The MK 10 has always intrigued me. Here was the logical follow on from the MK 7/8/9 series where Sir William had taken the latest developments in unitary body construction, independent front and rear suspension, power steering, magnificent furnishing and a modern body line to produce a very advanced car in 1961.Yet it must be the most ignored for restoration vehicle that Jaguar ever produced. Mention of a MK10 has produced cries of derision from most enthusiasts. "Wot do yer want a bloody great tank like that for". All too many of them have been wrecked for the independent rear end so beloved by the hot rodders and quite a few of the 3.8 litre engines have found their way into MK1 and 2 cars.
I have bitten the bullet and purchased a MK 10, which is in what I would describe as "fair" condition. It is pretty similar to a number I have previously seen having been off the road for a few years and now being sold by family children who have inherited the previously loved but now unloved car. In this case it was blocking up the shed and was a non-runner but nobody knew why. The price I paid was fair as I realised that this unique car, which is a manual overdrive model, could yield more from being wrecked than my original outlay. It even has a near new set of tyres that are about 3 years old but are of no use to any other Jaguar model as they are uniquely 14-inch wheels.
I had it delivered home on a flatbed truck. It took about an hour of mucking around to remove the distributor and replace the points and condenser. As the fuel pumps refused to work I rigged up a gravity feed to the carbys. Very soon after I had the engine running – a little ragged but steadily improving and not too smoky. I do however suspect that it has a loose cam bucket.
There are definite problems with the submerged fuel pumps and it is suspected that the clutch plate is "gone" but these areas are still being explored as I write. The fixes to these problems are relatively simple and not too expensive if you do it yourself.
The biggest hurdle was telling Honor that we now have another Jaguar and watching her face go through the many contortions/emotions that involved as she thought that I was into a "Jaguar culling programme". I.e. a reduction in herd numbers. Well I am really - it is just taking time to happen, that’s all.
I have been intrigued by an on going problem in the 1960s model Jaguars such as MK 2, S type, E type, 420 etc. The main area of concern is the oil pressure gauge. This is an electric device that was apparently Smiths first foray into the domain of electrical transmitted oil pressure. Apparently the Jag Enthusiasts Club in England has also been following up on this problem.
To say that the Smiths electric oil pressure gauge is an accurate instrument would be taking the truth very lightly. It is one of the most Heath Robinson devices I have ever encountered in any instrumentation. Normally an instrument transmitter contains a device a bit like the variable resistor used in volume controls in a radio. These are generically referred to as "potentiometers". As the temperature or pressure changes the variable resistor feeds more or less voltage to the gauge in your dash panel to make the indication. Simple enough?
However Mr. Smith put a whole new twist on the scene by using a system in his oil pressure transmitter that works as follows. The flexible diaphragm in the transmitter has an electrical contact on the diaphragm. When oil pressure expands the diaphragm this contact connects to another contact on the end of a bi-metallic strip. This makes a circuit through a heating wire wound around the strip which heats up until the bi-metallic strip bends and breaks contact with points on the diaphragm.
The bi-metallic strip then starts to cool down and straightens out until contact is made again and the process repeats. The more oil pressure there is the longer it takes for the strip to heat up and therefore the more electric current runs through the system. This current is measured and shown on your oil pressure gauge as pounds per square inch!
The bi-metallic strip system is well known and is used in the majority of "flasher" units in directional indicators in motorcars. However they do not last forever and eventually they fail due typically the points burning out. It is an electro/mechanical device and as such will never be a stable source of information for a gauge system.
Why I am making this point is that an old oil pressure transmitter can give quite erroneous readings. One club member was really quite concerned with his oil pressure in an XK series motor in a MK2, which only ever got to about 40 PSI cold and was flat out making 20 PSI when hot. The engine was generally in good order and was not rattling or giving any typical signs of distress associated with clapped out Jag engines. On my suggestion he obtained a direct reading after market gauge and coupled it up in place of the electric system and was delighted to find that all of the above pressures were just about doubled.
I have also run across this problem and have had widely divergent readings from different transmitters. In fact I trust the older Bowden Tube direct reading oil pressure gauge used in early Jags like the MK5, 7, 8 and MK 1 any day against one of these later electrical devices.
