A recent discussion here was about running temp. Comments were made about mixture and plug color.
My newly aquired sweety runs at the "A" of normal, uses a little coolant, the plugs are white and the dashpots are filled with Tranny fluid.

Am going to replace the old shot radiator cap as I suspect it is cause of fluid loss.

This girl has been maintained by a pro for many years. He rebuilt the carbs and said the tranny fluid was to keep the mixture right to prevent plug fouling. It runs smooth with good power.

As I am new to this engine and you guys have been there, any comments?

Also--- It idles at about 1100 RPM! Mechanic said that was also to reduce plug fouling. I have read the svc manual about adjusting idle speed. Please tell me it is a joke and that there is an idle stop screw soomewhere.

1972 Series III FHC
Former TR-6 driver

Submitted by bonnettoboot@e… on Thu, 10/13/2005 - 08:32

After all thats been said on this subject I'm surprised to see such a comment as " the car will run fine without oil or springs" We all know that it will run badly unless you feather the accelerator pedal, some models wont run at all! Jaguar affectionado and etc.

Submitted by tomconnors@ear… on Wed, 10/12/2005 - 11:57

Somewhere I read that the viscosity of damper oil had direct effect on mixture. I forget if it was thicker=richer or leaner but having read Richards explanation of the purpose of the dampers it is starting to make sense. She seems to run a littie on the lean side but not eccessively. Am going to let it ride for now cause it runs so well but the more I come to know about it the better. By the way, only the right front plug gets a little oily. She accelerates marvelously.

I'm gonna take a crack at the idle speed.

Am planning to go to Jag Doctor, Boca.

Guys, thanks for your help!

Tom
1972 2+2
Former TR-6 driver

Submitted by pascal@jcna.com on Wed, 10/12/2005 - 09:35

tom

you bought it and drove it home? hmmm.. you're one of the good guys then. most ship the car home... i drove mine from Atlanta the day i bought it...

didn't know you where in Jupiter.... Thierry at Jaguar Doctor in Boca is REALLY good with the V12... he knows what can use some upgrading and what doesn't.

these oval air filters are really nice, they clear up the engine bay, save 50 lbs (well may be not 50...) and improve the way the engine sound. i love them... on the down side, maybe they don't filter as well as the stock filters and maybe sucking in warmer air but i think the small opening of the stock air horn probably restrict flow anyway.

you may want to upgrade the ignition to MSD. cheap, reliable... mine use an optical trigger which bolts in the dist.

Pascal Gademer

Submitted by bonnettoboot@e… on Wed, 10/12/2005 - 00:13

I may as well give the fourth opinion! Transmission fluid is too thin for the carbs. Jaguar always recommended engine oil. Cars used in Scandinavia, Canada etc often used a thin fluid in winter due to the oil thickening in severely cold climates. In Los Angeles in summer we would use 40W perhaps changing to a 30w in winter- Florida is fairly similiar. 1100 RPM is far too high, follow the advice given moving each screw by equal ammounts to reduce it to nearer 750. The expansion tank level needs to be a little above the entry point of the inlet connector, if overfilled it is hard for it to find its own level, it takes a lot more pressure to open the release valve than it does to hold it open, as a consequence it will lose too much coolant! This was the great problem on the V12 XJ cars. Jaguar affectionado and etc.

Submitted by tomconnors@ear… on Tue, 10/11/2005 - 21:09

Steve ---

Thanks for the insight into fluid level in header tank. I'll try to relax on that. I have been topping it off out of fear, what with the over-heat-drop-a-valve-seat thing in back of mind. I bought this car in Cleveland, Ohio and drove it down to Palm Beach, FL over three days in summer heat. My left eye on the road, right eye on the temp.

Funny you should mention the ignition amp. Afternoon of third day on road, after stopping for fuel in SE GA, Restart OK, 30 seconds later she just turned off. To make a story I'll save for the VFW Club short, hrs later I said let's just turn the key and see what happens. ....six hours later I was home.

Subsequent conversation with Mr. Gibbs (CLE) he said the ign. amps. are like that. Heat is enemy of electronic components as we all know.

