Thanks again. I don't think it was surface tension, because the cam tilted up (down at the sprocket, up at the rear) as though the chain was pulling it down, and at the rear it was raised maybe 1/8 inch. The tensioner was orange plastic, looked great, but I could only see the top half, of course, and it seems the split usually starts at the bottom.

I tried to push down on the tensioner to get space to pull it out, but it seemed unmovable. Granted, I was very scared of damaging anything, so I did not use any tool to get more force on it. The chain seemed absolutely tight -- so tight, in fact, that it pulled down the cam sprocket as soon as the caps were unbolted.

My plan is to do the other (right) bank in a week or so, when I have a free day, and maybe it will go easier (and I'll try to pry up the cam, etc.) If it works, I will (ugh!) open up the left bank again and have another go. My problem is that I cannot be without the car, so I have to make sure I have a working car by the end of the day.

Thank you all, again, a lot. I hope that my cluelessness may in the long run help another neophyte.

btw, if another neophyte is out there considering this, MAKE SURE you have a torque wrench that goes down to the low torques that the engine calls for. I am sure glad that I bought one for this job -- some of the bolts call for just 5 Nm's, far below what my previous one would reliably register.

 

but well worth keeping it running ... (unlike Coronation street which can be cancelled tomorrow and I wouldn't know it had gone)

yes the various instructions are all informative.....with clamp down or zip tie seeming to be a choice of approach depending on what tools you have to hand


but surely with as many of these cars still running and as many still needing the 3rg gen primary tensioners if not the secondary's as well.....


so I would add one comment


why hasn't someone done a very detailed video of the job......


all the YouTube offerings I have seen are cut off or incomplete when it comes to showing things like loosening of cam sprockets, reassembly adjustments procedures, taking slack out of primary chains etc


next time Im home I have to pop my cam covers to see what I have but if im not lucky (and im not) then I would pay good money for a step by step CD to guide me through the job while Im doing it...and im sure a lot of others would too


yes there is enough forum info and YouTube stuff out there to work it out but the hardest part of the job is researching all over the place to settle your mind on doing it....


one CD or a pay to view download would be perfect

 

I am a new owner of an XJ8 (2001 car with 1999 engine) and the introductory repair for new owners seems to be the topic of this thread, tensioners. I am removing the covers tomorrow to check the secondary tensioners, and unless I'm really impressed I intend to redo it all.

I have spent hours today reading threads and searching parts. I have landed on the following kit, to which I will add an aluminum thermostat housing and water pump. Please advise me; is this kit good quality, good price etc.?

Thanks much,
Jeff

97 01 Jaguar 4 0L 3996cc V8 Timing Chains Tensioners Guide Rails Kit AJ LC DC | eBay

 

pretty sure that this set will also do the job.....and being as its got Lincoln LS and not Jaguar written on the box is the reason its cheaper


Engine Timing Set DNJ TK4162 Fits 00 01 Lincoln LS 3 9L V8 | eBay

 

It is a lot of work.

Rev Sam has done a lot of videos on repairing our Jags, bless him for his dedication.

The time, effort and skill to record, edit and post such a video is a lot to ask of a hobby mechanic.

I think there are sufficient resources out there to do the job.

"You Tube" has created an entitlement mentality about most everything now.

"Someone should do a video about how to do that" is commonly heard, but unless you have ever tried to create something like this you don't realize the how much work it includes.
Vector

 

I most certainly do appreciate the work of all folks who take the time to tell others the 'how to's' .....without them where would we all be ....and in turn we should all add back to the knowledge base.


Im not saying the info isn't out there as it most certainly is....and I do appreciate that making any video let alone a professional video is a lot of effort stopping and starting the job in while you are trying to get the job done.


Plus I suppose that over time there are less 'pre metal tensioner' engine cars still on the road and therefore less tensioner jobs being done on the basis that they either they have been or if not then the remaining 4.0 cars have already self destructed ....making a pro vide less viable idea

 

Thanks, that would be great if I can use the Lincoln LS kit. I read in one of the forums however that while the tensioners are the same, the chains and perhaps the guides are different. Has anyone used the full Lincoln LS timing kit on an XJ8? Are all the components, including the chains, compatible?

