Is it worth spending 50 bucks on Teflon front crank seal or spend 4 bucks anyone recommend it?? Also my timing chain on the intermediate side right side has a lot of slack I can move it quarter inch last guide guide seems to have plenty of life on it?? I removed front oil seal and has to take engine out there is no way to get pan out…impossible. So going to replace some parts. My front oil seal is original made in uk. Rock hard inside and out oil blowing every place and is annoying afternoon spent hours replacing and painting front sub and bushings. Any info in what I should look for would be great help it only took 3 hrs to remove engine has I’ve done 3:times now but had to be done thanks all.
timing chain tensioner.
One cam or both?
The first thing I’d do is take a look at the chain tensioner. The top of the tensioner is kinda visible from the top. Look to see how warn it is. grooves are normal, but if most of the friction material is missing or worse yet - gone, then the tensioner should be swapped out.
You can adjust the chain in the car. If you’ve got a green XJ manual this is one of the things that is spelled out pretty well (unlike other stuff).
If the tensioners aren’t significantly worn, then I’d tighten it up.
As far as the front seal? Teflon has much better wear properties, than neoprene. but $50 bucks is 50 bucks considering the “old style” has worked for decades.
The chain is loose on the right side the guide has plenty of meat still but chain is sloppy I’ll send a picture and you can see. Teflon seal is pricey but like you said using old seal for decades mine is just rock hard. Think I’m going to use cheaper seal!! ??should I put silicon on very edge where it sits in cam cover.And oil pan and what silicon is best for this application cheer!!
you’re gonna need a couple special tools, specific to the xk6
one is the tensioner adjustment and the other is the cam alignment tool.
https://xks.com/search.html?q=cam+alignment+tool
https://xks.com/i-6918407-jaguar-timing-chain-tensioner-adjuster-tool-jd-2b.html?ref=category:1207187
Whitworth socket I don’t remember what size it is, and I can’t find mine at the moment. What I distinctly remember is I didn’t have the right size. I"m sure someone will chime in with the correct size.
Do you have a Jaguar (Green) Service Manual? If not let me know and I will help you out as best as I can. You can PM me and I’ll give you my phone number.
I’ve been through this with my grey XJ6 was a no runner and the intake cam was loose too.
in a nut shell,
- align the crank at top dead center.
- bend the tab ring back so off the bolt flats of the bolts. 3 of the 4 bolts will be accessible, one bolt not so much. Leave the most accessible bolt in doesn’t have to be tight just to hold the cam in place while you rotate the engine BY HAND (not yelling just emphasizing) until the final bolt is accessible then take it out.
- Turn the engine over by hand until top dead center, check the cam position with the cam alignment tool. then pop the last loose bolt out.
- behind the crank case vent plate (the bit with the rubber and the hose coming out) is the cam adjustement. There’s a nut and a spring washer. Loosen (don’t take if off if you don’t have to) place the tensioner tool rotate anti-clockwise to tighten the intake cam side chain (I’m assuming that is what you mean by the one on the right).
- once the chain slack is taken up, see if the bolts line up with the holes, if not, then there’s a circlip you can move the alignment plate so the cam bolts line up - then put 3 of the 4 bolts in snug, rotate the engine by hand a couple of times, returning to TDC and the ck the cam position at TDC. if everything is lined up then put it back together.
If you PM me, I’ll give you my phone number you can call or text me - give me a heads up your calling, because if I don’t recognize the number and no voice mail is left I don’t return the call. Phone spam sucks.
This is about a two day project first go, but once your done, then it’s about a 1/2 project. Most of the time is scraping the gaskets off. Serious PITA
The first online supplier that I looked at had the Teflon seal for half of that price. Whichever way you go, I think you’re supposed to replace the “distance piece” which provides the seal running surface at the same time. This part may come with the new o-ring that’s required to seal at the crank surface.
The soft elastomer on the seal outer is probably meant to seal without additional compounds - others will know something about this. I’ve just installed one dry as per the service manual, result not yet known.
Also the Teflon inner seal is much harder than an elastomer seal, so a new one may not seem much softer…
The “soft elastomer” on the Teflon seal can cause a problem as it “hangs” on the sharp edges of the timing cover and especially the sump resulting in deformation of said seal
Peter B
Hi Sawyer…worth spending a bit of time to read through this post on the UK Etype forum on the front seal…with photos…Steve http://forum.etypeuk.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10590
Mark I have all the tools and green manual…I have taken engine out I’m going to fix some other problems. Have you updated the oil filter to a series 3 with oil cooler? I have all the parts including cooler and lines. But have noticed that my series one block came feeder comes from block and on series 3 it’s feed comes from the unit with the oil filter on series 3. The reason for doing is easier to change then canister type. Any merit to this any info would help! Back to Teflon seal i remember doing this 5 years ago on my series 3 still leaks. I think I’m just going to use original seal I read all the articles. Dremel the timing cover some have done. It seem to have worked fine for 40 years it just seem to leak more now I’ve been driving everyday 70 miles round trip. Thanks for all the info mark its well appreciated!
The all my XJ’s have spin on filters. Without looking or talking to my buddy who build Jag engines for a living, I would think you’d replace the whole oil filter assembly. Then repipe for the cams off of the oil filter housing. I could
be talking out my ass; I haven’t looked in a while. As soon as I’m done with my IRS hell – I will be building an XK6. I know the Series II has a blown head gasket. I have an extra Xk6 engine that I figured I go through it quickly (install some euro-spec pistons.
10.1 compression 
and put it in the Series II. I’m also kicking around making an intake manifold that supports 3 strombergs. I don’t have access to any used SU’s and I can’t afford refurbished
(from the UK). Webers are also a bit out of my budget.
I haven’t put in an oil cooler. I read (somewhere) the Police Jags had oil coolers or was it power steering coolers or both. Are your parts OE or aftermarket? The transmission cooler is goofy as hell. I’ve been kicking around installing
a proper transmission cooler. But that’s a project for another day.
I have 3 pair 2 are rebuilt and was running on my car. I went with hs8 has I got for 800.
The intermediate side seems like lot of movement can’t remember if ok?
I took of distance piece with inner o ring it was rock hard and broke in pieces on removal but looks in good condition. I have two old xj6 engines and took front cover of this is what I found obviously some tried to get this seal in and bodge it lol
Going to paint engine block now it’s out a few things to also do back plate on head is leaking looks like there’s a copper washer on one bolt that’s leaking.
Your IRS your doing that’s a lot of work did mine last year and front subframe all new shocks and bushes.