Jaguar XJC V12 manual restoration part 2. It's engine out time
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- The restoration on my Jaguar XJC V12 manual restoration at Painting Classic Cars continues and with much of the bodywork having been removed, the next job was to extract the engine. Find out here if it all went according to plan..
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So much better than the American car shows with all the unnecessary induced drama, antics, personality conflicts and time constraints. American producers don’t realize people would much prefer a show just like Harry’s.
Couldn't agree more. When I tune in to see a car show I want to see a car show. Not a half baked contrived melodrama.
You could see the creeping American influence with Wheeler dealers. As the US stake increased, the budgets increased. At the same time, there was an increasing amount of cheap filler (15 minutes of watching Mike polish a bonnet), there was an increasing amount of replace or send off to a specialist, decreasing mechanical time in favour of the aforementioned cheap filler.
Compare this to fast and loud, just ripping the guts out of classics, no care for the preservation of history. Always silly time constraints, always emphasis on filling the shop with projects, always the silly drama spats.
Problem is that this is the kind of content car guys love. There's just not enough car guys around to run a commercial show without all the extra fluff to keep other people semi-interested as well. Money talks.
Indeed, and Harry doesn't strut around trying to be the star like most do. Cringing jokes with closeup facial expressions, that tosser Tyler Hoovie springs to mind.
@@vibingwithvinyl spot on.
Make the show too niche and you piss off the mainstream.
Make the show too fluffy you piss off the relatively small community of petrol heads.
It's an easy pick for marketing.
I love how knowledgeable this mechanic is. He truly knows these cars inside out.
A master of his trade for sure. Great to see
Agree, intelligent guy
I could hardly hear him most of the time.
@@Schnorbitz Had to chuckle at that stupid face shield he was wearing that was clearly worse than useless how he had it on.
Realy loved listning to him..
this is my favorite car in Harry's collection , it just IS .
It’s the car that brought me to Harry’s Garage.
So for pure sentimental value, don’t jump any corners. Give it the TLC it can have.
@@kasperkjrsgaard1447 Jay Leno's garage is still on top🏆🥇
One of the better cars to cruise in. Regardless
I loved Steed’s XJC on the new avengers 😍
I can't believe he is changing the color. It's going to ruin this car for me. I think it fits the "personality" of this car perfectly but I'm sure there are plenty that feel otherwise. Shame.
The mechanic comforts Harry by saying don’t worry, it’s common on Jags V12 engines, etc. Like a pediatrician doing an inspection and trying to soften a worried parent.☺️
The video says a lot about the reality, repairing classic cars is not as easy as imagined.
When we ordinary people admire large car collections around the world, we realize that maintaining them is expensive and requires constant investment.
We get to be happy to keep up to two cars in everyday traffic. ☺️👍
Before messing with the rear seal, check the engine breather assembly at the front of the engine. The metal gauze gets plugged up, building internal engine pressure, forcing oil out the rear main seal. Very common symptom.
Good job ^ like to bump this up.
Interesting. It could just be pressure.
Whole engine may be struggling to breathe blowing seals right left and Center
How nice to find some one complementary of some one else’s workmanship.
People don't apologise any more either.
You meant "complimentary".
But yes. The best people in any field of work, the really competent ones, are never jealous - only the pretenders.
Harry, I feel bad that your misery is our entertainment, but I do very much appreciate you letting us follow along. I *love* this channel!
"He's resting"
I fully expected this conversation to devolve into a Monty Pythonesque exchange
I'm sure it did in all our heads.
@@har234908234 Guilty...
Yeah, Harry obviously isn't a believer. I could hear Cleese before I even drew a breath.
He's NOT the mouse-iah!
He's pining for the fjords...
WD40 for mice: It does not get rid of them but stops the squeaking.
That’s funny 😊
Nice one!!
ba boom tish!
Harry, thats one thing i admire about you, if you start something, you finish it right.