The good news is that a company by the name of CAREBONT in England have purchased the rights and tooling for early Smiths gauges and have redesigned the oil pressure gauge for these 1960s Jags. This kit apparently consists of a completely new transmitter and gauge using modern techniques but looks just like the original. It is not cheap at around 70 pounds or about A$200 [Australian] dollars but the current price for a new oil gauge transmitter to fit the old system is A$130 so it would be worthwhile going the extra dollars for something new, reliable and accurate.
While in Adelaide I had a plaintive phone call from youngest son that his Series3 XJ6 had simply stopped on the road and he had to have it towed home. We stated a long-range diagnosis by phone. Put the car into drive and turn to start. Does the fuel pump run? "Yes" says he. Pull the coil lead from the distributor and check for spark. Is there any? "Yes" says he. Disconnect a fuel injector hose from the fuel rail and run the fuel pump in start with the car in drive to see if any fuel comes out. "No fuel" says he. Check the fuel filter can you blow through it? "No" says he. Replace fuel filter with a new one and try again. "Didn't work," says he. All this took a number of phone calls over several days. Finally I said, "I will be home in a few days so hang off until then".
The upshot was that although the fuel pump ran there was no pressure. The pump was opened up and it was found that the pump section had seized but a shear pin system allowed the motor to still run. Another pump was obtained and the car started immediately. So don't be fooled by a fuel injection pump, which sounds to be running OK. Disconnect the fuel line at the outlet and check that there is flow and pressure.
While in Adelaide I had a plaintive phone call from youngest son that his Series3 XJ6 had simply stopped on the road and he had to have it towed home. We stated a long-range diagnosis by phone. Put the car into drive and turn to start. Does the fuel pump run? "Yes" says he. Pull the coil lead from the distributor and check for spark. Is there any? "Yes" says he. Disconnect a fuel injector hose from the fuel rail and run the fuel pump in start with the car in drive to see if any fuel comes out. "No fuel" says he. Check the fuel filter can you blow through it? "No" says he. Replace fuel filter with a new one and try again. "Didn't work," says he. All this took a number of phone calls over several days. Finally I said, "I will be home in a few days so hang off until then".
The upshot was that although the fuel pump ran there was no pressure. The pump was opened up and it was found that the pump section had seized but a shear pin system allowed the motor to still run. Another pump was obtained and the car started immediately. So don't be fooled by a fuel injection pump, which sounds to be running OK. Disconnect the fuel line at the outlet and check that there is flow and pressure.
Like many apprentices I learnt basic welding and have used this skill from time to time. But like a lot of skills they can get rusty without regular use. A few years ago I did a basic panel-beating course at Bracken Ridge TAFE and they accepted my previous training in lieu of the otherwise mandatory oxy acetylene-welding course prior to the panel-beating course.
A friend who is a JDCQ club member accepted a transfer to another state and offered me his oxy acetylene-welding outfit at a very reasonable price. I have since used it for numerous jobs, which primarily involved heating but had not got around to any serious welding.
During my last period of holidays I decided to remedy this by getting in some serious welding practice on bits of discarded Datsun 120 Y panels and the remains of a XJ 6 tank cover panel. Finally I felt confident enough to have a go at some rust repairs and skin cracks in one door of the MK 5 and I am happy with the results.
I recommend that persons who have never been involved in welding or panel beating check out the TAFE courses available, which appear to be published every semester. You need to be quick, as these courses are very popular and get filled up quickly.
Tools We had interesting results on my article on “tool snobbery”. One club member quite correctly endorsed the view that if you have to use them every day in business then only the best will do and I go along with that concept. At the same time I have had some club members tell me of visits to their local pawnbroker where they secured tools at very little cost.
This magazine is widely circulated and the readers will involve professionals and amateurs from all walks of life. It is not my role to tell people how to go about their business. The article was intended to alert club members to alternatives in sourcing tools and from feedback it appears to have achieved that result.
The MK1 was inclined to pull itself into the middle of the road and make a Kamikaze attack on any oncoming traffic whenever I hit the brakes. It was definitely not the best way to drive and tended to worry oncoming drivers. After some serious analysis over a 6 pack I went after the possibility of failure of the left front calipers, however my mind said both left front calipers were rebuilt to new specification and a double failure/freeze up would be most unusual.
A simple check by cracking the brake bleed valves while my “dearly beloved” pressed the brake pedal showed little flow or pressure to the pair of LH front calipers. Further investigation revealed that the left front brake hose was blocked. When I put the brake system together a couple of years ago I had checked the hose was OK by passing a piece of wire through it. I had no knowledge of the history of the hose but it had looked and checked out OK. In fact due to age it was developing a severe case of a blocked artery over a short time period.
