Hey all,

I have acquired a 2009 5.0L X150, my first Jaguar, for a fantastic price. As with all good things there is a catch. The Car runs but blows smoke out the exhaust, Head Gasket according to a independent Jaguar Mechanic. I can make use of a friends garage and pay to have the engine taken out and either change the head gaskets myself or get my friend to do the entire job. I also have a 3rd option and that is for me to do the job at home as a project.

My main question is it possible to remove the heads whilst the engine is in the Car? I have been told that you struggle to remove the heads due to the inner strut towers but I was wondering if it was possible to unbolt and rotate the engine enough to pull the heads off to change the head gaskets?

I understand that this is not a simple task, I am an ex professional racing driver, raised around Cars and have always fixed and fettled my own cars. I have a well equipped triple garage to work on the car. I also intend to get all the correct locking tools and also investing in a hydraulic scissor lift so I can get under the Car etc.

I quite like the idea of a project but want to make sure that I am not biting off more than I can chew.

Thanks in advance for the responses

Welcome to the club Rob, super jealous of the triple garage. Good luck with the head removal. Hopefully someone will be along who may know.

Thanks Steve,

It is very useful but the guy who built them before I bought the house used to build MGBs.... which are considerably shorter than most Cars so to fit the XK in I have use wheel skates and sit it at 45 degrees. Glad it is the width it is otherwise it would be useless 😁.