@Graham Wealth doesn't dictate someones work effort or ability.
@@_chipchip Exactly.
@@_chipchip But is helps a lot
At 19:22 in he says "You've got a 2 part rope seal." Technically that's a packing gland that was used for rear main bearing seals from the dawn of the auto industry up to the 1990's. I know because my father owned the company that made all of them for the Big 3 in Detroit. He said one piece rubber seals were better but he made rope seal work well & had a significant price advantage over the rubber ones. All new cars now have rubber rear mains. Dad owned the company for 36 years.
BTW Harry your channel is amongst the best out there. Congratulations and keep up the great commentary.
The mark of a good mechanic is letting the customer see the work being done, let alone allowing you to film it for the world to see!
It’s great to see young chaps having such a passion and skill in undertaking their jobs! Lovely car, sir William Lyons finest and last design I believe?
Unfortunately Harry’s mouse isn’t the original, it has been replaced at some time ...😊
Harry.
As for "I hope you enjoyed this video"...
I always enjoy your videos!! Perhaps especially the ones dealing with mechanical and or farming issues.
Thanks a bunch for keeping them coming!! 👍
I managed to take the V12 engine out of my XJ Coupe single handed in about 2 hours, hardest part was the exhaust down pipes working from below without a ramp. I did find that having the car on axle stands front and rear, with the rear higher helped to clear the various cross members.
Interesting there are 4 studs on each side, my 6.0 only has 2 for each downpipe.
I hope they change out the starter motor, easy while the engine is out, nightmare job when it's in the car
Harry seems to have the ability to find people who really know what they are doing. So good.
The purple colour that 1970s Triumphs were painted in was called 'Magenta' - a fabulously rich colour. ☺️👍
Great color
Think that would look superb On Harrys XJ coupe.
Off the top of my head colour code 92. 😁
Paint it BRG and add a grand. Hmmm maybe only U.K. viewers would even understand that post.
I had a magenta TR6 about 15 years ago and the colour was the only good thing about it!
Some of the best automobile content on UA-cam. Thanks Harry.
I'm not really in a position to advise someone with Harry's experience on classic car preservation, but I'd probably forget the car event in June and do whatever is best for the car long term. There'll always be other events to go to once the car is finished, and besides, in view of Mr Hancock changing his mind and moving the goal posts so blooming often, the event might not even happen this year anyway.
Fascinating.... doesn’t matter what job you do, it rarely turns out as simple as you hoped 😱.... the ‘oh bugger’ factor always rears it’s head!! Great to follow this story though Harry. 👍
21:52 - exit Harry stage left for a small weep in a quiet corner! In all seriousness though, really enjoying this type of video - keep it up Harry, we'll have whip round if needed!
Have worked on old cars and old bikes all my life....but would not know where to start on this.....hats off to these lads to take these things on.
Thanks Harry for sharing this cars journey. I've been waiting for it to be restored since it's first appearance on your channel! IMHO, the Jag XJC is one of the nicest of all Gentlemen's Express automobiles. If it were mine, I would remove as much of that plumbing on top of the engine as possible and replace it with a new electronic fuel injection system that would let people actually SEE that glorious V12 motor when you pop the hood. Then update the exhaust for a glorious sound, but not too glorious because this is the car I would be taking on long trips on the Continent. Of course you would want to update the brakes so they could FOR SURE stop all that weight when you are descending down those European mountain passes. As for paint, I'll never forget the burgundy with black interior XJC (with the chromed wheels) on LBJ freeway in Dallas in the early nineties. Stunning car! It was going the opposite direction, but I almost snapped my neck clean off trying to see it for as long as I could. Navy blue with a natural tan interior or possibly black with a dark red interior and maybe one fine red stripe down the side to call out the beautiful lines on the car. But that's just me. Everyone has different tastes. I will cry if you paint it purple though. :)
I'm thoroughly enjoying this latest restoration project Harry on my favourite car in your collection. It's not often we get to see under the skin of a glorious XJC V12. Thank you also to Keith and his team for sharing their insightful knowledge.
