Hello my name is Harry from the Netherlands. I’m the owner of a Jaguar Xj6 3.4 liter series 2 from 1975. I have a distributor with contact points. Could anyone here on the forum help me with the timing. How can I adjust the timing and what is the timing for this model. Hopefully somebody give me some extra information.
Welcome to the forum Harry. First off you will need a timing light and spanners.
The timing I set by rotating the distributor body which is clamped by a single bolt into the engine block.here are a few snaps from the Haynes manual;
Welcome Harry,
the works ROM confirms the data in the Haynes manual that Robin provided:
Ignition timing (static) is 8° BTDC, plugs are Champion N12Y gapped at 0,64 mm. Your distributor is most likely a Lucas 45D6 (“on later cars”) with a ballast resistor fitted in the ignition circuit. The breaker gap is 0.36 - 0.41 mm.
Good luck
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Thank you very much for your soon reply. I will start today immediately 
**
After setting points, and the engine set to the prescribed advance for static timing on the damper scale as described by others, Harry - either…
…put a cigarette paper between the points, loosen the distributor clamp and turn the dist until the paper falls - the ign occurs as the points open. Alternative, connect a test lamp between the points and turn ign ‘on’. Again turn the dist until the lamp lights - signifying points opening…
And you can also set the timing dynamically, engine idling, using a timing light and the timing scale for spec dynamic advance; 18 deg at 1500 rpms, vacuum disconnected. In all cases, the timing is set by turning the dist…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
**
The bookwerk tells me I have to measure with the nr 6 sparkplug, so could someone confirm the 8 degrees btdc is the nr 6 cylinder. I always thought it has to be the nr 1 cylinder. Thank you for your help. (What is the name of the number of the Haynes bookwerk )
All cylinders fire at the same BTDC ‘on their respective firing strokes’, for the XK engine No 6 is the front most cylinder.
Aye, which is number one? Differ in various critters.
Frank’s method is a digest and similar if not exact as to what I did when I last had a car with points and condenser… Been a while…
Carl, with the XK engine No 1 is always at the firewall, this changed with the XJ40 to conventional No1 at the radiator.
To make matters even more confusing in the Jaguar V12 engines the #6 cylinders (A and B banks) are at the firewall, completely opposite of the XK engines. Why in the world did Jaguar do that? 
Paul
Allegedly because the XK engine had design input from aircraft engineers, who number cylinders from the firewall forward.
More likely because Jaguar used to get their engines from the Standard motor company who had a habit of numbering their engines in a similar manner.
The key ingredient, Harry, is that the rotor must point to plug lead of the cylinder ready to fire. Which it does once every second revolution on every cylinder in turn - as Robin says…
Dynamically, using a timing light you can use either 6 (frontmost) or 1 - just connect the timing light to the correct lead. However, usually the 6 is used as it it easier to access…
Using static setting TDC, the rotor will either point to 6 or 1. Setting timing as described after the engine is placed on the desired advance; loosen and turn the dist counterclockwise to ensure the points are closed. Then turn the dist clockwise until the points start to open - which is the instant the coil fires…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
**