high speed steering play...
 

in my 79 xj6, getting play in the steering at about 50mph...what's the cause?

First guess would be the rack bushes.

They are possibly the original Jaguar style, and allowed some sideways movement of the rack, noyhing odd there, but the oil etc degraded them SUPER fast.

Most people replace them with the newer style "poly" bushes, which will then outlast you and the car, and sharpen the steering significantly.

+1 on the rack bushings. Most people think they jumped into a different car after replacing them, so dramtic is the improvement.

You may have other issues as well but start with rack bushings.

Cheers
DD

Thanks gents, i'm also hearing some ticking too..thinking the values needs adjusting..any advise on that?

If it is only a "tick tick tick", then leave it alone. The tappets are adjusted by shims, and is quite a time consuming process.

IF it is louder than that, and more of a "clack clack clack" then something sinister is going on.

A "ticking" is deemed acceptable, as to hear a slight tappet click/tick is better than NOT, coz if they be toooooo tight, burnt valves follow soon.

A "clacking" is possibly the tappet guides moving in the alloy head, and a stake down kit will be required, usually on the exhaust side only, but I have done both sides when I have installed them.

Another "ticking" that can confuse is the spark plug wires arcing to earth, and a slight "ticking" can often be heard, and by simply viewing the engine bay in a DARK corner, engine running of course, you will quickly see the sparks IF that is the "ticking".

wow grant, great info..truly profound knowledge in demon exercising..ticking and clacking and dark corners, oh my..lol thanks!

HA, you wait till you get a Jag in a dark corner all ALONE, hahaha.

I have developed a saying down here about Jags based on the 43 years I have owned them, and it does offend some, BAD LUCK.

"Jags are all female, some a Redheads and all fired up, some are Blonde, GUESS???, the rest are Brunettes, and quite suttle. They ALL require the attention, spending, talking sweetly, that is required by our female humans, and throw the odd tantrum when the planets are not aligned as they want them, and it all makes PERFECT sense to me."

so would this be a ticking or a clacking??

79 xj6 idle - YouTube

--bad camera work, sorry, 1st vid ever..

I can hear clicking, as in tappets, but it is overshadowed by the clacking, so bucket guides moving in the head is a REAL possible.

My suggestion at first would be a stake down kit, both sides, and then re-establish the noise.

As I said before, some tappet noise is better than none, but it is a "fine line".

As also said, the tappet adjustment is a very time consuming task, and will test your "love of the Jaguar" somewhat, but also VERY satisfying when completed correctly.

so i had the dayton wire wheels balanced out and the high speed rattle dramatically improved. but still feel a bit of rattle in the steering at high speed and also feels like the bottom of the car is vibrating, can also feel it in the seat too..what could this be?

tailshaft centre bearing.

Tailshaft universal joints.

Transmission mounting "cotton reel" bush gone AWOL.

Some serious under car investigation is required here.

I/we are assuming that the rack bushes are NEW??. If NOT then I would still replace them FIRST.

the rack bushes appear to be newer poly material so I assume recently replaced by previous owner, seems to be fine.

OK, Go to 1/2/3 above.

The centre bearing is my first best GUESS.