 

certainly look similar don't they.....but needs confirmation so please don't take my word on it as gospel


I would guess that the timing chain set up and sizes are the same for every capacity variant of this engine from 3.2 to 4.2.....the only difference I would assume is the stroke and bore

 

Hey, I hope there are still people checking this thread, because as a new member I am very hesitant to start new threads; at least until I understand how things work on here.

Valve cover is off, and it appears there are 2nd generation tensioners? (plastic but with springs). If the engine is a 99 then I think it came with the 1st generation? Which means, someone upgraded them years ago.

Questions:
1) Should I put it back together for a week or so until I have the parts and time to upgrade, or should I let my wife drive one of my cars and keep it parked until I've repaired it?
2) When I pulled up the dipstick tube it seemed to come loose underneath. Do I have to re-seat it somehow?
3) The cams look caked a little and dirty, in my opinion. What is a safe chemical/method to clean that area while I have the valve cover off?
4) The small corrugated hose that goes from the valve cover (driver side America) underneath the intake manifold to a connection near the firewall snapped at the connector. I was planning to use a short piece of vacuum hose sized to fit over both ends and a couple of hose clamps to repair it. Is this a bad idea?

Thank you!!

I promise one day I'll be answering questions, not asking them.

 

I did the exact same thing to mine a couple of weeks ago when I was doing my tensioners. You will get a "restricted performance" code and it will just dump fuel into your system. It could easily load up your cat and then you are talking big money. They replaced mine at my shop for $30 part and an hour of labor.

 

Sorry I was answering #4

 

Go online to Christopher Parts in NJ and compare their kits to the Lincoln kit. I think the Lincoln kit works for primary and secondary; but they sell both and will answer questions.

I bought my secondary kit from them; then a buddy bought his secondaries at the local Lincoln dealer for much less.

If you check the front of the secondaries with a mirror, you can see if there is a break or a vertical tear: if none, seal it and drive it.
You need to push the dipstick back in.

I am not sure to which hose you are referring: so I defer to brewer. (I could go check, but it is pouring rain here).

The timing chain set up was changed (hardened and doubled up) between the 3.2 and 4.0 series and the 4.2. (more than just stroke).

 

Okay, below is a picture of how I remedied the snapped corrugated line. I feel that it's airtight so hopefully, at least until I go back in next week to replace everything, it will work. I am not proud of the appearance, but it should work, right?

I am putting everything back together. I have a new gasket set, but since I am opening it again next week and the old gaskets look ok, I just lubricated them with a little Vaseline and reused them. I will put the new set on next week.

Thanks for telling me that the oil tube just pushes back in place. I was thinking I had to access the point where it goes in and reseal it, which did not seem doable!

 

If it doesn't idle funny or throw codes like mine did that should work. Be careful when replacing it. If it breaks somewhere between the cam cover and the TB, it could require supercharger removal to remove and install the new one.

 

wouldn't it be possible to push a new line through......might be a bit fiddly but with a fairly stiff piece of reinforced rubber tubing it could be pushed through and fished out at either end

 

You meant manifold not supercharger, right?

The tube is the part load breather hose (I think), but it doesn't look like mine (it quit raining). If it is air tight (spit on it), should be good to go. If leaking, as ebrewer noted, it won't idle. In fact, if the motor is a 99, you might need to clean the orifice (search for threads).

 

The car runs great now that it's back together. I hear a small tick of a valve noise sometimes, but only I would notice because no one else is listening that carefully.

There is a small amount of oil apparently leaking out of the valve cover onto the exhaust towards the firewall. There's a burning smell and tiny amount of smoke coming from that spot when I pull it back into the garage and look under the hood. I tightened the bolts on that end a little hoping my wife can use the car without me having to take the cover off again and put the new gasket set on. Stress. I guess I should have gone ahead and put the new gasket on...

 

my bad....yes

 

That is the exact process the shop used on mine. He just cautioned me that they just get so brittle you don't want it breaking somewhere in between. But it sounds like your aren't leaking like my quick fix was (rubber shrink fit tubing). I broke mine in the same location as yours. Turns out when they replaced it someone prior to me repaired it closer to the throttle body and it would have gone out soon anyway. So I didn't feel so stupid about breaking it.

 

Do you happen to know the part number for that piece?

(BTW - Took it back apart again; installed the new gasket set. Lost a 10mm socket somewhere but otherwise the car seems to be running correctly.)