Motor Project # 16 - Timing Cover

This project is meant to inform/entertain. From Steve Hannes Click on any picture to enlarge, then F11 This is not as much a real project as it is notice that I need to suspend the motor project for a couple of months as I'll be in Phoenix, physically 800 miles away from the motor. I will return to Denver in August then resume with the exhaust system. I apologize to those of you anxious to see the headers finished. I've had quite a time with my consulting business and have been traveling extensively. The only thing new - I've now replaced the timing cover and harmonic balancer. Coincidentally, I just took my 2002 X-Type manual Sport, BRG in for its fourth and final service and the factory warranty expires on June 8th. Past that date, I am now free to make some "changes" to the car including the proposed 3.0L engine swap. Coming up, in future projects, I'll document and photo the engine change over along with any "challenges" that come about. I am STILL looking for an X-Type manual transmission in used, or any condition. My existing Sport is a manual, but I want a spare trans. If anyone knows of one, I'd be interested in discussing/purchasing. Here are a few pictures of the 3.0L motor to tide over until the summer passes: The front of the motor with timing cover back in place. The back bank looking much cleaner with the factory exhaust plumbing missing. The front bank with new style oil filtering in place. Thanks for everyone's patience on the exhaust system. Thinking about it, I received this engine Christmas of 2005. That is only six months ago. Hopefully, it will be running in my Sport by this Christmas. Enjoy!

Motor Project # 15 - Oil Filtering

From Steve Hannes - This project is meant to educate Click on any picture to enlarge, then F11. I am still working on the exhaust headers, but extensive business travel has stalled my recent progress. This project will focus on the the oil filtering on the 3.0L Duratec engine used in the Jaguar X-Type. Because of the exhaust design that Jaguar has incorporated to accomplish goals of high emmissions efficiency, much greater heat is generated around the engine block and heads. This is evident by the large number of heat shielding pieces used on both banks. Additionally, the tranverse layout hinders airlfow in the engine compartment. One problem created by these designs is significantly increased oil operating temperatures. Jag engineers reduced oil operating temperatures by incorporating a cooling system sourced at the oil filter and fed by the coolant system. The potential problems for the X-Type owner are a number of additional small rubber hose components that wouldn't normally be part of the cooling system that will fail some day. Of course, these are not that easy to see or get to when they eventually fail. Several pictures below show the components that make up the system and a mock up of the coolant lines The first picture shows the mock up assembly. Right below the header you'll see the filter cooling radiator with inlet/outlet hoses. The larger hose on the left is inlet and is the bottom radiator hose. Coolant flows through coils that contact oil flowing into the filter. Coolant then flows out of the coolant radiator to the coolant system's thermostat. Connections here consist of two very small rubber hoses with a rigid aluminum pipe connector in the middle. These two small hoses will be prone to failure, and I will elimintate them in my modifications. BTW - The thermostat is located in the vertical pipe assembly to the right/rear of the headers. It is the triangular flange housing seen in this picture. The small hose immediately below it is the notorious TSB hose that had a tendancy to blow off and Jaguar issued the TSB to install a screw hose clamp. You'll see both the old and replacement clamps on the aluminum pipe left from when I removed this assembly. Jag techs would install the new clamp and not remove the old one. A picture of just the filter and coolant housing as designed by Jaguar Here is a picture of the filtering components on the Jaguar design. The Cooling readiator is shown on the left. The extension stud in the middle and the factory numbered oil filter in a FRAM crossover, the XG3600. In my modified design, used with the header system, I will eliminate all of these parts including the extra coolant lines. With the header system and cat back design I am freeing up a lot of heat bulidup and congestion in the filtering area. By reducing the coolant line extensions I will improve the overall coolant flow in the system, eliminate these small hoses prone to failure on the road, and replace the factory oil filter with a larger capacity (FRAM PH 2) for increased oil filtering. The larger filter will also aid in natural cooling. For my design I will route the lower radiator hose directly to the coolant system's thermostat. Here is a picture of the replacement oil filtering components. The small stud shown here is from a circa 1999 V6 Duratec. It screws directly into the mounting location on the block of the existing filtering system. Then the oil filter mounts to that. Here is a picture of the smaller stud installed in the engine block. In the engine manufacturing process, the oil filter flange is milled to specs the same way on all V6 Duratec variations, then different division users accessorize the filtering system according to their designs. This makes the PH 2 filter variation work directly on the original engine factory machined flange, which is a variation in itself. You can see the small stud installed on the circular flange directly under the first and second header pipe, counting from the left. The final assembly with headers in place will look like this: I expect this modification, in addition to the headers and modifications to the coolant system will overall improve performance and clean up some "clutter" in the engine compartment. Again, I appreciate your patience for those waiting to see the completion of the header system. It's been a busy time for my business and will continue in the near future. Enjoy.

