Hi there,

I am interested in buying an XJ6 3.4 series II from 1978.
The guy I want to buy it from says it has a 2.8 liter XK engine but he's not sure.
He says the 3.4 might still be in it, bodom line is he doesn't know.
Tonight i would go there and check it out, maybe buy it...
I will include a picture from the engine and car...
How can I determine witch engine is in the car, can you see something on the engine.
I read somewhere XK 2,8 liter engines valve covers were not painted...
Maybe you guys can allready give me some info about the engine picture.
All help is welcome, appreciate it.

Greetings Peter - Belgium, laarne

 

Peter,

Firstly wleocme to the Forums.

Please do an Imtro in the New members Area when time permits.

My understanding:

The 2.8 was fitted to some Euro markets in the S2, NOT many though, and they had issues and were generally replaced with the 4.2ltr


The 2.8 engine # started with 7L, as did the 4.2, so that does not help much.

All I can find in my files, is the 3.4 engine # started with 7B, so that might help, maybe.

The Euro market was quite specific, and the smaller engines were used for tax purposes I believe at that time.

Good luck.

 

Thank you for your answer.
Could you tell me where 2 look for the number on the engine itself?
I do not seem 2 find a lot of info on that ...

So it will be difficult to see which engine is in the car just by sight...
I've been searching like crazy 2 find some differences...

greetings,

Peter

 

Peter,

The engine number is on the flange of the block, where the transmission mates up, and just aft of the engine dipstick.

Lean over the LH guard, locate the engine dipstick, now look to the right at the engine curved casting, where the alloy trans housing mates up. It may be painted over, so a STRONG torch will help a lot.

There may be other identification ideas, but I dont know. We only got the 4.2, and the 5.3 V12 in the S2 down here. Private imports of course, but I have no knowledge of what they were fitted with, particularly the UK cars.

Being as it is supposed to be a 1978, I would have expected a 3.4, or a 4.2 for that late a car.

 

According to Paul Skilleter in his 1980 book 'Jaguar Saloon Cars', the 2.8 litre was discontinued for the UK market in March 1972, but still sold in certain European countries (Belgium, France, Greece, Italy and Portugal). However even for these countries, production ceased in July 1973. The 2.8 engine was rather troublesome because it had a tendency to hole the pistons. This was never satisfactorily sorted out by Jaguar. Then in April 1975, the 3.4 litre engine was introduced again, although this was not the old block design, but used the 4.2 litre block with smaller bores and same stroke.

A 1978 car is therefore almost certain to be the 3.4 litre engine as shown in the photo of the rear of the car. The 3.4 litre engine carried on into the Series 3 cars, but always used carburettors whilst the 4.2 engines were all EFI.

 

Whatever is in the engine bay, it sure is a ne looking car.

Welcome, buy it and enjoy.

Laarne? Where on our planet is that??

Carl..

 

That engine looks to sit very low in the bay. I will bet that it is a 2.8.

 

looks like a standard 4.2 liter engine to me.