Hi All, can anyone provide a picture or diagram of how the long heater pipe should run on my RHD XK140DHC ? I purchased the pipe from SNG Barratt but it seem that it may be too long. I also need to know how and where it joins to the short pipe from the tap and whether the short pipe is secured anywhere.
Thanks, Evan from OZ
Hi Evan,
I just went through that. My car is a LHD 140 DHC. I replaced a pipe that was too long and seemed to have to large an O.D. (about .625" approx as opposed to an O.D. of .50". My main tube I replaced it with is 21.5" long, .50" od. that matches the secondary pipe diameter at the firewall end. I copied that from my friends 140dhc. He had his original pipe that he had recently replaced. That matches up with the photo on page 33 of the Viart book and lines up with the p2 pipe mounting straps in the photo as well. The pipe that was in my car is shown in some of the suppliers online catalogs as fitting a number of other jags, but the bend is the pipe is totally different than what I see on page 33 as well as my friends original pipe.
Hi old boy, thanks for the response. Is it possible to copy the picture from your book? I have tried to find one, but they seem to be like gold. I would imagine LHD and RHD will be the same.
Thanks again, Evan from Oz
If it’s any help, here is a picture of the original long pipe from my LHD 140 DHC. It has been sitting in a box for over 50 years.
The metal pipe is .50” outside diameter, and seems to be 22” in length, with the centre of the bend being 4” from one end. Should be easy to make one up.
For interest sake, here is a close up pic of the hose which goes between the pipe and the water pump. The hose is so deteriorated that it’s inner construction is revealed to be; a black canvas like material spirally wrapped around itself forming several layers, then covered with a black rubbery substance.
Hi Gary, thanks for taking the time to photograph the pipe. Can you tell me what it attaches to on the motor? Mine is about that long, but the original only has the front clamp at the bend and I suspect I am trying to run it too low. I have the rear clamp coming from England, hopefully will arrive next week so I can throw my carbies on.
Hi Evan,
The pipe is oriented with the curved end to the front, the curved end pointing downward.
A front strap wrapped around the pipe, extends downward from the pipe to be bolted to a boss on the side of the block just above the 3 1/2 litre marking.
A rear strap wrapped around the pipe, extends upward to be captured by the nut on the lower, second-from-the-rear, intake manifold stud.
The straps are 5/8” wide. The front strap is shorter than the rear strap, as shown in the pictures.
Hi Gary, thanks for the info, it is a great help. I had the front clamp right, however I was wondering if it should be secured to the manifold studs too. My other question was does the angled bit finish in front of or behind the dizzy. Looking at your pictures it must come out behind. Hopefully my rear clamp will arrive this week so I can fit the pipe and throw my carbies on.
Thanks again for your time and trouble,
Evan from Oz
Evan,
I fully detailed all this XK140 HEATER System, pipes, hoses, clips and brackets in my book JAGUAR XK140 EXPLORED, as illustrated by Bernard Viart, and have attached copies of Plate 9-c1 and 9-c3 being most relevant to your questions, but have to advise the writing of this book was an incredibly convoluted process with me doing all the detail work and Viart the illustrating, and indeed with these two plates a couple of my final edits to these two plates were overlooked/not done before printing deadline, but I will advise the major corrections overlooked…
First up.
Plate 9-c1
XK140Plate9-c1-p325.pdf (68.4 KB)
The main problem is the illustration of the top Bracket that secures pipe B to the 5/16"UNF Inlet Manifold Stud is drawn totally wrong. This was the danger in using the ‘illustration’ method rather than actual ‘photographs’, but the benefits of accurate ‘illustrations’ is overwhelmingly evident. But it is indeed a flat bracket with just the loop for the pipe. I had corrected this and indeed added a detailed dimensioned sketch of this bracket in front and side elevation but unfortunately didn’t get included before printing deadline. The bracket is made of steel 5/8in wide and overall height top of flat end to bottom of looped end is 2-1/8in with loop to wrap around a 1/2in dia. pipe, and holes added for mounting stud and clamp bolt. Otherwise my final edit added more detail of all the fasteners, advice that steel pipe should be painted black, and that the small clip setscrew is in fact a No.10 UNF x 1/2in, and not 3/16in as shown.
The second plate 9-c5 details all the pipes, hoses and CHENEY Clips - this is first publication that actually has ever detailed CHENEY clips which was/is a special interest of mine…
XK140Plate9-c5-p329.pdf (95.4 KB)
The only uncorrected error in this plate, not fixed in time for publication was that the C.8105 Heater Hose should have a C.2905/2 CHENEY Clip both ends, and not the incorrectly labelled C.2905/1 clip at the lower/right (or Brass Adaptor) end. Otherwise again I had added some more detail that didn’t get published - such as fully detailing the C.290 Brass Adaptor - but no other errors uncorrected.
I am ‘from Oz’ also, Canberra in fact, so you being local, am happy to help you further, but contact me direct at rogerpayne@bigblue.net.au
For anyone with copies of XK140 EXPLORED, can I suggest you pencil in the above corrections to Plates 9-c1 and 9-c3 as advised - there are no plans to reprint the book, thus these and a whole raft of other updates - mostly new material, and fortunately only a few errors needing correction, that I had/have prepared wont be seen.
Hi Roger, thanks for your help. I have Hank Leavitts old XK140, brought in from the USA. I’m sure you know it’s history, when I first acquired it Gavin King made some enquires on my behalf.
It’s a shame there is no chance of another print of the book, there seems to be some demand for it.
Thanks again, I’m sure I will be in touch
Yes,
I off course knew Hank and his most interesting story of acquiring this RHD car from USA, and indeed put it onto ACT Historic Rego for him… And yes, Gavin did ask me about it and purchased it, but I hadn’t followed him up who for…………………………
Nice to connect the dots…
If you have a couple of photos of it now, would like to see them please.
Roger
Hi Roger, Gavin didn’t purchase for me, he may have purchased it for the guy I purchased it from.
I purchased it around 2005. Around 2006 it blew a Head gasket and I decided to make it right and found a “C” head and carbies from the US. I decided to pull the engine out and rebuild it and Covid has given me the time to finish it.
I will forward some pics in a few weeks when it’s done.
Do you have a clue as to where my choke cable should poke through the bulkhead?
Evan,
There was no CHOKE CABLE on any XK140, apart from a small handful of cars that had the special and rarely optioned 2inch H8 carburetters fitted instead of the standard THERMO Choke H6 carburetters.
But these days many cars have had H8s modified/fitted, so how they have, and where they have fitted their Choke Cables (if indeed they have) is all over the place/variable.
You will appreciate with one of the rare factory fitted H8 installations, depending on whether RHD or LHD, OTS, DHC or FHC, there were six different routes/positions for Choke Cable/Knob mounting, but I think I now have them all covered OK.
But contact me direct ………………… 
Roger