The offending hose was extremely difficult to remove especially at the body bracket end of the system. I resorted to the “hot spanner” i.e. oxygen/acetylene torch and after successfully setting the MK 1 on fire three times finally resorted to grinding through the retaining nut with an angle grinder. That got it off the car but my problems were not over. I then had to get a replacement hose.
Every retail source was checked and I kept getting the reply “not in stock”. Interestingly enough all the suppliers could quote me prices between $59.00 and $67.00. In desperation I contacted Graham Deahl who is the Victorian MK 1 register giru and explained my problem. He advised that they had similar problems with brake hoses and I had best contact a hose manufacturer.
Serendipity prevailed because a local parts supplier had suggested the same thing and had recommended a company called Brake Parts Australia [BPA] at 109 Links Avenue, Eagle Farm. For readers remote from Brisbane their address is Ph [07] 3268 2211. Fax [07] 3268 2533 and Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and they also have a web site at www.bpa.com.au
I approached BPA and put the problem to them. The reply was laconic. Gary their technical fitter said
“ They had never been stumped by a brake hose” After examining the remains of the MK 1 hose said it was no problem to make me a new one with all new fittings. He also said that they had never had a hose returned after failure as their equipment was checked regularly by [transport?] authorities.
I asked what was the price?
He answered ” $60.00 - that is the standard price for a one-off hose”.
Me: Does that include GST?
He: “yes”
Me; Are you approved to manufacture brake hoses?
He; “Yes” [and proceeded to show/tell me about the certification]
Me; How long for delivery? [Believing fittings would be a problem and may need to be ordered in]
He; “about 15 minutes or less if you are in a hurry”.
I said, “I am in a hurry but I’ll wait - make me two of them”
“OK” sez he
And that readers was what took place. About 10 minutes after the start of the conversation I had in my hand two brand new brake hoses to the exact and original specification for a MK1. I might add that I had spent almost two weeks trying to source a replacement brake hose.
I dropped in next day as I had a problem with the 5/8 inch 26 TPI nut at the body end. I had destroyed the original with the 4-inch grinder just to get the hose off the car without destroying the mounting bracket. Nobody could supply a nut however Gary sorted this out by re-cutting the inner hose retaining thread for a SAE national fine] NF] nut. I noticed about 150 new [after market] hoses he had just turned out for distribution into the retail market. He remarked that the hoses had been ordered the day before and he expected pickup at any time. In other words this company was seriously involved in after market supply.
Somehow I think we Jag owners believe that English magic is used to produce parts for our cars and it must be “original” to be any good. After market organisations like BPA turn out a product standard which is controlled by Australian government authorities and are more than willing and able to support our old car cause. The important thing for we restorers is that they can supply “one off” requests at short notice and within the normal retail price range.
I don’t apologise to our normal retail suppliers. Having copped the trauma of “unable to supply” or “not in stock” it is only fair that alternatives should be readily available to club members.
Brake Boosters Another issue came out of my visit to BPA. They are equipped to overhaul brake servo power boosters. This was qualified by remarks that parts are difficult to obtain on some types but the customer should liaise with them and they would make recommendations on the best course of action i.e. repair or replace with an Australian made product.
Old carburetors and their associated linkages get very grotty with age, general dirt accumulation and fuel leaks/weeps. They can end up covered in black gunk and looking like they have been barbecued. Degreasers and most similar products won’t shift the black gunk which is a residue composed of fuel dye and evaporated hydrocarbons.
The answer is quite simple. Use lacquer thinners or acetone to remove this grunge. Use an old retired [shaggy dog] tooth brush or a similar stiff brush and scrub the carby whilst keeping the brush wet with the thinners or acetone. If the carbys are still mounted on the engine spread a good thick layer of news paper under the work area to catch the drips etc. as you don’t want to splatter the painted areas inside the engine bay with these solvents.[they will eat the paint]
You will be genuinely surprised at how easy it is to clean your carbys using this method. Note that in the end the toothbrush will eventually fail, as the solvents will destroy the plastic handle so don’t use the one with which you are currently brushing your teeth.
Please take the usual precautions when using highly flammable solvents. Use a well ventilated area with no smoking or fire sources in the vicinity and personal protection for your eyes, lungs, skin etc.