When Harry said something along the lines that people would be surprised what these cars can do, he’s right. I saw a shabby looking one (it was obviously mid-way through being restored , it was covered in patches of new primer) drinking on a duel carriageway near my home. The guy pulled off from the lights and decided to have a bit of fun. I was truly amazed at how quick is was.
The knowledge Keith imparts as we go through the video, absolutely fantastic, he knows these engines backwards..! Another great video, look forward to the next.. Paul
Re: Jag crank seals. These are "non-positive" rope type.
The vacuum induced in the crankcase is critical to crankshaft rope seals working properly as it induces air to flow through the seal into the engine and thereby stop the oil migrating out through the rope. The slight vacuum is induced by the crankcase being connected to the air intake downstream from the air filter. Hence, if air filter is removed, no vacuum, and a leak in the crankcase seal.
( I found a Mk 2 - 3.8 going dirt cheap because it was streaming oil out the back seal. Replaced the little missing pipe connecting the air box to the crank, and the leak stopped.)
Great video Harry. I’m looking forward to that engine re-build. Hearing a V12 in full voice will be spectacular. I can appreciate it must be a dilemma how much you pour into this car, but to be honest Harry, you’re creating history here.
as a somewhat young (end of my 30's) guy, i enjoy these videos of your older cars being restored. All the knowledge that is shared can't really be found condensed in one place like this.
I am turning 40 in a few weeks, high five ✋
Loved watching this. Mechanic knows his stuff!
Went from ratarossa 512bb restoration to this. Wonderful sunday tea time
Same here! Happy Sunday!
Lamborghini Esparda then Lancia and now this, the last two will easily surpass the cost of the Esparda me thinks 😯
Snap and now i'm M1 Tyrell Time !
Me too!
Me too!!
Classic combo..
Sunday = other people’s financial ruin 😇😇😂😂
Nice to watch... for the rest of us who can barely afford our saloon cars, it's a nice resbit for a Sunday...
Loving the idea of 100,000 + UA-cam viewers leaning in to get a good look at the state of the clutch & flywheel as the mechanic pulls them off.
SS Exhaust manifolds, after market engine management, throttle bodies, no vinyl roof, dark metallic blue - plenty of images on the net, black or tobacco coloured leather, no wire wheels, one inch wider and one inch bigger diameter steel wheels with factory hubcaps, bigger brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, rebuild LSD, new clutch and brake master cylinders etc., glad you're doing the whole engine - anything less would have been short sighted, led headlights, extra gauges, IMHO. Subscribed a while ago, keep up the very good work. Best wishes.
Plain and simple; it's a great formula Harry. No histrionics and loud theme music like US sites. Cheers-John
I started watching this series thinking I just might go look for an XJ V12. By the end of the first episode I realized I would have to think very carefully about it. Before the end of episode 2 I was already thinking No flippin' way. I suspect by the end of the nextr episode Harry will be thinking that as well.
Love these videos. Sitting in and driving cars we forget the amount in workings that go into making them move. Bloody amazing!
What a great bunch of guys looking after your car, and well done for spending the time and money on a truly lovely car
...and supporting local small businesses.
I was always told, "if a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing properly". Full rebuild and more videos please :)
Amanda Robinson..... my best pal always says "If a jobs worth doing, pay someone to do it for you"...... haha...he can afford it.👍🇬🇧
A lesson for Harry, never tackle a car shortly before an event, the job gets bigger than hoped. Just like the Lancia. Wonderful to see how such a Jaguar is built!
I like this mechanic, no nonsense or frills.....just good sound knowledge.
Harry is indeed a gentleman, humble, extremely knowledgeable and just plain down-to-earth. A joy, as always, to watch.
