Firstly she is finally in my garage which is nice.

New Mufflers due to very large holes.
New Power steering boots as they where completely rotten.

Took her to have the carbys looked at and they seemed ok, he did some weird test on the spark plugs and we got.

139
139
129
25
65
250

So looks like I'm buying a new engine. a Holden 308 was a suggestion obviously the Chev 350 is getting pretty common. Any suggestions?

I would like to try and get as much power and stuff out another Straight 6 Jag. I couldn't bare to put a Aussie Engine in a Jag.

 

Compression test, it looks like



The '250' must be a mistake. Did you mean to type '150', perhaps?

Anyhow, you have two very low cylinders. The engine should be low on power and/or running rough. Is it?




Might just need a valve job, or perhaps even just a new head gasket.



Cheers
DD

 

Mr Mellor,

Rebuild your xk engine.

They are as tough as nails as long as you listen to them.

Also, they complete the quintessential English experience when you own a Jag.

If you want a powerful, drag line racing unit, buy a racing car, not a rapid English sports saloon.

Food for thought.

Cheers,

Nigel

 

Yeah, my read is as Doug posts. If it were 0 in all holes as me was, I'd think replacement. A DIY overhaul is feasible. Out sourcing the engine and R&R not so much!!!! Good used might.


If the option chosen is to fix it. If the head is off, might as well get it serviced.


Caveat: All machine shops are not alike. Some do beautiful work and others are metal butchers.


Nice find, whatever, though....


Carl

 

Take dougs advice!

 

Really depends what you are after. If you want the car to be original then get some recommendations on good independent workshops here and get them to pull the top end down and have a look. It could be something less than a complete rebuild as Doug suggests.

The V8 conversion option rolls of the tongue easily but will cost you a lot of money also by the time you get it done and source a good donor engine(I'm assuming either way you will be using workshops).

The V8 option actually works quite well (the pros and cons have been discussed in other threads so I wont talk about the war here). If you are sensitive to the resale value issue, the conversion does limit the resale value, as only Jag people pay decent money for these cars and they are purists. My car is a very nice standard looking S3 but has had the heart transplant, regardless of how nice I make it it will always be worth way less than an original car. Goes for any marque really.

Either way I reckon we are in the $3k to $10k + area depending on your chosen path and whats really wrong with the 6er.

 

It's a bummer its a series 2, I've got a series 3 sitting here at home with a good compression motor i'm trying to offload for next to nothing.

Doing the Chev conversion wont be a cheap exercise, cheaper to buy one already done, can pick them up for under $5k depending on condition.

Rebuilding the motor too wont be a cheap exercise, but with both jobs, labour will be the most expensive part.

And it sounds like you will be outsourcing all the work.

 

Where are you at Stoney85

 

He is in Australia in regional New South Wales (between Sydney and Brisbane basically). Here is a pic of the conditions he has to put up with. I dont know how he bears up under the pressure.






The A$ is in the toilet vs the USD these days and heading south so you never know.

 

Yep going camping down that way in a couple of weeks(Sawtell), don't know how he puts up with it.
But driving the J car down (Jeep)

And a catch up with "cat_as_trophy"(Ken) if he has his phone on.

 

Sadly my house isn't in that photo, it's up on the hill looking down into that.

It's a hard life here, with the constant greenery all year round, meaning I have to mow all the time, the occasional flooding limiting me to the town centre for a day or two, and the constant distractions of the beautiful scenery distracting me from work, it's a wonder I ever get anything done!

 

Stoney:


Yeah, I get it. Northern CA is a great place to live, except for the political loonies in charge. Often quite green. But, we are on a record drought. all lawns brown as we conserve.


Oddly, the hills are covered in wild grasses. green as can be in winter, our rain season, when we have one. Brown in summer. it's hot in a lot of the place.


Major rebuild of a Jaguar motor is expensive. The conversion is as well.


In my book, the value of each is about the same. Different folks see them in different ways.


Investments in any configuration, they are not. But, what car is? A very few, really.


Just enjoy and do what fits in ability and budget....


Carl