[xj40] 1993 Head Gasket replacement

XJ40
1

Joe,
I want to know how much you paid for a 93 from a dealer with a known (or
even suspected) headgasket problem. And if it is more than 2K, I have a
bridge for sale… :wink:

Jenni
88XJ6----- Original Message -----
From: “Reggie Goble” hrgoble@bellsouth.net
To: xj40@jag-lovers.org; “fastbreak4” josephjones@peoplepc.com
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 19:18
Subject: Re: [xj40] 1993 Head Gasket replacement

FB4
I expect you will get many inputs to your query. On first blush, I’d
vote
no. Did the dealer’s opinion of head gasket without any exploration of
the
cars mechanical condition? Lots of things leak oil. You have heard the
old
joke of why Jaguar didn’t build refrigerators? They couldn’t figure out
how
to make them leak oil. Do a thorough look see of all engine components,
and
all the places oil can escape from the engine.
Best of luck,
Reggie
94XJ40
----- Original Message -----
From: “fastbreak4” josephjones@peoplepc.com
To: xj40@jag-lovers.org
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 6:07 PM
Subject: [xj40] 1993 Head Gasket replacement

I have just purchased a 1993 XJ6(XJ40) with 107,000 miles. I
notice the smell of burnt oil and small drips(no puddle just a few
small drops of oil on the garage floor) I have been informed by the
dealer that the head gasket needs to be replaced. Is this a major
job and also any suggestions for regular maintenance? The car runs
great I just want to avoid future problems.

fastbreak4
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–

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Line Books and more !

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services and resources including Photo Albums, Event Diary / Calendar, On
Line Books and more !

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2

I have just purchased a 1993 XJ6(XJ40) with 107,000 miles. I
notice the smell of burnt oil and small drips(no puddle just a few
small drops of oil on the garage floor) I have been informed by the
dealer that the head gasket needs to be replaced. Is this a major
job and also any suggestions for regular maintenance? The car runs
great I just want to avoid future problems.–
fastbreak4
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–

Visit the Jag Lovers homepage at http://www.jag-lovers.org for exciting services and resources including Photo Albums, Event Diary / Calendar, On Line Books and more !

3

FB4
I expect you will get many inputs to your query. On first blush, I’d vote
no. Did the dealer’s opinion of head gasket without any exploration of the
cars mechanical condition? Lots of things leak oil. You have heard the old
joke of why Jaguar didn’t build refrigerators? They couldn’t figure out how
to make them leak oil. Do a thorough look see of all engine components, and
all the places oil can escape from the engine.
Best of luck,
Reggie
94XJ40----- Original Message -----
From: “fastbreak4” josephjones@peoplepc.com
To: xj40@jag-lovers.org
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 6:07 PM
Subject: [xj40] 1993 Head Gasket replacement

I have just purchased a 1993 XJ6(XJ40) with 107,000 miles. I
notice the smell of burnt oil and small drips(no puddle just a few
small drops of oil on the garage floor) I have been informed by the
dealer that the head gasket needs to be replaced. Is this a major
job and also any suggestions for regular maintenance? The car runs
great I just want to avoid future problems.

fastbreak4
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–

Visit the Jag Lovers homepage at http://www.jag-lovers.org for exciting
services and resources including Photo Albums, Event Diary / Calendar, On
Line Books and more !

Visit the Jag Lovers homepage at http://www.jag-lovers.org for exciting services and resources including Photo Albums, Event Diary / Calendar, On Line Books and more !

4

In reply to a message from fastbreak4 sent Fri 2 Jul 2004:

Real Name?

If you browse the XJ40 and Modern List archives in ‘Advance Search’
mode on the subject of ‘Head gasket’ you will find acres of posts
on the subject by those who have experienced oil leaks and those
who have fixed them.

There are two ‘favourite’ sources of engine oil leaks in or near
the cylinder head on AJ6 engines. The one that is usually
accompanied by the smell of burning oil is a leak from the cam
cover gasket because that is above the exhaust manifold and
because the engine leans to that side, any leak on its periphery
will run to the right edge and down on to the exhaust.
The other usual source of oil leaks around the head is indeed from
the head gasket but that exits the head / block interface below the
exhaust on the block immediately behind the distributor and drips
down the web where the engine serial number is stamped on to the
floor. On the early engines, the design of the gasket was poor in
that it had inadequate sealing capability around the oil feed to
the camshafts between the block and the head.

Mine failed at 50 K miles and I replaced the gasket with the
modified version (and there have been four or five superseding
versions of that since) at 57 K miles when it started to leave
drips on the garage floor.

I suggest you obtain a Haynes XJ40 manual which describes replacing
the head gasket (on an earler car but the principle is the same).
If a leaking head gasket is the problem, whilst you have the head
off at the mileage on your car, you may want to consider cleaning
up the valves too and fitting valve stem seals on both inlet and
exhaust. With the head off also, you may want to replace all of the
coolant hoses - it’s easier to fit them at that time.

Be prepared to repair any erosion / corrosion in the water passage
holes in the head and perhaps have it skimmed if it is bad and you
may also need to skim the exhaust manifold flanges to combat the
inevitable warping in those two components.

Other than that, read the experience of others in the archives and
follow a strict maintenance routine with the car (see Haynes for an
example) and if you really want to get in to the heavy
maintenance / repair, get a copy of the JDHT CD-Rom JHM 1153 (see
link at the top of the forum page) - an invaluable source of
service and parts information which details the factory recommended
maintenance schedule and procedures.–
The original message included these comments:

I have just purchased a 1993 XJ6(XJ40) with 107,000 miles. I
notice the smell of burnt oil and small drips(no puddle just a few
small drops of oil on the garage floor) I have been informed by the
dealer that the head gasket needs to be replaced. Is this a major
job and also any suggestions for regular maintenance? The car runs
great I just want to avoid future problems.

–
Bryan N ('91 Sovereign 4.0 L)
Cambridge, United Kingdom
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–

Visit the Jag Lovers homepage at http://www.jag-lovers.org for exciting services and resources including Photo Albums, Event Diary / Calendar, On Line Books and more !