Motor Project # 14 - Waiting to Exhale, the 1st Sequel

From Steve Hannes - This project is meant to inform, educate. Click on any picture to enlarge; then F11. This is a continuation of the first "Waiting to Exhale" project - Exhaust modifications. In this project I have taken two directions to modify and improve the exhaust end of the flow design on the 3.0L Duratec used in the Jaguar X-Type. I have the designs completed now in the physical past the exhaust manifolds. One takes the standard exhaust manifolds and replaces them with some generic Duratec manifolds that are more "header like" then will push the catalytic converters back to a single hi-flow unit past the crossovers and collector. The second design consists of a full blown set of headers with the same configuration. Both of these designs will significantly improve the flow of the engine and will ultimately increase HP and torque. Pictures of stock exhaust, plus both mod options are included. First, some theory about engine performance. I read many Jaguar and Duratec chat sites and it amazes me just how much mis-information is out there about engine performance, especially when some give opinion and try to lay it out as fact. One very popular line is: "Jaguar engineers have designed the Duratec for ultimate performance and no additional performance can be achieved." This is so very far from the truth. Think of complete engine performance as a "three legged stool". The first leg is "power", the second leg is "fuel efficiency", the third leg is "emissions efficiency". As with a stool, the length of each leg impacts the other two if total balance is what I am seeking to achieve . If I design for maximum fuel efficiency (increase the length of the fuel efficiency leg), I will negatively affect the power and emissions legs; design for maximum power (measured in HP and torque), I'll negatively impact emissions and fuel efficiency. And, of course, design for maximum emissions efficiency and I'll negatively affect fuel and power. The influence these three legs have on each other is subject to the laws of Physics and are not governed by opinion, and even very unique engine designs are still limited by these laws. In modern engine design must consider country regulatory requirements, etc., and the ultimate design is struck using a balance of all three legs, then optimizing each using innovative, creative ideas like VVT, multi-port intake, etc. With upcoming, more stringent emissions requirements, what was Jaguar's (and Ford's) design requirements for the Duratec engines? #1 priority was to maximize emissions efficiency to meet those future regulatory requirements, and a close second was fuel efficiency to meet other country requirements and customer demand. That means then maximum power was sacrificed! So, for those who think there is no power left on the table in the Duratec Jaguar design, think again! Let's look at how Jaguar accomplished maximum emissions efficiency on the Duratec in the X-Type. But then we'll examine the trouble they got into, and how they solved some problems they created. Everyone knows what a catalytic converter is. It is a key component in "converting" partially consumed fuels coming from the combustion chamber to a more completely consumed chemical compound. A key component in making a cat work is heat. The hotter the cat, the more efficiently it does its job. On startup when cats are cold, they really don't work. Jaguar took two high efficiency, compact catalytic converters and designed them to attach directly to the exhaust manifolds. This positions them very (unusually) close to the engine and causes them to heat up much more quickly and operate much hotter. Great for the emissions leg of our stool! But an adverse outcome of doing this was additional heat buildup surrounding the engine (and engine bay). This caused the engine oil temperature to run too hot, and damaging heat impact on various accessories like - power steering pump, steering rack, transfer case, to name a few. To compensate, engineers were forced to water cool the engine oil...yes, water cool! I've complained before about the overly complex coolant system, one branch of which provides for an inlet/outlet coolant line through a modified oil filter housing. Unfortunately, some of these additional coolant legs with rubber hoses will eventually fail on us, probably on the road. So, as an additional benefit to changing the configuration of the exhaust system on the 3.0L project engine, I will be making other modifications to the coolant system to return to a more traditional oil filtration fixture, and I will be eliminating some of the heat shielding that will positively affect the engine bay temps in several locales. Ultimately, this will become an easier engine to field repair with a lot of the shielding gone. STOCK 3.0L Exhaust configuration as Jaguar designed it: In these pictures I am showing the stock exhaust configuration. None of the heat shields are included so it is easy to get a look at the asymmetrical design and placements of the cats, high up in the exhaust stream. OPTION I - Generic Duratec Exhaust Manifolds: In the first option I am using a stock set of exhaust manifolds from a 1999 Taurus 3.0L. These are much more balanced left to right, have much better flow than the stock Jaguar versions and, when I get the crossovers and collectors completed, will have a cat back design located past the collector. It is intended to be a cost effective way of improving exhaust flow, and with less effort to accomplish the changeover. OPTION II - Exhaust Header, Crossover, Collector, Single Hi-Flow Cat Solution: Here are the same pics showing the full header solution. I'll mock the crossover and collector from corrugated tubing, then have them built in solid tubing at a muffler shop. Here too, the cat will be pushed back past the collector and will find itself under the chassis floor pan. Now I will complete the fab mock ups to create the crossovers and collectors for both exhaust options. I've taken these pictures carefully and will use them in the first found of measurements for the mock ups, comparing the placements to the first set of pics showing the stock system. Then in final steps, I will use my X-Type to finish the layouts and fittings. These will be covered in future projects with the same project name. Hope you find this project informative - enjoy!

Motor Project # 13 - Rewind (Retime)

From Steve Hannes - This project is meant to educate. Click on any picture to enlarge It's been a while since we last visited the 3.0L. We left it with a valve clearance issue. Two intake valves on the right bank, one from the #1 cylinder and one from the # 2 cylinder (Generic Duratec numbering and timing), were out of tolerance by .oo4". In this post I'll take you through the process to replace these shims, install the intake cam and retime the right bank. For the shim replacement I've followed the JTIS to the letter, which specifies cam removal to change valve shims. If you've followed my posts, you're aware of the WORK involved in doing that (and the cost! About$400 in gaskets and parts for a DIY!). In the reverse process I will get all of this stuff back together, then at the end of the post I'll show you a shortcut to remove/replace shims that requires no removal of the cam, which requires no removal of the timing cover, which requires no removal of the timing chain, and yes, no special tools. The shortcut was actually suggested by one of the Jaguar techs who reads this blog. I've tried it and it works, but you need to be EXTREMELY careful not to damage the shim buckets. Additionally, he uses a fan blowgun attachment to remove the shim from the bucket. Instead I use a strong magnet as I don't want engine oil blown clear across my garage and everywhere in between. Well, lets get our hands dirty. With the intake cam removed from the right bank (pictures in previous project), I've replaced the two out of tolerance shims with the correct ones. It's simple to calculate the correct shim size. From the original clearance measurement (.004") I need to reach a factory spec of .008" to .009", so: .008" - .004" = .004" (smaller shim than the existing one to correct clearance) When I removed the first shim it measured 0.1005" .1005" - .004"= .0965" For this first shim, I need to replace the .1005" shim with one .0965. Jaguar sells these in several mm increments. .0965 = approx. 2.45 mm, I purchased the closest size 2.42 mm which is .0952". This will give a clearance of closer to .oo9", still in tolerance and, keep in mind from my previous post, these gaps tend to decrease as valves seat, although I should be fully seated on this 15K miles engine. The shim replacement is now completed for both out of tolerance valves, time to reinstall the intake cam. I will not go into all of the details, but mention some important steps. Look at this picture of the right bank intake cam and count from the left, you'll see three bearing caps (two bolts each) and a fourth larger cap to the right, that controls lateral play.

1. Remember that each cap MUST go back in the same place and same orientation.
2. The caps have locating dowels on each bolt hole so they're not going to seat completely flat from the start.
3. Generously lubricate the entire cam and bearing journals with assembly grease, place the cam in position, lubricate the caps and the shims.
4. Be very careful with the fourth (larger) cap. It has a diagonal oil passage that is drilled from the bearing surface to the lateral face bearing surface. Do NOT pack this with assembly grease as it will take too long on engine startup for the grease to dissolve. Make certain this passage is clear!
5. This is a General note. I'll make it once as I will probably forget somewhere in the future. I use anti-seize lubricant on ANY steel bolt being threaded into aluminum! All of the cam cap bolts are steel and the head is aluminum.
6. The key to correct cam assembly is: start all bolts and thread down evenly! Once the cap dowels begin to make contact in the head, I only turn each bolt 1/2 turn starting on the far right (fourth cap), inside/outside bolt, then move to the next cap, 1/2 turn inside/outside bolt, and so on. Return to the right side and repeat another 1/2 turn on all bolts until all caps are seated but hardly tightened.
7. Now you are ready for the torque wrench. The torque sequence on these cam caps is the same we've been using to run the bolts down. Start at the large cap - inside/outside bolts, the move to the next cap, repeat, capish? JTIS torque spec is: 10 nm. Don't (ever) retorque. Click once, go on to the next bolt, capish?

Now let's time! To retime the right bank there is the easy way or the Jaguar JTIS way. I'm going to show you the easy way because if you try to read and follow JTIS, it'll make you crazy, your hair will fall out, your fingernails will grow to 12 inches long and we'll have to visit you in a special place and wipe the oatmeal off your chin...I'm sure you don't want that!

All of the JTIS assembly stuff (Engine - 303-01; steps 28 through 31) are pretty much malarchy! The clock settings are mostly meant to put the intake/exhaust cams (one bank at a time) in the most relaxed positions. The actual timing of the intake/exhaust cams to the crankshaft is never really spelled out and there is a significant chance the engine will not be timed correctly following these rote instructions. Never is the intuitive instruction given here.

Principles of Timing a Duratec: If you forget everything I've ever said, just DON'T forget this:

For the right bank: 23 chain links from the crank keyway to the exhaust cam timing mark, another 15 links to the intake timing mark.

