Hi.

I have a 2001 V6 3.0 petrol Jag S-type, (9xxxx km) and after I purchased it I did an oil change back in May and took the recommended oil which is 5w 30 (Castrol, magnatec). 11 days after, I get code p1388 and p1383.
I have found on this forum that people have had these codes, and that some things have helped them and some have not. The things I've tried so far are:

Doing an engine flush - didn't help.
Changing to a thicker viscosity (5w 40 in this case) - didn't help.

My final try at this is to inspect the VVT solenoids and clean the holes, or at least the driver's side one to begin with, since it's easy to acess and see if there is any sludge clogging the VVT solenoids. I figure I clean that one to see if code goes away, and do the same on the other one if it does help. I do see some small but really thick black sludge build up inside the engine when I open the oil filler cap. But before I do this, I have two questions:

Do I need a new gasket for the engine cover once I remove it and put it back after cleaning the VVT solenoids?
Where can I find instructions on how much I have to torque the bolts once I'm done?

Thank you in advance.

 

I opened the left bank and inspected the solenoid, and it didn't seem that dirty at all. But I do obviously see some metal glitter on the filters. I cleaned it and then tried the solenoid by connecting two wires to it, and it works, clicks etc..

Does anybody have any clue why I keep getting these damn codes? I expected some sludge inside the holes of the VVT solenoid but didn't.

 

Well, I just googled this for you:
https://www.justanswer.com/jaguar/7h...0SOME%20models.
Sounds like one of those annoying things, which has to do with programming...

Or maybe this helps - I have to go and sleep now, hence, I had no time to read all that:
https://www.2carpros.com/questions/j...guar-s-type--5

 

Thank you for the links.

I don't quite understanding how the programming suddenly becomes weird though and causes this? I thought all this was mechanical and didn't have anything to do with a computer. Or am I missing something?

 

All the reprogramming did was reduce the sensitivity for when these two codes were triggered. It’s unknown whether your car was ever reprogrammed. But whichever software is presently installed, the programming itself did not suddenly change on its own.

The timeline you provided shows something that did change, namely the oil viscosity. How long had you been driving your new purchase before changing the oil? Any idea what viscosity was used previously?

Even if not convinced of the viscosity connection, please see my recent experience here, in post #42:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...3/#post2773699


10W-40, no code. Switched to 10W-30 (same brand) and it was codes galore. Switched back to 10W-40 and the codes immediately ceased. I’m sold on the theory. Is 10W-40 even the correct recommended oil? Heck if I know. I’m too lazy to check. All I know is it worked for me.

Also, please see post #31 in that same thread for my theory on the viscosity/VVT connection.

 

Hey!

Thank you for clarifying regarding the computer thingy. I am tho worried about these metal flakes on the VVT solenoid filters tho, as this in my opinion seem to be pointing towards an actual issue rather than the computer being sensitive or something.

Yes I've read those posts and been looking at everything regarding this issue on this forum. I also saw your post about it and that's why I tried the 5w 40.
I bought the car in February, no codes and then after the oil change in May, these codes appeared. So I drove with the "old" oil for one and a half month.The oil that was in the car when I bought it was very black, and when I opened the valve covers there were some black sludge on the walls. I don't know what oil the person before used, they couldn't find that information.

The recommended according to Jaguar is 5w 30. That's why I used this one when I did the oil change in May.
One thing I forgot to mention is that I hear a ticking/clicking sound that seems to be coming from the camshaft actuator when I start the engine. I don't remember if it was always there or not..

 

My next move is to try thinner oil and see if it clears up the passages. Maybe 5w 20, as there was indeed sludge inside on the walls, and quite thick sludge to be honest. I suppose in this case the passages are not concerned regarding the VVT solenoids right, but the actuator itself? Could they be blocked by sludge as well?

 

Hi Karl,
I would have thought that Oregon is more a "5W-30"-state than a "5W-40"-state...
I am referring to the distance from the equator, which would make me think that it is not too hot in Oregon.
But obviously 5W-40 is not doing any harm - it's just the more expensive oil...
My theory is that OE recommendation for the S-Type is full synthetic 5W-30, but I take full synthetic 5W-40 Castrol Edge 5W-40 A3/B4 to be precise), because it is hot here in Australia, where I live... Yes, I know, Karl, you are also not holding it against me that I live in Australia, as you wrote some month ago...
I also noticed that you write you use 10W-40. I would not dare to use that for X- or S-Type or for pretty much every Jaguar for that matter, because the 5 means that the oil gets pretty fast to where it should be very soon after start-up (while "10" is not so fast) - and for every moment the oil runs without sufficient oil around the cylinders, there is wear and tear. So, this would be especially worrying for a Jag that is not driven too regularly. I was investigating this recently, because I considered for a moment to put 10W-30 into a Jag, which is not currently registered, but this (as mentioned above) is an especially bad idea...

 

Some may fuss a bit about this, but the old mechanic's trick of adding 1/2 qt. of ATF to your engine oil 100 miles prior to draining may help clear up any buildup in your engine's oil passages. It is worth a try and costs very little.

 

If worried about fine metal flakes, you’ve got two basic options, in no particular order:

1) Convince yourself the engine is a ticking time bomb and should be replaced.

2) Realize all engines create fine metal flakes due to normal wear and tear. Monitor the situation and continue driving.

The preceding was industrial strength humor designed to make an important point that what you’re seeing is likely no big deal. On all my vehicles, I usually cut open the old filter for inspection after an oil change. And there is almost always a nice metallic shimmer.

Furthermore, it sounds like the additional filter screens for the VVTs are doing their job. They are catching metal you’d normally never notice.



Not trying to bust your behind, but did you notice what you reported? All was good, even with the crusty black oil of unknown viscosity. Whatever was present, all the pieces were working together properly. I would keep experimenting with the oil viscosity to see if you can duplicate those same results of no codes.

 

Another vote to try a quart of ATF as an engine flush as S-Type Owner posted above.
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Hello,

I am back and drove about a week with 5w - 20, and the code did not disappear. I drained about 1 quart of the oil and added a quart of ATF and ran with it for a few days and still the codes are there. I then changed to the recommended oil I had again (5w - 30). Now I really don't know what to do. Is this time for the ECM reflash? I am still thinking about the rattling noise coming from the upper part of the engine, wondering if that has anything to do with it. Any more ideas?