Technical tips


Have you checked/replaced your antifreeze?

It is very important on the Jaguar XK engine (as fitted to cars from 1948 to 1986) to ALWAYS run the car, Winter or Summer, with antifreeze in the cooling system. The coolant should be replaced at least every two years and preferably every year. A 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water is required. Anti-freeze contains corrosion inhibitors that are vital to a mix metal engine (steel crank case and aluminium head). The effects of not using antifreeze can be devastating and expensive! - leading to either extensive corrosion to the cylinder head waterways and/or corrosion of the head studs on the post 1970 long stud engines.
See photos below - if you dare to look!


Corroded waterways in cylinder head

 

A badly corroded stud viewed through a core plug

A corroded stud -
fortunately removed without shearing off!

 


Has your Headlamp Bulb Failed yet?

A tip for Easy Bulb Access
by Ed Pikulski


At the recent A.G. M. several members discussed various methods of sealing the headlight glasses.
It became obvious that, to change a bulb was very tedious. On my car I have made a rather brilliant modification. I removed the plastic bowl and coated it in wax polish. I then laid up some G.R.P. to cover half of it.

When set, I took the resulting cup shaped object off, trimmed and tidied it up and drilled the cable hole.

This was a perfect fit over the headlamp bowl. I then cut off the end of the headlight bowl and fitted the G.R.P. bowl with two self tappers to hold it on.

The elements can be sealed out with Vaseline or a bit of tape.