My s-type 3.0 (2000) was running really poor today. (130,000 miles) I checked the plugs and when I got to plug six on the drivers side the area was full of oil. (on the outside of the plug.) I cleaned all of the oil out and checked the coil packs. Now it is running fine but where did the oil come from? It is not spilled oil from filling and my oil level is fine. Do I need to change any gaskets and if so what ones do I purchase as I do all my own work.
Thank you in advance
Daryl

 

Daryl, each plug well has a gasket sealing it from oil from under cam cover. Swap in a cam cover gasket kit ($120).

 

Thank you for the information. I read on another page to replace the valve cover gaskets, plug well seals?, and VVT gasket. Is that what I need? I would love to see a picture of the car you describe of your own. It sounds like you have done a lot of work on it.
Daryl

 

Yes Daryl. The gasket kit contains cam cover and sparkplug well gaskets, etc.
The STR was a sport sedan that surprised the unsuspecting. It had a supercharged (Eaton 1.9 L) 4.2 L generating 400 chp @ 415 lb/ft trq. In 2003 Car and Driver called it a "Torque Monster". Whilst under Ford's wing Jaguar detuned and governed Jaguars for longevity and safety. So we're busy unraveling it's full potential. My STR runs like skunk, noticeably quicker than when it was stock. At the present, it's likely putting down near or about 460 chp @ 480 lb/ft trq. Kills to its credit: 2010 Camaro SS (425 chp), 2003-2005 BMW M5 (400 chp), 2012 Suburu Sti (325 chp), 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 (425 chp), etc. Forum member, Avos, is about to release a twin screw (Kenn Belle 2.4 L) adaptation that'll allow the STR to pound out 600+ chp.
Daryl, please let us know how we can help you and thank you for joining us in this wonderful and brotherly forum.

 

I'ts probably a good idea to change the seals on the passengers side as well, it's a little more work as you have to remove the whole intake manifold but it's very simple also bleed your coolant when your done cuz there is a coolant line that runs to the throttle body that needs to be removed. I didn't bleed mine at the time as I was still new to doing my own work on cars and it ran rough. I bout the valve cover seals from autozone for 60 or somthing bucks.

 

Thanks for the update. I had the intake manifold off when I put new plugs on the passenger side and replaced the intake gaskets so I will take your advice and replace both sides. So many people complain about all the problems with their Jaguars and both I have owned had never suffered any major repairs. My XJ6 was close to 300,000 when my ex and her boyfriend killed it or else it would still be running strong. I looked up your car on the internet and the STR looks like a Jaguar on steroids. I thought my 240 horse power was great but you make it look slow.

Thanks for welcoming me to the site and I am a huge classis antique car buff. Everyone says I need to write a book with all the, "useless but true" car facts I have picked up in life. I don't claim to know it all, (far from it) but I seem to absorb automobile knowledge better than anything else. I will have to post short but true Jaguar stories I have picked up.

Again thanks. This site is great.

Daryl

 

Not much wrong with 240HP

Check out the stickies for vast amounts of useful data and especially be aware of the vacuum hose that perishes that's under that manifold.

 

+1 If you did not replace it when you did the spark plugs.