For the left bank: 23 chain links from the crank keyway to the INTAKE cam timing mark, another 15 links to the exhaust timing mark(intake/exhaust cams reversed left/right banks). It's just that simple!

With this information you can practically put a blindfold on and time this engine with tactile skills, perfectly every time. Here are some subordinate rules:

1. For timing, remember that the one and only common and FIXED position is the Keyway on the crankshaft. Everything gets positioned from this point.
2. ALL link counting (either bank) and ANY rotation of anything is CLOCKWISE.
3. Put anti-seize compound on any steel bolt threaded into aluminum.
4. Put a liberal coating of assembly lube on all parts - chain, guides, etc.

First step, assemble the stationary chain guide. It is the one piece cast aluminum frame containing the intake VVT pump solenoid. It has three bolts, one of which gets tightened first. Also, don't forget the small dime sized o-ring between the pump and the oil passage that feeds the the VVT. Here is a picture. The bolt that gets tightened and torqued first is the one directly under the exhaust cam sprocket. However, you still want to hand tighten all three, the other two are top/bottom of the chain guide. The reason you're torquing the bolt under the cam sprocket first is because it seats the o-ring with the VVT oil passage. JTIS torque spec is: 25 nm.

Now you're ready to place the chain on the sprockets. The relative ideal position for the right bank timing is: crankshaft keyway 7 o'clock (make that pm not am...nah, only kidding about the pm), exhaust mark at 8 o'clock pm...nah still kidding, and intake mark at 1 o'clock. This is just where we positioned everything to disassemble.

Place the chain (so it will rotate in the same direction it was removed) over the intake/exhaust sprockets. Start with the mark on the exhaust cam and count 15 links to the intake cam. This now puts the two cams in time with each other.

If you look closely at this picture, click to enlarge, you'll see the white dot mark on the exhaust cam sprocket, and the white dot mark on the intake cam sprocket is smaller, almost straight up at 12 o'clock. You can count the 15 links in the picture.

Now continue to thread the chain CLOCKWISE over the stationary chain guide and engage with the crankshaft sprocket for the right bank. Remember, you need 23 links from the keyway to the exhaust timing dot. The chain will seem very large and you'll have plenty of room to move it because the adjustable chain guide is not installed at this point.

See this picture to view the chain and timing to this point. Before the adjustable guide is assembled, the link count and the slack must be taken up all in one direction - what direction? This is a test. CLOCKWISE from the exhaust timing dot all the way around to the crank keyway. If there is too much slack on the stationary guide then turn the crank slightly CLOCKWISE (See how easy this is). If there is not enough slack to make the 23 tooth count, then rock the intake/exhaust cams together back forth until you can make this count.

Now this will sit for a moment so we can prepare the tensioner. The tensioner is a LOAD/LOCK design. It has a sprung piston that puts tension on the adjustable guide and a secondary ratchet locked stop to keep the chain from gaining slack under load. To load the tensioner, fully collapse the piston in a bench vise, then the fixed ratchet stop must be released and placed down at the shoulder of the piston. With this, a slot in the ratchet stop will appear through an inspection hole in the body of the tensioner. Place a paper clip, or drill rod in the inspection hole and this will hold the piston and ratchet in the fully collapsed position. Here is a picture of the tensioner loaded and locked. I used a small drill bit as my paper clip.

Now the tensioner along with the adjustable chain guide can be assembled. The guide just rides on a dowel pin and, without the tensioner in place, has plenty of freeplay for assembly. At this point you can push on the guide until it bears pressure on the chain and you'll see the right bank timing really coming to life now. As you hold it against the chain, now is a good time to recheck the link timing. Start at the crank keyway and count (how many links)? to the exhaust sprocket dot. Continue counting (in what direction)? and (how many links)? to the intake white dot. If everything is what you now know it should be, then you're ready to install the tensioner. Use the two bolts coated with anti-seize, thread them in by hand. There should be some play for the guide as the piston is still fully collapsed. Tighten the two bolts to (JTIS) 25 nm. Before you release the drill bit (to release the piston), there is a recess in the guide where the piston rides. There is enough play in the guide that it is possible for the piston to sit outside this recess. Once that is in place, release the drill bit. The piston will exert the correct amount of pressure to the guide at this time. Finally move the secondary ratchet stop in place under the guide recess and Voila!...Timed!

Here is a picture of the tensioner in place, torqued, just before the drill bit is released.

One final step: Rotate the crankshaft two complete turns (what direction)? to approximately the same place 7 o'clock pm (get you with that every time don't I), and recount 23, 15, to make sure you're timed correctly.

Well, that's quite the round about way (and the JTIS way) to do a valve adjustment on the V6. All together several hours of labor (Jaguar book says 5/6 hours' labor) and, again, about $400 retail in parts which includes just two shims.

How about a shortcut. One that only involves removing the valve covers then removing replacing the shims directly under the cams without removing them. Most manufacturers make a tool for this. It holds the bucket down so the shim can be removed when the cam lobe is opposite the shim. Talking to a few technicians, there is a tool like this for the V8, some talk about a tool, maybe, for the S-Type...Long story short, no one really knows and JTIS doesn't for sure.

With the cam lobe opposite the shim, reach back behind the cam with a flat blade screw driver, taped with black electrical tape. You need to catch the very edge of the bucket (it's a delicate operation). Force the bucket down in its recess, use a strong industrial magnet to catch the shim, it can be dislodged and removed. With the shim out you can release the screwdriver and no contact with the cam is made. Select the correct shim. Once again, place the screw driver on the edge of the bucket, depress (doesn't take a lot of pressure), slip the new shim in. Make sure it's seated in the bucket, release the screw driver...Voila!

Here is a picture with the screw driver in place and the new shim ready to go in.

Why should you care about this project? I'm not expecting most to do their own valve adjustments, and I start with the belief that all shops are honest, but in case one is not, there is a WHOLE BUNCH of money to be made on a valve adjustment. If the shop wants to quote JTIS procedure on an X-Type, they will probably include 6 to 8 hours of labor, or more, and anywhere from $400 to $600 in parts. Then they can perform this shortcut and cut the labor down to one and a half or two hours. That's why you want to know this, even if you never DIY!

At this time I am proceeding to seal the engine back up. Next, I'll reinstall the lower end stuff removed in earlier posts. pan baffles, oil sump pick up, oil pan. I'm fairly convinced there isn't much I can do with the innards of the Duratec, even crossing over to the generic side. At least for the moment.

On the other hand, there is plenty to do outside, with intake and exhaust. I have been very busy pursuing two options for more efficient exhaust. One is a moderate design using other Duratec parts and a cat back layout. The other involves a full blown header set with cat back also. I will be previewing both options in mock up very soon. There is still a lot of work to do with building crossover pipes, etc., but I'm feeling very optimistic about the exhaust. Both options, BTW, still fully utilize the factory ECM outputs and factory mapping. Then Karl Wolf has a muffler mod that I'll include in the final exhaust mod.

Hope you enjoy.

Motor Project # 12 - Deep Breathing Exercise!

