Perhaps the gears are aftermarket. On jag-lovers Redline oil was recommended for the gearbox and subjectively I think it made my EJ (early 4.2) box a bit more quiet. Your 1st gear is straight cut and that will always whine.

I missed out to check for wear in the bore of the lay cluster where the needle rollers run. I check that bay assembling the laygear on the shaft and put the end of the shaft in a vice with soft jaws and check for play with a dial gauge. There should be no movement. I have never met a wrongly machine...

The only gears under load in those three gears is the drive from the input shaft to the layshaft, so I would look at them first. Also that is the only time the input shaft bearing is loaded so clean it with solvent and see if it spins freely, though I would replace that whenever the box is in bits. ...

The position of the first bellcrank is set by the stop. The others move through right angles to the rods at around mid-travel. I think you need to see someone's car to measure if the carb levers are right length.

Helicoils or equivalent increase the strength of the thread in aluminium. Doing the job without removing the head does carry the significant risk of leaving swarf in the combustion chamber.

The actual compression ratio depends on the pistons fitted but also whether the head or block faces have been refaced. Most of the heads will have been machined by now. The compression ratio that is best for your engine depends on what fuel you intend to use, the ignition advance you use and the typ...

It depends on the compression ratio and the fuel you intend to use. There are also two different 123 systems for the Jag. I am using the JAG-6-R-V which has curves which gets the full advance going much earlier as recommended for modified engines in Des Hammill's book 'How to Power Tune XK engines'....

To jack the rear of the car high enough to remove the rear subframe you need a lift of about 450mm. To do this in one move means using a big (and heavy) trolley jack. Mine will also go under the picture frame to lift the front using the hardwood spreader. I use a small cheap trolley jack for every o...

It should come off now. You need to jack the upright up to about normal height to take the load off. If it will not come off with a lever each side and the rubber bush is already shot the next step is to apply heat to the inner steel part of the bush, easier after breaking the bush away. The bush fi...

Ray, I don't see why it shouldn't fit, but unless someone has done exactly that swop it is difficult to be sure. If you keep the clutch clean you should be able to return it. You could take the flywheel to the factor to try it. My only worry would be the release bearing, and it's length. Tony Hi Dav...

There may be a way you could fit a diaphragm clutch without changing or re-machining your flywheel to suit the 9.5" clutch. Before they went to the 9.5", the early 4.2s (like mine) had 10" Laycock diaphagm clutches and this went on well into 1965. I thought they were unobtainable but I saw a new one...

Pete, New bonnets come about 1" too long and then they have to be cut to length. This means there is a risk a second hand bonnet will be too short. If this occurs it will need to be extended, not the most difficult E-type bodywork job. Getting a bonnet to fit the car is about a day's work if all tha...

Several people I know sent theirs to Mike Eck in the US with good results. See jaguarclock.com
TonyB