Camshafts of Mark 2 3.4L and 3.8L the same?

E-Type
1

Hi Jaglovers, building a 3.8L engine for my e type project and inspecting the head with big inlet valve’s, almost two inches from a XJ , wondering if the camshafts from a 3.4L Mark2 engine I have lying around from my early Mk2’s, can be fit in this head, having the drive dog in the camshaft already, so it will be easy for me, just adjust the camshaft bearing houses, because the head came without them.
Thanks in advance.

2

This should help…very good write up from Dick Maury.

http://www.georgiajag.com/Documents/Camshafts.html

3

Are you saying that there are no cam bearing caps, if so after locating the caps and fitting them the caps will have will have to be lined honed after you are positive that the head is absolutely flat.

4

Hi Frank,

I would bin that head and find one complete with caps.
Edit: …and cams. Do a check by stripping the valves/springs/tappets/etc, reinstall the cams and bearings to make sure the head is true and the cams don’t bind.

5

Hi Robert, yes I know the bearing caps have to line up, I did already honed an other engine, who had the same problem.
Having still the bearing caps from the 3.4L engine Mk2. The camshaft number is MC20889 5, this is inlet and outlet.
Would rather have camshafts with the groove in the flange for quiet tapping.

6

Yes Doug, I lined up an other engine with no bearing caps. Having the old bearing caps from the Mark2. I have two camshafts with the same number MC20889 5, but it is one inlet and one outlet.
The head is very good, good valve’s and I will use it, only wondering for the camshafts. I want some quiet tapping for this engine.

7

Thanks Jeff, very helpfull, did not know they made quieter camshafts in 1968, I did know they made on the XJ6, but I thought it was the oil line, what make them quieter, direct from the oil filter housing, so I was planning to do so.

8

Hi Jeff, very helpful indeed, that there are different camshafts on the E type. One how makes noise and the other is better, maybe in combination with the XJ6 oil feed line direct from the oil housing.
So I bought today other camshafts from the series 2 in the States.
Still having the old ones, try to sell them.
Frank.

9

Doug, don’t like the tapping noise of the series 1 e type at all. Bought yesterday the series 2 camshafts with the sprockets in the VS, so the old 3.8L engine runs like new.
The oil line direct from the oil filter, too.
Frank.
P.S. Took me three days to line up these camshafts, but is perfect now.