This project is provided by KARL WOLF and is meant to educate.

CAUTION: This project is NOT for the beginner mechanic and should only be attempted if you are confident in your mechanical abilities and fabrication skills, and you understand the functions of the intake side of the OBD II engine management system.

Karl continues with some performance modifications to the stock air filter box. Here's Karl: This modification is designed to eliminate the airflow restrictions in the standard airbox. This project can be combined with the spark plug change, the intake manifold porting, and throttle body cleaning (projects 5, 10, and 11) to make for a complete afternoon intake tune-up. In almost all current engine designs, the throttle body should be the real engine airflow limiter. My modifications of the airbox and intake allow the throttle body, not the airbox to be the limiting factor in the air intake system. The airbox on the Jaguar X-Type is limited by packaging and noise devices designed into the air intake system. I have reduced how these designs impact airflow. The main modification is in the top of the airbox. To disassemble the top air box half, first remove the factory inlet hose clamp. The standard clamp can be easily removed with a pair of pliers and a small flathead screwdriver. Squeeze the two large tabs together gently and pry the upper band end from the lower band end. If you are careful, you will not damage the clamp and it can be re-used. Carefully remove the MAF sensor (two screws) and set aside. Unscrew the top and look at it from the inside. Let's start by looking at two pictures of the top air inlet box disassembled:

Focus your attention on the baffle plate seen in these two pictures. It protrudes into the path of the inlet tube. You can see the base of this plate at the bottom right hand corner of the inside of the air box. I removed all the lateral raised plastic from the inside of the top with a dremel, but a file or sharp blade could be used. This baffle is designed to break up the airflow to reduce noise. The reduced airflow, of course, restricts performance. The major restriction is where the airbox meets the 3" output tube. As you can see in the first picture, the lower portion is totally obstructed. You now have two options to modify the top cover: Option One (simple solution): CAREFULLY remove as much of this restriction as possible with a file, dremel, etc. This is the real bottleneck in the airflow. Take your time so you do not cut through to the outside of the box. Don't be too concerned about the area near the inside lip of the box because the filter gasket will seal this area. This is the easiest modification and my original solution.

If you stop at this point, you've made a big improvement in air flow to the TB, but this still leaves almost 1/5th of the airflow blocked. See this picture with the baffle completely removed. For even greater air flow: Option Two (more serious modification): Remove (cut) the 3" tube which houses the MAF sensor as close as possible to the airbox top. Purchase a 3" aluminum or thin gauge steel tube. You only need about 3." I used a piece from an old intake. Make an oval out of the tube and set it inside the airbox top. Make sure that it covers the original opening completely. Trace around the tube and then cut inside the lines. Use a dremel or drill a number of holes and "connect the dots." Finish by trimming until you get a tight fit.

Sand all the edges and rough up the surfaces. Make sure you have at least 1" available on the outside to clamp the new connector tube. You will have to trim this to fit later. I used two self-tapping screws to hold it in position and cut off the protruding tips. Use flexible two-part epoxy to seal the tube to the airbox lid. Clean all the surfaces completely. Finish off with a quality vinyl paint on the outside and Armorall or silicone spray (well wiped off) on the inside. Trim the inside of the MAF tube so that air will flow smoothly into the tube. Connect the MAF tube to the metal airbox tube with a silicone 3" connector and hose clamps.

Next, I modify the cold air intake (lower portion of the airbox) by adding an additional cold air pickup next to the two existing cold air inlets. Continue disassembly by removing the lower airbox and use a holesaw to drill an additional 2" hole. Purchase the 2" flexible tubing at any auto parts store. It is sold as heater or intake tubing. The flexible 2" duct routes over the top of the radiator and next to the stock intake tubes. This will allow more airflow into the lower part of the airbox. A picture of the lower portion of the airbox is shown here in place with the new air inlet modification. See the third air inlet to the far right of the box, next to the two original oval inlets.

Here is a picture of the grill. Although a little difficult to see, the additional cold air inlet is just barely visible to the left side of the original left air inlet. Here is a picture of the air box reassembled after all of the modifications. Very little has changed in appearance from the stock air box. I use a K&N filter, but you can use a stock filter. Just make sure to replace it regularly.

Cost? About $15.00 in parts. Time? One hour for the simple solution. Two to three hours for the more complex solution. The great thing about these mods is that unless you know what you are looking at, the air intake looks totally stock and really does not change anything but allows more airflow. You may notice a very small increase in intake growl but it is only due to the increase in airflow, not the growl associated with an aftermarket air intake. These aftermarket intakes take air from under the hood. Some of the benefits of these kits are negated by the additional heated underhood air.

Notice to all blog readers: We're looking for more projects that will help you improve performance of your Jaguar X-Type. What would you like to see next? Here's an incentive: Anyone want to see the actual HP increase for this project via Vericom results? Just use the "post comments" on this blog with a request for another project you would like to see and your email address! We'll email the results to you as a thank you! Coming soon: We're hot on the trail with some exhaust modifications. You might remember in project #3, we examined the stock exhaust layout used on the X-Type. It offers a bounty of performance opportunities and we're taking advantage of all of them. See it in an upcoming project post.

Motor Project # 11 - Clearing Your Throat!

