We bought a rare straight-six engine for £1!

Thank you Hellofresh for sponsoring today's video! Click here www.hellofresh.co.uk/DRIVETRIBE to enjoy an exclusive offer of 60% off your first box, along with a 20% discount for the following two months plus free gifts. Alternatively, you can use our code DRIVETRIBE. This special offer is available for new customers as well as those who cancelled their subscription twelve months ago or more.
Mike Fernie has found an incredibly rare six-cylinder engine in a scrapyard, and he's going to save it! Being just a lump of scrap, he paid £1! How bad will the abandoned engine be?!
/ drivetribe
/ drivetribe
/ drivetribe
/ drivetrb
Subscribe for more DriveTribe content : / @drivetribe
👇 FOR MORE CONTENT CHECK OUT OUR OTHER CHANNELS 👇
/ @whatnextvids
/ @moredrivetribe
Buy your DriveTribe Live 2024 event tickets 👉bit.ly/DT-Live24-Tickets
Thank you to @tomlenthallsworkshop for helping us start this journey. Be sure to check out his main channel for more exciting projects: / @tomlenthallsworkshop
Official Channel Partners
Gtechniq - www.gtechniq.co.uk/
Liqui-Moly - www.liqui-moly.com/en/gb/
Lanoguard - www.lanoguard.co.uk/pages/dri...
Adrian Flux - www.adrianflux.co.uk/
Ineedatracker - ineedatracker.com/
Carly - www.mycarly.com/
00:00 Finding our £1 engine
01:04 Extracting the abandoned engine
01:36 Initial engine inspection
04:36 Trying to turn over the engine
05:49 Stripping the engine down
08:28 The cylinder head comes off
10:01 A perfect AJ16 engine
10:57 Finally hitting top dead centre
14:03 The sump comes off
16:24 How bad are the internals?
19:11 Is the crankshaft okay?
20:14 Cleaning up the block

[@Drivetribe]

What should we do with this engine? 🤔Thank you Hellofresh for sponsoring today's video! Click here www.hellofresh.co.uk/DRIVETRIBE to enjoy an exclusive offer of 60% off your first box, along with a 20% discount for the following two months plus free gifts. Alternatively, you can use our code DRIVETRIBE. This special offer is available for new customers as well as those who cancelled their subscription twelve months ago or more.

[@spicybecca4899]

Save the engine! Stick it in Olivia ;)

[@TrulyAmazingFeats]

Put it in a hot rod style Mk 2. That's the answer. Proper gangster stuff.

[@shatguin]

Save it!

[@pascalharris1]

Save it. You thought it was a racing engine - so restore it as a racing engine and build a little single seater, track only, racing car with it.

[@shadowizardgovernment]

i double triple dare you to put it in an ascona

[@CreamAle]

Tom is an absolute gems, no matter which channel he's showing up on. True character.

[@Okurka.]

Can't say the same about Mike.

[@CreamAle]

@@Okurka. You can. Mike is a top notch fella. Your comment history on the other hand.. rather negative and yet you still show up. Rather odd behavior if you ask me.

[@Okurka.]

@@CreamAle YT is weird; it somehow recommended this video. I didn't watch it as I saw it was with Mike. I only read the comments of cringy fanbois like you. Rather odd behavior to check my comment history; obsessed much?

[@CreamAle]

@@Okurka. Didn't watch but still felt compelled to talk trash. Absolute joy of a person. Take care my dude.

[@Okurka.]

@@CreamAle So you didn't watch it either?

[@1969Risky]

Tom is a brilliant guy. I love how he gives his time to automotive channels. If that engine can't be saved, at least turn it into a coffee table & give it to Tom as a present for his office.

[@iubalum2013]

shades of classic Top Gear 🫡👊

[@PuzzleVizion_TV]

Sadly it's obscured by the 50% of the video showing his face and talking nonsense and babling about. I just wanted to see the engine ffs

[@4RingsRetro]

​@@PuzzleVizion_TVWhat do you mean? What more of the engine do you need to see? It's wrecked. Toms expressions are far more interesting!

[@blockbertus]

@@PuzzleVizion_TV You are talking about Mike, aren't you?!

[@EdK911]

Rebuild it!)) We need more content to watch!))

[@Hondaep2turboowners]

Yes😊

[@scooby45247]

as long as the block isnt cracked, it can and should be rescued..

[@KayoMichiels]

15:54 "A well worn engine that had just been sat outside" BMW F1 engine engineers in the mid 80's : *HEAVY BREATHING*

[@tiagobelo4965]

could you explain?

