You guys are exactly right! Its a been there done that situation and frankly just not that enthusiastic about huddling around a cold engine with a hanging light and a space heater!

I would rather drop the car off and go get a nice hot cup of coffee and let the techs make a little extra something for Christmas, after all it is the holiday season so why not spread a little extra cheer, not so sure about $860 worth of cheer, but I also know these guys well and there has to be a reason why they would quote so high...

I will call and get a quote from the guys who did the gearbox today and let you know what they say, then I will have a little "chat" with my indy mechanic to see what the heck he is thinking!

Cheers!

 

Okay as suspected the $860 price tag seemed a little high to the group as well as myself. I talked with my indy mechanic today and he apologized profusely, he misunderstood my work request to be ALL valve and cam covers. Yes all so he was quoting to pull the whole front apart and change the timing chain cover gasket(s), grommets and o-rings!

Huge difference between Drivers and Passengers cam cover gaskets only and ALL valve and timing cover gaskets!

Price now is $325 out the door. $110 for the gasket kit and 3 hours of labor at $70 per hour!

He will also be throwing on the new Mina lowering springs at the same time so looking probably around the initial $860 but that will get me dropped by 1.2" on all 4 corners! I will be updating with before and after photos once I get her back!

 

Awesome Chris!

 

Update the exhaust smell is back and stronger than ever... When you start te car it immediately send an awful exhaust smell into the cabin via the AC vents. The smell does go away while moving then comes back as soon as you stop.

It's not a burning oil, or gas smell it smells like an old carb car that's running a bit rich...

The valve cover gaskets are all new, as are the plug well gaskets and I have installed all new irridum plugs. MAF was replaced last fall and there are no fault codes or MIL lights.

Could the EGR or the EGR pipe be to blame, anyone else having a similar issue, dealer says its A-OK but it's actually making me physically I'll, sick to my stomach... Any ideas similar problems and solutions woul be greatly appreciated!

 

hey check out this thread, im thinking this is the issue and probably not replaced when they did the work for you.... i searched for this earlier when i test drove and 04 , prior to buying my 06, that had this same issue.... sorry looks like this could be just for the V6

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...il-leak-30535/

 

Yeah, I saw that post, but it doesn't really pertain to mine since I am running the 4.2 SC motor in my STR...

Its getting very frustrating as the smell really does make you sick to your stomach after an hour or so in stop and go traffic...

I remember Seth (bfsgross) had mentioned something about his EGR pipe being rusted out. I know this is on the passenger side near the cabin filter area so I keep coming back to that, however there is really no way to look at it and they keep telling me all is okay when I ask to have the dealer look it over...

There have got to be others having a similar issue I would think hoping someone has been able to isolate it and can help me to track this down once and for all...

Thanks man!

 

I have this myself on my XJ 2.7 diesel...........seems fairly common

Jag recommend replacing cats at £2000+ although they're now went down the route of offering the flexi pipe repair as is widely available through other outlets..

On mine, if you open the bonnet and get someone to rev the engine, there is a small cloud of exhaust fumes that appear in the left hand side of the bay at the rear, near the washer bottle ( RHD car )

Both sides can be fixed for around £400 - £500 with flexi pipes and labour

Uusally much more apparent when stopped for any length of time.

Common on the diesel but not sure about the petrol versions?

 

To me this is beyond the forum. It's very unusual and needs an actual person with a nose or equipment fit for detecting an exhaust leak.

 

Not sure how relevant this is - but after I replaced the Driver's side cat on my 2002 Stype 3.0, I started smelling some fumes. At first I thought it was the cat coating burning off. However, continued to get exhaust smells after more than a week - especially get whiffs when idling.
Fairly certain that in my case, it's coming from where the catalyst convertor attaches to the engine manifold under the car, think it has a suspect gasket from when I installed it (there are two exhaust manifold bolts that the cat attaches to). Has been too cold to address but planning to either take it apart and reinstall or use some engine manifold/cat high temperature sealant to seal.

 

Cbharley10, I hope this is not your problem, but have a look anyway:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...-o-ring-93316/

 

No, that one is a gas (petrol) smell but this is exhaust.

 

The EGR tube is buried deep on the STR. It is on the passenger side at the back of the engine.

I would get someone in the drivers seat and have them rev the motor while you move your hand and nose around the EGR pipe area. You might have a hole in the EGR tube as this has been reported several times. It should set an EGR code if it has a hole but maybe not??
.
.
.

 

So just got the bad news from my trusted local Jag dealer... That EGR tube is rusted out is the culprit for my exhaust leak into the cabin. Its in just the perfect spot to leak CO exhaust and get pulled in through the cabin air filter.

So that said, it is apparently buried VERY deep in the back of the engine as I just got the quote $1100 to replace a corrugated steel pipe about 8 inches long...

Very frustrating... so much $$ for something that is completely and totally useless in the first place...

Oh and lets not forget the other great news... I need both front struts replaced $1200, both rear tie rods $900, both rear strut bushings $400 and an oil pan gasket $400...

I love my car, but this is starting to wear me out. I guess I will just grin and bear it as I have already over invested in my STR...

Sorry for the complaining, just another major hit to my pocket book for things you don't even get any enjoyment out of...

 

I've just changed an EGR tube and valve. It was a (long) day for a round trip, though I'd recommend having a friend on hand for getting the bolts off the manifold; cost £300 for all parts, direct from Jag (In the rip-off UK, maybe cheaper over there). Don't know how good you are with spanners, or even if you have any, but there was nothing particularly mechanically challenging about it, just access issues.

To save $600-700, especially with the bill you're about to get, I'd say it's worth a go!

 

Thanks man! Unfortunately I don't have the tools needed to do any serious wrenching anymore. I am going to have to bite the bullet on this repair and see what I can do to save on the others.

Not sure that the CATS suspension offers anything that I cant replicate with a good set of bilsteins...

 

If the EGR tube has a hole in it I would consider changing the EGR valve too. It's just way too much work to get at that tube and then not change the EGR valve.

We are seeing more and more EGR tube and valve problems as our cars age.

Can you post the price and part number of the tube and EGR valve?

Also you know that the CATS struts can be rebuilt too? Just another option.
Who told you the CATS struts were bad? I am at 101K miles and all 4 of mine are still good.
.
.
.

 

Hey man,

I did ask them to go ahead and change out both while they are in there. I am hoping that this will resolve my chronic exhaust into the cabin issues (along with the headaches and nausea on road trips). I am just crossing my fingers and hoping it hasn't caused any other damage that I cant see (i.e. the cats) I was getting a lot of soot on my exhaust tips and I think she has been running rich for a while now. No CEL or RP lights but I have chewed up O2 sensors left and right over the past 18 months...

I have it over at the dealer and they told me my rattle / clunk sound is coming from my struts as they are both leaking and worn out. I just want that obnoxious rattle and clunk gone, it cant be that hard something is obviously broken / loose in the drivers front wheel well area....

Cheers!

 

The parts are already Bilstein.

 

As requested here are the part numbers and associated pricing for each...

EGR Tube
AJ87734 $172.06

EGR Valve Gasket
AJ88559 $7.83

EGR Valve
AJ88582 $372.93

Basically a lot of $$ for something that serves no purpose other than to de-tune our performance engines effectively robbing our horsepower just to make the government and those who choose to drive a Prius over a blown V8 Jaguar happy.

 

Remember all the deaths due to smog? And the continuing problems of air quality? That's why EGR.

Over here the problems are on-going to the extent that they're reducing speed limits in some places. In Paris they had to start only allowing cars to travel into the city on alternate days. Now that sucks!