While working on the MK5 I made an accidental re-discovery of a simple, cheap and effective way to get aluminium polished without resorting to power tools. I have previously mentioned the use of wet and dry sandpaper of various grades starting with quite coarse grades and then finer grades to cut the surface prior to polishing on a buffing wheel.
That is all very good if you can remove the part from the engine however in the case of the MK5 Jag there is an alloy water manifold which would require a major effort to get off the engine and I only wanted to clean it up.
Serendipity intervened and part of the water manifold was wet with penetrating oil when I rubbed it with some wet and dry. The results were quite spectacular and it subsequently took only 10 minutes to convert a grotty looking piece of alloy into something of which you could be reasonably proud . It took me back to my motorcycling days and some of the tricks I used on my “Beeza” [BSA 650 cc sprung heel Golden Flash] to keep the alloy engine and chain cover polished.
If you need to resurrect a bit of alloy such as a cam cover I suggest spraying it with penetrating oil and getting stuck into it with initially 400 grade if it is very rough and corroded.You then and work up through 600 grade and finally 1000 or 1200 grade paper cutting ” wet” all the way i.e. replenish the penetrating oil regularly. The final finish with 1000 or 1200 is reasonably good and from that point on a good shine can be achieved with cutting compound or metal polish. Note-You will get heaps of black “gunk” coming off by this method. That is OK as you are removing oxidised alloy as well as base material. Hint- where possible use a rubber sanding block to support the wet and dry paper and to avoid a “wavy” uneven surface. In short treat alloy like paint.
In previous articles I have always quoted using “dry” cutting techniques. I should have previously mentioned /evaluated wet or lubricated cutting techniques because they are usually more efficient. By the way you don’t have to use penetrating oil. Just about any petrochemical fluid will suffice for aluminium alloy including petrol, diesel, kerosene and mineral turps. For safety it would be best to use diesel or kerosene to reduce the risk of fires etc. Penetrating oil is preferred because it has a very low rate of evaporation and the oil assists in lubricating the cutting area.
I am currently involved in refurbishing the wood in my MK5. It is original but had some pockets of lifting veneer where time and moisture have done their damage. I have been able to salvage most of it but have had to completely strip the walnut veneer off the upper door rails as it was just too far gone and had suffered badly from previous attempts at refurbishment by unknown Canadian persons which included enthusiastic use of sandpaper.
The other night while doing some basic veneer repairs I grabbed the micrometer and measured some old [removed] and new veneer. It all measured in terms of 20 to 25 thousandths of an inch. I.e. 1/50 to 1/40 of an inch or in decimals .020 to .025 inches. Pretty thin isn’t it? The moral of the story here is don’t use sandpaper to remove old lacquer and varnish on Jaguar woodwork Paint strippers or acetone are better options for that job.
I had another problem while spraying some of the MK5 timber. I kept getting “fisheyes” in some panels even though they had been thoroughly cleaned with acetone and prepsol cleaner. This fisheye denotes a reaction between silicones or oils in the timber and the lacquer I was spraying and appears as a spot where the paint retreats from the surface leaving a hole in the finish. It is a common problem in the automotive spray painting trade.
I asked club member Ben Stafford who is a bit of a giru on timber if he had any ideas as to how I could beat the problem. He suggested it was most likely due to silicon products similar to “Armourall” having been used on the old timber and penetration having been made due to cracks in the old finish. He suggested use of an additive used in the motor trade and generally known as “ anti silicon drops”. I obtained some but it was not cheap at $8 for a 30-ml bottle. However it only requires 2 to 3 drops per litre of paint and it did work as advertised.
Ben has also discovered another source of burr walnut veneer on the northside of the Brisbane area. It is Veneer and Timber products, 28 Kremzo Road Strathpine. On the south side burr walnut veneer is available from Sharp Plywood in Wacol.
I walked into a major aircraft maintenance hangar some time ago and was surprised to note the number of expensive lockup wheel around toolbox systems stacked up against one wall of the hangar. There were at least 20 of them. In discussion with an aircraft engineer acquaintance I have known for decades [he is as old as me] he mentioned that the toolkits belonged to aircraft engineers and apprentices who were on night shift.
The majority of the toolboxes were one particular brand. My acquaintance explained that there is a certain amount of “snob” value amongst aircraft engineers over tools and equipment and some, particularly the apprentices, are up to their necks in debt paying off these tools to this specific brand's traveling van operators who call on a weekly basis. He estimated that most of the toolboxes with contents had cost over $3000.00.
