Hey there,

I'm still getting stuff all ready here and having more and more parts galvanized to look good again.

The original square tubed fuel rail (the "common rail") on my car was well aged... No shine, all crud. I rubbed the crud off, but it will of course change colour again as soon as the car runs...

What was the original finish? Was it silvery and shiney or always a matte look? Was it maybe even yellowey galvanised?

Cheers

Damien

 

Don't know for sure, but my guess would be cadmium plated.

 

We had a place in St Louis that plated our stuff in 1990s, closed down because of emissions. Silver cadmium and we also did the gold. Eastwood sells a cad spray for carbs that does not peal or turn color. Small aerosol cans, works great if metal is prepped and the spray allowed to dry.

 

According to Wayne Estradas post here...Wayne Estrada's Engine Detailing Procedure
its fine sterling silver.

 

Hi Daim

Nickel or Cad plated is my guess.

 

Surely cadmium. Nowadays replaced by yellow chromate zinc plating.
How about the black wrapping I have around sections of my square rail ? Is that original??

 

Yep those black pieces are original. Never figured out what they are for. I took them off years ago to polish my fuel rail.
Looks like your rubber parts are a bit haggard. I'd suggest replacing the fuel rail hoses. It's an easy, but slightly time consuming, self help job. Engine fires are a common theme. I'd also replace the dual coil with a modern higher capacity single unit if it hasn't already been done. The second coil is in front of the radiator. Just follow the wire.
If it is a Lucas ignition car pop the distro cap off (mark the plug wires first) to check your centrifugal advance to make sure it is "springy" and get several drops or just a bit more good grade engine oil down the center of the shaft on the wadding.

 

Leo,
I see from your picture above that your car has the non-air injection tube plugs. US cars had a mandatory emissions air injection system back in the those days. An air pump forced fresh air into a air rail that had tubes feeding down the exhaust manifolds to reduce the emissions concentration. On US cars these plugs have a hole for the tube to fit down thru. I'd much prefer to go with a factory still piece than fabricate a home solution.
Any chance you or another European mate could pull a set of those plugs off a scrap yard car for me. I don't want to spend the $130 or more as listed for a set from a company in England that Greg? identified previously. I'll also need the idler pulley.
Yes, I am cheap. I also have an ex-wife I am still dealing with. The math matters. LOL

 

Brad
I think the cars without the air injection were simply fitted with undrilled manifolds. I think what you see in Leo's pic is that undrilled boss.

 

Yes, the undrilled boss or plug. It is sort of ""kidney" shaped that has a bolt coming up thru it held by a nut. In the picture you can see one of the 12 below the throttle kick down switch.

As far as I can tell there would be no need for these on euro cars if they were not drilled for the air pipes.

I'm certainly no expert on the differences between the euro motors and the US versions. Expert opinion is appreciated. If these won't work for whatever reason I'll have to bite the bullet and get them from the company Greg listed.

 

I did not check the forum on it yet, as I am simply not that far, but now we are at it, and Daim was already answered, can the air injection just be removed and capped on a US car?
I have no emission issues over here for the XJS.

 

Yes it can. It appears many on this forum have done so and there is no shortage of expert advice on the technique. This is a future project for me.

 

Thanks, a quick search did indeed show up info.
An other one to investigate before assembly.

 

I think you misunderstood my post Brad.
There is no plug or whatever on a non air injected motor. The aluminium is just not drilled. What you see in the pic is the aluminium boss, not a blanking plate. Another clue is the excess thread visible on the manifold stud. My XJRS is UK spec without air injection and no holes in manifold, no need for blanking plates.

 

Exactly. The holes are still in the heads. Just the manifolds weren't drilled...

 

Thanks,

 

My rubber parts are probably all installed at Browns Lane. The engine is from an 1989 XJ12 and was mounted in my XJ-S in 1996 to replace the preHE, and as the car has not seen much usage the last 12-15 year there is a lot of originality left in my car. I have to see it from the bright side.

I have the new type coil ready, and will be be mounted before winter season is over.
Actually the second coil is currently missing, I guess some smart mechanic has decided it wasn't necesarry...
I have been inside the distributor and checked that the advance is free too move, but I didn't lubricate. I have since then bought new rotor and distributor cover and will do it while I'm changing these parts.

 

No air injection, my car is originally German and the engine most likely from an UK donor.
Spares are rare and expensive in Denmark, so I suggest you get some of the Englishmen to source spares. Andy from JustXJS should be able to help you if noone else chimes in here.

 

I did everything cadmium galvanic