I'm hoping to get some advice from you seasoned engine installers. My 3.8L Mk2 engine is about to receive the head for a complete rebuild. I did not take the engine out of the car so I don't know how difficult it will be to reattach some of the parts once it is in the car. I'm sure it's best to keep it small and light for the reinstall but I also don't want to leave of anything that will be difficult to attach later. The engine will be going in through the top.
Obviously the transmission will be bolted on along with all of the clutch hydraulics. I'm thinking yes to water pump but no fan, starter, intake manifold with water pipe assy. No to generator and carbs. Any other thoughts on what to attach or not attach before the reinstall?

 

A follow up thought/question. Is there anything in the engine bay that I should definitely instal or not install before the engine goes in?

 

I would install the exhaust manifolds, it's a real bear getting at some of the bolts when the engine is in.
I used copper anti-seize on mine and stainless nuts.
I never liked the brass ones, they never stayed tight for me.

I put the starter and intake manifold on too.

Make sure all your lower exhaust studs are in good shape and they match up with the exhaust down-pipes with their respective donuts or gaskets.

The engine bay _ heater box and brake servo.
You can put the rad in but, protect the fragile matrix with some 1/4 inch plywood.

Hook up the cables to the heater box now because you can stand in the engine bay.

Any cleaning and painting of the engine bay, do it now off course, and you may want to clean up the wires to the junction box where the regulator is _ again, easy to do it now _ brake lines too if needed.

 

A small item before re-installing the radiator and engine
There is a metal brake line which runs under the radiator and feeds brake fluid to the left front brake from the hydraulic distribution block
It is worthwhile to carefully inspect this line for corrosion as it is difficult to get to with the radiator and engine in place.
I have found this line corroded in a number of MK1 and MK2 Jags.
Replacement is very easy and relatively cheap.

 

Below are some pictures of my engine ready for installation. I attached the carbs as well as they are a pain to get to the lower bolts when the engine is in. All my ancillaries were attached. Starter, Generator, PAS pump, Water pump and fan, inlet manifold, exhaust manifold.
I left the radiator out of the car as this gave me room to move the engine backwards and forwards with no fear of damaging the radiator fins with the fan. Also the shroud cannot go on if you have the fan on and the radiator in so engine and fan in then hang the shroud over the fan before lowering the radiator in place. As Jeff has suggested protect the back of the radiator with a board or cardboard when installing as those fan blades are sharp.
Bill comes up with some good suggestions about cleaning, painting and replacing items before installing. I did not have this problem as mine was being installed in to a brand new restoration.
My only other suggestion is when I fitted mine I had removed the wheels from the car which allowed me to lower the nose of the body down giving me more room to lift the engine up over the front grill area. Even though I had the biggest engine crane at full height I was struggling to get it up and over without dropping the front of the body down. Once the engine was nestled in the engine bay I then jacked the car back up fitted the wheels and this allowed me to roll the car backwards and forwards rather than dragging the engine back and forth on the crane.

 

Thank you all for the input. Very much appreciated!!
This is a full restoration so there is absolutely nothing in the engine bay right now. I have all new brake lines and a new wiring harness. I was planning on putting all of that in place before the engine goes in.
The car itself is still at the body shop so it will be a while before the engine goes in anyway. I just want to have the engine fully prepared and ready to go.

 

See from post 12 onward. Cass has the best tilting device I have seen but seat belts & a crane worked for us. Watch that tailshaft from hitting your newly painted firewall. It helps to have someone under the car to guide it. We had a full drive on hoist available but found it better to have the body raised on stands.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...chanic-246106/