Love this, can of worms opened anyone who has restored a car knows this. I love Harry’s reaction to the sump coming off.....all the possible outcomes.....expect ITB’s on the car when we see it next
Old cars and Pelicans... big bills...
Keep the faith Mr M.
Kidneys are worth a few quid these days.
Without enthusiasm like yours proper are would be gone.
We haven’t got long for the infernal combustion engine.. let’s keep as many going as we can.
V12 Jag!! Come on... one of the greats.
My favourite bit of Harry's videos is all the fantastic comments. So well deserved and I love the positivity! Go Harry!
Im loving this restoration build Harry! Wish i could get my hands on an old XJC myself here in the states but that is near impossible. BTW Go ahead and do the proper rebuild on that V12 now that it is out and torn down. There will always be another show. Do it right this time and you wont miss any other shows. While you are at it a nice set of headers and exhaust to open the ole girl up a bit to hear that lovely V12 song when out driving.
I briefly owned a Daimler Double Six in the late '80s in Squadron Blue with biscuit interior. I wanted to bring it back to Australia but back then customs had a convoluted formula to work out the import duty & with no official registration in Switzerland or insurance there was no paperwork, other than the bill of sale, to prove how long I had owned it. So it went back to England to be resold. I'm naturally keenly following this.
Harry, please don't rush this for the June show, they can see it next year...Colour ? Match the other Jag in your garage and give it a deep tan or burgundy trim (70's trippin').. The rear main seal is nothing compared to the other 12, look how beautiful that turned out. You are creating ART, in my opinion, high art. Thanks HM.
Doing any job on a house, car or whatever the only way is, do it right,do it once. Love both channels keep up the good work Harry.
Sump off, remove mains caps, tweak the crank up a bit and remove upper seal and slip new top one in. Fancy using rope seals. Really old school in 1971 when the engine was introduced in the E-Type S3.
The shell is pretty typical of a 10-15 year old XJ not a 40 odd year old girl. A corker. Interesting cog-box. Borg Warner?
Most of Harry's videos make me dream of of owning what ever car he is profiling. I used to love this car, now it reminds me of cars I've had in the past. Once you start tearing it down you wonder how it was holding together and running when you started.
The way this is going, I hope Harry doesn't have to sell the Espada to finance the rebuild!
Just perfect. Priceless for us who have one of these. Thank you Harry. regards Norwegian Jaguar owner :-)
Wow this is sooo fun to watch and learn about harry 😊 I cant wait to see this V12 beast re-born!!! Kind regards ben N.Z
P.S. note the look on your face harry. Blow the wvent booking, just make it a pearl!!! 😆😊☺😆😊☺
Many years ago I use to work for an independent Jaguar specialist. Seeing that V12 lump being dragged out brought beck many memories
Having spent all of my 40 years of car ownership driving round in old cars and rebuilding them, this one falls into my "there's hardly anything wrong with it" category. For a Jag of that age it's in great condition. No major structural bodywork to do, a few oil seals, the rest is cosmetic. How much it will cost is largely down to the required standard of finish.
I agree andypdq. the bodywork is better (less expensive) than feared. So some of the planned budget can be lavished on the engine.
Proper stuff.. very inteligent conversations with mechanic.. He knows his stuff
Poor old Jaag is looking a bit sorry for itself. Enjoyed that, a bit of oily work to do as well !
An absolutely fantastic video. Fantastic car, fantastic mechanics (Mr Parrington and Co), fantastic customer (Harry)! Keep it up, absolutely fantastic!
Cheers Harry great insight into engine refurb. Imagine what this would be like in virtual reality!!! 🚒👍
Saw the V12 being put in an XJS at Browns Lane. Dropped in vertically with the gearbox and then turned 90 degrees. Something to behold.
This is brutal to watch. Much respect for taking on this project
Mechanic is calm in talking, knowledgeable and answers every question without hesitation! Car deserves the full
body & mechanical restoration and put the car on show next year ! I think Mr Harry is not wanting to do the full
in-depth restoration...........
