Rebuild of Jaguar Etype engine? Be careful ! 

Sir you are a dying breed..not only do you know your facts ..but you are quite a craftsman

Thank you for being an honest mechanic and showing people what it looks like when a hack or no care is given..

Really enjoy driving my '68 XKE. After installing the EDIS ignition system, no dizzy the engine really came alive.

That engine is a work of art, so beautiful.

With the amount of money sloshing around in the classic car market these days, it's become a minefield having things likes engine rebuilds done. I would always elect to do engine rebuilds myself and delegate any specialist work like crank regrinds etc. At least that way, you can see precisely what standard of work is being undertaken, unlike a full engine rebuild that can disguise a multitude of short cuts and shoddy workmanship. And apart from that, you get a huge amount of satisfaction doing as much of the work yourself as is possible and you learn an awful lot about how engines are designed and put together. Great videos though Nigel. A pleasure to watch

Lovely, great job. FYR Fox and CVRT (Scorpion/Scimitar/Sabre etc) used the J60 4.2 litre Jaguar. Probably rebuild many times as well during it's service life.

I can appreciate a good motor engineer ! Thank god for honest workmen.

Back in the day I was trying to get rid of the tapping of one valve on a straight 8 engine but after adjusting the valves over and over, failed.. Frustrated, I watched it run for awhile and noticed it was synchronized with the fan pulley; further inspection revealed the belt had a loose cord and it was hitting some tin cover and creating the tapping-- school of hard knocks..

Shocking! What a complete rip off. Thanks for making the case .

I've built around 30 XK engines and there is no magic needed to build them. Simple common sense as with any careful rebuild will get you there. If there is one thing you should always do is have the engine internals balanced prior to reassembly., Makes a world of difference and adds free horsepower.

I've rebuilt enough engines to know that you do exceptionally good work. Very nicely done - and those carbs are adjusted perfectly! Thanks for posting.

Those valves do sound a bit tappy. Maybe when hot they get quiet done a bit. With the Webers, I'm thinking high performance meaning higher lift cams. Exhaust note sounds very good.

If you watch one of his videos an engine he rebuilt it ran so smoothly you'd thought it was the most blue printed and balanced engines ever built...

I just hafta say I was "accidentally sold" the first Jaguar XKE sold in Canada, in 1962. I bought it with 26,000 miles, everything as new, in 1971. It went over 160 m.p.h. I'm lucky to be alive. Bay-an-uck-let, blessings on you.

40 years experience? And I thought I had experience, this guy has forgotten more than I ever knew. Until a back injury ended my career I worked automotive for almost that long. I'd take my car to this guy, if he'd even want to work on it - you don't get that much experience by taking every job that comes your way

We use to use Corvair pistons in our Jag rebuilds- same dome, same pin size and same deck height and better quality than stock. BTW, that ticking sounds a lot like the common problem of the tappet guide coming loose from the head

Some years ago I bought an S3 3.4L XJ6 it had a rebuilt engine - done by a reputable firm in South Wales. at about 6000 miles it started to big end knock! Determined to trace the problem I removed the engine & dismantled the bottom end. This engine had the con rod bolts fixed with castellated nuts & split pins. The problem, simple they had used plated split pins this can make the metal brittle (always use plain pins) the result was the pieces of the broken split pins had been 'hoovered' up by the oil pickup (no proper filter?) passed through the oil pump cracking the gears then jammed the relief valve open dumping most of the oil back into the sump. The sudden loss of oil pressure damaged the big end bearings. Hence the fatal knock. The repair cost was too much for an old car luckily a local Swansea Jag specialist had a good second hand engine which I fitted & it more than lasted all the time I used the car. All I can say is if you rebuild a 3.4 engine use the special nuts fitted to 4.2L engines & never use plated split pins in any high vibration situation!