This project is provided by Karl Wolf and is meant to educate. This project can be accomplished by someone with average to high mechanical skills - not for beginners. CAUTION: Give careful consideration to this maintenance process as Jaguar is so concerned improper cleaning of the throttle body will occur, the factory will deny warranty to the TB even if they find evidence it has been cleaned. It is advisable to wait until after warrany has expired. Karl continues with some simple/easy maintenance items while the intake manifold is removed. Karl describes a safe way to clean carbon build up on the back of the throttle body. Jaguar uses a clearcoat on the inner surfaces and cleaned improperly or left uncleaned, air flow as well as throttle blade functions can be adversely impacted. This can be combined with project #s 5 & 10 and called an intake tuneup. Once again, here's Karl: Throttle Body Cleaning As Steve has indicated, the Throttle Body is a relatively delicate part. Standard carburetor cleaners should NOT be used under any circumstance! That being said, there is a safe way to clean the TB. Before we get to that, let's recall where the throttle body might be at the moment. If you've been following projects in this blog and are using the instructions to remove the intake manifold to change spark plugs (project # 5), then you recall the throttle body was disconnected from the intake manifold, but left to "float" in place as a shortcut so that electrical and coolant connections could be preserved. It is possible to follow these steps without removing the throttle body as it was left in project #5, however, you will be at a slight disadvantage over these pictures because the opening needing cleaning points toward the windshield. If you decide to remove the TB completely, it is water cooled and has inlet and outlet rubber hose connections that lead to the engine coolant system. Be very careful as these hoses are formed and short in length. As they get old, they become brittle. If you see any signs of this it is advised that you replace them. As a rule of thumb, if you have over 50K on the clock, or any 50K increment, replace them. It'll save you a breakdown on the road. BTW, make sure the engine is cooled down (cold) before you disconnect these hoses. They will leak coolant even if you remove some of the coolant from the system, which is advised. They reside "high" in the coolant system so you don't need to remove all of the coolant. You also have two electrical connections to remove too if you choose to remove the TB - the Throttle position sensor (TPS) and the throttle motor connector. TPS and motor are the "throttle by wire" system that is used on the 2.5, 3.0L V6 in the X-Type. PS - The diesel versions (not in the US) still use a throttle linkage. Picture 1 - Front of Throttle body (click on any picture to enlarge) This picture shows the front of a throttle body after about 15,000miles. It doesn't look bad but you can see slight darkening around the throttle blade. This is the view you would see when you remove the rubber air tube coming from the air filter. Picture 2 - Back of Throttle Body (to the intake manifold) This picture demonstrates that what you don't see can hurt drivability and performance. This carbon/oil buildup is not unique to the X Type. All throttle bodies will develop crud buildup over time. This buildup comes from the oil and fuel byproducts recirculated within the motor. The difference in the X is that it is drive by wire. As mentioned above, this means that the only connection between the gas pedal and the TB is an electrical wire. No cable activates the throttle blade. There is also no separate idle air valve. The idle is controlled by the TB butterfly. This means that air is always flowing through the butterfly so it does not have some of the self-cleaning of a conventional cable operated TB. When the butterfly closes fully, it scrapes some of the crud away. With the conventional TB, when the butterfly sticks we just press harder on the accelerator to free it. Again, Steve has listed the partial removal of the throttle body in another post. It can be cleaned without being totally removed. Safe solvents are available to clean it. The X uses a coated throttle body. This is a coating designed to reduce buildup. You MUST use a product that specifically states it is safe to use on coated throttle bodies!! You will also need a soft detail brush or your old toothbrush. (Please throw it away after use in this project!) Picture 3 - Throttle body after cleaning. This picture shows the clean throttle body along with two products safe to use. Use them carefully, making sure you keep the TB in the mounted position. You do not want to hold it sideways as the solvent may run down the butterfly shafts and damage either the throttle motor or the throttle position sensor. Use the solvents per their instructions and the brush to remove stubborn deposits. As a side note: Many X-Type owners have switched to K&N air filters. Anyone concerned about using a K&N filter should view these pictures. You should be more concerned about the junk buildup from inside your motor than the minute particulate difference between a stock and K&N filter. And yes, changing your oil regularly with a high quality oil will also reduce this buildup. Hope you find this project useful. Enjoy!

Motor Project # 10 - Just Breathe!

This project is provided by KARL WOLF and is meant to educate. This project can be accomplished by someone with average to high mechanical skills - not for beginners. Karl is an expert in many areas of modern automotive technologies. He has years of experience with intake/exhaust efficiency and port/head flow dynamics. He provides some simple, low cost techniques to improve intake flow dynamics on the X-Type intake manifold. These techniques will work on the 2.5L and the 3.0L V6 Duratecs produced by Jaguar. Here's Karl: The X Type motor is a very well designed, very efficient motor. As Steve has pointed out, the major areas that can be improved upon are the intake and exhaust systems. This procedure could easily be done when the manifold is off during a spark plug change. This post will describe how to gain improvements in airflow thru the intake manifold. I will point out areas of concern and how to eliminate them. Keep in mind that the manifold in these pictures has less than 15k on it. Carbon builds up very quickly behind the throttle body which can hinder airflow. In another post I will detail how to SAFELY clean a coated throttle body. Jaguar coats these throttle bodies with a clearcoat to maximize air flow, but this surface is easily damaged or destroyed if you aren't aware. Remember that the Jaguar intake design consists of two different intake tracks. These intake tracks can be switched back and forth through solenoid control valves and are selected (opened/closed) by the ECM under various RPM, load and engine temperature conditions to maiximze air flow and ultimately maximize engine torque. The FIRST area for improvement. Picture 1, the area directly behind the throttle body(click on any picture to enlarge it): As you can see through the throttle body port, there is a large (vertical) flat surface which separates the two runners. This area is directly behind the Throttle Body and is the first bottleneck. This area needs to be smoothed and brought to a point to allow a smooth transition from the TB to the two runners. The front angle should be biased/angled so that the left runner is more exposed. It has a shorter radius and inherently greater restriction. Picture 2, improved port: Smooth this area with a Dremel, drill, or die grinder and take out any internal lumps and casting slag. It needs to be relatively smooth but doesn’t have to be perfect. Refer to picture 1 and you will see that the area quickly becomes covered with carbon/oil residue. The oil residue comes from reminants of the PCV which utilizes the intake manifold as a crankcase breather. The SECOND area for improvement. Picture 3, the intake runners: In this picture the lower intake manifold (black plastic) is assembled to the upper manifold the way the engine would receive the assemblies, except it is turned upside down so that you can clearly see down the six oval ports as they flow to the intake valves. Note the six green fuel injectors in place. As you can see, the aluminum intake runners are smaller than the oval ports in the black plastic lower intake manifold. This causes a restriction in the airflow capability of each cylinder. Attach the plastic lower manifold to the upper as shown here. Scribe a line around the inside of the plastic ports on ALL areas showing from the aluminum upper manifold. Separate the two manifolds and carefully remove the material from the aluminum ports until you come to the scribe marks. (NOTE: if you do not want to remove the lower manifold, acceptable results can be obtained by creating a template of the lower manifold ports. Use a thin piece of cardboard and carefully press it onto the lower ports one side at a time. Make sure you have the mounting points as a reference. Carefully cut out the ports on the pattern and transfer them to the upper manifold.) Work carefully and smooth the port transition into the manifold runner. The 80 grit sanding cylinders work best as they do not load up with the aluminum. Picture 4, Improved ports: You should be able to match the ports exactly to the lower manifold. Look through each oval, compare to the picture above and note the aluminum landings are now gone and these upper intake ports now match the lower (black plastic) ports. The THIRD area for improvement. Picture 5, the manifold valves: This area requires the least work. Look for any casting areas where there is not a smooth transition from one area to another. I found a large area in the lower surface of the upper port. I also smoothed the left edge of the machined surfaces to enhance flow. Picture 6, Improved port: Thoroughly clean the inside of the manifold to remove all the aluminum filings. I first used air to blow out everything possible. I found that a large plastic storage bin filled with water and car wash detergent works great. Just make sure you remove the MAP sensor from the manifold before cleaning. Conclusion: How much additional power can you expect? The middle of winter in Chicago is not the best time to test this out. Experience tells me that these modifications should net about 10HP along with increased mileage. Cost? About $10 in supplies and 2 hours time. Watch for future projects that test the manifold modifications. We'll look at the "other" end of the process too - the Exhaust end. Enjoy.

Motor Project # 9 - Calipers

From Steve Hannes - This project is meant to entertain. This is a very short post and quite off track from the theme of my blog. In acquiring the entire front sub-assembly of the 3.0L Jaguar engine and transmission, along with it came bunches of extras like the entire front suspension and brakes. As a sideline, and to keep myself entertained while the engine project is idling, I've rebuilt the front brake caliper assemblies. These will go on my British Racing Green Sport the next front brake job. Click on picture to enlarge.

