Air cleaner not horizontal

[Orlando St.R]

One thing that has bugged me for a while is that my air cleaner slopes upwards to the left and touches the under-bonnet sound deadening.

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I've been investigating why this might be and here's what I've discovered.

1. The air cleaner mounting bracket was mounted on top of the chrome D-washers.

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I have changed this so the D-washers are now on top. It has made a slight difference.

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2. My air cleaner mounting bracket looks too new to be original, so I suspect it is an aftermarket replacement. I measured the height at 56.5mm between the points shown in the image. If anyone can be bothered to measure an original, it would be very helpful to know if this new bracket is too high.

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3. Actually the engine is not vertical - see level in third pic. The holes for the mounting bolts on the front engine mounts are slotted and both of mine are secured at the extreme ends of the slots. I'm going to get this adjusted when I have the car serviced later this month. I think it needs a hoist to take the weight off the mounts so they can be adjusted.

Any experience in fixing this issue would be gratefully received.

[Glyn Ruck]

Orlando ~ As you know my car is the same from previous discussion so I'm very interested. My bracket is original & below the chrome D shaped washers.


My only thought on the subject is that we possibly have the engine mounting brackets in the incorrect orientation. They do have different part numbers. Or it might be a matter of adjustment as you suggest.

Await comments with interest. I've seen a few cars like ours.

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These are my originals that I replaced as they were cracked. Common I understand.

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[cass3958]

I will have to measure mine tomorrow. Mine is an original bracket but like yours mine also is not horizontal and fouls the underside of the bonnet insulation. Don't know if my engine is horizontal will have to check that as well but as you stated this has been bugging me for a while as well.

[Glyn Ruck]

Interesting. All three cars have been restored with engines out. I wonder if we have all missed something on re-installation? I do know my engine stabilisers are set up to the book. (left, right & rear)

[Orlando St.R]

My only thought on the subject is that we possibly have the engine mounting brackets in the incorrect orientation. They do have different part numbers.

That's an interesting thought. I will have a look into that.

That said, if you look at the second image of my air cleaner with the level in front, it's clear that the air cleaner tilt is not solely down to the tilt of the engine. And it looks to me as if the same applies to yours.

Rob, the tilt on yours seems even greater than on mine. However, zooming in, I notice there is a gap between the mounting bracket and the air cleaner housing. Not sure why that is, but I think eliminating it would certainly improve things.

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[Glyn Ruck]

That said, if you look at the second image of my air cleaner with the level in front, it's clear that the air cleaner tilt is not solely down to the tilt of the engine. And it looks to me as if the same applies to yours.

Yes ~ I agree. I've just had all of mine off to replace jets & diaphragms, float needles & seats & to properly balance & tune carbs with my Uni-syn. I had a close look at air intake to carb mounts etc & can see no way of improving it. I do think that correcting the engine tilt would stop my aircleaner from touching the bonnet lining.

[cass3958]

Rob, the tilt on yours seems even greater than on mine. However, zooming in, I notice there is a gap between the mounting bracket and the air cleaner housing. Not sure why that is, but I think eliminating it would certainly improve things.

Orlando, You and your zoom! This photo was taken during the rebuild so the air cleaner was not perhaps screwed down completely at the time but it still has an upward slant and touches the bonnet insulation even with the thumb screw tightened up fully. I never noticed a difference in the engine mounts and even if there was when you have them side by side it would be difficult to tell which one went where until you get the engine in and it is not level. Bit of a silly design if there is one slightly taller than the other.
Working today but tomorrow I will get a level out and see how my engine sits. Orlando, what did you use as a base line? The tops of the wings?
Glyn the photo you have attached with the two engine mounts, to me they look the same dimensions but are just mirror images of each other. Can you measure them and tell us if they are the same heights and bolt holes lining up, as this would eliminate the problem of the mounts on the wrong sides.

[Glyn Ruck]

I'll try & measure them the next time I have the car on a hoist. Too difficult otherwise. Whatever the cause all three of us have the same issue & engine mounting area would be one likely cause.

We considered them to just be mirror images of one another & just possibly that thinking was flawed.

Jaguar did weird things like not making mirror image front number plate carrier brackets.

[Orlando St.R]

This photo was taken during the rebuild so the air cleaner was not perhaps screwed down completely at the time but it still has an upward slant and touches the bonnet insulation even with the thumb screw tightened up fully.
What did you use as a base line? The tops of the wings?

Ah. Sorry for zooming in.

Yes, I put a piece of timber across the tops of the wings to check the car was more or less level. It was marginally down on the drivers side.

[Jose]

Orlando, looking at the picture you posted it looks like the upward slope is towards the RIGHT, not the left as you wrote. Am I correct?

why not just make a new bracket with one side shorter by the difference needed to level it?
(instead of messing with engine mounts).

the aluminium intake connection to the air cleaner dictates the proper height, so the difference is easily resolved, seems to me.

in fact, I would correct it by fabricating two brackets, one for the left stud, one for the right stud of the air cleaner. It's a lot easier than replacing engine mounts and all the trouble that comes with that, and even doing the mounts is no guarantee the problem will be corrected after the whole exercise, because the problem appears to be at the air cleaner BRACKET,