Hello All.

I recently had my 1990 jacked way high in the REAR to remove IRS/cage... Things went well and I still have a few adjustments to make.

When she was up not running I noticed that there was a small leak coming from the area of the oil pan. When I started her up (still jacked) oil flowed from the area. Significant leak. I couldn't see exactly where it was coming from,,, but a removal and reseal is clearly needed.

On a 1990,,,, will I have to do the whole engine support thing and drop the subframe? (please say it ain't so)

And then, (and I just learned this) what's this sandwich plate and second gasket all about?

Then,,, O-rings involved? Jeeeze,,, I had no idea the oil pan sealing/gasket would be such an ordeal.

I know beggars can't be choosers,,, I've done some reading here but I've learned that G.O.D. (Good [clean] Orderly Direction) has been the thing that helps me most.

Lol,,, how do I seal this doggone thing up???

Thank you all so much for your help.

 

I'm just trying to make you feel better, but it sounds like you have a pressure leak above the oil pan. The pan is all low pressure so it shouldn't squirt out. Go up higher above the leak, it could be something simple.

 

I agree.

The TIN pan is easily removed and resealed. 6 beers max.

I would look at the 2 SMALL hoses at the oil filter housing, where there is a "walking stick" shaped pipe, with these 2 small hoses at each end. They LEAK, they are OLD, and no one ever replaces them until they leak. PITA to do in the chassis, and if its LHD, oh dear. Oil filter OFF, reach up from under and you will "feel" them, then simply work away.

The pipe is 6mm, so 6mm oil hose, 4 NEW clamps, all done. 24 beers for this one.


#19 in this Parts drawing.

The sandwich plate, YES, engine OUT, or support and front cradle OUT, there are NO shortcuts there, BUT, I seriously doubt that is the issue, as already said, gravity oil only in there.

 

I would put the car back level and try it again, before doing anything further.

 

Thanks Time, Grant and Greg...

I love the beer measure, for difficulty... Had a whole dinner table of us laughing when the message came in...

Thank you Grant for the info and great diagram. I've never seen that one before. Helpful.

So, I should have been clearer AND/OR maybe I exaggerated in the way I worded things... It's not a stream per se... It's a good drip, a steady drip, a drip that's to the point that a puddle forms in short time under the engine. Yes, engine is tilted down due to car being jacked but it forms right at the front of the engine. Which makes sense I guess.

Like Greg says, once I have her level I will do my BEST to localize the drip, leak and see what I got... Honestly, the summer has been so damn hot here, I don't want to get into such a intense job,,, and hope I won't have to...

Thanks for the replies

 

AHA.

Once level, check the bolts across the front of the alloy sandwich plate, the row behind the front crankshaft pulley assembly, possibly loose. Not much oil there when level.

 

Also check the bung just above the water pump circular casting. This is a bung that seals the hole that allows access to the timing chain tensioner release. Yours will be hard and not sealing, if it is the original one.
This link gives you the diagrams and part numbers:
https://www.jaguarclassicparts.com/u...-v179736-parts

This is the bung diagram:


Number 19 in the diagram:


And this is a photo of my lovely aftermarket version (Warrjon is making some if you want one):

:

 

Dumb question,,, but dumber if I don't ask... This "sandwich plate"... What and where is it located? How is it oriented? Is it mounted horizontal and under the car,,, a part of covering the underside of the engine with or part od the oil pan assembly OR is it the kinda,,, front plate?

I read Bernards thing on it but I think that was for a much earlier model XJS

If it's a front plate thing,,, yeah - I'm confused. Is there a diagram of the area and the "sandwich"?

I think I have seen that plug/bung. You remember Grant I had that damn 4 times around with the water pump way back when. Black rubber I think. I will certainly check that as well.

Greg, are these bolt delicate around the crank pully? Prone to strip under a wrench? I just can't picture it at all.

 

So, just went and started her up, idle and no leak. Thing is, on incline (would have to be a SERIOUS hill to duplicate the jack stand situation I created the other day) would she leak, and how bad.

I checked that bung (Grant, I think you had me do that during the water pump fiasco) and it was supple showing no signs of leaking, either...

Seats are covered, carpets are ready for installing AND I would live to drive her up to the Connecticut side of the LI Sound in a week,,, but I am nervous. Would like to know where this oil WAS coming from.

 

OK.

Under the car, looking, where is the oil dampness starting, it has to be somewhere.

I reckon??????, hat the angle of the dangle for the rear cradle, had the oil in the "tin pan" right uup on the gasket line, and the flow back into that pan, with the engine running, had it leak out, GRAVITY only, NO pressure in there at all.