[@KayoMichiels]

@@tiagobelo4965 In the mid 80's, BMW bought back old and worn M10 engine blocks, let them out to 'weather' at their factory before they were modified for use in Formula 1 with over 1200bhp in qualifying trim... the reason they had to be old and worn engines is by the time they were tuning them, the stresses of casting would have been worn out of the block and they would have been stronger..

[@mikehipperson]

@@KayoMichiels The mechanics also used to 'relieve' themselves on the blocks!

[@Booka3141]

Sadly just a myth, not sure how it came about though.

[@kristoffer3000]

@@mikehipperson According to myth

[@AndrewKay-fg1bj]

10:37 Put it in an MX5? Isn’t that your normal first reaction? 😂

[@dlbuffmovie]

Haha.

[@IvoTrausch]

I was gonna say, how about that Suzuki Cappuccino?

[@markwalton8644]

Thought this then then thought about all the other V10 MX5 projects 😂. Not going to happen 😢

[@RolandDrehtRaeder]

Just wanted to say the same: save it and put it in an MX5 :D

[@surajbalajr.4016]

2:03 that "1 POUND! 1 POUND" Audio brought back so many memories. 🥺❤️

[@ashtondimovski7074]

It’s a Jaaaaag - of course you should save it. Perhaps it won’t happen, but I always wondered how an XK would perform with a AJ16 - manual conversion, XK chassis and body, adding in the S/C AJ16? Excellent fun. I mean, if you could FIT them, that would be nearly the perfect recipe for an F-Type too. The perfect version would be an Ingenium straight six, but an AJ16 would be fascinating in there too.

[@Chilled_Mackers]

Haha, Tom Lenthal is superb "Yeah, yeah - I think she'll fire straight up."

[@willjohnboy]

That's nothing Jeremy bought a car on top gear for a £1

[@mscd9676]

have you heard of inflation

[@clarkscat9386]

@@mscd9676 a pound is a pound tho

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

And they bought a Lamborghini Urraco for £10k A parts car will cost you 4x that now.

[@jackpitcher869]

They referenced it in the video 😂

[@carlbirtles4518]

That £1 car was a Volvo 760 GLE (2.8 V6).

[@Emberescan12]

Rebuild it. Love the Tom Lenthall content!

[@T3demius]

... a suggested plan... buy another 4 /5 "1" Pound engines , ripp the parts off and build a Frankenstein with one initial purpose... to determine how much would last and what effort would be needed to wreck it...and then rebuild it with proper/ forget parts and give a rewarding performance life.... would be a nice odyssey for us to watch and a massive amount of work for you

[@NewHandle_]

Yes, this

[@CaydeSmax]

seems like swallows needs the space :D so yeh mike should take some petty cash round and buy all the scrap for a quid and then see whats possible with it all

[@taponespantapajaritos3937]

love watching this guy take apart engines. more please

[@CROSSBOWMAN1470]

I think a MK 3 Ford Capri would suit that engine perfectly. It will have the amazing sound with the stunning looks.

[@77BenWells]

Love it. Anything is possible. I bought a Chevy Corvair engine (air cooled flat 6) which was pretty much the same. Had sat in the corner of a barn for 20 yrs. Wouldnt turn over by hand, had to split the nuts holding the heads on as it was winding out the head studs....and when i did get the heads off, it was full of sludge and corn....and then i whacked a main bearing seat drifting out a stuck piston 🙈🙈🙈 But she lived......and ran like a champ in my beach buggy. Anything is possible.

[@janpruijser8649]

Tom, does Alex know you're cheating on him?

[@Drivetribe]

😂

[@benobrien7110]

Go full tilt and lighten the crank fly wheel rack cams the works, sleeve the block if you can. Same the hardship of boring it out past the corrosion ❤

[@cliveharrop1924]

Try and beat Greg Parsons in Australia who managed to get 576hp from his AJ16 rebuild and upgrades. What a legend.

[@jamesguschke9338]

During my attendance at a Tennessee, USA state public school, my auto mechanics teacher told us about so many dangerous tricks that I now see in this video. If he had not mentioned kicking, adding another wrench, or a pipe on a ratchet, I may have never learned these clever tricks. Thanks Mr. Jackson

[@scaree2496]

Put on a bigger super charger, make it a real hotrod engine!

[@paulwilliams7816]

You could probably get away with putting smaller pullies on it and make more boost that way rather spending more money on a bigger one

[@simongroot7147]

@@paulwilliams7816 No you cannot. The supercharger is already driven at 2.5 times crank speed, meaning at 5000 engine RPM it is already at the speed limit of the supercharger. At this speed the supercharger efficiency is falling dramatically. All it does is heat the air and consume more crankshaft power, the opposite of what you need. It is only a 90 cubic inch unit and a 4.0l engine stretches it right to the end of the performance envelope. The only way to make more power is a bigger unit. The V8 supercharger is 112 cubic inches displacement.