Fascinating and brilliant video, look forward to part 3. Makes you realise how much it takes to maintain a complex classic - makes them look less of an 'investment when that is taken into account. Re the colour, i would prefer it to be kept Squadron Blue because a) it is a nice colour b) it is the cars original colour. I'm a great advocate of keeping a true classic as original as possible. I am currently restoring a 1938 Morris, ok not an exciting car but I like it. When I got the car it was blue with black wings and wheels, but research has shown that it should be blue/ blue/ blue. I much prefer the blue/ black but no car ever left the factory like that, so I feel compelled to return it to original. If you do a colour change I think you should respray with a colour available on XJCs in period
Thanks for the heads up that this video was coming up. I really enjoyed it. Good luck with your restoration. Be patient.
When I see that lovely v12 2 words come to mind Harry.. THROTTLE BODIES!!!
True classic, great to see the XJC V12 being restored
Another cracking video, the Squadron Blue does suit the XJ. I know Harry wants a change, hopefully period 70s, and a colour to enhance the sleeper aspect
primrose yellow with the vinyl would make it a total sleeper
@@uliwehner 👍 Perfect Period & Sleeper colour
I agree I wouldn’t put an engine back without a complete strip down and rebuild but that’s me I would rather have a “new” build and know that’s it’s going to last several years and with new paintwork it will look fabulous. As has been said there’s always a show to attend!
Thanks for sharing this update!! Love those cars. I'm doing a rolling restoration on a 1972 XJ6 and it's very interesting to see inside the wings with the fresh air intake. Congrats on the lack of rust!! Cheers.
Great to see that it is not just my classic cars popping up with not exactly good surprises when stripped down!
Looks like a Merlin engine. Huge!
There was a company over in the States in the 80s that built replicas of WW2 aircraft in 5/8 and 3/4 scale. They used a Jaguar V12 in their Spitfire for just that reason.
That purple would be super cool, Harry. I was thinking BRG but I forgot about that brilliant 70s purple. Do it!!!!
A purple Dolly delight would suit it just fine. And maybe a set of proper headers too?
Anyway - this magnificent car brought me to Harry’s Garage a couple of years ago and since that I have enjoyed every trip in a variety of different cars and learned quite a bit about farming, hedges and stonewalls too.
Give it the TLC that will keep it pristine for the next odd forty years.
Thank you 🇩🇰
On a mopar 383 the rear oil seal is a pain however you can put in a modern seal (both parts) from just taking the sump off. You wouldn’t be able to do it with a rope seal but if there are updated silicone seals then definitely worth looking at, it’s very easy to do. On the 383 it takes about an hour from sump off to sump back on.
This is a real gem to watch. I'm learning so much. Thanks.
Willow green paint with light olive leather interior.
Looking forward to seeing the paint off the rear quarters, so far you’ve been very lucky.
Wow. The 5.7L SBC engine with cast iron block and aluminum heads; aluminum case Super T-10 gearbox; and aluminum case (I think) Doug Nash overdrive unit in my 1988 Corvette weigh about 700 POUNDS (318 kilos), including the engine-front accessories. The same package out of the Jag: 680 KILOS, or 1496 pounds! The V12 sounds absolutely glorious, but damn. Still, this Jag is my favorite car in Harry's fleet.
It's not 680kg. See discussion about that on this page.
@@LaurieWilliams-lk8fc
I've done some digging and one thing is clear; that sucker is heavy. The 680lb figure is for a bare long-block engine alone. Add the transmission, intake system and exhaust manifolds, and all the other stuff on a fully installed and running package, and I'll guess a total weight of 1200lbs. So it's still about 500lbs heavier than the package in my car.
@@Michael_Lorenson Yes, it's heavy. Block and heads all aluminium alloys (I say "alloys" because they are made of different mixtures of metals), so lighter than iron, but all thick and strong (people bolt on twin turbos for c 800hp for hours of ocean boat racing, and nothing breaks), and all the extra bits for 12 cylinders instead of only 8, leaving less air space inside than for an engine of 8 cylinders and the same overall volume.
