At least one of the engineers, particularly the one tasked with making the timing cover or more likely the one involved in the design of the power steering pump and its bracket.

Why did they make it so the PAS bracket partially covers one of timing cover bolts?! A small relief in the bracket that can fit the 8 mm socket would have made this job much easier but nooooo, they thought it was better to put an obstacle there, but have half of the bolt visible to you, mocking you as it makes you remove the pump and the bracket.

And the PAS pump has its bolts placed at such an angle that it is nearly impossible to have direct access with a spanner or wrench unless you’re sitting on top of the engine for the top bolts. The bottom bolts require that you raise the car and you will have to use a swivel with the spanner. And those 10 mm bolts? Yeah, they will be seized.

Once the pump is out, the bracket is waiting for you with its bolts just as inaccessible. You either have to feel around for them, or use a dentist’s mirror to try to find them. I was able to see one or two when peering through the ABS module pipes with one eye shut and a work light shining from across. There are somewhere between 4 and 5 of them, each harder to see than the last. And they sit almost flush with the bracket which makes it harder to feel for them. At least removing them with a spanner doesn’t require contortionism to find the just right angle at which you can actually apply some torque to them.


Once it’s out, you get to finally remove the timing cover and realize that you’re only half-way done as there’s a laundry list of things to that you have to re-install once you’ve cleaned all the leaked oil installed the new gaskets.

Good luck.


Seriously, I think this was meant to be an engine out job that can be done on the car but it will cost you your back, and some choice swear words.

I never want to change the timing cover gaskets again. After all this trouble, I took a look at my chain guides and tensioners. They are in great shape, which is to be expected on a 4.2 that has only done 93k miles.

What other maintenance items do you never want to do again?



I had bought an ebay tool only to find it was not deep enough for the supercharged V8’s pulley. I had a machinist fabricate an extension and it worked perfectly.

 

I don't think the engineers had any expectation of you replacing the gasket. You were supposed to by a new car when it leaked.

 

Hahahaha

Clearly the design team didn’t get the memo. If they had, they wouldn’t have made it a timeless beauty like the E-type.

 

I owned 2 e types (‘67 & ‘70).

the XKR is no e type

shhhh…. Don’t tell anyone, it’s better. Especially under the skin. Too bad it has to have all the modern stuff that makes it hard to service.

if I could change only one thing with the styling I would’ve made the nose 20 inches ( 50 cm) longer, so the proportions more closely matched the e type.

One thing most people don’t understand is how low and small the e types actually were. But once inside, I fit like a glove and was the happiest driver on the road. It was only car I ever owned that women walking down the sidewalk would actually blow me a kiss as I passed them on the street. I’ll never forgot those times.

Z

 

You should try Land rover designers SSDD

 

Id have it done,,by others,,,no doubt quite the labor cost,,things are relative,,ford might have a hand in the design,,a friend w a late model shelby had a mysterious engine melt down,,they told him to avoid ford as much as possible,,,they would pick up his car,,take it to vegas and give him a new engine,,not many questions or answers about the cause effect,,

 

agreed,,i spent some time chasing an etype after passing on two in earlier times,,,most ads seem fraud ,,"Tovid cars " or out there as to price,,a wreck for 20K,,,I recently purchased a vintage XK8,,a wonderful low miles,,,beautiful calif car,,the state still does some things right,,the car was a 95%,,, everything i wanted ,,,remaining small issues being corrected now and my great enjoyment playing with it in my garage,,

 

I had a quote for $1500. I could get the parts needed for $150, and the tools needed for $125. It was a no-brainer for me.

Now that I got to doing it myself, I can justify the price. It’s time consuming, and tedious. I still wouldn’t pay someone else to do it. I don’t trust that they would take the time to clean everything as I have, or torque everything to spec. I’m in the process of putting everything back together and will then be doing an oil and filter change before driving it.

Hopefully this is the end if my oil leaks.

 

Thanks for all those photos. It helps with learning more about our cars. As they say "a picture is worth a thousand words". They sure are beautiful pieces. TM

 

You’re welcome! I won’t be making any progress or posting any more pictures for a week as I’ve gone on vacation.

 

After working on newer Audi's and BMW's I dont understand why you are complaining.
I've changed the timing chain and tensioners on my 2000 XKR and was happy it could be done that "easy" and that you gain access just by removing the fans.
Try that on an Audi A4, A5, Q5..........
Or BMW diesel with the timing chain in the wrong end of the engine (and tensioners and guides that are worse than the Jaguar ones)

 

I’m not a mechanic by trade and barely by hobby. The PAS pump bolts were seized and I could not get good purchase on the bolts with my spanners and was afraid I would strip the heads of the bolts. I literally had to sit on top of the engine to be able to remove those bolts. Removing that pump would have been unnecessary if they had not made its bracket block 1 of the timing cover bolt.