Does anyone have a USA source for the C2310 bolts that hold the Adjusting Plates to the Camshaft Sprockets in a Jaguar 4.2L XK engine that are drilled for safety wire?
I just adjusted the valve clearances in the original 4.2L XK engine in my 1969 E-Type for the first time since the engine rebuild in 2021 (and I am glad that I did since 11 of 12 valves clearance closed up). When I adjusted the valve clearances in my Series III XJ6s, XJ-S, and XJ12 they all had tab washers to secure the bolts holding the Adjusting Plates to the Camshaft Sprockets. The 3.4L XK engine in my former 1957 MK VIII had holes drilled in those two bolts for safety wire. I am pretty sure that my E-Type originally also had those safety wire bolts before the rebuild but it doesn’t now. I can see from the archives that some forgo the safety wire and trust the 40 Ft-Lbs of torque to hold things together, other have a machine shop drill the holes in the bolts and use safety wire. I would prefer to use the safety wire (I am a belts and suspenders kind of guy) and hopefully someone knows a USA based source for the bolts with safety wire holes.
I just googled C2310 bolt and found two sources one of which is Martin Robey. I’d be surprised in the usual suppliers in the U. S. don’t carry them.
John, Tim, Wiggles,
I checked the SNG Barratt, Moss Motors, and Welsh Enterprises websites earlier today and it appeared that their C2310 bolts did not have the safety wire holes. I found that Martin Robey and Crosthwaite and Gardiner in the UK sold them, but I’d like to get the car back on the road next week so I am looking for a near term solution. I plan to call all three of the USA sources listed above on Monday to verify whether or not their bolts have the drilled safety wire holes. If not, I have a few small machine shops near me, so one of them is a distinct possibility.
What is the correct way to drill holes in the C2310 bolt heads to accommodate safety wire? Attached is a picture of the safety wire installed in the bolts in the rebuilt 3.4L XK engine for my former 1957 MK VIII that had the holes drilled in them. If you look closely you will notice that the flat circled in red does not have a hole drilled in it. How many holes are drilled in each bolt head? Are the holes drilled straight through from flat to opposite flat. Or are they drilled at an angle to an offset flat? Or some other way? I removed the four C2310 bolts from my E-Type yesterday and plan to take them to a nearby machine shop tomorrow, but I just want to be sure of how many holes should be drilled in each bolt head and how the holes should be drilled before I drop them off.
I am pleased to report that a well known Jaguar expert and Jag-Lovers member generously sent me four C2310 bolts, with the holes already drilled in them, for free. I installed them in the original 4.2L XK engine in my 1969 E-Type FHC, and I safety wired them last night. Here are the pictures of what they looked like when I finished and rechecked that my valves are all now in spec (11 of the 12 had closed up since the 2021 rebuild).
I plan to put the camshaft covers that I restored, as well as the new dome nuts and copper washers on today and hopefully drive the car again this weekend after it is all back together again.
John,
Yes, it was very nice of him to give me those bolts.
I purchased the safety wire pliers at a local place here in South Carolina called the Tool Shed and a local Jaguar enthusiast and friend let me borrow his safety wire.
I was a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Navy for 26 years and knew the importance of proper safety wire installation on the many bolts that held our jet engines, transmissions, and other pieces of equipment together. I safety wire the appropriate bolts on our three Jaguars even though others, including some seasoned experts, say it isn’t necessary. I like the additional security of knowing those bolts will not back out and fall into the timing gear.
Wiggles,
Thanks. Dick Maury also cautioned me about them and forwarded an article about the issue. I will take a look at the issue and deal with it once I understand more about it.
Thanks for watching out for me.
Safety wire–I like this video for bolt heads with one hole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy1xr8PuSoY Good simple video on how to safety wire two bolts (one hole in each bolt head) It helps to practice on two bolts on a block of wood a few times–to get it right and neat. Did he show–once a wire is thru bend it about half the way it will end up being and give it a nice yank to set the bend tite on the bolt head…twist 3 times by hand…then do the length with the twist tool. (Harbor Freight). Note that the first bolt head if on left–gets a right-clockwise twist on the two wires…the second bolt, once wire thru head, gets a counterclock twist.
bolts with two holes similar–of course both wires go thru holes in each bolt head.the wrap direction is the same.
