I have a Beautiful charcoal/black 2000 S-type 4.0 that shutdown, the cause being a cracked coolant overflow bottle. I replaced the bottle, refilled system, and it started right up banging and clunking, apparently cooked! The dealer said a low mile 42k mile salvage engine would run about $4500, plus $2400 to $3000 to switch them out, bringing it to a possibly $7500 repair. The car is in great shape inside and out with 135k miles. Do sell "as is" or fix? Suggestions welcome.

 

Motor price seems a little high, but the labor is stupid high. Find an independent shop and try to locate an engine on your own.

Some motors

$2500
Engine Motor 01 02 Jaguar s Type 4 0L | eBay

$2600 w/83k miles
Jaguar Gas Engine Motor 4 0L 83K 1 yr Warranty Detroit Michigan 300 83012 | eBay

$1900 w/119k
Engine Motor 2000 Jaguar s Type 4 0L Vin D 119K | eBay


Also, there is one ~82 miles away from you for $1900 and 102k miles

http://car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.c...erPage=1&iKey=

 

+1, you should be able to get a good used engine installed at a Jag independent for $4K or so.

And when you get a low coolant fault, always stop and check as soon as it is safe. If all the coolant has drained, there will be no overheating warning.

 

Sorry I disagree!

You have a 4.0L which needs the timing chain tensioners updated before they fail. So any used engine you get will need this. Unless you are a very good shade tree mechanic you will need to pay someone to install them. This will be expensive!

If you want the car and don't care about the cost then repair it. I would dump the car and move to the much improved 2003 and up S type. If you even want to stay with Jaguar?
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Only the secondary tensioners NEED to be done, so yes, I agree, add about $800 for an independent shop to do this.

That being said, I agree that the 2003 and later models are far better vehicles.

 

Or do this

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/g...k-4-2-a-23763/

 

Yes you are right! The secondary’s are the first to go but I have seen pictures of the primaries in pieces too.

I would hate to do just the secondary’s and then wait for the plastic to break on the primary ones. Unless you just want to repair it and then sell it off.
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My wife insists the car did not overheat, and it only took a half gallon to fill the system after replacing the cracked overflow bottle. I'm Considering that it may be a timing chain problem based on the sound when I started it up. Is this an engine replacement too, or a reasonably affordable repair?

 

I would not be so sure.

The coolant temperature sensor on this engine is located on an upper coolant pipe. If you loose a significant amount of coolant, the sensor will no longer be immersed in fluid, and will not give you an overheating warning light or overheating gauge indication.

This is why it is critically important with these cars to investigate a low coolant mesaage as soon as it occurs.

 

Surely you need a diagnosis before changing the engine. If it wasn't rattling when the coolant was topped up why should it rattle now?
How does the dealer know the mains/big ends have run?

 

My wife was driving it (her car) when it shut down. While troubleshooting the shutdown, I noticed the coolant bottle empty, so I tried to fill it, but the coolant ran right through. Believing that to have been the problem, I bought a new bottle at the dealer, (urgent need for the car), and after replacing it filled the system, which took only about a half gallon, (about the size of the bottle). I then tried to start it, and it started right up rattling and knocking for about 5 seconds and shut down. (The coolant level didn't change after starting either). After the fact, I asked her if the a/c was working okay, because I know that shuts down when overheated, and she said it was fine. Leading me to believe that it's a timing belt issue rather than the overheating I originally presumed. Would that not result in damaged valves etc?

 

No belt. Chain drive.
Yes the engine is an interference design so if the timing gets off the pistons will hit the valves.

I am getting confused?? Your wife said it shut down. What do you mean? If it did not overheat then why did it shut down? The coolant level will not cause the engine to shut down.

Again are you sure the timing chain tensioner's did not let go?
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It isn't hard to pull off the timing covers and look at both the tensioners and alignment of the cam flats.
If it is timing then there are logical steps to see if you've hit a piston but the engine should be salvageable.

 

I'm not sure I'd ever pay anywhere near $7500 for a repair on a pre-2003 S-Type. The car isn't even worth that much!

 

I didn't know why it shut down, but when I saw the coolant bottle empty, and tried to fill it, I found the cracked bottle. I presumed it may have been an overheat shutdown, and didn't know if there is a safety sensor like oil pressure that shuts it down. However, after I replaced the bottle, the car started right up, but was knocking and banging. I am now believing it is timing chain related, and must check out. Thanks!

 

I will not. It will be sold for scrap before I pay that. I did however locate an engine with 68k on it for 2200, but the dealer and an independent garage both quoted 3000 to switch out. I don't know that I want to do that much on a car with 135k on it. What next, the tranny?