If its dry now, on the ground that is, angle, it has NOT sealed up, fact, but the oil level is below the gasket line.

Parts drawing if the tin pan and the sandwich plate.


The front bolts are JUST FIRM, no need for stupidity here. You need to "feel around" for the :wet spot" where the oil is coming from, then fix that. Gravity oil leaks can be hard to find.

 

JJJ
The sandwich plate is number 1 and the sump is number 7 in Grant's diagram. The sandwich plate bolts go into the ally block, so just nicely tight, NOIT stupid tight. A steel bolt WILL strip ally thread quite easily if you are a rock-ape on the spanner!

Stop worrying about the oil leaks an enjoy the trip to Long Island. She will be fine!

 

HELL YES.

Beer in the boot, drive it like ya stole it, and do NOT forget the V12 GRIN.

Without that grin, you are DOOMED.

 

You guys are awesome...!
Thank you.

 

Hello y'all...

I ended up not driving up to Connecticut. It was the right choice. Still slowly tinkering and getting the interior done...

Didb good bit today and took her to the gas station. Had to. Was running low in her parking spot. So, drove over. Pulled up to the pump seeing wiffs of smoke coming from under the car,,, looked under and found a pool...

It's coming from right in the area of the space between the cat,,, oil filter area and lower oil pan... I'm thinking it must be something to do in that area Grant supplied the photo of... Slow but SURE trickle... Are they rubber hoses??? #19???

Lol,,, interior is coming along tho. OMG

 

#19 are 1/4" oil hose.

You are LHD, OOPS.

They are JUST doable on a RHD without Cats, from underneath, and mainly by "feel" as visual is a no no.

Oil filter off, then as I said, from underneath, do what you need.

The rack "may" be in your way, of that I have NO idea, and NEW clamps of the EFI style please.

Quite a common oil leak now, as age has hardened those hoses too much. The ones I have done (6) those hose simply crumble apart once disturbed.

 

Further to Grant's last post, and referring to his first diagram, in addition to the "question mark hose" (no 19 as mentioned) it is also very likely indeed that the oil may be coming from failing O rings (nos 13 and 14 in the diagram). Once you get in there these are easy to change. These particular ones are notorious (in the UK anyway) for leaking when the engine is cold, and once it warms up then tend to close. A pic attached of the area. Quite a bit of unbolting to get at them, and it may not be possible for you to do easily. If you cannot, let it warm up for 15 minutes and see if it still leaks, and remember to fix it ASAP when you can.

 

Thanks Grant and Greg...

If I drank beeer,,, which I cannot, I can imagine that this might be GOOD news hahaha

Omg...
Looks like it's going to be another intimate magical day, a day of fun in the sun, with my lady, with her on top...lol...

For that walking stick section, if it is the thing, I'm already thinking that I'll just pull, yank or rip it off (with care),,, then repair - no matter what. If it's rings, I have a bunch of different sizes orings of the oil resistant type,,, but I guess what I'm hearing is that it's about GETTING to them...

Maybe I'll just do both...

Ok, here we go...

 

Here's the culprit...

I certainly looked in this area when all of this started... Ended noticing this AM (maybe the light was just right) a perfect little silver black stream running out of the engine side seal of the banjo that connects to the LH cam shaft cover area. Perfect stream,,, running right down the seams finding it's way down and dripping off of the back most corner of where the pan meets in the area of the filter. I'll be damned.

Looks like some joker replaced the inner copper washer with a folded piece of plastic with a hole punched thru it.

Replaced that with a couple new copper washers and problem solved...

Thank you all so much for your attention in this matter...
No beer,,, shoot!!!


lots of clean up to do!!!
OIL!!! GREASE!!! AND!!!

 

WELL FOUND JJJ. And thank your lucky stars it was the B bank. The A Bank is an engine out job! But as you are finding out, the bodges that people will do to these innocent, magnificent old cars are limitless. hence The Great XJS Prophet of the Southern Cross advice to go through everything and fix it all properly. Which, to your great credit, in contrast to many, you are doing. The car will reward you - eventually!

 

Thank you Greg! Thank you. Coming from you,,, that means a lot to me...

Drove her around all day today! Top down. And I ain't just saying this - she is by far the nicest driver that I think I have ever owned! I little rough idle at lights and such,,, but nothing I can't figure out. I have a few more things to do to finish the interior,,, and then it's really day long kinds of jobs and really making her mine.

I love this car - and people on the streets to too. 5, 7, 9 thumbs up a day!!!