Will a timing cover from a 4.2 liter XJ6 fit on a '69 4.2 liter XKE ?
Welcome to the forum. As far as I’m aware there were two variations - the first is the shape of the hole going into the block - one is square more or less, the other has v shaped “cuts” on the top and bottom horizontal surfaces to match similar “cuts” in the block. Be careful with this. The second variation is the scroll in the water pump area varies, but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. At some stage the XJ6 water pump was made thicker. As best I can recall it was all pump, not the cover, and again AFAIR all water pumps bolt on.
The XJ6 4.2 timing cover has the same part number as the later E-Type 4.2 – C.28480. Later engines being 7R1915 and 7R35389 onward which is early in the SII production. This corresponds with the change to long head studs. Note long stud blocks had 5 core plugs on the exhaust side whereas the short stud block only had 3. The XL6 timing cover never changed and these were always the long stud engines.
Richard Liggitt
Guess I’ll not junk the two I have!
Thanks for the info. My engine is # 7R7826-9, so any cover with part # C-28480 should be compatible? What about the possibility of the top of it not aligning perfectly with the block surface? I’ve been told that the block and timing cover have to be machined together to achieve a proper mating surface for the head.
It should be compatible. You are right in that the top of the front cover needs to match up with the top of the engine precisely and the easiest way to achieve this is to resurface the block with the cover in place. However if they match up without resurfacing, you are set. I would say a thou or less but others should pipe in here.
Richard Liggitt
Depends on the gasket used: thin steel?
One thou down, not a worry: sealant will make that up.
One thou up? I’d be hesitant to try that.