Cams are intake and exhaust the same?

XK-Engine
1

I was looking at my cams they look same is it true its a 86 engine.series 3

2

No, they are not the same, they have different part numbers and do not mix them up because you will definitely bend some valves if you do mix them up and rotate the engine. I got a 1985 XJ6 VdP from a junkyard where someone did this and junked the car. On that engine someone mistakenly marked the intake camshaft with “exhaust” and the exhaust cam shaft with “intake”, installed them incorrectly and then bent some valves. Once I figured it out and replaced the bent valves and installed the head in another one of my cars it ran fine.

Regards,

Paul M. Novak

1990 Series III V12 Vanden Plas

1990 XJ-S Classic Collection convertible

1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas

1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas

1969 E-Type FHC

1957 MK VIII Saloon

Ramona, CA USA

3

paul thank you indeed for clarifying this they both have same part number that’s why they look the same.

4

That’s weird, unless you are looking at forging numbers.
The actual part numbers are hand stamped in very tiny characters, very hard to read.

5

IIRC, aren’t the distal ends of the camshafts different as well?

6

So I have seen the diffearance with the timing notch at bottom of came I guess the lobs point outwards on each one first cam lob near notch.

7

Distal ends of S3 XJ cams are the same. The proximal ends are different in terms of the timing slot being uppermost and the cam lobes point opposite sides (outboard).

8

peter cheers mate thanks for the clarity of the lobes in the (outboard) position

9

That’s outboard for #6…

10

Thanks for reply. I have now figured that’s out thanks for everyone’s help