Head Gasket (timing cover removal)
 

Hey,
I have a 2003 Jaguar x-type 2.5L V6 with a suspected head gasket issue (combustion gases in coolant system) and I wanted to see if I can get some insight into how to go about removing the timing cover and continue my progress. More specifically, how to go about doing it without removing the engine, if it’s even possible. I’ve see plenty of people remove the timing chains with the engine out and saying it’s difficult given the space, but nothing about anyone actually being successful. I guess what I’m looking for is any tips and a little encouragement? Haha

Head gasket - good question. I am pretty sure that I knew the answer to this one a year ago, but I am not 100% sure anymore.
I think removing the engine is a must for that on the X-Type.
I have removed my transmission (and put it back in) on the X-Type. Removal is only possible by pulling the transmission out from underneath.
I am pretty sure that the engine also goes out from underneath, AFTER the transmission has been removed.
Obviously that also means that the air conditioning needs to be disconnected (and releasing the gas into the environment is illegal and very bad for the planet, i.e. having it removed before you you are determined to remove the engine would be the idea...

Removing the transmission alone is very complicated.
First you have to remove the TC (transfer case) and to do that you have to remove a bracket between catalyst and TC. The upper left bolt is a nightmare to remove. That bolt alone could take a few days, including creating a special tool for it, but at least you will be able to do a proper gear oil change on the TC, once you have removed the TC - which btw. is also being held by a second very difficult to remove bracket.
I am fairly sure that I would have replaced my head-gasket already, if that would be possible without removing the engine.

..

Hey, thanks for the reply

so correct me if I’m wrong but you’re saying I need to drop the trans and the engine before I can fully access the timing cover and finish the head gasket job? 🥲

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...needed-199899/

I know, that's not what you wanna hear, but I think, the engine needs to be removed to swap the head gasket on the X-Type.
But as I wrote, I am not 100% sure.
I just know that even if it is possible to remove the timing chain cover, while the engine is in the car, it would be a pretty painful job.

And if you need to remove the engine, I also do not know, if it is better to separate the transmission from the engine first, or if there is a way to drop the transmission (and the TC) and the engine in one go. If that is possible, it might be easier, however, this would require some serious equipment to make sure that you don't just drop and smash everything. I have converted a 2.5-tonne-carjack by mounting a platform on top to get the transmission down. But even this would not do the trick to bring down the transmission and engine as one unit - not stable enough.
I don't have a car-hoist. This would most certainly make things easier. With that could basically place a solid support under engine and transmission under the car and then lift the car up, while the engine and transmission remain on the ground.

Update:
I just went out to my X-Type 2.5L (2004) and had a closer look.
I'd say, I changed my opinion:

If I were forced to swap my own head gasket, I would start to attempt doing it from above without removing the engine.
I am still not 100% sure about all that, but that's what I would try first.
Anyway, even if I'd end up having to remove the engine from underneath in the end, I would have to deal with a smaller "lump", as a lot of stuff would have been removed by then - while I would have had a "fair go" on attempting it from above.

I am surely not telling you anything new when I say that pretty much every other car has the timing cover facing towards the front, but as the X-Type engine is mounted 90° twisted, the timing cover faces towards the right side of the car (and that is because of the design of the Jatco transmission JF506E.
I also saw already that you would have to remove the "inner half" of the water pump, which is mounted onto the front bank - that's doable - I've done that before.
And since you have very limited space between timing cover and the right side of the car, I would suggest supporting the engine with something from underneath (in a way what does not crack nor damage your oil sump nor anything else down there and remove the right engine mount, so that at least that's not in way anymore.
I also swapped my drive belt in the past, i.e. that's doable as well - and you need to take that off as well (as usual by releasing the tension of the tensioner.
And if I recall correctly, the X-Type has twin-cams. There is a special tool to deal with them when removing the timing chain. I made that tool myself.

I have done that on the X308 - different Jag, but maybe it gives you some ideas:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e-swap-266724/

And if you do all that, make sure to replace a few seals and bearings along the way, i.e. the idler puller bearings and the crankshaft "front"-seal (which obviously does not face to the front, but to the right).

Success!
 

Update! I was able to get everything off (literally everything had to come out haha 😅 ) and I'm beginning my reassembly. I was wondering if someone had a reliable source for torque specs? I’ve been getting a lot of conflicting results from my own personal search.

