My wife is taking her 2006 XK8 on her solo trip to and from Tampa next week to visit her elderly parents. Not long after she returns, the car will be due for its first oil & filter change since we purchased it just over eight weeks ago....

I can do oil & filter changes on our 2005 S-Type in my sleep, even with having to remove and re-install its belly pan to do the job. I have not had her XK8 up on my ramps yet to look around underneath (shame on me - I should have done that). So I'm looking for tips to make the job easier and less messy....

It appears that the XK8 does not have a belly pan, so I assume I will have immediate access to the oil drain plug and the oil filter once the car is ramped. I spotted the oil drain plug when I was peeking around underneath the car a few weeks ago, but I never spotted the oil filter. Where is it in conjunction to the oil drain plug? Our S-Type has two HVAC shielded hoses running directly underneath its oil filter making oil filter removal a major pain and big mess every time. Is that also the case with the XK8? Sure hope not....

I've read that these 4.2 engines were originally factory-filled with 6.5 to 7 quarts of oil, but that recommended oil capacity was later increased to just over 8 quarts as an extra measure of protection. So I assume that just over 8 quarts will be draining once I pull the drain plug - correct?

Any other tips, tricks, and shortcuts for doing an XK8 oil & filter change would be much appreciated. I look forward to this first one. You never truly get to know a vehicle until you have spent some time underneath it....

 

Do I read you correctly , first oil change since 2006 , should have had at least six since then !!!!!!!

Back to your original question , dead easy to change the oil and filter but if you don't have access to a ramp or hoist , jack up the rear of the car as the sump plug is at the front of the engine , early cars took a lesser amount of oil but on the introduction of 20" wheels Jaguar specified a different dip-stick that placed an extra litre of oil in the engine , they said to counteract the extra 'G' when cornering but hey , who knows ,

Hope this helps ,

Nik

 

Thanks, and yes, the car has had more than a sufficient number of oil & filter changes during its lifespan. The next one will be the first one under OUR ownership....

Where is the oil filter in relation to the oil pan drain plug?

 

There's a black plastic alternator cooling duct secured by a single hex bolt which conceals the filter. Apologies for the dreadful photo. Drain plug is just visible to the right of the duct:



You need to remove this duct to see and replace the oil filter which is above and to the rear of the drain plug.

Service oil change with new oil filter requires 7.8 litres on both normally aspirated and supercharged 4.2 Victory and S models.

Graham

 

Very helpful information, Graham. Thanks very much for providing it....

 

Here is my oil change story.

Bought the car last year. 03 XK8 37800 miles.

Brought it down to a local indy shop that "specializes" in Jaguars. Shop was recommended by someone on the North East thread of this forum.

Spoke to the owner of this small shop. He told me he worked for Jaguar for something like 25 years. That he only used Jaguar parts like filters etc and never skimped.

So I had this shop change out most of the fluids and filters (Oil, Coolant, Brake etc) and had him give the car the once over.

Fast forward to yesterday when I started the process of waking the car up from its winter nap. I wanted to change the oil before I started the car up even though I only put 1200 miles on the car last year.

Imagine my surprise when I pulled off that plastic cover that hides the oil filter and found a NAPA oil filter on the car.

In fact when I went to loosen the bolt that holds the plastic piece it looked as if it had not been removed for a while.

I don't want to make a big deal about this as I put very few miles on the car and maybe the NAPA filter is fine also no harm was done but......

Last year the same indy shop told me the car needed shocks (which I did not go for) but when I did the control arm bushings last year all seemed fine and I still have no indication that the shocks are bad.

Just goes to show you. I guess you are better off doing it yourself.

 

And they say we commercial real estate brokers are slick.....

 

my apologies to ask something I'm sure is in search.. What is the engine oil capacity and what type? obvious i need to get my hands on owners manual, thanks CM

 

I think this xk8 has been one of the easiest on which I have changed the oil, I jack up on the passenger side, drain pan, pull filter then drop the jack to further drain and then go have a cup of tea.
Sure you'll have no problems :-)
Jeremy

 

You need the Vehicle Spec Book

 

It's an age old shop thing

They tried doing it to my mom when she took one of the 442s to get an oil change at a Chevy dealer. She ALWAYS asks for the old parts back. Yeah, wrong *** filter, not even for the application was returned. She gave them crap and refused to pay. I do EVERYTHING myself but I do not have the ability to mount and balance my own tires and wheels; and tire shops have tried to pull some stuff over on me lol. If you're a woman, they REALLY try to mess you over.

FYI - NAPA Gold filters are made by Wix, who makes some of the best around. However, you paid for Jaguar... Time to find a new shop.

 

Welcome to the forum XKClay,

You must have had to search very hard to find this 6 YEAR OLD thread!

Please follow this link New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the New Member Area - Intro a MUST forum and post some information about yourself and your vehicle for all members to see. In return you'll get a proper welcome and some useful advice about posting to the forum.

Graham

 

Maybe it is just an unclear photo but compared to my 2004 XK8 the cooling duct to the alternaror appears to be on upside down. Maybe it was changed.

 

Here's the parts diagram:

 

I have had my car for 4 years, it came with the duct on the opposite way to the diagram and I have always struggled to get te duct back in, always wondering who designed this contraption. Thanks for the picture, got to love this forum. I figured it was designed to get air in and keep water out of the alternator.