Jag 4.2 with J60 inlet manifold and Solex 48nnip in a BOAT

[Robert Dickinson]

Hi

My first post here so here goes, I bought a speed boat with a Jag 3.8 in it, it was seized and bores shot!

Have bought a series 3 injection 4.2 1982 with 80k miles on an auto box, so hoping engine good.

Have acquired the J60 inlet manifold and the Solex carb, the better Marcus one I believe.

I want to take off the injection side of things and run on the carb.

I have the correct marine manifolds for it, the water cooled oil and water heat exchangers, which all run from a water pick up in the outdrive and is spat out the rear with the exhaust through 2 3" pipes , it came like this but in a 3.8 engine.

Any tips or advice will be great, slightly different from a CVRT I know, but I'm loving the fact that I can make this crossover.

I pick the engine up Wednesday from Birmingham and my manifold and Carb are en route.. Here's how it was when I got it........

d

[john1950]

This is only my opinion, a 4.2 XK engine with 80.000 miles on is well into it's overhaul window. Items like cylinder head studs and water gallery's will be victims of corrosion and sludge build up. Timing chain's and tensioners will require maintenance as will the valves. Take the breather cover off and look at the gauze. This is an old lady and needs looking after and treated with respect if you let her overheat she will pull a liner. There are no lay bye's at sea. 

[ruxy]

Lovely period project you have there - what exactly is the craft, I had ambitions of a Bayliner , however only got as far as Albatross(s)  with CC & Ford power .  The Jag. should 'hit-it'  OK  !

[Robert Dickinson]

Hi

Yes the engine will need a lot of love, no rush here on this project, still got a lot of the 3.8 left over as well for some spares and xj6 parts are not that expensive.

The boat is from Norman Fletcher of Fletcher boats, its from around 65 but I cannot be sure, have done a lot of digging in the boating archives and never been able to accurately pin it down.

The original jag 3.8 ( if that was the original engine) was from 64/65 , so maybe.

It is classed as Fletcher Arrow 172V , which means 17'2" long and a deep V hull, which is apparently the base hull that is still in production today.

Its a very thick GRP lay up, back in the 60s they laid the GRP as thick as a wooden boat would be, which makes it very strong, unlike today's Bayliners ( or binliners others call them as the lay up is so thin! ) calculated by a computer no doubt.

It is a long haul project, which I don't mind, I spent the last couple of months saving the trailer, it was on the verge of rotting out. I had to completely refurbish it, with a little welding done at work etc but it's ok now. Really old drum brakes, whitworth nuts and bolts etc.

The boat hull in general is ok, but the transom ( rear end) is rotten and will need new timber and GRP, and where there has been no cover on it for a few years the floor is rotten. Reasonably easy fixes, as all projects, just need the TIME. LOL 

THANKS  Rob 

[ruxy]

 

Binliner - I like that one ,  seems the Fletch would never have had a Osmosis problem.  My friend had a  Reinell day-boat , never did get to see the engine(s)  , he had to much £ to be interested in lifting the cover.

[john1950]

I heard a wag say boat means (bolt on another thousand)

[attleej]

Robert,

 

I might be interested in the injection equipment C/W inlet manifold.  Do you have the ECU?

John

[radiomike7]

2 hours ago, ruxy said:

 

Binliner - I like that one ,  seems the Fletch would never have had a Osmosis problem.  My friend had a  Reinell day-boat , never did get to see the engine(s)  , he had to much £ to be interested in lifting the cover.

Binliner- also used to describe the waste trains going to landfill sites.

[TJSB]

I would remove the engine first and then put a damp meter all over the hull.  Getting it under cover will help it dry out.  I would sort the hull first, then the drivetrain then the cosmetics.  Think ahead with the hull; is the foredeck cleat big enough and strong enough to be towed from?  Where are the bilge pumps and their outlets going to go etc.

 Back end looks more medium than deep v. Add the Jag engine and stern drive and that suggests it was designed as a ski boat.  The stern drive bellows need replacing every 2 years,  as failure equals sinking.  If you are going to sea as opposed to a lake, then worth considering adding a bracket for an aux outboard when you redo the transom.  A secondary means of propulsion is a no brainer at sea.

Happy to advise further if you wish.

[Robert Dickinson]

Tjsb,

thanks for your concerns about the hull, but I'm all good with the hull.

ive had boats for years, and currently own a 36' fairline Targa with a pair of huge diesels. This is a little heritage project I'm doing, and I've never messed with Jag engines, in fact the last petrol full engine rebuild I did was a 1300cc ford cortina !

the 3.8 was badly seized and has already been bored to 20 thou over on all cylinders, 30thou is Max then it needs new liners, so not worth it.

just picked up the XJ6 engine Tonight, with all auxiliaries, going to have a good look at what I've got the weekend 

cheers

rob

[TJSB]

Robert,

Thanks for the heads up, no intention to teach you to suck eggs!  Fairline 36 boat report was Feb 83 Motorboat and Yachting if of interest.  Mine's a Fairey Spearfish.

