What about Rubber Grease?
This comes in a small tube, and is what I use on rubber such as brake seals, window seals etc, anything made of rubber
Don’t overthink this, folks. Rubber is generally non-slippery. In this instance, the plastic/phenolic pintle cap needs to slip thru the inner wall of the rubber (viton) seal. To ease your life with the install of the injectors into the manifold. The connection is a one time fit. It doesn’t need to stay lubricated. Once fitted, there are no moving parts requiring lubrication…as in brake calipers, etc. AND, the seal is suppose to make the physical seal…not the product applied to make it slippery. I suppose, in a pinch, you could use cooking oil, any motor oil, wheel bearing grease, 3-in-1 oil, gun lube, and yes…rubber grease. Cheers, SD
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Day 4. Water rail with new stainless steel tube ready to go in. Cleaned the head up real nice (my back can vouge for that!). After cleaning threads in block, I ran a bolt with anti seize for each hole. Was able to do all by hand except bolt #1, the problem one. Using penetrating oil, i was able to ratchet by hand bolt in a bit, remove, clean, add more penetrating oil, and try again. I could then screw in bolt all the way by hand with antiseize. Looking down hole, i think some of the threads were compromised, but it feels like there’s plenty of threads to torque enough. 16.5-20.5ftlbs. With antiseize, I’ll be doing 17ftlbs.
Jonah’s nice SS blanking plates in!
And I realized the water rail gaskets I got are the newer gortex plated metal, so I’m applying dry.
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Bit of a hiccup, but nothing bad.
The #1 bolt (which i moved to #2 hole) does not screw in easily for my comfort. #2 bolt screwed in fine to #1 hole, so head is good. I was able to get 17 ftlbs on it. I borrowed bolt from right side water rail so that i could get left rail back on and done.
So i need a new 50mm bolt. I know they are metric. Anybody help me with the Jaguar part number? Is this it? FB108101J. Looks like they are done, but i assume any m8x50 flanged bolt will do?
Here is left side water rail done.
Here is what’s in store for me tomorrow on the right side. Tired of cleaning, calling it a day!
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That’s what I used for the longer ones. 40mm for the shorter ones.
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Shorter: McMaster-Carr
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Longer: McMaster-Carr
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The original shorter ones are 45mm long, FWIW.
I had to order (10) 50mm, so may as well replace front and back two on each side.
Rest of bolts I’ll reuse, they cleaned up nicely with wire wheel.
I’m getting close to the cam covers and banjo bolts!
Don’t know if it means anything, but on left rail, the six old paper gaskets stuck to rail units, so easy to scrape off on bench. But on right side, all six gaskets stuck to the head. ;( Not much fun scraping off, especially number six!
And when spraying engine cleaner and steam cleaning the head, wine corks fit perfectly to seal coolant channels! Unfortunately, we’ve only had three bottles in the last week, so i can only clean 1/2 at a time.
You need to try harder.
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Got right water rail back on. Now for the real work! Pulled left side cam cover. Gasket was not paper, it seemed to be black plastic/metal similar to my new one. It was quite hard, but came off with ease. Was this used by 1988? Or has a previous owner done the cam cover gaskets? The half moon seal actually seemed ok, was still soft, with black rtv in place. Managed to scrape off, fingernails worked the best.
On a side note, all tappets look good. No sludge anywhere.
And what is this strange wrench looking thing in front of cam/timing chain?!
Greg - you have me curious as to what you are referring to as the “wrench looking thing” near the timing chain - can you repost the picture with an arrow mark pointing to what you are mentioning - Tex.
Yep, that’s it. Doesn’t look broken or anything, just looks strange, like it doesn’t belong.
It’s the top end of this thingie. Just looks strange floating up near pulley not attached to anything up there.
Just curious.
Just a wild assed guess on my part, but would that notch be for the camshaft alignnent tool ?
Day 6. Removed right cam cover. Again, looked to be newer gortex/metal gasket. And rubber half moon seal was in great condition like left side. I believe cam covers have been replaced already. BUT it seems they installed gortex gasket dry with no sealant between it and rubber half moon seal. Perhaps I’ve been getting a bit of seepage there?
There was also evidence of seepage around both banjo bolts.
I successfully removed original banjo bolts, all three. Wow, those ARE thin washers.
Dumb question Greg, are you doing this just because, to fix things up or are you having a lot of leaks and/or issues.
There is no wrong answer.
I only ask cause I look on with interest since I have the same year car.
I’m always curios as to the differences from the US spec to Canadian XJ-S.
That all being said you’re a lot more eager hobbyist than myself.
I am getting minor oil leaks, and it seems to be coming from back of cam covers. I also like replacing/improving 34 year old parts.
I’m also a believer, if removing this makes it easier to replace that, may as well do it
Sounds good to me! Good luck with your project(s).
Got the new improved Jonah banjo bolts in! I was quite nervous after reading through the archives of losing a bolt or washer, or losing my mind, but it went rather well. Now, I DO have the cam covers off, I wouldn’t try otherwise. (Which is why i decided may as well do banjo bolts now.)
- Definitely use a piece of dental floss for the washer between cam housing and banjo bolt. This was the key, which i read in archives. Just loop thru and tie off, so you can later break it and simply pull out. It also will leave your banjo bolt smelling minty fresh!
- It is so much easier with the main center banjo bolt out, this way you can move the oil tube fitting enough.
- Left side is easy. Put in banjo bolt with washer, and dangle other washer with floss until you see bolt go thru. Screw in a few threads, break floss.
- Right side is tricky! Just enough room to fit hand to feed bolt. Cannot see without mirror, so i put 2nd washer in by touch, with floss tied up so i knew i wouldn’t drop it. Then feed bolt through second washer and into threads by feel.
- As a safety net, i put some white cloth under the banjo bolt, in case anything fell. It also really helped give contrast so it was easier seeing banjo bolts, etc.
I left both banjo bolts loose, as I’m waiting for two new copper washers for center banjo bolt.
I know there is a torque value, but i can only get an open end wrench on the banjo bolts. I assume just a snug fit is all that’s needed?
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Day 7. Not much today.
Removed newly installed banjo bolts and washers (I hadn’t tightened them down yet). Got some advice to anneal copper washers just to be safe so no leaks. As I’m awaiting delivery of copper washers for middle main banjo bolt, this will have to wait until next week.
I cleaned up the tappet block surface. I saw a few specs of old paper gasket, so I’m quite sure original owner had Jaguar dealer replace them. Thankfully I didn’t have to do any scraping!
I also cleaned and chased all the threads with an oily bolt, and chased the studs up by timing chain. Make sure to stuff some blue paper towels in there so nothing falls in! I also have an old towel covering entire tappet block.
I’m stopping work now until after Christmas. And not much more I can do until I find a place to strip and powder coat cam covers. So may not be back to this until January.
Merry Christmas and Happy 2023!
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