[@alferro3149]

Nice one! I think you should save it and build a XJC restomod

[@MdSaiful-bt1my]

It's a Yes from me to restore that engine and I love to do this kind of work

[@leeevernden]

Absolute beast of an engine, mine still makes me smile every single time I floor it. Rebuild it. Plus I'm sure Tom said he had some new cylinder heads for those lying around. Parts supply is good, standalone ECU options are available too so you could put it in anything big enough. They are a proper torque monster.

[@hilarypool9203]

Save it! I'm so looking forward to following this build. I bought a 1995 Jaguar XJR 17 years ago which I still own and drive to this day. It it has this exact engine in it. I've always wondered what kind of potential the engine has but nobody really does much with them.

[@ExMachinaEngineering]

10:34 A Caterham 7... Obviously, it has to be a 7...

[@stevelee5724]

This engine in a 7 would be spot on mate !😅 Yeeha

[@chrishenniker5944]

I’m more inclined towards a late forties to mid fifties Dodge pickup or Plymouth saloon.

[@deezhutts]

@@chrishenniker5944Trying to find one in the U.K. for less than £10000 will be near impossible.

[@chrishenniker5944]

@@deezhutts it’d make an excellent hot rod engine, regardless of cost. Why so expensive though?

[@deezhutts]

@@chrishenniker5944Virtually none of those were in the U.K. in the first place, and those who have them aren’t selling. The only somewhat viable option is shipping one over.

[@louisjones2653]

If it's Jaguar, it deserves to be rebuilt, simple! (Plus more Tom Lenthal content)

[@rossbrumby1957]

Easy to get that spinning over- just give each cylinder a quick hone while the pistons are down then it can turn over enough to hone the next 2 cylinders.

[@heathcornbeef]

Back in the early eighties when i was a teenager my dad had a 1951 Bristol 401 it had a 2ltr straight six with triple carbs i can still hear the induction sound of that engine it was AWESOME

[@katsaras1]

Restore it.. then find a 1£ chassis and body, restore that one too and then put 1 and 1 together to make 2

[@Fenrasulfr]

I would say depending on your budget for the build, try it. I imagine that both the head and block will need a machine work, so I can't imagine it being cheap.

[@pauldupre2269]

Love Tom. He's the kinda Geezer ya need in your life!

[@Ashfielder]

I’ve got a 4.0 AJ16 in my XJ6, it’s a lovely motor. Smooth, powerful, sounds lovely. Shame the rest of the car keeps breaking.

[@bjarneanmarkrud8187]

Of course save it and see how much power you can get out of it! Its a large engine, so wont fit that easily into a lot of engine bays, so stick it in an old jag, like tom did with his XJC. And those AJ16S engines are a lot more rare than people think - they only made 6547 XJRs, and i would guess a lot of them has been scrapped by now.

[@whosyourmate8292]

Great engine! I used to remove the bonnet, throw a blanket over the wing and replace the head gasket in a day. You can sit on the wings with your feet in the engine bay!

[@BoyeeSmudger]

Having that amount of space is a DREAM! Mini owner 😢

[@whosyourmate8292]

@@BoyeeSmudger I concur 😂👍

[@kingahockeypro3388]

I had bought myself a 1996 XJ6 when i was 20. I loved how the AJ6 would purr when i would put my foot down. Im 23 now and i kind of miss it. I might actually buy it back after watching this video 😂

[@mbak7801]

The important parts look fine. Standard bearings are a plus. If they had been +40 thou then it would be a different beast. As long as the block is not porous then rebuild it. It should scrub up fine.

[@kuseetha.]

Yes Mike, do it up. We all love engines❤

[@CalumRaasay]

Get it into a jimny!

[@Turnipstalk]

It'll go into the boot if you take the back seats out.

[@stanislawrybinski]

"you gotta use your head, mate" - words to live by! love the video!

[@florianwagner7279]

Great Video 👍Thank you for sharing this - I am really looking forward to the next steps - Would be great if you can restore this engine

[@markwheeler4417]

That engine has great potential... as a coffee table.