Toby

Edited May 27, 2021 by TJSB
Typos

[Robert Dickinson]

Toby

sorry if it sounded like that, didn't mean to ...

great boat the spearfish, all original I guess?

whats your cruising area? I am in Southampton and do a lot of the local area, with a trip to CI at least once a year, and the way things are looking it's going to be the CIs again for a holiday

cheers

rob

[TJSB]

Rob, it didn't sound at all like that, no problem.  I hoped I hadn't sounded like that, so all good.  I am Hamble based boat wise and Solent stomping ground. Planning to be at Cowes week when I have put the boat back together.  I will see if I still have the MBY issue.

 

Best

 

Toby

[mtskull]

On 5/24/2021 at 8:26 PM, Robert Dickinson said:

Any tips or advice will be great, slightly different from a CVRT I know, but I'm loving the fact that I can make this crossover

The one piece of advice I can offer is this: The 48nnip isn’t a bad carb but you will be surprised at how badly an engine will run if the 3 diaphragms (2 accelerator pumps and one enrichment device) aren’t in tip-top condition. 
Best to just replace them (even if they appear to be OK) and keep a spare set. Beware of “New Old Stock” diaphragms that may not be compatible with the ethanol in today’s petrol. 

 

[Robert Dickinson]

Hi

so i got the inlet manifold and it has a piece of pipe with a regulator that you manually turn to 2 x small jets on each of the 3 branch inlets.

what is this for as the carb has a choke?

does anyone have a copy of an engine manual I could look at, J60 or at least explain the basics of the J60 cooling system, I know mines completely different, just interested really.

theres a couple of short u tube clips of a fellow starting a J60 that I've watched, and paused several times, and looks like his little pipe is removed and the 2 x jet ports on manifold are blanked off.

just want to be clear on how to plumb the J60 manifold up to my engine.And what the manifold squirters are.

my guess would be some sort of pre start system.

thanks

rob

[attleej]

Rob,

I think that this is what we call the ki-gas starting system for very cold weather.  The CVR specialists will know for certain.  Nothing to worry about.  Just cap them off because they are never needed.

John

[David Herbert]

I agree with John. The small pipes are for injecting a spray of petrol into each port for very cold weather starting. Just blank them off.

David

[Robert Dickinson]

Thanks 

I would still be very grateful for any info on the cooling system of J60 especially around the route via the injection manifold.

thanks

rob

[attleej]

Dear Rob,

I think that the injection version was simpler because it was not desirable to heat the inlet manifold.  I cannot remember the exact layout.  There must be some form of bypass hose which is essential.  However, I have done exactly what you are seeking to do.  The only caveat, is that I have not worked the engine hard driving the winch in the Conqueror.  

Just make up or buy a gasket to seal all the ports whether coolant of inlet. I use David Manners for classic Jaguar parts. If my memory is correct there is some sort of bypass hose that needs to be in place.. You will obviously have to block up the heater hose outlets.

It is obviously not an engine that likes to be overheated.  Presumably there is an coolant to sea water heat exchanger.

John

[Robert Dickinson]

Thanks

big gap in reply due to many reasons, but having covid being the main culprit.  But feeling much better, and slowly getting into project again.

I would really like to get hold of the air intake pipe, that sits on the Solex 48 nip carb, any ideas of how to ?

i have a xj6 twin carb manifold as well now , that fits my twin carbs, from a 3.8 engine I have, so I have 2 options once running.

( the Solex and the jag twin carb option)

thanks

Rob

[sirhc]

The silver bit in this photo? I’m sure I have a few but it might take me a while to dig one out.

[Robert Dickinson]

Hi

yes the silver part in photo 

thanks

Rob

[Robert Dickinson]

Sir hc

Would be very grateful if you find an air intake trumpet.

The photo you have posted is much appreciated as well, I've screen shot it and I can use it as a reference, for anything I'm not sure about. 

Atleej 

could you send me a pic of the xk engine being used as a winch engine, never new that that was a thing !!

Cheers

Rob

 

[Robert Dickinson]

Hi, don't know what I've pressed, can't get rid of quote boxes, lol 
 

here is a picture of the ancillary engine parts

2 wet exhaust manifolds to the left

bottom right hand corner is the sea water impeller pump

just to the right of ex mans is the Bowman oil cooler

next to that is the large sea water heat exchanger for coolant

just above that is the homemade expansion tank

an old manual bilge pump brass, ( that I found in the bilge)

So I think I pretty much got what I need, I've got the new engine into the garage at the weekend, swapped flywheels from 4.2 to 3.8 to accept my bell housing and the starter motor. 2nd picture.

Although the engine was running when I bought it, it was lumpy, turns out that all the compressions are low and no 1 is very low.

So a strip down of engine, will happen over the winter months.

Ive set myself a target of 700 on the re build, 

Once I've got head off, will help in decisions

Not really done anything with the hull, other than a good clean of the inside, and covered it over from the elements but left air flow.

The cooling set up, on the original set up is as follows,

In-outdrive leg into boat-oil cooler-seawater impeller ( which sucks and pushes)-coolant heat exchanger-exhaust manifolds- out

There was no strainer ( to remove small particles) in the system, so that is something I will fit, get from boat jumble.

Also the original set up had the sea water pump mounted on a step in the hull on a long belt, and pulley on flywheel, I'm thinking opposite side of alternator where the air-con compressor used to live, just need some bracketry.

Well that's where I'm at, but at least I've got going again, it's been a tough year.

Thanks    Rob