HI forum members,

I recently purchased a series one Daimler Sovereign as a part finished project. The vendor had run out of time, money, interest or all 3. I have had the rear cage rebuilt, and also overhauled the front braking system. The car has been fitted with a replacement engine showing number 8L 17716-S as the number. I am trying to figure out what year/model this came from. The reason I am asking is that the car came without the AED pipework and fittings, but has not been converted to a manual choke. Consequently it runs like a fat pig at the moment. It might be helpful to determine what this engine came from and hence what it should be fitted with before starting to source parts. Any gurus on Jaguar engine numbers reading this that might want to hazard a guess? I have a spare set of triple SU's from a 420G that might look good on it but I guess that causes other complications, like need to change the cylinder head. Pic of the car attached.
Cheers
marcus

 

It's an early-ish Series 2 Engine. The S is standard compression. But it doesn't really matter as far as induction is concerned. It shouldn't have the later Series 3 big intake valves if it has the original head but that wouldn't stop you from installing 2 SU's or 2 Strombergs or a set of Triple HD8's. I have a Series 1 with a Series 3 head and Triple 420G HD 8's. Jag XJ6 engines are extremely similar to each other internally - it's the induction and ignition that changed.

Provided you don't have any mechanical problems, you shouldn't have any trouble getting it to run properly once you sort out fuel and spark. The car's original engine would've had twin SU HD8's or HS's if it had an AED.

 

The engine in my 1976 4.2 litre Jaguar xj6 had the number 8L33771-S, so you have an earlier engine.