Hello everyone, moving slowly on my cam cover gaskets and half moon replacements. Took plug wires and dist cap tonight and found this inside the cap.(see pic )Is this normal for these cars ? Was going to replace cap,rotor, plugs and wires. I know very little about cap, rotor. The other question I have is about the plugs. I'm assuming they are original ones from the factory. I have been spraying them with liquid wrench, nut buster and letting them soak for awhile. they still won't break loose, any suggestion? Afraid of breaking one off or threads coming out with it. The car has 58,000 on it

 

I cannot help with the cap, which is a Marelli one.

As to the plugs: they will be stiff. I suggest you get a single hex plug spanner, a decent straight extension and ensure you are straight onto the plug - no universal joints. You may have to remove lots of bits to do this. Then with a longish ratchet or bar on the extension, undo. There will be a sharp click as the plugs let go, but unless you are very unlucky all should be OK. A warm not hot engine may help.

On replacement, use some anti seize copper grease on the threads and only do them up finger tight plus 5 minutes turn more. The plugs are taper seat, and have no crushable washers, so it is easy to strip the threads in the heads. Start them off in the holes by hand to make sure there is no cross threading. Sticking the lead-end of the plug into a length of fuel hose and using that as a handle is a good way to do this.

Greg

 

I would just simply replace the distributor cap and rotor button while you have gone this far. For the plugs I used a proper 16mm plug socket with the rubber insert, very important that the insert be there as not to brake plugs, I found out the hard way of course. Use a plug socket with a 19mm hex head, I simply just placed the socket over the plug then used a 19mm spanner open ended to turn the socket, works a charm. Be careful when removing plug 6A if you loose the socket it rolls down the top of the gearbox and gets stuck in there, lots of cussing to be had, took me a day to find and retrieve it!!!!!
Good Luck

 

azblindguy,

I was just curious, how's it going? Now that my car is home from storage, cam covers and half moon work will commence (and Consumption of Alcohol will increase).
Any luck with the plugs? I noticed that the car's tool kit includes a spark plug tool and was considering using it when I get to that point. Although I am hesitant because it does have a universal joint. Guess I'll woryy about it when I get there.

Bill

 

Hi everyone,
had to stop work on the jag for of days, my dad passed away on the 19th.I did get the v cleaned out and took the advise from this post and used a breaker bar on the plugs, worked perfect, new plugs in and other cam cover and half moon replaced. deciding weather or not to replace the water rails and top hats. Have read some post on here that the bolts like to break off and need to be drilled out, don't want to add that to my list.

 

Sorry to hear about your Dad. That's a tough thing to go thru.

All my best,
DD

 

All I can say is that I did my water rail top hats and also did my best to rustproof the rails themselves on my 27 year old 110,000 mile engine and the water manifold bolts undid no problem. They are steel, the head is aluminium, so a bit unlikely to snap - nothing is impossible of course!

Congrats on the plugs, and commiserations on your Father.

Greg

 

Sorry to here about your Dad, Mine passed away about 18 months ago still missed greatly.

As far as braking bolts go, I have found if you tighten slightly then loosen they come out easier, for real stubborn ones, now some might disagree with me but I found a rattle gun works wonders in small bursts, If you don't have one, a tap on top of the bolt with a hammer as you turn also works. My good friend who is a local motor re-builder showed me the new cordless rattle guns they now use in the shop, all I can say his boys don't even pick up their spanners any more, you just set the torque on these and go.

 

Sorry to hear about your Dad.

Bill

 

thanks everyone for your condolences on my father. After losing my sight eight years ago, and thought my life was over,he was the one who gave me a swift kick in the rear and help me work with my disability. After many surgeries I do have some sight, but still legally bind.

 

Good on your Dad for keeping you on the straight and narrow, Sir I take my hat off to you going this far, you stick with it and make sure you get that car going.
I also understand your sign in name now, its funny we all sort of pick a name's that have some sort of personal meaning with our lives but until you get some information its hard to make sense of it, I named myself after my last dog.

 

The Marelli caps is very expensive and the non OEM are not worth buying. Do not get one with the aluminium tips are it will fail very quick. Try cleaning the contact points with a light sand paper. Pay close attention to the center plug and spring, this is a know failure point. Good luck!