Hence why I do all mine myself. My first Jag engine was a 69 XJ6 in 1988 that was a 2.8 and had a 4.2 transplanted. I got it that way because then I'd know what I was getting. Someone gave me a 350 Chev to put in "after I got sick of that stupid Jag engine." The owner had had it to a professional and gave up in desperation after "they had tried everything." The car came with ream of receipts from said highly regarded Jag place that had done everything from new head gaskets to "locking up the fan clutch." Hang on - alarm bells. So - a "professional" is happy for a fan designed to go no faster than 2,000 RPM to run at full engine speed? THAT is just dangerous. And made me question their knowledge. If the car is overheating over 30mph, that usually eliminates the fan. I tried the quick fix. Removed head - was perfect. Replaced head gasket = overheating - pressure into cooling water. Removed head, and scuffing on front cylinder. Hmmmm. Closer inspection revealed a crack in the liner. Had to pull engine - replace liner - so I replaced them all. I did everything except the press in liners and hone them. That piston was scuffed as well, so replaced all pistons/rings/bearings. When I pulled the engine apart, it had cut thin shim in with the pallet shims, and FULL of silastic - very poor. So much "patch up butchery." Once I put it back together, engine then ran PERFECTLY (with new fan clutch - they destroyed the other one to lock it up) - EXCEPT would miss on hard acceleration. I checked everything (including the receipts from the "experts" that 3 times tuned and road tested the carbies) and found that the car had 2.8 needles in the carbs. Early XJ6 has same size carbs for 2.8 and 4.2 but different needles. Right needles = perfect. Hang on - HOW did they "tune and road test" 3 times with the wrong needles? I could feel it was "wrong" after 200 yards, and I don't see myself as an "expert". Car was perfect for years until I sold it. I now have another Jag (69, had since 2000) and won't let anyone else touch it. Same deal, guy near my Dad has an E type, and says it is hard to start, "but that is just Jags". I ask if anyone has looked at it; he says "Oh yeah, specialist tunes and overhauls once a year, just got it back.............. but they are all like that." Mine doesn't get driven for months at a time - starts within 5 seconds ALWAYS - so again, I question his "expert". Biggest problem is aftermarket parts. I waited for rim tapes/strips for my wire wheels - came from a US specialist - far too big = useless. Ended up making my own. I patched up my Stag for years (use existing blocks, hand select second hand/old bits) and hadn't done too bad, as did 330,000 kms over 20 years, including 7 cross Australia trips Perth/Melbourne return (7,000 kms return). Always in summer ( :-) ) and at times was 48 degrees out in the desert. Cruise on 130 kmh all day, as no one out there. I eventually "bit the bullet" and built a rebuilt engine. Wished that I hadn't. Some parts were so butchered. I have replaced/refitted/remodelled so much of it that within the next few years, I will get my old block and hand select some old pistons and the like and rebuild an engine that I will be far happier with. I use the Stag at least 2/3 times a week to go to the shops and the like, so it has to be smooth and reliable. With my hand selected "old" parts, it will be. Any "new" Stag parts are made in India now, and I have bought so many of them - looked at them - got my old ones out, get the verniers, make one good one out of a few. Just did that with oil pump on the Stag. I hear even many suppliers have quit using the Indian pumps for Triumphs and recon old pumps, as the new ones are just no good. Fair enough, there are "Indian parts" and "Indian parts" - but how do you know what they are like until you try, and my experience not good - at least with Triumph bits. I have more success with my "boxes of old bits". Again, each to their own. And there are some of those parts creeping in for all cars. I am lucky I am able to keep my old things going; but I am so wary I don't trust anyone to touch my stuff. Sad but true. If I ever start to think of farming some engine stuff out; I have people who say "I know a bloke and he..." so I have a conversation with them......... then come home and do it myself. Maybe I am too picky. Each to their own. But if I am able to make a Stag drive to Melbourne and back 7 years in a row in temps up 48 degrees (extreme, normally only 30 to 40 degrees out there) and cover 330,000 kms in one of the hottest countries on earth........... and can drive my Stag OR Jaguar around here on mid 30's days) I am happy doing it the way I am. :-)

You need to contact an engine specialist if you want to rebuild an engine with guarantee. I have rebuilded hundreds of them, no one had a single problem, after i rebuild or repair it. Its not just assembly, you need check everything and test everything, becuase after assembly your are not going to test anything! It is always a machinist job.And a good engine has an unestimated value. Do it well, save thousands of bills.-

The exhaust note on reving sounds great but it's still very noisy on idle. Clearly not a perfect rebuild but doubtlessly better than the earlier bodge.