As I recall the figure of 680 pounds included the manifolds, pulleys and flywheel.
Nowhere near 680kg even with gearbox though - that is 2.2 times 680 pounds.
@@LaurieWilliams-lk8fc
Yes, the official figure for the basic long-block is 680 pounds, not kilos. The small-block Chevy is way more compact than the Jag V12. In fact, years ago I saw a 5.7L SBC sitting next to an early BMW 4.4 V8, which absolutely dwarfed the Chevy. Compactness, low weight, simplicity, design stability, all combined with large displacement, are the keys to the success of the legendary SBC. But, if you tried to pump 800 twin-turbo horsepower through a stock one, you'd blow it to smithereens almost immediately.
Unfortunately, those Jag V12s didn't cover themselves in glory, here in the US. They caught fire, they leaked oil from every possible location, and they very often 'failed to proceed'. None of those things had to do with the engine itself, though, except the leaks. They had fuel delivery and electrical problems, as I recall. I assume they had engine electrics, and possibly fuel injection, from Lucas, the Prince of Darkness.
Driving conditions also get pretty harsh in most of the US. Extreme heat, extreme cold, very high mountain passes, vast stretches of desert -- you name it. Those beautiful Jags got beaten down by the punishment. And it seemed you could sit and watch rust dissolve them in real time.
Still, if I had an opportunity to snag a nice XJC with a manual gearbox, I think I would have to buy it. Lovely thing.
@@Michael_Lorenson Good response.
Yes, the troubles were not caused by the engines, but by the other bits, although those are all relatively easy to replace with better quality reliable ones.
The worst though was lack of maintenance, particularly of the coolant hoses which gradually perish. One tiny crack letting steam out unnoticed, there goes the engine.
Get that XJC :)
Love these rebuilds. Good to know it’s not just me who ends up rebuilding the whole car!
Harry, the top rope seal, if it's like those with which I'm familiar, can be changed using a simple tool without disturbing the crank. Given your deadline, good oil pressure, and a good oil analysis, you should probably leave the bottom end alone. Please consider!
I like the blue color that it currently is.
Well the plus side is it looks like you literally caught everything in time Harry, as this thing had been sitting up for quite some time, and I remember it was even fogged up, like someone had left it out in the rain in one of your other videos, so its just damn good luck all the sills are in good shape too, heck maybe your son opened up that cold air intake thing by accident that day
as I didnt even know that was there myself.
also put my vote in for that bronze metalic you showed on twitter, that on this body would look rather good, like two tone with the trim, chrome mirrors, and some proper XJ12 rims instead of the fuchs like ones here, and she would look rather good.
as with the way it sits now, it looks like that Beater red jag they had in the old movie formula 51 with Sam Jackson.
Hi Harry, loving this rebuild. I've been a fan of your channel for a few years now. I'm a long term 'ol Jag lover and this car really hits a chord with me. I see you are looking for the right colour and if it was my car there's one colour that I would seriously advise it's called Jaguar Pale Blue Zirkon Pearl Metallic
JHV/1927 - Dupont M5561. I've had this colour on two of my Jags and it's just so nice. It always get comments. It's been roughly in use by Jaguar since the 50's and I really think its a classic sleeper colour. My current Jag is a 2002 XKR Convertible in this colour and it was stood by a Series II E type last year in a similar colour...both looked fantastic. I've had XJ's in this colour and XK's...either saloon or sports Jags look fantastic in this colour. It's like Silver with a hint of blue. Another advantage of this colour for you is that it doesn't need a colour change on it's documents as it's still listed as Blue Met on the DVLA records and Log book.
Wonderful video. But what happened to part 2?
I was a little confused too. I think this is part 2.
