Understood many thanks. I used the mod you mentioned on many xjs’s And xj6s I had but never without the power assistance. It costs nothing to try it so will consider and revert.
Although rather pricey, this company offers a new bell housing with their conversion. Perhaps they wold sell you just the bell housing adapter plate assembly:
http://thedrivenman.com/i-16122842-1961-64-e-type-5-speed-kit-3-8l.html
Gerard
Couldn’t you just disconnect the fan belt to the pump to get a feel for manual steering?
Gerard
Different ratios: PS, w/o a belt, is a beeeatch!
Is this R&P equipped with an electrical pump? Can you dial the pressure down on it?
Failing that, you might be able to adjust the bypass valve on a mechanical pump, or plumb an orifice into the high pressure line. (Best would be an adjustabe bypass dumping excess into the return line.)
Thanks for the responses. The steering set up uses an electrically driven pump from i think an vaxaul astra. Its not something I can adjust electrically as far as i am aware… my experience in try to use a normally assisted rack without the pump running are the same as Paul W’s comments. I think at the moment i will put the system back as it was, with my planned wider wheels and tyres (205x70x115) check the settings again and see how it drives. If I’m not happy then it will be back to the manual setup which i am building up on a separate front frame anyway. So it will be a simple switch.
Thanks again.
Updates (hopefully not more horror stories) to follow.
Best regards
Phil D.
Just thought I would fill in the missing bit. Having stripped the engine I thought I would take a look at how much wear was going on. Especially as Paul W mentioned that there must have been a lot of issues given the condition of the piston crowns.
I didn’t spend too much time on this but what I found is a standard crank (journals) although the conditions of the bearing shells would indicated some very dirty oil flowing around with score marks and engrained black dirt.
Pistons are +40 thou. so I took the top ring off one of them and placed it in number 2 bore. Pushed it down to midway with an inverted piston. I measured in excess of 35 thou. at one stage I though t I might need to include the plastic handles on my feeler gauge! There are scuff marks of the some of the pistons but they look relatively new. As are the core plugs and the block if clean(ish) The water ways behind the block drain tap is completely clocked. and the fine filter behind the hydraulic chain tensioned was also blocked with sludge. Whoever did tis rebuild should be ashamed.
Not sure if its just me but these engines seem to get heavier! It doesn’t seem that long ago that I could pick up heads and cranks and walk about quite easily! I struggle these daze. (Hips Knees back. think I need an overhaul myself).