Unbelievable the short cuts and shoddy work that someone did.

Well , it sounds good , but I can hear a clicking as well

Older cars need tuning and adjustment several times a year. Without someone with genuine expertise there will be inadequate fixing rather than actual restoration to spec using correct tools, know-how and care. It is easy to be ripped-off by shady characters. Experts can name their price and give you a fantastic service and repair crooks can spoil a good piece of engineering beyond economic repair. If you have deep pockets some crooks will keep you on a leash until you catch them out. A good Jag engine is terrific and when you see people restore one properly you really get it about why those cars were great historic racing cars and remain iconic pieces of engineering.

I can hear a tappet click, I worked on jags since 1963 until 2011, i sugest re checking the clearances , cheers from uk.

Hi sir. You have the sport camshaft? type piper 270? Or camshaft type origine ? Thanks you

There are many Classic car engine builders , the most expensive, who operate from swish premises, and have clever talk, often are the worst. I could tell you a story about a very well known Ferrari specialist who made a terrible mess of a 3 litre V12 out of a SWB berlinetta. I could have bought a small car for the amount of their bill. The owner paid up, but never went back there again.

Engine sounds fine

Strewth, what a bodge job from the previous rebuilders. Silicon under the tappett shims..WT*!!!

my 4.2 cracked the block between the cylinders seems like the bores were too big for the block, my 3.4 had no problems. People of this guys expertise are rare as rocking horse poo .

What is the click?

I suppose adjusting the tappet is a big job ? do these have the buckets and shims?

Is that clicking while the engine is running normal?

That's not an amateur build, it's a cowboy build. A rather different thing.

Webers 45 DCOE's??? Great conversion.!! I would like to install them in my Mk. 2,(3.8Lt).

I could be wrong, but I do recall tracing the 'tappet or lifter ticking sound' in more than one engine, my XK straight-six being one of them, it turned out the noise was actually from oil 'popping' as it exited the top of the pushrods. Of course, one engine had very old thick, gummed up, black, very dirty oil with probably 100K miles from the last oil change in a '72 351C pulled out of an LTD Squire Station Wagon and the 4.2 from an old XJ6 that should never have been started without an oil change since it had been opened up to the weather for a few years. Once the oil was changed to a Castrol variation, the popping stopped and no bubbles from the straight six. Sure, sure... there could have been moisture in the oil or something, but the classic lifter noise stopped with an oil change just as it can easily begin after an oil change. ANYHOW.... I'm done with the rant. Great video and you seem extremely down to earth and straight forward with your discussion. Something that is rarely seen these days. No dumb jokes. No idiotic sports talk. No innuendoes.

A loose tappet guide can cause a tapping sound.

Original engine rebuild was by Laurel & Hardy maybe?

Just going to use starter fluid to start mine

There appears to be 6 missing pistons.

top job

WHATS THAT LOUD TICKING SOUND AT IDLE?

hello, I have a complete 3.4 engine which comes from a xk 150 of 1958 with carburetor, gearbox, dinamo starter, it does not work, but it is not broken; do you have a proposal for an exchange with a 4.2 jaguar engine in very good condition, with the adaptation system for the xk 150 chassis, I would be happy to exchange these 2 engines if you give me the metal parts for adapt the 4.2 engine on the xk 150 chassis best regard olivier

The Ferret Scout car had the Rolls Royce B60 engine.