(edit) I see the title has changed, part one was only three weeks ago.
Pt1 is six videos back, two weeks ago. When he took it into the shop.
It's just a typo in the description, Theo. This is Part 2. :-)
I’m enjoying these videos far more than the super car tests as they’re more relatable, although you’ve never done a bad video. Thoroughly enjoyable and reassuring that such garages still exist, but for how long?
Agree. Don't even watch supercar stuff, even from Harry.
Great video. I would love to see detailed video of rust repairs... In fact I would prefer to be there myself to learn... =)
I took out the engine by myself from my XJ12C last year with simple garage tools and an engine hoist. First time I took out an engine ever.
Wasnt as difficult as it seems, lift slightly, tilt a bit and roll the car backwards... Only took a alot of time of figuring out how to do it in my small garage. I did consider lifting/tilting the car body off the engine/front suspension. I think that would have worked as well.
Looking forward to part #3
Sucks that it needs more work than you'd hoped, but on the bright side... more content to help pay for it and for us to watch! ;)
You will always find something that needs doing on a 15 year old car, let alone a 50 year old car. At least it didn’t let you down and a good time to fix it.
Amazing show. What a massive and complex engine!
Harry, you might modestly disagree, but I consider you something of a celebrity and yet your conversation with the boss there was exactly the sort of conversation I'd be having. You're processing the consequences of what you're seeing, and deciding what to do while considering the effect on project cost and timescales. Interesting to hear the tone of caution and humility in your voice!
I’ve been refreshing this page since 4.45 awaiting the 5pm Happiness of a Sunday Harry’s Garage Video 🥳 Enjoy !!
Its absolutely wonderful this car is being restored!
Really enjoying this, giving me much needed hope for my project (Tundra 4wd automatic swap into a '71 Land Cruiser). Be well!
Superb Jag worth resurrecting has to be silver or light blue metallic, too dark a colour can conceal the very elegant lines this car has to my mind Harry. It's very enjoyable watching your videos more so for entry into the restorers and expert mechanics and their workshops.
Harry, your a great communicator.
Harry loves his 12s. Quite the contrast to the delicate little Lancia too.
Very interesting Harry. I have had rear oil seals done before and they can be a pain. I know you will get it done. I would, even though I probably couldn't afford it as I am supposed to be semi-retired. We have to keep these bloody sweet dinosaurs running.
I’m seeing the number £25,000 in my crystal ball for the repair works. My dream Jag though, so I’m glad Harry is going to the effort. Primrose yellow please.
That or Willow green.
WOW. Twenty one minutes and fiftytwo seconds and he didn't say "etc" once. The first time that my beer is still full from a Harry's Garage video drinking game. Oh and love that you're restoring this car. Hopefully you'll go the full hog with that engine. I'm sure you'll make your event in June with it.
My 72 V12 owned over 40 years is still on it's original seal. Yes it weeps but doesn't affect the clutch. More use actually helps.
The real question is did they always leak a bit?
The lower part of the seal is fairly easy once sump is off. To do the upper part you have to lower the crank which means disconnect timing chain which means heads and front timing cover. Taking the sump off is recommended as the gaskets need replacing and the lower part of the sump will have grey sludge which has to be scraped out. Writing from memory here.
There is some kind of quick fix called' Sneaky Pete' that threads a seal through bit I have no experience of this.
The head gaskets and chains need to be done at least once in it's life but if done previously then you are faced with a difficult decision. Must be in the region of 60-75+ hours work??
In reality the seals need to be sized with a dummy bit of crank (sizing tool). I suppose the lower one could be carefully tapped in and subsequently trimmed. I think It looks like an asbestos type rope.
I've only ever done a six and the rope needs to be soaked in oil and I think I used Hylomar. Long time ago.
You might get away with it. If it wasn't leaving a horrible pool of leaking oil and your clutch wasn't affected then it wasn't that bad really. I don't have the facts.
Let us know the grubby details .