After trimming and adjusting the radiator fan, it must also be static balanced. Jaguar suggests rolling the fan on level parallel bars; when various positions no longer result in movement, the fan is balanced. Two half-moon shaped metal weights can be positioned along the arc of the bolt pattern to......
Stuck #@!$*!
Completely stuck for the past 10 days! Everything has been ready for the first engine start, but that hasn’t really happened yet. “Really” because the engine did start for about a minute, sputtering at a very low RPM, and then it died as soon as the throttle was applied. As......
First engine start!
From the depths of despair to victory at last. Here are the video highlights: The outpouring of sympathy and suggestions from all of you has been most encouraging. So what was the problem? Well, the fuel did appear to be bad, perhaps cross-contaminated with diesel (it was oily and didn’t......
Fine tuning
With the engine now running, fine tuning can be completed. There are three settings on the carburetor: idle speed, fuel volume, and throttle tension controlled by a spring. With the engine warmed up and the linkage clamps loosened, the first step is to set the idle screw. A strip of......
Petrol
A running engine brings to mind the topic of petrol (aka gasoline or gas across the pond). British Petroleum, a corporation now plagued by misguided environmental and ethical decisions, was once at the vanguard of national pride. In 1925, BP operated some 6,000 service stations with a logo that helped......
Ninety-ninety rule
When 90% of a task is complete, the remaining 10% takes 90% of the time. — Paraphrased and originally attributed to Tom Cargill, 1985 The Ninety-ninety rule appears to be true in terms of getting the engine to run flawlessly. We’ve overcome several obstacles — the damper conflict with the......
Oil filter leak remedy
See prior post about the oil filter leak. After removing the entire oil filter housing and getting the spin-on adapter loose (which took considerable twisting, tapping, and wiggling), the oil filter leak culprit became clear: the inside diameter of the adapter was just a bit too narrow for the inside......
Solex backgrounder
See also Solex rebuilding and tuning. Jaguar incorporated twin Solex carburetors for the Mark I and Mark II models with the 2.4 engine between 1956 and 1967, but deployed twin SUs for all the other XK engine models. Thus, the Solex is something of an orphan child among Jaguar World......
Mk2 modified specification
This is the specification for our Jaguar Mk2 with the 2.4 liter XK engine as adjusted for modifications described in this restoration blog. See also maintenance log for current fluids and project punch list....
Front grille and bumper
The front grille with its MK2 2.4 badge attaches to the frame with four side clips and a top bolt. Its return marks an appearance turning point; the front of the Jaguar now looks like the classic icon we love. The grille also completes the engine bay, and here is......