Wouldn’t it be good to put and recirculate with external pump some kind of descaling agent across the engine’s cooling circuit ? Say … phophoric acid ?
I mean prior to engine disassembly … of course.
Hello John,
Thanks for contacting me with your suggestions. I do have a helper. However, the clutch pedal just swings freely. When I went to depress it I heard a bit of a snap. There is a spring down there that I do believe did break. The clutch pedal needs to be functional before I can take a look at the slave cylinder. I need to assess the situation and take it from there. I have a whole lot of assessing to do. I don’t know what the devil to do first.
Again, thanks for contacting me…I welcome all advice and suggestions. Enjoy your evening.
JJ Knight
John_Walker1
69 FHC
Regular
May 13
haditall:
However, I did get the alternator to rotate freely after I used some WD-40. Spins like crazy now.
It’s probably a good time to take that to a shop and have them check it for function.
For the clutch. Do you have a helper who can sit in the driver’s seat and work the clutch pedal while you look under the right side of the car and see if the slave cyl. is working?
Sometimes you can move the gear lever to neutral without using the clutch.
Time to remove the clutch master cylinder, I’d be fairly certain that it is completely corroded and seized, I had the same with my ‘66 ‘S’ that has been sitting in my garage for the last 20+ years.
Hello Rob,
WOW…I was waiting for someone to tell me to take that course of action. I was thinking that may have been the problem. I still have the free swinging clutch pedal to contend with. I’m not sure how difficult that is to do what you did to resolve it, but it is a relief to know that it could be or hope it is what you think it may be. Do I need any special tools, and exactly what did you need to do to remedy the problem? Perhaps if I follow your course of action it will help me.
Thanks so much,
JJ Knight
this gent knows
The clutch plates are probably stuck after all those years, its a virtual certainty that the head gasket wont take new life
with what you have now said, personally cant see any other option but to remove the engine and gearbox, dismantle the engine, measure all clearances, have the crank plugs replaced professionally.
You can examine the bores, pistons, rings, cylinder head.
If you are very lucky, on a low mileage car, no machining might be needed
I do know a Jag engine guy that freed up a stuck one, but I personally would not do that with a matching numbers? E-type engine
I know what the best thing to do is. I’m just sick about the lack of attention paid to such a great machine. I just need to change my attitude. I’m just ticked at myself. I know I will enjoy restoring it. The time I what I lack. I’ll most likely bring someone in to do most of the work.
I really appreciate all of the advice. It will be nice to know that I can come on to the Forum and ask for help. I think it is great. I love communicating with all of you.
I’ll be in touch…have a great day !!!
JJ Knight
History is history. Look ahead. Think of this car as your latest adventure, something to bring back to it’s former glory.
Not trying to pry, but where do you live? If it’s anywhere remotely near Lithonia, Georgia I’d pull the engine and transmission, put it in the back of a pickup and take it to Coventry West. You’ll get back what is essentially a new engine and transmission for what I believe is a very reasonable cost.
This path is also great if you don’t have the time to manage the disassembly, farming out the shop work, tracking down all the parts, and properly reassembling the engine and transmission. It also buys you peace of mind regarding the engine and transmission.
Disclamer: I have no interest other than being a very satisfied customer.
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James, if you don’t already have one, you may want to get a Service Manual and download a few parts vendor catalogues, such as this one.
Pages 58-61 show the clutch hydraulic system and pedal.
Its a huge file BTW.
But you should be able to shift it into neutral without using the clutch.
Does the car roll at all? If not, the brake discs are rusted and dragging on the pads. You can get a pry bar in there and pry the pads away from the discs a little bit, and then it should roll.
Then you can get back to turning that crankshaft bolt.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for the information. I will surely use the information. As for becoming a member. That I do believe I am. As for becoming a Patron, what does that entail? I have not problem with that.
Please advise.
JJ Knight
It entails making a voluntary donation on a regular basis to (assist with the upkeep of the servers that JL reside on I believe)
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James,
I just read this entire thread, and while there is some great advice, you were occasionally served with a side order of guilt. As the owner of a 69 OTS myself, my advice is to do what you need to do to enjoy the car in the manner you intend and don’t feel discouraged about anything you have done or failed to do. Discouragement is often what caused these cars to sit unused for decades in the first place. I would be surprised if any restorer did not have to redo something during a project or shortly after it was completed. It takes a while to get these cars sorted out after decades of sitting. Whether you want a driver, or a show car, you want something that is reliable and won’t leave you stranded by the side of the road. Engines are expensive, so you want them to be reliable and done right. Having it professionally evaluated and rebuilt will pay dividends, and put a smile on your face, throughout your ownership. Just assume all your hydraulics and hoses are shot and need to be rebuilt or replaced. For me, the exception was the 30-year old Koni shocks which perform flawlessly. I would also replace the fuel tank (a new one costs about the same as reconditioned), and rebuild your fuel pump and carburetors. There are rubber diaphragms in there which are probably shot and primed to fail. Also, have some patience. I had more than a few calls to AAA after I thought the car was thoroughly vetted. Now it drives as well as it did on day one, 50 years ago on May 22nd, and I know because I was there.
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Hello Bob Curran,
Thank you for your note. You are right…you read my attitude perfectly. However, I have digested the entire situation. My attitude is now one of a positive nature. I am going to have fun with this project. I am going to do it right. I’ve contacted a restorer who has been in business for 35 years plus…very well known in the area. I will do most of the disassembly and assembly (basics). What needs to be worked on by a professional will be worked on by a professional. I thoroughly agree with you about wanting to be reassured that I will not have any “uh oh” moments while on the road. As for AAA, I hear about it very often. I happen to be in the insurance business, here in New Jersey…all lines of insurance.
