Engine out - part 2

[muzza49]

It's taken a while, but engine & gearbox now out of car.
No real dramas, just a bit scary with it all up in the air !, used a similar engine lifter attachment as you cass.
Because I'm not sure what parts were reused and what were new during the overhaul 10 years ago, I intend to replace most moving parts.
The head should be fine, as I've recently had this checked.
My mechanic is fairly sure that I have a bottom end issue - main bearings/crank bearings ?
The pistons/rings seem ok, as there is good pressure in all cylinders and no scoring in the bores.
He will check all this out and ensure everything is ok.
I will replace the below:
oil pump, water pump, both chain sets and guides, all seals & gaskets, filters, fan belt.
The oil pressure sender unit is new, as is the thermostat.
Am I missing anything ?

[John Quilter]

Are the XK 3.8 liter oil pumps still available? When my engine was completely overhauled 3 years ago the shop kept the original oil pump which checked out OK and a recent change to a mechanical oil pressure gauge from Quality Classic indicates oil pressures are fine.

[John Quilter]

Correction: it was Classic Quality in the UK that supplied the mechanical oil pressure gauge kit which was one of the best changes I have ever made to this car owned for 57 years.

[cass3958]

When I had my engine rebuilt 10 years ago. (Time flies) my engine shop cleaned my oil pump and checked all the tolerances on it and decided there were smaller tolerances in the old pump than the new one which appeared to have been manufactured in China. We cleaned the old one and left it in place. Not a lot can wear on it anyway and it is always being lubricated. As long as the oil has been changed at service it should be OK.

In addition make sure you change all the water core plugs in the block. Three each side and one in the end over the top of the bell housing, These tend to rust out and are very difficult to change with the engine in situ.

Clean all the oil ways. There are six bolts in the oilway on the Carb side and then a couple of grubber screws in the block behind the water pump and timing chain cover. Remove them all and jet was these out with paraffin or if you can soak the block in a paraffin steam oven with all the bolts and grubber screws removed. At the same time clean out or replace the copper pipes at the back of the block which supply oil to the cam shafts. Clean out the oilways in the crankshaft and cam shafts as they all get clogged up like and old mans arteries.

Lastly (that I can think of at the moment) replace all the valve oil seals, check all the valve springs and any wearing on the top of the valve buckets. The buckets can get stiff and stop rotating so you get a groove wearing in the tops under the cam lobs.

[John Quilter]

Yes,after many, many decades good to clean out the crankshaft oil ways. Getting the staked in plugs out can be a real bugger. My shop says they broke two wrenches doing it.

[muzza49]

Thanks John & cass3958,
Have added crankshaft oil ways clean out to my "to do" list and will definitely replace the core plugs !.
Cheers.

[Glyn Ruck]

Wise decision. Crud builds up in those crank plug holes badly over time.

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