I'ts an automatic, black-on-black and bad.
Your insight is much appreciated Steve.

Pascal ---

3rd opinion on dashpot fluid is re-assuring. Thanks. Am happy with carbs except I am considering the oval aftermarket air cleaners to replace the origional config. They look good but do they sound bad? Am not concearned with "original" config as all parts go in crate for next guy.

Am planning a trip to Boca for oil and a few minor things. Also to meet the guys. While there I'll have them take a look at the idle speed and mixture issue. As an ex acft. mechanic, I know enough to know what not to mess with.

Thanks guys........will keep you informed.
Tom, Jupiter, FL

P.s.
Pascsal, I have seen your pictures of wreckage. Weeping weeping.

1972 Series III FHC
Former TR-6 driver

Submitted by pascal@jcna.com on Tue, 10/11/2005 - 11:34

Plug colors indicates it seems to be running on the lean side... i prefer to keep mine rich, I discussed this with my mechanic (very good with V12s) ... better safe than sorry. sorry means burning valves, etc...

my plugs are dark...

ask 10 guys about what to put in the dashpots, and you will get 10 opinions. ok.. maybe jsut 4... tranny fluid is fine.

Idle, Steve has a point about not messing up with the carbs, but it's easy to adjust down. you don't say if you have a slush box or manual, but i'd hate to have 1000rpm idle with an auto.
the set screw is easy to spot, at the 11 oclock positon, facing up. i rarely touch them but the few times i've had to, i made sure i backed them all (four) off the same amount and it was fine. try half a turn on each.

as steve explained, if you overfill the expansion tank, it will leak out and stabilize around half way cold. that's fine. if you loose fluid beyond that, then you have a problem... if you change the radiator, you may want to go for an alloy rad (i got mine from www.classicjaguar.com) it is a little more efficient, lighter and cheaper than an original rad.

Pascal Gademer
72 2+2
00 XKR

Submitted by NE52-32043 on Tue, 10/11/2005 - 11:12

Tom,

Sounds like you got yourself a good car. I had a '72 2+2 myself, and it was a great car. Sold it to someone local who joined our club, so I see it often. It's still a great car.

Temperature -- Running at the "A" in normal is normal, IMHO. The gauges on these cars are notoriously inaccurate, but anything within the normal range is okay. The important thing is whether it holds there. If it starts creeping up, you need to pay attention.

As far a "using" coolant, you may be overfilling the reservoir. Cold, it should be less than 1/2 full. If you can reach your finger in and hit some fluid, you're okay. Let the fluid find its own level and then leave it alone. The tendency is to top up the reservoir and then it will spit fluid. Once it finds its level, it will be fine.

Now, as for the carbs.... Someone once told me "carburetor is French for Don't Touch." Basically, IMHO, if the car is running well, leave them alone. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it.) My '72 idled at 1100 rpm also. If you don't know what you are doing, don't mess with the carbs. You must follow the procedure for setting the carbs or you will throw them out of sych and change the mixture. If you want the car to idle lower and you don't know how to adjust them, go back to the good mechanic and ask him to adjust it. 800 rpm is probably optimal. I could never get mine to idle below 1000.

Tranny fluid is good in the carb dampers. I used 20W motorcycle oil for a while, then switched to tranny fluid. No real difference. Others I know use 20W50 engine oil, and it works just fine. The only thing you would not want to use is 75W90 or other thick oil. Someone I know swears by 3in1 oil.

Enjoy the car and don't obsess on this stuff.

One suggestion, however. The ignition amplifier on these cars is usually located down in the valley in front of the distributor. It gets very hot down there. If it has been replaced and relocated outside the V, you're good. If not, consider making an adapter plate and raising it up off the head (I had that on mine). You can use a piece of aluminum to bridge the V. You CANNOT splice wire into the harness to move it off the engine as it's a tuned system. But lifting it off the head reduces the heat load on the amplifier and will prolong its life.

Steve Weinstein
Former 72 E-type 2+2 owner
'70 XKE FHC
'69 XKE OTS