For anyone who has not used a tap in the past, look at how to use a tap. This way can work with a good quality tap in soft aluminum, but it can go wrong in steel.
WOW, I suggest you watch a video on how to properly tap a threaded hole before you try to do this yourself, as someone else has commented. I would never go so fast with a tap on the end of an electric drill like Adam has done in this video while installing his stake down kit. I was taught to slowly turn the tap in the hole a 1/4 to 1/2 turn at a time, and then reverse it before doing the next 1/2 turn. That gives the metal bits a chance to move away from the end of the tap and prevent cross threading the hole.
My first XJ6 was from 1978 and was 5 years old with 80.000 km on the clock. After I tried it out on the Autobahn in Germany and reached 200 km the valve guides got loose. My garage proposed to tighten them with screws diagonal through the block into the guides. I guess at that time this kit did not exist yet, it is certainly more sofisticating to do it with this kit. I understand from you it is an often occurring problem (?)
It usually happens when the engine gets hotter during a period of time. Makes sense that it happened at high speed. It occurs often enough that I recommend it to be fitted on all XK engines
@@LivingWithAClassic thanks. I had mine out and just cleaned and cover them in loctite. I know different ones that have done this and never had an issue after that
I read on Roger Bywater's site that Jaguar's chill cast cams were so hard that they would smash the bejesus out of cam followers that slipped. Is this not true? Or half true? Genuinely asking for your experience, because drilling into a cylinder head seems like dicing with death unless you're very careful! Although I suppose anything to extend the life of an XK engine has to be worth doing. Thanks, Adam, love your channel.
It will cause pretty catastrophic damage if anything hits the camshafts. These kits are designed to drill into places where it’s ok to drill. I think it’s better to install this kit than to have an engine damaged.
Is this a factory mod? Jaguar have been racing this engine for years so I would have thought there wouldn't be much "new stuff" to find thesedays apart from an update on the old technology.
@@harwoods11In the old days before these kits came along, a machinist (or shade tree mechanic) would use self tapping pan head screws set immediately adjacent to the bucket guides. The edge of the pan head would set on the edge of the guide, providing the down force. The method is outlined in the book, ‘How to Power Tune the XK Engine.’
Will double check our '52 XK120 for this mod, looks pretty straightforward to install. Thanks, Adam, for the tutorial!
For anyone who has not used a tap in the past, look at how to use a tap. This way can work with a good quality tap in soft aluminum, but it can go wrong in steel.
My mechanic modified my XJ6 20 odd years ago. Pleased mine wasn't the only one with this problem.
Learn something new every video! Thank you
Thanks for watching!
Thankyou Adam. Every days a school day !
Thanks for watching!
Looks like a really good upgrade.
It is!
WOW, I suggest you watch a video on how to properly tap a threaded hole before you try to do this yourself, as someone else has commented. I would never go so fast with a tap on the end of an electric drill like Adam has done in this video while installing his stake down kit. I was taught to slowly turn the tap in the hole a 1/4 to 1/2 turn at a time, and then reverse it before doing the next 1/2 turn. That gives the metal bits a chance to move away from the end of the tap and prevent cross threading the hole.
You only live once 😉
It’s very soft. I’d never do that in steel
My first XJ6 was from 1978 and was 5 years old with 80.000 km on the clock. After I tried it out on the Autobahn in Germany and reached 200 km the valve guides got loose. My garage proposed to tighten them with screws diagonal through the block into the guides. I guess at that time this kit did not exist yet, it is certainly more sofisticating to do it with this kit. I understand from you it is an often occurring problem (?)
It usually happens when the engine gets hotter during a period of time. Makes sense that it happened at high speed.
It occurs often enough that I recommend it to be fitted on all XK engines
Great information. I'm glad the PO had it done on my car.
PO did it on my current engine in the XJ6 also.
Great video and explanation as always. Love your channel.
Thank you very much!
Excellent work as always:)
Thank you! Cheers!
Should this only be done on the exhaust side. I see some kits that have six plates?
It’s only necessary on the exhaust side. The intake side stays cooler and won’t have the same issue.
Hi Adam, great vids as always. What torque do you tighten the camshaft cover nuts down to?
Will it help if it already have moved up a little?
You can try to move them down before fitting the kit
Does this apply to all xk engines…. I heard uk spec engines where ok and American, European engine were not.
Applies to all of them
@@LivingWithAClassic thanks. I had mine out and just cleaned and cover them in loctite. I know different ones that have done this and never had an issue after that
I read on Roger Bywater's site that Jaguar's chill cast cams were so hard that they would smash the bejesus out of cam followers that slipped.
Is this not true? Or half true?
Genuinely asking for your experience, because drilling into a cylinder head seems like dicing with death unless you're very careful!
Although I suppose anything to extend the life of an XK engine has to be worth doing.
Thanks, Adam, love your channel.
It will cause pretty catastrophic damage if anything hits the camshafts.
These kits are designed to drill into places where it’s ok to drill. I think it’s better to install this kit than to have an engine damaged.
@@LivingWithAClassic Thanks, Adam.
Steak down kit :)
What is the advantages of having these fitted ?
Not having the cake bucket guides get lose and ruin your engine
What does a stake down kit do?
Hold down the cam bucket guides in the head
Is this a factory mod? Jaguar have been racing this engine for years so I would have thought there wouldn't be much "new stuff" to find thesedays apart from an update on the old technology.
@@harwoods11In the old days before these kits came along, a machinist (or shade tree mechanic) would use self tapping pan head screws set immediately adjacent to the bucket guides. The edge of the pan head would set on the edge of the guide, providing the down force. The method is outlined in the book, ‘How to Power Tune the XK Engine.’
like 68