The Blue Stuff
 

Hello XJSers,

So I'm changing my water pump, and in the process of removing the 121 bolts and 1 screw holding the water pump on, I started to wonder if I should continue to use Blue Loctite on my vehicle. I've always used it on my Chevy Suburban, but I've come to realize that the bolts and screws on my Jaguar tend to removed rather easily. Or EASIER than the Suburban, as those I sometimes feel like I need to take a torch to. I'm not sure if it's by design or by accident, but the Jag bolts really do feel more like they were meant to be tightened no more than by just a little more than "there, it's in".

Some bolts are SO out of the way and difficult to get to, that adding that little extra stiffness might make then near impossible to remove. So what are thoughts on the Loctite Blue?

I wouldn't use Loctite on the bolts. With this motor, you are screwing steel bolts into an aluminum block. The two metals have different heating and cooling expansion properties, which tend to make the threads bind to the point of acting like "the Red Stuff Loctite". What you need to do is make sure that anything you thread into the aluminum motor and components has a thin coating of anti-seize compound. That includes the spark plug threads (but, be careful not to get it on the insulator, or you could cause the plug to misfire).

Anti-seize compound, holy moly, didn't even cross my mind that I was putting steel bolts into an aluminum engine and the consequential expansion properties! You brought up an EXCELLENT point and I shall go get me a tube of anti-seize compound to use on the bolts when I get the water pump back.

Thanks JagZilla!