The Shocking Truth About The Jaguar XK Inline Six

Comments · 125

• NI

  @nigelbarratt6825 · 11 months ago

  I was a mechanic back in the late 60s and worked on loads of XK engines, and I've also owned more than one, from 63 e-type series 1 3.8  to XJ6 series 2 4.2. I've never come across these problems you describe, they've all been pretty reliable in my experience.

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• CA

  @captain348 · 11 months ago

  Well… lets see how all these modern twin turbo multi level electronic engines will fare in 50 years. At least the Jag 6 one could fix with a spanner and hammer.

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• TH

  @thisisnumber0 · 11 months ago (edited)

  My father had 5 cars with this engine, in every capacity, and never experienced these problems. Funny, eh?

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• PE

  @peternedsmith · 11 months ago

  So what you are saying is 95% of problems are caused by lack of proper maintenance, and age, not by poor design

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• OP

  @open-minded-oldie · 11 months ago

  I owned many MK 2 Jaguars. My favourite journey, in "the good old days" was a regular trip from Oostende, Belgium to Munich in a 1965 3.8 manual overdrive Mk 2. This was around 1972. About 600 miles and it took 6 1/2 hours which included 2 fuel stops. Gauges stable, no oil or water used and no wind noise either!! Brilliant motor car!!

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• TO

  @tonyhladun9081 · 11 months ago

  This video sounds like something a mechanic shows a customer before he charges an arm and leg for maintenance that might not be necessary.

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• JI

  @jimburig7064 · 11 months ago

  As a life long gearhead, I admire this inline beauty with high regard. Every liquid cooled engine faces these problems over time. Evans makes a selection water free engine coolants that do not cause corrosion in the engine. If you aren't already aware of this, it's worth looking into. It's supposed to be a permanent coolant. I learned about it watching Jay Leno's Garage. He uses it in all of his cars.

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• FA

  @fastpart1 · 10 months ago

  I built many xk engines the head studs were fine until the later xj6 engines it was not an issue with the series 1 engines I built 350 hp plus race engines without head gasket problems

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• RO

  @RogerDyer-dg3ql · 5 months ago

  The oil leaks were legendary in the day. I remember my own 3.8 when up on a ramp, the whole underbody was black - coated &nbsp;in oil. At least it kept rust at bay!<br><br>Mine lost its head gasket around 70k miles - a &quot;blow&quot; between two cylinders, eroding the head, resulting in the need to pull the head and have it machined. <br><br>Much later, living in the US, there were multiple companies that would take an XJ6, pull the power unit and replace with the small block Chevy powertrain from the Corvette - more power, much more reliable - and much lighter, which required suspension work to compensate - or live with a high riding vehicle.

• TH

  @Thereishope664 · 11 months ago

  If you put good quality anti freeze in an XK engine you wont get a problem. I&apos;ve owned E-type&apos;s for years and the engines are bullet proof.

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• JO

  @joannedickie7863 · 11 months ago (edited)

  We have had several XK engined Jaguars &amp; if the engines are correctly built they last for ages. &nbsp;We ran a 4.2 engined XJ6 for over 30 years &amp; the car never let us down. &nbsp;Eventually the head had to come off when a crack appeared between the bores as the bores are very close on some cylinders. &nbsp;Top hat liners fixed that problem. &nbsp;We also have a 3.8 engined Mk2 that was club raced by a previous owner. &nbsp;The engine was modified with high compression pistons, larger SU carbs, D-Type cams &amp; was fully balanced. &nbsp;That engine just keeps on keeping on. &nbsp;The carbs have only needed a couple of minor adjustments but that is all. &nbsp;The engine is docile in traffic yet embarrasses modern cars when the revs rise above 3,500rpm. &nbsp;BTW none of our XK engines leaked oil. &nbsp;We stacked our cars above each other on the hoist without any worries of oil stains.

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• TH

  @TheWrench-Wright · 11 months ago

  I restored XK series Jaguars and Mark 7s and 9s, E types, I then was a Jaguar dealer Tech for twenty plus years. Every issue stated I dealt with and cured with not much issue afterward, I built many &nbsp;non leaking English engines and others that are famous for leaking that I &quot;cure&quot; but an XK engine will last for 300 plus thousand miles when properly maintained

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