Motor Project # 8 - Vital Fluids

From Steve Hannes - Jaguar X-Type Fluids/Capacities

NOTE: This covers the X-Type, however, I've included two links that give fluid information for all models.

SPECIAL WARNING: The fluids used in the Jaguar X-Type are a new generation "extended life", "long life" or "sealed for life" fluids. Be VERY careful replacing any of these fluids with traditional natural petroleum or synthetic products. Some suppliers that want to sell lubricants are going to give you a recommendation if you ask for their "compatible" lubricant, but the question is bigger than that. Look at the Ford or Jaguar specification that I've listed for each component. You must ensure the replacement lubricant is compatible with the spec. For example: The new generation M2C192A Ford spec. for the differential lubricant is a much different product than just a standard 75W140 synthetic gear oil. I've put dozens of hours in researching brands, calling suppliers and assembling the information below. Save yourself some time/effort and take advantage of this work.

RE: Lubricants, Fluids, Sealers and Adhesives Description Specification. I’ve completed an exhaustive research matching Jaguar (Ford) specifications with commercial brand oils and lubricants. And I now know more than I ever wanted about fluids specifications! Ford (and Jaguar), like all manufacturers, creates an engineering specification for fluids, then usually manufactures their own or partners with a supplier. Jaguar has partnered with Castrol since 07/2004. Commercial lubricant suppliers then choose whether to offer products that meet manufacturer’s specifications. Unfortunately, not all popular brands choose to specify compliance with all manufacturers. That doesn’t mean they do not, but they don’t market products for specification compliance.

A good example of this is two manufacturers popular with the race circuit – Royal Purple and Redline. Redline makes synthetic gear lubricants for transmissions, transfer cases and differentials. They do not advertise manufacturer’s specification compliance in their product spec sheets, and they did not answer my written request for that information. Therefore, I don’t list their products and you’re on your own if you want to substitute their products for Jag/Ford specs. Royal Purple makes synthetic oils and lubricants as well as traditional oils. They too do not advertise, nor would they answer written requests for spec compliance. They actually recommend synthetic motor oil (10W 40) for manual transaxles and in compliance with WSD-M2C200-C, but call me skeptical. Again, you won’t find these products on my list. For all of my research I use the factory vehicle specifications by Jaguar. I've attached a Jaguar bulletin regarding fluids to the bottom of this post. Note the warnings about unauthorized fluids and impact on warranty. "Fluids are subject to audit on warranty claims." BTW – If anyone wants their own copy of the vehicle specifications by Jaguar, someone published the 2003 PDF version on the web. Find it at: http://jaguar.telko.ru/Vehicle%20Specification%20(1998-2003%20all%20models).pdf General Specifications from JTIS, details follow: Engine oil (EUROPE), SAE 5W-30W SS-M2C-913A – N/A in this doc. Engine oil (US), SAE 5W-30 ILSAC GF3, API SJ – See Below Engine assembly lubricant SQM-2C9003 AA EP90 – Used to assemble engine components like camshafts, bearings, etc. Any internal engine part that might have metal to metal contact on startup before engine oil can get to it. These are all greases that dissolve and go into solution with motor oil. Brands: Redline Assembly Lube; Torco MPZ Assembly Lube pn. MPZ-AL; Belray Assembly Lube Sta-Lube Assembly grease – NOTE: None of these could be verified as complying with SQM-2C9003 AA EP90, however, all are meant to be compatible with motor oil. Hose assembly surfactant ESE-M99B144-B Brands: Merpol (is a trade name). Metal surface cleanerWSW-M5B392-A Could not find a supplier SealantWSS-M4G323-A6 Could not find a supplier Spark plug grease'Neverseeze' ESE M12 A4A Brands: Permatex Anti-Seize Compound Engine Oil: JTIS Spec (US): Engine oil (US), SAE 5W-30 ILSAC GF3, API SJ 5W30 ONLY – As the hydraulically operated VVT is extremely sensitive to viscosity changes. 5W30 gives the best viscosity range results with VVT. Never use a higher W number than 5W in the Duratec with VVT. Wider viscosity ranges or weights over 30 can defeat the hydraulic oil pump under certain temperature conditions and cause it not to respond, even though the ECM sends the electronic signal to shift. Jag service intervals change oil and filter every 10K – My interval is every 5K. Brands: Castrol GTX 5W30 (Castrol is actually recommended by name and logo in the Jaguar factory specifications dated 07/2004); most other shelf oil brands. Some believe in synthetics. JTIS doesn’t really say yes or no. Probably OK to use, but don’t take that as my recommendation. Capacity: 2.5L and 3.0L. 7 US Qts. Rear Differential Oil: JTIS Spec: M2C192A synthetic, SAE 75W140 synthetic gear lubricant. The M2C192A Ford spec. is a synthetic gear oil with a friction modifier already added. You do NOT want to use a standard synthetic gear oil w/o a modifier or that does not meet M2C192A. It’s important that you don’t over or under do the modifier if you’re going to add your own. Jag calls this unit sealed for life and changes are not necessary. Not for me – every 30K to 60K miles. Brands: Sta-Lube Syn GO 75W 140 Synthetic states M2C192A compliance on the label; Capacity: 2.5L and 3.0L. 1.268 US Qts. (2.5 Pts.) Transfer Case Oil: JTIS Spec: M2C192A synthetic, SAE 75W140 synthetic gear lubricant. Jag spec, again, sealed for life. I will change every 30K to 60K along with the diff. same fluid spec in both. I’m using the Sta-Lube Syn Go ($38 for a two quart container). The two quart is enough for both diff and Xfer case. Brands: Sta-Lube Syn GO 75W 140 Synthetic Capacity: REFILL – 2.5L and 3.0L. 1.16 Pts. (18.6 Ozs.) Manual Transaxle Oil: JTIS Spec: WSD-M2C200-C Synthetic, SAE 75W90 Synthetic Gear Lubricant. This is the infamous “lifetime” lubricant specification. It is very new on the scene. Manufacturers are not hitting the commercial market with this product (or the automatic trans fluid) because the units don’t require changing. This has been particularly frustrating in research and I’ve spent the most time on both transaxles. For the manual, and coincidentally, Motorcraft has a WSD-M2C200-C compliant fluid, I suspect, could be purchased at any Ford dealer. I have yet to try, but will be my choice. Amsoil also refers to this spec as compliant. Castrol BOT 130M is compliant, but I cannot find it for sale in the states. Brands: Motorcraft XT-M5-QS (Is the best if you can find it); Amsoil AGR or TGR; Castrol BOT 130M Capacity: 2.5L and 3.0L.1.84 US Qts. (3.7 Pts.) Auto Transaxle Oil: JTIS Spec: WSS-M2C922-A1 automatic transmission fluid. From the Jaguar spec 7/2004 - Use of any other fluids may result in a transmission malfunction or failure. Intervals Normal Maintenance Not necessary. Filled for life. Severe Duty Maintenance Change the fluid at 48,000 km (30,000 miles) intervals. It was very difficult interpreting the factory spec. Then I discovered a factory bulletin online. It is attached at the bottom of this post and an excerpt is listed for brands. Shell is a popular brand in the US and it looks to be a Mercon V type fluid. Use the Shell pns. listed to match compatibility. Jatco makes their own recommended fluid, but I have no idea how one would purchase it. Brands: All of the following come from the service bulletin attached on the bottom of this post - Recommended fluids Esso LT 71141; Shell ATF 3403 M115; Shell M1375.4; MERCON V XT-5-QM ATF; IDEMITSU K17; Jatco 3100 PL085. Jatco is preferred if you can find it. Capacity: 2.5L and 3.0L. Approx 8.32 US Qts. Refill – (Initial fill 9.3 qts) Engine Coolant: JTIS Spec: WSS M97B44 D. This is compatible with long life marketed anti-freeze. Originally developed for GM, called Dex-cool, this fluid is pink/orange in colouor, not green. Long life specifies 5 year 150,000 mi changes. I don’t agree and change mine every 12 to 24 months max. Brands: Prestone Extended life 5/150. This is a new generation (pink/orange) coolant compatible with all coolants - green, pink, orange, or whatever. Capacity: 10.6 qts 3.0L and 2.5L – but expect that you might not get the entire system drained from the heater core and engine block. Brake Fluid: JTIS Spec: Super Dot 4 – From research, several manufacturers offer super dot 4, but hard to find in local parts stores. It can be ordered online from most suppliers. The motorcycle world seems to use it more commonly, so look for it at a local cycle shop. BTW - Synthetic brake fluids are becoming very popular and, just like motor oils, Jaguar doesn't say one way or another whether to use or avoid Synthetic brake fluid. The factory specifies purging the entire system every two years (VERY important as brake fluids, even synthetics are hydroscopic). My interval is once a year. Brands: Castrol Super dot 4; Belray Super dot 4; Penszoil super dot 4 – many others. Capacity: estimated less than 1 qt. with reservoir and manual clutch. The auto will use less. Power Steering Fluid: JTIS Spec: Mobil ATF meeting Dexron 3 Specification. I don’t purge or change power steering fluid, just watch for leaks or steering resistance. Sometimes a fluid change helps, but not always. Brands: Any good quality Dexron 3 commercial product. Capacity: 1.2 Qts. Approximately. RESEARCH Sources (online): Find a factory tech bulletin at: http://www.wwwboards.auto.ru/jaguar/5301.html Technical Service Bulletin No.JagA100-000413 December 2004 Subject/Concern : Jaguar - Recommended Castrol Lubricants and Fluids in Service Models : XJ Range 1998- Vin range : 812317 Onwards XK Range 1998- Vin range : 001246 Onwards S-TYPE 1999- Vin range : L00600 Onwards X-TYPE 2001- Vin range : C00344 Onwards

