes, had this happen on a HD Premier once...

 

Shall keep your adult beverage on ice. Please don't be too long . . . been a tiring day here and we are feeling thirsty!

Cheers,

Ken

 

Well, waved the car off today! I thought it was a bit unfair to expect Jon to come all the way up here to grab it so over the weekend I looked up transporters and got a reasonable quote. What I didn't expect was for the transporter guy to turn up almost instantly!

So it is on its way, and looking at the online tracking... It's in Bath already! So it is not too far away!

Online tracking you ask? Well oops, I'd left a phone in the thing !!!!

Just need to organise a time to get down there now and work on it, it's quite an odd feeling looking outside and not seeing it

 

It's safely arrive this afternoon Brent, so will clear some room in the workshop to get it in.

Do you need the phone ?

 

Glad to hear , don't need the phone anytime soon

 

Have you got room for any more Jon!! I’m a bit stuck and not making much progress with the interior trim!
Only joking-but I am a bit stuck in getting the trim done-I’ll start a new thread.

Richard Hinds

 

AH why not bring it on Richard !!!

 

I replaced core plugs on a 2.4 litre and also a long-stud 4.2 litre XK engine and the later block uses the later type of core plug and has no lip for the plug to seat on, unlike the earlier dished washer type. Both sealed OK. I used a bit of red Hermatite on the 2.4 plugs, then washed the surplus off the outside with cellulose thinners. For the later engines, I think I used a smear of Hylomar, but its a long time ago now, so memory fades.

 

Thought I had better do an update, had a good look over the car, and a couple of issues came to light, timing sprockets are all worn and will be replaced, sump gasket, high capacity oil pump, timing chains all ordered, some were not in stock, so had to await back order.

Parts arrived last week but top sprockets still out of stock, but need to get the job going so into the workshop to drop the front suspension.

Found a couple of further issues, the drivers side Vee mount had let go and the front sandwich mount was also separated, so only the passenger side mounts, the anti roll bar and the steering column were holding the front suspension to the car !

Then found a nice increasing patch of oil on the floor, as the car is now up on an angle the rear crank seal is showing it's normal leaking !

So out with the engine next, will pop the crank out to replace or upgrade the oil seal and hopefully there are no surprises when I get the crank off.

Brent has a bunch of new parts that he had already got prior to the car coming to me, so the suspension will have a new set of bushes, new engine mounts as these were toast, core plugs, upgraded radiator, new hoses, crank seal, suspension mounts, and also the lower steering column bush as has been smashed by the bouncing front suspension, new timing gear, crank damper and a refurbished head.

Not sure if I have forgotten anything, and will update as work progresses.

Brent is coming up for the day to lend a hand and get oily on Friday, hopefully will get most of the work done by then so he can help putting stuff back together.

 

Check the top chain slippers if you are replacing them. Some (all?) have a sharp bend line and could be prone to fractures in service;

 

They are being replaced Rob, one of the existing ones had let go of the wear layer which was floating about in the timing chain cover !! This is what b****d the chains as they were running on metal.

Good advice re stress point, I will check them for sure.

 

One other point I forgot to add was that they were not square either

 

sounds like fun!!

 

Aye I'm looking forward to seeing the old girl and also to be able to do some work on her in a proper environment! Not at the top of my driveway