[@Craig-wp3pz]

Please be classy, and put it in a Mk ten with a manual 'box Grace, Space , and PACE 😊 🚗 ⚙ 📦 😃

[@jamesmasin159]

Finally a video of AJ16 dissasembly on the whole of internet... 🎉 and even AJ16S, perfect. But it's a shame it's so rusted out, because there is less to be seen under the brown crud. Offtopic: where would you recommend to add extra oil pressure and oil temperature sensors on these? (I am doing it on mine right now)

[@spinosamurai]

Yes! Save it! And definitely provide the full build list! I have a 95 Xjs with the AJ16 (US Spec) and would love to make some mods! I might go the turbo charger route since I don't have the supercharger.

[@Flyhi_Photography]

Tom Lenthal, you legend!

[@MapOfEurasia]

Rebuild as a stroker with a bigger swirly thing on the intake 👌

[@nigelpipe8933]

Yes save it. I was a Motor Mechanic for 25+ years & loved to do rebuilds on old stuff like that, So give it a chance to run free again guys :)

[@SHIREDRIFT]

Jeez, good score for a quid! i Sold those Eaton M90 Superchargers for £500 before. Hope the front rotor bearings are alright though as they are not replaceable like the rear needle and snout bearings are. Teflon coating chips wear on the rotors is a big problem too so be very carefully clean any debris out before turning the supercharger pulley!

[@PuzzleVizion_TV]

I WANT TO SEE THE ENGINE, NOT THEIR FACES!!

[@RobertJW]

I'd turn it into a coffee table.

[@CLOCKCHASER2222]

I’d connect it to a bean grinder and milk frother to make the coffee for the table

[@inhouseshow]

😂😂

[@mistreku]

this will be an awesome series! can't wait for the next installment!

[@manojkumarsharmasharma6334]

Rebuild it!!!!we need more content to watch and admire please do it🙌👏🙏👍

[@TheAgwarn]

Stop wasting poor Toms valuable time and turn it into a coffee table ☕️

[@misfitsa]

Now i hope it runs

[@sianwarwick633]

Tom has many minions

[@TastierBackInThe80s]

Rebuild it!!

[@dennisbreeveld6842]

Absolutely rebuild it and see how deep the Rabbit Hole goes

[@markhughes7844]

Irn Bru Toothpaste!! 😂😂😂 As both an old Irn Bru kid ( for real, I was an Irn Bru kid ! ) and an avid watcher of all things Drivetribe this cracked me up. You have to get that beast back to life and get it in something cool. Maybe an MGB raceish car to rival the cogs or a sleeper ? Thanks for the videos, they do brighten my days.

[@notesonwheels]

it is a table. not an engine.

[@petetofani4896]

This engine has been sitting outside in the UK weather for who knows how long. What shape did you expect it to be in? I think you did over pay.

[@kasmanien]

Good crank and con-rods, as long as the block isn't cracked, definitely worth a save.

[@lee_saylor]

FIX THIS ENGINE! What a great way to teach people who are interested about what a rebuild can do, what it looks like from the ground up and it gives a great example of why it is important to take care of and do engine maintenance.

[@BritishBeeMan]

But will it blend?

[@Hitperson]

don't breathe this!

[@memorimusic420]

This is amazing!!! Looking forward to what you're going to do with it

[@andydufresne8034]

I've have a 2007 Toyota Solara which is a little gem that I've been through hell with and it has great sentimental value. I dream of restoring it someday like Mike's Mondeo, but worry I've abused the engine too badly and it won't be saveable. If you can save this Jaguar engine, it will give me hope.

[@colinduncan1530]

First thing you should do is book all the parts into a dry ice cleaning process, like Tavarish has done on his flood-damaged P1, especially if you want it to look anything like new. Steam cleaning might be good, but it's nothing like dry ice cleaning.

[@chada1030]

Never thought I'd get excited about an engine rebuild but since I had an old XJR with this engine, I'm invested! 😊

[@_whyte.woods_1256]

Knowing how England likes to switch between imperial and metric, I'm curious which system Jaguar used on these engines

[@alexandrecouture2462]

I did a head gasket job on mine last week and I can confirm they use both.

[@alexandrecouture2462]

I did a head gasket job on mine last week and I can confirm they use both.

[@TheTulerie]

If you fill the engine with diesel & a quart of ATF & let the engine sit for a few days, it'll free it up. I've done this a few times with tractors & old cars. Works pretty well

[@peterhowells7309]

Greetings from Scotland! "Should we save this engine?" Absolutely! No cracks, no warps - it's going to need tlc and a rebore but it's such a sweet running bullet proof motor. This is going to be interesting to follow.

[@futte2303]

You can use the housing itself if you change all the insides including the cylinder lining. There are not even a bolt you can reuse

[@kev231184]

This is the content car throttle have lost that us normal car blokes love! Where is part 2

[@atadams77]

It can be done. Can't wait to see the whole series of it from junk to running. Next time get some cheater bars to remove those stubborn bolts. Whole thing reminds me of the Haggerty rebuild videos on YT here. Go check them out!

