Unknown Part from the 71 XJ6

XJ
1

I believe I removed the part shown in the below photo. Can anyone identify this part. It is probably from the 71 xj6.

Thank you

Lou

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image3024×4032 2.63 MB

2

Lou,
The spings look like the ones beneath the two front seats that pull the seat forward. You need to remove the front seat bottoms to see them.

Paul

3

Agree. They run from the round rod that runs at 90° to the car and is part of the seat to the (what’s the name; the tube/brace that runs from transmission tunnel to sill) where you should find a point to hook in the spring.

David

4

Thanks. That makes sense as t removed the seats.
Lou

5

Lou

I get dizzy following your work LOL!

Did you get the engine running after its six month hibernation?

Did you get your head or block problem sorted out before that? I forget what it was about but it was pretty important as I recall?

Pete

6

Pete: Thanks for your inquiry. I am very sorry to say I did not complete the installation of the newly rehabilitated head (new valves and revised valve timing) due to a little faux pas. I screwed up on the installation by turning the engine backwards. That bent the brand new valves, which was … annoying. As a result, I bought another XJ6 (1973 in fern green and RUST FREE from California). I intend to bronze the 71 and mount it on the wall of the garage as an eternal monument to ignorance and haste.

7

Oy… aouch… ):
Very annoying indeed.

8

Something else was incorrect, because in a properly-timed engine, reversal of crank rotation will not bend valves.

1 Like
9

Lou,
I don’t believe that you can bend valves simply by rotating the 4.2L XK engine backwards. It is an interference engine so valves can hit pistons if the timing is wrong. Some of the many common causes for bent valves include putting a properly set up head down on a flat surface, installing a properly set up head on a block that is not set at Top Dead Center, setting the camshaft timing incorrectly, or inadvertently swapping the inlet and exhaust camshafts. There may also some more complicated causes.

Paul

1 Like
10

We know, but what we never found out was the reason why and it was a looong thread I believe and with many suggestions.

11

I hope I am wrong and you are right. I am going to review the emails I sent this site at that time, summarize and resend.

Regards

Lou

12

I’ve never tried it (and never would!) but if you tensioned the top chain the wrong way and then turned the engine backwards would that cause valve collision?? Just a thought.

13

OOOOOh

But Lou, what makes you think the valves are bent? If the head is on the engine, you can not see them and what they do ?

OTH, There are other ways to determine that.

Carl

14

If you have a seriously worn lower chain and possibly a broken or missing tensioner, and the engine has always been turned forward, then there could be enough slack on the trailing side of the chain that when you reverse direction could put you out of time enough to bend valves. The noise of a worn lower chain is unmistakable.

15

Hi Lawrence
Only just saw your comment was in my junk box, yes that degree of slack would cause valves to bend