I have started to disassemble some of the necessary components in preparation to extract the engine. As my project progresses I will post the stages on the Jaguar Forum.
Again, thank you for your encouragement.
JJ Knight
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Sounds good. When I first had my 69 back on the road I wouldn’t leave home without my AAA card (for towing) and my cell phone. At first, the car would run well at 30 to 40 mph, but would cough and sputter on a freeway, threatening to die, but never quite expiring. The fuel pump was the culprit. When I had that worked out, the clutch slave cylinder died leaving my stranded. I remember a woman walking past with her dog who stopped, looked at the car being pulled onto a flatbed and said, “Well, it sure is pretty”! Sometimes you just have to go with that. Good luck with your project. It will be worth it.
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EXCELLENT strategy!
You will not be disappointed.
SNG Barratt also has a US branch in New Hampshire. Welsh Enterprises is located in Ohio. They also carry some used and rebuilt parts. Moss Motors is in Virginia. All three provide good service and shipping costs would depend on how close you are to the supplier you choose. XKs, located in California, sold the parts division to Moss Motors.
Hello Andrew,
Thank you so much for the input. I certainly appreciate every bit of information pertaining to moving forward with getting the engine to a point that it is running the way it should be. I am not familiar with a couple of terminologies you’ve mentioned. Probably basic and I should know them, but I do not. One being “oil galleries,” and the other, “tappet buckets”. Simple enough terminologies, but I would like to know exactly what and where they are. At this moment I do have WD-40 in the cylinders, and I do have the cam covers free to remove them at will. And, I did coat them with oil fogger and “Mystery Oil,” just so that they do not have a chance to develop any form or sign of rust. What a horrible name (RUST) !!! However, as I have mention in an earlier note, that the cam looks as though it was BRANDY NEW. The lobes look in perfect shape !!! For a while I was going back and forth about what to do. The vehicle is in very good shape body wise. The left sill and floor pan need so help. But for the rest of the car, just one little ding in the driver’s door. An individual backed into it…I had it to a shop and they tried to work on it…but left a small ding on the door. I’ll have that taken care of when it is ready for paint. As for the brakes, I have not tried to do anything with them up until this point. And, at this point, due to the fact I have all of the equipment to extract the engine and tear it down. I most definitely want to replace as much as I can. However, I know how expensive it is to purchase certain parts. I have a client who is a foreign car mechanic who is willing to help and guide me through the procedures. Actually, I’m looking forward to being able to work on the engine. I just wish I had more time. It is going to be a slow process. I need to set a goal, a plan, to remove a part/item a day.
Thanks again !!! As I progress I’ll post more.
Best regards,
JJ Knight
April 22
haditall:
I just do not want to create any damage.
Understandable but impossible to know what you’re doing without being able to see inside.
I would spray WD40 liberally down all the bores, leave it a few days then do this a couple more times.
Then with the plugs out I would try to turn the engine with a spanner on the big nut that holds the harmonic balancer onto the crank. If it turns, well and good.
At this point, having changed the oil and the filter, you could opt simply to spin it on the starter with the plugs out until you get oil pressure. You might then choose to check compression. If you have zero or close to it on one pot you’ll know you have a major problem.If not you could well just start the engine at this point.
Alternatively you could pressurise the oil system first using an external pump via an adapter into one of the oil gallery plugs, and then turn it over on the starter. My biggest concern for wear would be the tappet buckets and cam lobes. If you were of a mind, you could remove the cam covers and slather oil and ZDPP engine start lube on the cams and make sure all the buckets turn.
Essentially this is always going to be risky unless you just strip the engine down and rebuild it from scratch.
To elucidate, oil galleries are the path that the oil takes through the engine to lubricate the various bearings, Tappet buckets are what you can see beneath the cam lobes. They operate the valves and sandwich a shim between the bucket and valve stem to facilitate setting the valve clearance.
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Hello Robin,
Thanks for the information regarding my questions. Now that I understand what is what. Regarding getting the oil to all of the necessary bearing, where do I start? I’ve already oiled the cam area, I guess some of the oil that normally drains back down to the oil pan most likely flows over a number of bearings. As for pressurizing the oil to try (I’m thinking) and get it to reach areas that would be sensitive, how the devil does one accomplish that procedure. I ask so that I learn better. I guess many of the members on Jag Forum are familiar with that procedure. Where do you apply the air? I would assume one would need to pressurize the oil pan…yes…? I hope to hear from someone regarding that procedure.
Thanks again, Robin,
JJ Knight…
Robin_O_Connor
Robin O’Connor
Patron
May 28
. One being “oil galleries,” and the other, “tappet buckets”. Simple enough terminologies, but I would like to
To elucidate, oil galleries are the path that the oil takes through the engine to lubricate the various bearings, Tappet buckets are what you can see beneath the cam lobes. They operate the valves and sandwich a shim between the bucket and valve stem to facilitate setting the valve clearance.
To add, the oil galleries are actually accessible externally by removing one or more plugs that seal the oil cavity. The oil way runs along the length of the block, down low on the intake side, an inch or 2 above the oil pan flange. Some have suggested you remove one of those hex-head plugs and screw in an adapter that would allow you to pressurize the oiling system externally from a pressure tank of some sort…not a bad idea, imo.