Motor Project # 7 - Timing is Everything

From Steve Hannes - This project is meant to inform and educate. UPDATE - Feb 04-2006 - I am correcting an error in an earlier publishing of this post. I incorrectly concluded the valve shims and buckets were one piece. Since then I discovered they, in fact, are two pieces. Tolerances are very close. In mechanical engineering terms the fit of shim to bucket recess is called a "working fit", less than .0005" tolerance. I needed to heat the bucket assembly to 200 deg F to assist in removal. Part of the problem was the oil film underneath the shim. With cold oil the shim barely moves (rotates) in the bucket. Only when it was heated did the tolerances and oil viscosity change enough to remove the shim. Also, there are no recesses or notches to assist in removal like in other designs. Here is an additional picture of the two shims and buckets. Now I'll purchase smaller shims to bring these two intake valves to the correct tolerance. From the last project, you'll recall that I took valve clearance measurements on a 3.0L Jaguar Duratec with 15K miles on it. All intake and exhaust vales were to spec except for two intake valves on the right bank: one out of the pair for the #1 cylinder, and one of the pair for the #2. These two valves measured .004" clearance and spec is .007" to .009". These are almost half the minimum spec and MUST be corrected. Remember that I use a cylinder numbering and firing order that matches generic Duratecs so this won't match what you see in the JTIS CD (which is wrong, wrong, wrong).

In this post I'll pursue those two valves and correct the clearances. I'll just cover what I need to get to those two shims. I'll put assembly in some future post; otherwise, this would take up a lot of space and pics. The Jaguar Duratec head design is unique in its application for the X-Type. The 2.5L and 3.0L both use the same layout, except the valves are slightly larger in the 3.0L. This is a double overhead cam design with a mechanical valve train and not hydraulic as other Duratecs are. Jaguar designed a variable valve timing (VVT) feature and works by varying the cam positions of the intake cams only. Their positions change in relation to the position of the crankshaft and exhaust cams to optimize torque during the rpm range from idle to redline. The system works using a hydraulic two-port pump design, fed with engine oil and pressure, and controlled by the ECM. The ECM sends a signal to the pumps to close one port, open the other to advance the intake cams to create the optimal combination of performance/fuel economy/emissions at certain places during the RPM/load range, then sends the opposite signal (close that port, open the first) to retard the intake cams. These electric/hydraulic pumps (one for each intake cam) are VERY sensitive to oil viscosity, so it is important to use the "right" oil weight, otherwise, the VVT might not function even though the ECM sends signals to advance or retard. 5W 30 multi-grade is the best weight range for most driving conditions and tested to be the required weight by Jaguar. Note that the engine oil cap has 5W 30 printed on its top. If another weight oil is used in a Duratec the W should never be higher than 5W, so the only other option might be 0W 30. Enough philosophy - let's get our hands dirty. If you remember from past posts, I have the Duratec torn down to expose the cams. It is down to the block and heads, but the timing cover was left in place. Here we'll remove the timing cover and timing chains so the intake cam can be removed, then we can finally reveal/remove the shim buckets. These shims on buckets control the valve clearance. They are a two piece design (bucket and shim). There is no way around using any special tool to depress the bucket and remove just the shim like so many other mechanical lifter DOHC designs, including other Jaguar engines. If someone has I'd like to hear from them. So, first step is to remove the crankshaft pulley. There is a special Jaguar tool used to hold the pulley from turning anti-clockwise as the retaining bolt is broken loose. Remember, it is critical that the crankshaft only turn clockwise for two reasons - the timing chain tensioners can be damaged if they travel backwards and the journal bearings are specially ground to minimize wear in one direction. If the engine were to turn anti-clockwise, burrs might be created on the bearings - a true no, no. I made my own special tool to hold the crank pulley using an old serpentine belt. Break the retaining bolt loose, then use a three legged gear puller to back the pulley off the crankshaft and key. After the pulley is removed, loosen and remove all of the bolts holding the timing cover in place. With all bolts out, the timing cover needs to be LIGHTLY tapped to break the gasket bonds. It's important to use something soft (such as a piece of wood) with a rubber mallet. Do not hit the cover with a hammer! Place the wood on a non-gasketed surface, then lightly tap the wood - Capish? Here is a picture of the timing cover. It is a HUGE (and ugly), heavy aluminum casting. It will come with a crankshaft oil seal (that I will replace before reassembly), the cam position sensors, and the crankshaft position sensor. Integral to the casting are the entire mounting ears (brackets) for the alternator and the power steering pump. Be careful how you handle this piece with its bulk. Some points of interest - there are three formed gaskets used to seal the timing cover. Keep in mind that oil is flowing behind this cover during engine operation. I've put the gaskets in place and they can be seen in this picture. Along with these gaskets, a silicone gasket material must be used in 6 places (2 places each gasket) as these three formed rubber gaskets cross no less than six part lines on the engine assembly - four places at the head/block lines and 2 places at the bedplate lines. I'll include two pictures at the end of this post with closeups of part lines. The fourth seal is the crankshaft seal. It can be seen in place. Part of the oil pan gasket (two oil pan bolts shown in place) and the valve cover gaskets are sealed to the timing cover after its assembly.

