This may be more suitable to the XK engine forum but since there are far more folks here - and my car is an E-type - I thought I’d post here.
I’m starting to patiently re-assemble my engine after machine work. I decided to go ahead and re-insert the brash bushing for the Distributor drive shaft, and noted there is an oiling hole in it that should line up with a pressure feed in the block. The pressure feed looks to be on the rear side of the hole for the bushing, so I’m thinking the bushing needs to be lined up with that hole to receive oil for the disty shaft and keep that rotating part lubed.
Question is - how do you know if you got the two holes perfectly aligned? Or - because the holel in the bushing contains a flat area AROUND the hole - does the oil get ushered in if the two holes are APPROXIMATELY aligned?
Finally - if the alignment is not quite perfect - does one need to remove the bushing and re-install it? I would not want to rotate the bushing in the hole, even if I could get it to move as I’d think you want that bushing as tight as it can be …
I have just checked a bush that I have on the bench, on mine it has the hole about half way the length, as you say the hole terminates on the outside onto a flat. on mine the flat is machined down into a groove that is turned around the circumference My guess is that the hole in the block aligns with the groove which would negate any need to align the hole whatsoever. Does your bush have this feature?
Thanks Robin. I don’t think my bushing had a groove in it. I did just think of removing the driveshaft and using a suitably sized Allen wrench to see if the holes were aligned…
The flat one the brass bush should be aligned with the drilled hole in the cylinder block . This is oil feed to the bush failure to align will cause oil starvation to the distributor drive shaft.
The flat machined in the side of the bush gives for a certain degree of leeway if alignment. Like all production line assy Jaguars back in the day suffered from "the morning after the night before " sometimes.There are various little design features like this which I’m sure,were incorporated purely for easy assy!
Here’s a pic of the bush, mine looks like this. The hole is oriented to the oil feed in the block, but again - the question is - does the hole have to be PRECISELY aligned or is a general orientation sufficient with the provisions made in the bushing by machining it the way it was done.
The forward facing side of the block has a small hex set screw in a hole that is where the drill entered the block to connect to the pressure feed. This gives you an easily-observed datum for lining the up the hard-to-see feed drlllings 180 degrees opposite
As you can see in the photo, the flat runs into the groove running around the circumference of the bush, check how far down the oil feed hole is in relation to the bush I think you will find it is related to the groove rather than the hole? I stand to be corrected. If this is the case then orientation is not required.
I think most bushings have a groove machines in the top which sits under the drive gear. Perhaps someone who has not removed their bushing could take a photo of if that groove to see its proper orientation relative to the block?
That flat in the area around to oil drilling is to allow for a degree of inaccuracy of fit. As long as the bush is fitted with the flat facing inwards, as Peter said, 180 degrees opposite to the tooling hole in the out side face,it’ll be fine.
Thank you Nigel. It is very difficult to get the holes to align exactly so it’s good to know the oil will flow in if the flat is oriented correctly!
I did also notice there is a line machined in the bottom surface of the bushing (the surface that meets the bottom flat of the bronze gear) that seems to align with the set screw and oil holes in the block. That is also a help in knowing that you have things right.
I appreciate the responses and hope this is a help to the next fellow holding that bushing in his hand!
Hi Ron
Don’t be surprised if after fitting your bush you need to reamer it to size.
They often tighten up when fitting.
Use a parallel hand reamer.
Best
I joined the forum just to thank you for parallel hand reamer info. I’ve been a professional automotive mechanic (Technician, these days!) for 50 years and never realized that these reamers could be purchased at a reasonable price. In fact, I got the one I needed from Amazon Prime in just 2 days.
For those of you who may be wondering, the size for this application is 23/32" to 25/32".
Also, your info on the positioning of the oil pump drive bushing is right on the money. I had already come to that conclusion but it’s always comforting to have someone confirm it. I wish that I had taken a photo of the one I just did so that I could post it but the shaft is already back in.
Thanks again!
P.S. - I also felt a little guilty about not joining after getting so much good info from this forum while I’m muddling my way through an XKE restoration for a friend.
Is the hole in the block, not at a depth from the machined face to the groove all the way around the bush, if so the holes don’t need to line up, as the oil will travel around the groove then down the fat and though the hole
From my observations, you are right about the oil path. It looks to me like the bushing can be installed in any position. The combination of the flat with the hole and groove will allow the oil to flow to lubricate the shaft.