That is a beauty to say the least, but I do hear a rather noticeable / unusual Tic-Tic-Tic sound towards the end of the video, is that normal?

I think the tappets sound out a bit.

Tappets are quite noisy for a rebuilt engine, don't you think?

can anyone tell me what are the most common problems on a 1971 5.3 L V12 E type

ahh lovely sounds

bit tappetty?

Looks like a great job, but why does it sound so tappety? Or am I hearing something else ticking?

what is that ticking sound i and my father did rebuild an 4.2 litre e type engine and it was quiet no ticking sound so much for an XK engine specialist oh this engine is fine it just have an ticking sound that e type engines properly restored Don't have

Seems to be a tappet clicking!

Little bit of a ticking noice?

What Happened to the cowboy that Spoilt the engine and even said they had fitted a lip seal when the rope seal was still there.

Sounds like one tappet is not quite right.

I have a 64 S Type 3.8. I had coolant in the rear two cylinders. I bet nobody can tell me what caused it.

That looks like the engine rebuilt on another RU-vid channel by Richard

I must note that if I ever need to stick my tappets down in the future use a spot of silicone pure automotive fuc#ery

She purrs now.

Name and Shame

that engine sounds just awful...what's making the clicking noise?

Surely that’s not right ?

Short cut rebuild inc.

Are those Webber 45?

Every Jaguar XK6 engine on youtube sounds like that. Camera's pick up the tappet noise and people aren't used to hearing engines without hla's.

E sarnds a lott like Michaeld Caine Yeah? Not a lotta people know that!

Sad when someone claims to know what they are doing and obviously does not. . Many people regret having an engine rebuilt by such charlatans.

not well that.

5:27 Those welds on the exhaust headers tho 🤮

nothing gets my crankshaft harder than a good Machinist ▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀

What the F#!/=^!!!!!!! Who did that??? No business touching a car! Let alone a jag engine!!!!!

that engine was so badly built that we would like to know the engine builder so we can stay clear or are people just going to have to suffer

Shame the audio is undecipherable....

Sorry, what language he speaking?

Sadly from 2030 on all combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. They even discuss to slow out the gas pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute (!) From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.

very poor audio, barely can understand

you can never trust anyone in the car game - i went for a pair of part worns - 4 days later it was showing signs of leaking air - i went to a diff part worn garage that told me some dodgy people about - then puts 50 psi in my 15 inch rims i mean never trust any mechanic, and always inspect what work they have done

Just a story. Who really knows who butchered that engine??

Sorry, you need to work on your sound. I can't understand a word. I speak american english

Quick count: nearly two thirds of the enthusiasts viewing (and listening) can hear a ticking which sounds like poor tappet adjustment. For heavens sake explain, otherwise much of your presentation is discredited.

Did those failures result from "amateur engine rebuilding" or did they result from a crappy engine design with cylinder liners "cast" into an aluminum block leaking coolant into the crankcase, contaminating the oil and causing the crankshaft/lube system problems that ultimately caused that piston to seize and jerk the sleeve out of the block? And was it shoddy work or a tightass owner that refused to pay for proper repairs and the shop did the best possible job "on a budget"? Jag owners seem to think their cars are extraordinarily valuable but also think they're so damned good they don't have to be "rebuilt" properly. Probably because there's no way TOO rebuild them properly without rebuilding them entirely.

At 06:26 there is a clear indication of what is wrong. Made in England. That is the problem. Nice engines to make money. I would prefer a Toyota Supra engine. Made in Japan. Runs 200k miles without trouble. I had a Triumph Spitfire and a Stag. Absolute rubbish thrown together by incompetent and dissatisfied bricklayers.

Having owned an E-type V12, I find the vehicle horrible, unreliable, thirsty and a waste of money. The weight is all at the front, making the steering too heavy. The lack of weight at the rear produces little traction, skidding, sliding and abysmal handling. The engines are unreliable, the electrics appalling. I can't find anything good to write about JLR products.

Sounds poorly built.