On the lower righthand corner of the picture, I've included the crankshaft position gear. It sits freely on the crankshaft behind the timing cover and is held in place by the crankshaft pulley. Take a close look at this gear. It has two keyway notches and, yes, it CAN be installed incorrectly. Make sure the keyway notch that is used on the keyway is the one with the missing tooth - Capish?. You can see the black CP Sensor coming through the timing cover. It's a magnetic pickup and reads the teeth from the CP gear. The missing tooth tells the ECM the engine is at TDC. OK, let's see what we've revealed by removing the timing cover. The cam timing chains are now visible and can be removed. For this project, I will only remove the timing chain for the right bank (left side bank in the picture) where my two "troubled" valves are located. Luckily, the RH bank is the outer timing chain so I can leave the LH bank in place for this project. In this picture you can view the two intake cam electro-hydraulic pumps with the ECM sensor connectors in place. The tops of these can be seen as coming through the valve covers on an assembled running engine. The double timing chain design is a very simple, easy to time layout. Let's focus at only one side at a time. Going clockwise (always clockwise on this engine) a chain runs from the crankshaft over a curved chain track. This is the tensioner side and you can see the spring loaded tensioner block behind the curved tensioner frame. It is a ratcheted design. The spring loaded plunger puts pressure on the curved frame, then a secondary fixed ratchet plunger keeps the tensioner frame from moving backwards. Timing (assembly) is simple and removing (disassembly) is even easier. Three marks need to be observed for each bank, one on the crankshaft (the crankshaft key), then a timing dot on the cams, one on the exhaust and one on the intake. These cam marks are made in manufacturing, however, even if they didn't exist, one can easily get this engine timed, like this: JTIS instructions say: For the RH bank chain removal (first chain), put the crankshaft keyway in the 7 o'clock position. This will put the Exhaust cam marker dot in the 8 o'clock position and the Intake cam timing dot in the 1 o'clock position. If you did this and the cam timing dots were not in these places - why not? Because the gear ratio - cams to crankshaft is 2:1. So if the marks are not where they're supposed to be, rotate the crankshaft 360 degree to the 7 o'clock position again. Now the three marks should be in place. BTW, these JTIS instructions position both intake and exhaust cams at the ideal place where little or no cam lift is exerting pressure on any of the RH bank valves. This ideal position makes cam removal easy and puts the least pressure on the cam journal bearings. But, technically you could remove the timing chain in any position by creating your own timing marks. For the RH bank, from the crankshaft keyway, count 23 teeth on the timing chain in a clockwise direction and make a mark on the RH exhaust sprocket at the 23rd tooth. From that tooth and continuing clockwise count 15 teeth to the intake cam and put a mark at the 15th tooth in the intake cam. Knowing these tooth counts can get you timed again. The LH bank works the same way with the same count, except you are counting from the keyway clockwise 23 teeth to the INTAKE cam first, then 15 to the EXHAUST cam second. The important instruction is always go CLOCKWISE ... Phew! OK - once you have the crankshaft and cams on the RH bank in these ideal clock positions, the next step is to remove the RH timing chain tensioner. Remove the two bolts holding the tensioner in place. This will relieve the tension on the RH bank chain. Now remove the curved tensioner frame. It just sits on a pivotal dowel pin and comes right off. The chain can now be removed, then three bolts to remove the fixed chain track on the back side of the timing train. This fixed chain track is one piece with the hydraulic VVT pump, so it all comes off with three bolts. CAUTION: There is a small o-ring located at the oil feed for the pump between the assembly and the RH head. The recess to hold it is made in the tensioner assembly, not the head. This o-ring is smaller than a dime so it's hard to see. It must be renewed/replaced when reassembling. Here is a picture of what it all lookes like with the RH bank chain and tensioners removed and the chain dropped. I've left the chain on the crank sprocket . Remember, you want the chain to be reassembled in the same direction as it was removed. Do not turn the chain around so it rotates backward from its original assembly. I took only one picture after I removed the RH intake cam, but so far the instructions cover only the chain removal. Now back to the top of the engine. We need to remove the intake cam to expose the the two shims/buckets on the #1 and #2 cylinders. At this point of disassembly the cams are no longer timed to each other or the crankshaft. Remember, if you followed the JTIS steps, the cams are ideally placed so little load exists from valve springs and no piston is at TDC ... a safe place. Loosen EVENLY the cam bearing tower bolts. These bearing caps are on dowel pins so they're not going to readily come up/off with bolt removal. One of these caps is much larger than the other 3 because it not only controls cam rotation runout, but also controls camshaft lateral movement. All of these caps must be marked and must go back in the same place and same orientation. So, whatever your system is, ensure reassembly is the same as what you disassembled.

Here is a picture of the intake cam removed. I've also removed the shims and buckets from the two "problem" intakes. These come out very easily using a shop magnet. The shim and bucket is a two piece design with very close tolerances. In mechanicla engineering this fit is called a "wroking fit" with less than .0005" clearance. I needed to heat the assembly up to 200 deg F so that the oil film underneath the shim would become viscous enough to loosen the shim. Then I needed a special pair of sof pliers and magnet to assist. I tried an air blast, but that did nothing. I'll mic (micrometer) these two shims, then purchase the next smaller shim bucket size from Jaguar. In the picture, you'll notice a lot of grease. This is engine assembly grease. I've coated every moving part of the engine as a "preliminary" lube. Assembly grease greatly assists in bearing lubrication on eventual startup. It is designed to dissolve in engine oil.

Finally, here is a group picture that shows all of the parts removed to get to the buckets. From the left: the RH chain tensioner; the curved chain track; the two intake bucket shims; the fixed chain guide with the VVT pump; the intake cam from the RH bank. The chain was left on the crank sprocket as it can so easily be reversed.

Here are two closeup pictures of part lines that the timing cover gaskets must cross. The factory uses a small dot of silicone gasket material at these pointe to ensure seal. The factory gasket is not enough to prevent an oil leak. The first pic shows the inner part lines from both heads as they mate to the engine block. The second picture shows the outer RH head to block partline. This one is perticularly difficult to clean of old silicone because of a dowel pin locater used on the timing cover. The aluminum surfaces must be cleaned and prepped for the new gaskets using a soft tool as anything hard will marr the surfaces.

Now I get to go to my local Jaguar parts department and spend LOTS of money. More to come. In a future post, I'll reassemble this so that you can have a complete process for valve shim clearance correction.

If there are any questions, comments or additional discussion wanted, please email.

Enjoy!