Well I just did the scariest job on my XJ6C that I've ever done on any car through my life - the Statedown Kit with the camshaft in place! The job went MUCH smoother than I anticipated. But I was prepared.


NEW 5/32" drill bit


Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum


Stuff rags in every orifice


Use lots of light


Go slooooooow


Put masking tape at the mark on the drill bit that you don't want to exceed
Hold the stakedown plate in place and start both holes just enough to make a mark. Then drill from there. You DON'T want to drill too deep and into the oil gallery!!!!!!


Go slooooooow!


Take breaks to help lower your anxiety level.


Use 1/4" 5/16" socket to screw in the self tapping screw as that has a thinner socket wall and it will just barely interfere with the cam shaft.


If you find that you didn't drill the hole quite deep enough and you've already self tapped the hole with the screw, then grind the tip of the screw down a bit and taper the tip to get it that little bit deeper. You can't redrill the hole deeper as you've already cut the threads in the hole. Use WD40 or some penetrating oil before, during and after. Suck and blow the hole out when you are done.


I did a dry fit of each plate ensuring it would screw down tight before the final suck and blow and putting Locktite Blue on the screws before sending them home for the final time. Make sure the plates are firmly on the guides. If there's any movement, that means the screws are not deep enough in. See comment on shortening the screw. I had to do that on one of the screws - no problem.


The whole job took about 1.5 hours but I already had the cam shaft cover off and the entire exhaust bank cleaned and dried out.


Now let out a cleansing breath! Whew!!!

 

Just noticed in the pic. I should have covered the transmission dipstick hole!!

 

Nice work. Congratulations are in order and extended!!!


I've found my 1/4" drive tools increasingly useful. And very PRO like when coupled to a cordless drill/drive !!! Not that I would use it in the application you just did. A rachet would be best


Carl

 

great job. you could have used a drill bit "stop" accessory, it is like a thick metal washer with a hex screw which you tighten to the drill bit after measuring for needed hole length, so the drill bit will stop when you reach the maximum set length.

I paid $600.00 around 1995 to get it done overnight because I was driving next day from Nashville to Philadelphia to see my girl and play guitar with her at the Hotel Atop The Bellevue, she was the house singer there, a 21 hour trip and that was driving 80-90 mph. Have never had a problem since.

 

I couldn't find my selection of "drill stops" so had to go the masking tape route with my stomach in my mouth. Hence the high anxiety I was referring to. Also, kept waiting for a screw to snap on the way in. But... it all turned out okay.

PS - I own a 1952 Martin D18 I've had since I was a kid.

 

1952 D18 ehhh? you know what that thing is worth?

if you want to pay off your mortgage and buy a Maserati contact Gruhn Guitars in Nashville.

 

I figure it's worth more like $10k. But I'm in sales and I know something is only worth what the market will pay.

 

So what is a DB18 ! I thought there was only the DB2 in that year.

 

A Martin D18 is a 6-string guitar.

 

Guitars are out of my lexicon. Although ear challenged, I can enjoy the music of a skilled guitarist. Not the antics of today among over amps and smoke and light.


One of my daughter's past boy friends was really good at it. Lacked the persona of a top notch professional . But his rendition of Malaguena was soul stirring.


Decades ago, dear departed and I went to an out door concert. Roy Clark mesmerized the audience. The 12 string, he mastered it.


Vocals not so much.


Carl

 

I learn something new every day !

 

Roy Clark. he was a comedian who made you laugh with his guitar antics. A dammed good guitarist himself, his playing was influenced by another guitarist of the 1950's called Joe Maphis who played really fast guitar licks.