[@stevo63n]

Make it the Race Engine you thought you’d bought.Full on rebuild with extra ponies.Make it look like that sexy XJC unit.That’s one fine looking motor.

[@jvebarnes]

Having rebuilt flooded engines I have a soft spot for these work horses so if it can be saved and returned to a semblance of it's glory you should do it.

[@Davide0033]

it would be fun to see this with all original parts, just for fun. clean everything and put it back together (apart from bearings and seals of course)

[@ChristerByklum]

Fix it! Absolutely loved seeing this, yet again, with Tom. Maybe put it in an XJ-S? Fastest ever XJ-S?

[@chrisb9360]

Should have mentioned this vid featured Tom in the title. You’d have double the views! Need to see this engine rebuild. Stick it in an XJS please.

[@kaedeschulz5422]

Absolutely needs to be brought back to Life!

[@paulwincott2987]

I would just love to watch skilled engineers rebuild this engine in every detail, in the James May 'Re-assembler' style. 👍

[@user-wj1jy8hu1t]

Def rebuild it - can’t wait to watch it come back to life

[@tonychamberlain8057]

Absolutely save it and to watch it being rebuilt and fitted would be a great watch

[@mndlessdrwer]

You'll need to spend several hundred pounds to either get the cams replaced or cleaned, re-welded, re-profiled, heat treated, and precision ground. Plus a couple hundred quid on cam sprockets, pulleys, and other consumable items. All in all, you should be into that engine for less than 1500 pounds for parts, not including labor. For a relatively uncommon and potent straight six, that's not really too bad.

[@benjaminberson9251]

Perhaps make it into a cool practical demonstration model for students and display?

[@iDreu]

I could watch this for hours love me some engine teardowns

[@matthewmclaren6092]

Please rebuild it it's such great telly to see the journey.

[@MEchanicAL_LSTAR]

Yes, save it. Have the smallest cog make a frame like a caterham style, slap it in and have some fun with it.

[@sjion]

This is the content we want! Yes, rebuild it! Please 🙏!

[@biker_dan]

You can repair anything, the only question is how much you want to spend. For me I would get new pistons, sleeves and shells for the crank. Set of new high lift cams with harder springs. If you are gonna do it then do it right. Once done I would look for an old rare Jaguar, remember the one Steed had in the Avengers? A replica of that with that good recon high performance engine. Once done auction it for funds for the next project.. love your work mate.

[@QuickSplashVideo-rm2kh]

It was sitting outside for a reason so it's probably worn out as he said. Rebuild it stock and find a nice old Jag for it.

[@Irebuild-wo9ep]

Rebuild it this a piece of art we all need to save these engines and old classic cars as the ones made these days do not compare they don't have soul we need to show the next generation what an engine really was😅

[@scottya138]

Waiting for Hammond to chime in and say “what could possibly go wrong?” 😂😂😂

[@danold6443]

Full rebuild, don't worry about cost as you will not make that back. Save the old girl!

[@heidispawsandfins]

Complete rebuild - what satisfaction! 😜 Where's the details of the RNLI charity project? Thanks

[@stubailey9433]

Enjoyed this. Rebuild it!

[@alfieweston945]

Did 0-120mph in a DB7 with this engine. A time capsule of a car and the engine noise was fantastic

[@miserablew1zrd916]

Man, after watching this video and thinking how stupid I was when I had a blown head gasket at 17 and sold the car. I had no experience at the time and have since learned but this really brought me back to being young and naive about what you can restore on a vehicle.

[@henningklaveness7082]

As a marine mechanic I've seen far worse, many times. Should you save it? For your own sake no, but I'd love to watch you do it.

[@kinkong1961]

The engine is saveable either rebore or changing the liners regrind the crank with some oversized shells new high-flow oil pump racing pistons port the head and high lift cams then you will have a racing engine clean up the super-charger or get a recon one you could easily get 500 bhp out of her maybe a lot more depending on how much money you want to spend like putting a holley ECU system on it bigger injectors run it on methanol or capable of dual fuels petrol or methanol only for racing not for road of course it all depends how far you want to go with it having built jag engines in the past they are nice easy engines to mess around with so have fun whilst making some big horse power out of her.

[@johnnyghoul8100]

I think with oversized pistons and sleeves an aggressive cam set and some bigger valves it could be pretty sick

[@briand7381]

Save it. Dry ice the block and bits. Build it up!