When I asked him what he personally used he showed me a relatively modest toolbox with an assortment of well-maintained spanners etc. that bore a number of brands. One point on which we both agreed was that early Australian made “Sidchrome” spanners were as good as anything the rest of the world had produced. He reckoned it would cost less than $1000 to replace his toolbox with all new items.
Isn't it strange how people get hooked into unnecessary expenditure when trying to "keep up with the Joneses"?
Spanners My engineering acquaintance also privately helps maintain some early English aeroplanes such as Austers and Tigermoths, which used BSF [British Standard Fine] spanners. A full selection of these spanners was available in his toolbox much to my envy, as you need them to work on Jaguar Mk5s and earlier models.
When pressed as to a source of these BSF spanners he then admitted to a deep dark secret that he regularly checks out pawnshops. I have been doing this now for some months and have steadily accumulated a range of BSF spanners. I have also acquired some of the better brand SAE [standard american engineering] usually known and marked as AF [across the flat {of the nut}] for some remarkably cheap prices such as $1 to $2 each
If you decide to check out these sources of second hand tools don’t let the rusty appearance or tarnished chrome put you off. As long as the spanner is not worn out it will be OK and a clean up with a rotary wire brush and a coat of clear lacquer or light machine oil will keep it looking good.
It just goes to show you that you don’t need to spend a fortune to accumulate some very good tools which will probably last the hobby mechanic a lifetime. I can identify spanners that I purchased over 40 years ago from a deceased mechanic’s estate and are still in good working order.
As a tip keep an eye out for brands such as Sidchrome, Dowidat, Proto, Snapon and Starwillie. Don’t let the name Chrome-Vanadium swing you as this appears to be a common generic name for tool steel and bears little guarantee as to quality.
Screwdrivers Whilst on the subject of tools most people are still using general screwdrivers that get worn and relatively useless for their designed function over a period of time. Although I personally have several sets of el-cheapo screwdrivers for light general work I have primarily 2 screwdrivers, which are called into action when I have tough jobs to carry out.
One is an ex-army wooden handled large flat blade screwdriver with a shaft 12 inches long. This is ideal for dealing with engine hose clamps. The other screwdriver has a magnetic socket with a 6-inch shaft and is capable of taking replaceable tips. These replaceable tips are ¼ inch hexagonal and come in a wide variation of types ranging from flats to Phillip heads. Most people think of these replaceable tips as being used in electric screwdrivers.
The beauty of these replaceable tips is that are throwaway items. If a tip is damaged you don’t throw the screwdriver away. You just fit a new tip. A new tip costs between $1 and $2 and you always have the perfect screwdriver rather than battling on with a tip that is damaged and damaging the screw head.
Another advantage is that you can carry an assortment of various types of spare tips with you so the same screwdriver can attack a multitude of screw types. You can also get a fitting, which will allow ¼ inch sockets to be driven by the screwdriver as well as specific tips for Allen keys, and other security bits used on car radios etc. Another advantage is that the magnetic part of the screwdriver holds the screw to be held by the head both when inserting and extracting the screw which is very useful when working in a one handed situation.
Don’t buy an el-cheapo handle with a number of tips supplied in a molded plastic packet from a typical supermarket system. It is worthwhile purchasing a good handle and tips from a proper tool supply house. The handle I currently have is about 17 years old and the previous one was 13 years old when eldest son lent it to somebody who never returned it.
If you are a qualified electrician or a member of an allied trade/professional then don’t bother any further with this article. However if you are a non technical person who is occasionally baffled by electrical problems and their associated terms then the following may help you understand the basics of car electrics.
I also pay my respects to the anonymous author who first wrote the famous ditty on “Joseph Lucas - Prince of darkness - or why the poms drink warm beer” where to my knowledge the concept of electrical energy as smoke was first published..
As a 15 year old apprentice radio/radar technician I still remember how hard it was to come to grips with the concept of electrical energy. You can see it in lightning and sparks; feel it in an electrical shock; smell it in ozone; actually taste it by putting a 1.5 volt battery on your tongue [it tastes salty]; hear it in electrical spatter across insulators, bangs in thunderstorms and the zap of an electrical spark. But in the end you are still left wondering what it is, as all of the foregoing are actually secondary characteristics of electrical energy.