been noticiung some oil residue around the top front of the engine block and i want to clean this sucker out today. what is the best approach ???

i generally get slightly nervous when messing with engine stuff.

 

I presume you want to actually remove and clean the breather? Good idea, and easy.

-Spray/wipe/brush away excess crud from the area
-Disconnect and remove breather pipe from the rubber breather cap
-Remove rubber breather cap
-Remove 4 nuts holding breather cover from cylinder head
-Remove breather cover
-Remove breather screen
-Soak breather screen in solvent (you choose the type)
-Clean breather pipe in solvent


That's about it. You'll probably want to order two new breather gaskets ahead of time. The rubber breather cap, if original, might need replacing as well....it'll probbaly fall apart.

With the breather removed make sure nothing falls into the engine :-)

Cheers
DD

 

thanks doug. i just ordered the gaskets so im guessing its probably wise to wait till they come in to begin this project

 

the breather in my 1965 S type 3.8 engine, similar to the breather in my '84 XJ-6 4.2 engine, has a mesh "filter" or "screen" made of brass, shaped like the breather housing, no gasket as such, the mesh filter edges are the gasket between the housing and the cylinder head.

did Jaguar eliminate this mesh filter from the breather in the XJ cars?

 

All the Ser IIIs (and Ser I-II as well, I reckon...as well as others) have the flat, round mesh breather screen....which is the same diameter as the cast breather cover.

Early Ser IIIs (maybe until '83 or so?) also used the mesh "thimble" type filter as well. This fit in the neck of the breather cover directly below the rubber cap. Apparently use of two breather filters was found to be either unnecessary or too restrictive (depending who you're talking to) and was the idea was abandoned.

The breather uses two round gaskets (C2227). One goes between the screen and the cylinder head and the other goes between the screen and the cover.

Cheers
DD

 

Spot-on, my 1980 4.2 had the thimble thingy, and I remember cleaning it out with cellulose thinners. I also remember the two gaskets too.

 

bought 2 of these brand new and sliced this one when taking it out of the fort knox like package it came in

i cant figure out how to add a pic...unreal.

 

Put that sliced area at the 12:00 o'clock position and add a dab of sealant. It'll probably be Ok.

I gave on on adding pics ages ago. I determined it's nothing but another type of sobriety test :-)

Cheers
DD

 

you need to click on GO ADVANCED, then scroll down below the text box and click on MANAGE ATTACHMENTS, a new window pops up, then you click on BROWSE to select a file in your computer, then click on UPLOAD, then click on CLOSE THIS PAGE and that's it.

hint: place the file you want to upload on your Desktop, that way it's easier to find when BROWSING for files to upload.

 

after i cleaned everything, i went gasket screen then the 2nd gasket. not sure if i was supposed to use 2 of them, but i did.

the major problem came when tightening the 4 caps on the housing screws to the breather. 2 (both bottom ones) broke off while i was tightening them. the first time was totally my fault, i knew i should probably stop but gave it one last twist and snap. the other one i went really slow and it went.

1. can i drive the car?
2. should i get some of that sealant and coat the area i snapped the screw?
3. how do i get the old screws out and new ones in?

 

The broken-off bolts will have to be drilled out....a tricky job amplified by a very awkward and risky location.

If there is a tiny nub of the broken stud above-the-surface of the head you might be able to catch an edge with a small chisel or drift and tap it around. This is iffy, though, as the steel stud is probably seized tight in the alloy cylinder head.

I'd be tempted to apply a wide bead of sealer and let it set-up for 24 hours.....and hope for the best

Cheers
DD

 

Why do u think they snapped? I kno my incompetence Is mostly the blame

 

ok, first of all: STOP, leave the car alone, find other transportation until you get this corrected;

order the following tool: (you have few choices, get a modern bolt-extracting solution).

Grabit Pro Screw Extractor 3 Piece Kit

if you don't know how to do broken bolt-extraction, don't cause any more damage, find someone who does, a mobile mechanic will come over and do it. Check your local Craigslist for mobile mechanics.

I learned a long time ago from a trained Jaguar mechanic, that Jaguar never tightened bolts, nuts, or screws or clamps too much, but just enough, "the sweet point" he called it. Now you know too.

 

What do I do when I get em out

 

Why?

The car can be used. It's just a breather cover. It can be sealed up as I described. Not an ideal solution, of course....




Those look pretty cool. I might buy a set just to have one hand!




Having straight-on access to the broken bolt is 90% of the story. Might have to remove the fan, etc.





Right! Snug is tight and tight is broken !

For those little 1/4" studs I use just the pressure of four fingers on the wrench or ratchet handle...no wrist action or arm pulling.

Cheers
DD

 

Install new ones.

Cheers
DD

 

How do you prevent the busted bolt from dropping in the. engine block

 

Ok, good question and it brings up something I hadn't thought of. I can't rememer if stud holes are drilled clear thru the cylinder head. If they are, and the studs are loose, there's a possibility they could un-wind and fall into the block. Of course, if they are that loose, you oughta be able to remove them fairly easily...perhaps with a dental pick to rotate them in their holes.

If the holes are not drilled all they way thru....no worries. They can't fall in the engine.

Of course if you're doing ANY work with the breather cover off you should stuff some rags into the hole to prevent anything from dropping in. Just don't stuff the rags so far in that you can't get 'em out !

Cheer
DD

 

I have a distinct feeling in my memory that the tapped holes in the head for the breather cover studs are through drilled and tapped. That is why Jaguar used a domed nut and copper washer, so oil coming up the the threads is prevented from leaking out. I may be wrong though.

May I suggest Foghead08 feels the back of the housing to see if there is a hole there or not where the studs are screwed in. If it is through-drilled then it is very likely that there is oil on the threads, and the broken stud will come out easily. If not, then things will be more difficult.

 

what do you do after removing the broken stubs?

you'll need two new stubs, check with SNG Barrat USA store

SNG Barratt - USA | Jaguar & Daimler classic parts, spares & accessories

In fact I would replace all 4 of them; I bet they are the same stubs used in all Jaguars since the 1960's and I doubt that the head would be drilled all the way through, what purpose would that serve? wouldn't make sense. the domed nuts are mostly finishers/decorative, same nuts used for valve cover stubs.

the stub must be shorter at the head side, and slightly longer to the breather cover side. they might look like manifold stubs, with an unthreaded "blank" area between the two threads to act as a "stop" or "detente" when you reach the limit. (look at the other two, do you see a non-threaded area sticking out??).

for every problem there is a solution, ($$). I will contact a Jaguar rebuilder and ask him.