My 1955 FHC has this distributor installed, the car runs very well. But, I am unable to identify the model. I can find the number 40885 in Lucas information, but none ending with an “E”.
The casting is 40885E /1164
Below is a photo of the distributor.
Thanks,
Alan
Allan.
The distributor of your car is not the correct distributor for an XK 140.
That should be either the 40436 for a standard engine or the 40199 for the C-type engine as used on the SE versions.
The letter used as a suffix is merely a production code but may indicate a change in the specification (but not always). The XK 140 only used (for the standard CR 8 : 1 engines) the 40436/A versions and the XK 140 SE had the 40199/E version. These are all distributors of the Lucas DVX6A type
The 40885 came probably from a much later Mk 2 engine (see also date code November 1964) and is of the Lucas 22D6 type.
Your engine apparently runs but I doubt whether the ignition curve and vacuum advance will be optimal for your engine.
Bob K.
Bob,
Thanks for the information. I was not sure what the E represented. Now I know it is of the 22D6 type. I purchased the car from Italy and PO information was not made available. It came out of a collection and I believe the PO was deceased.
The engine is not entirely original. While the block is correct for the car the head is a XK150 type, so I have a lot of unraveling to do.
Alan
Further information lists the 40885/22D6 as a replacement for 1963-65 3.4 8:1 CR engines
Alan
the advance curves could have been modified…or if not can be…the advance specifications of the 40199e are about what you want. But in a rebuild a good distributor rebuilder will take your modified engine details, your use profile (hi sustained or moderate driving) , and modern fuel into account…Distributor Doctor or the one I used…British Vaccum Unit–“Rob”…
Nick
Alan
Could you pass on the cyl. head number you have of the 150. is it a V , VA or VS.?
I have a spreadsheet following all 150 models, I would like to add it to my file. I can probably give you the year and month of the one you have.
All I need is the head number, block and chassis not required.
Sincerely Morris.
Morris,
The head is V5942-8… Any additional information you may have would be appreciated.
Alan
Alan
V-5942-8 looks like it was from a DHC.( not confirmed ) but dating from Nov 1958, this does not mean that the engine has the same production date, but XK150 837860BW has engine V-5941-8 and is in Calif.and is a Dhc
Car 827250 is also a Dhc and is a Rhd and has V-5940-8.
Morris,
The XK150 head is on a 55 FHC block no. G6530-8.
Beside an increase in horsepower, what advantage is there using a 150 head on a 140 block?
Alan
No other reason, its a B type head, as you probably already know.
M
The Porter book states that 3.4L, 150 models with B type heads were painted light blue/green.
V5942-9 is polished aluminum (no paint) and running HD6 carbs.
Alan
Alan
Yes . it was also called Duck egg green, and also had HD6 as opposed to H6, however if you want to keep it looking like a 140 head keep it aluminum colour.
Diaphragms for the HD6 are not cheap these days.
General practice with Lucas was to add a suffix letter when they made a minor change which did not affect the installation in a particular car model. But they did not record for public consumption what the suffix letters meant. It could be something as small as a different condenser or a different insulator block. So E came after D on their production run of 40885 distributors.