Can you please elaborate: Was removing everything from the top enough, or did you have to remove the engine from underneath as well?
I have the workshop manual for X-Type 2004 onwards - I wanted to attach it here, but it is 61MB, and the limit here is 20MB...
The torques are in the handbook. Try to find the handbook somewhere, preferably the one for 2003 X-Type.
If you want to know a specific torque, I may be able to look it up for you.
Find attached a few torques (from the 2004 handbook)
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...18b876399f.jpg

I was able to leave the engine in the car but yes, basically everything else in the engine bay was removed from the top and currently I have the engine supported from below (since the mounts had to come out as well). The torque procedure is what I was inquiring about in particular, from what I saw online some sources state approx. 30 ft lbs in sequence, then a 90 degree turn (tightening), then a 360 degree turn (loosening), then torque back to 30 and proceed with another 90. But thats just one of many I’ve seen. I appreciate the information but unfortunately the jaguar I have is a 03 x-type (2.5L, v6), do you think the 04 specs would suffice? The major issue I’m having here is finding the accurate information I would hate to do all this work just to mess up at the end

I know that if I wrote "I think the 2004 torques are the same as 2003 in regards of the engine" that that does not cut it for you, thus, I got a better answer:
The headline of the torques, which I got from the 2004 X-Type workshop handbook says: It's for the 2.5L NA V6 engine.
I checked in Wikipedia: The X-Type was initially offered as all-wheel drive only and mated to a 2.5 litre and 3.0 litreAJ-V6 petrol engine.
This tells me that the NA V6 was used in the 2.5L from the very beginning.
But do your own research to double check, that you have the NA V6 engine - then you know that the torques above are correct.

You are asking about a torque procedure, but you don't say for which nuts or bolts. But I'd say you are very likely after the bolts which are compressing the head gasket... - called cylinder head bolts. It is highly recommended to use NEW cylinder head bolts. I hope I am describing the reason here correctly: Those bolt are made of high tension steel. They are actually stretching a bit during installation. I found the procedure in the 2004 handbook and I will copy it here. But note that the procedure might note make much sense, if you do not use NEW head bolts...


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...78fb19f2a2.jpg
The procedure is being described above. Yes, it involves a 90° after 30Nm, then loosen up again (they describe it as reverse 360°) then again 30Mn, and then 2 x 90°. And all that in the correct tightening-order, obviously....

The instructions in the handbook go on and on. Just try to find it somewhere.

PS: ...and I have a question to you: Have you been able to leave the A/C system connected in the car or did you have to release the refrigerant?

I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and thorough answer. I just now realized in my haste last night I didn’t even mention it was for the head bolts 🤦‍♂️ 😂 . But yes your intuition was spot on! I understand what you mean about the engines basically being the same and the specs you sent me should be perfect 🤙 thank you again for everything 🙏 . And to answer your question yes, I left the compressor and lines connected as to avoid releasing any into the o zone (if you’d like some pictures I’d be happy to provide I’m quite proud honestly 😅 😂 ). It was very tight getting the timing cover out but that I would say was my biggest challenge

Thanks for the feedback.
And I did not ask about the A/C refrigerant for the purpose of "putting you on the pranger" (in case of release), but I just needed to know, if I would have to go to an A/C shop first to suck out the refrigerant on my X-Type first, in case I ever had to dig my way thru to the head gaskets as well...

Good to hear that you managed to do all that thus far - let me know, if you need any more specific infos from the handbook...

great thread, thx

How??(
 

Damn it, you came here yourself looking for an answer and help. And when you managed to solve this problem yourself, you didn't share it with the community? (If there's still a chance you'll read this, please reply and tell us how you removed the cover without removing the air A/C compressor and the entire engine. 🙏

Hey, You’re right I should’ve provided more details, but to answer your question, everything had to be removed and the engine needed to be supported from below once the mount was removed, I believe the compressor was fairly easy to unbolt from the cover once the alternator was removed, I didn’t have to actually remove it from the vehicle though, once it was free I simply adjusted the support (Jack, I think raised it) for the engine to get any additional clearance I needed removing the pulleys. I will say it was a very tedious process and time consuming, but do able with stuff in the garage. My best advice for the project would be to ensure you remove all the Radiator hoses and unbolt (not remove) the break fluid reservoir. The timing cover also needed to come out at an angle due to the limited working room, for me it worked by turning the side of the timing cover facing the bumper in a upwards motion (counterclockwise) until it was perpendicular with the ground, then pulling straight up. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can provide :)
P.s if anyone knows where I can find can source cap retaining bolts reliability (the local shops told me to buy a new head for the bolts smh) I will be forever indebted! In the SoCal Area

Good job, BrennanT!
How was the clearance on removing right side exhaust manifold?
I can confirm, that A/C compressor can be left in the engine bay, by adjusting the support. Bolts can be left on the compressor too, there is not enough room to get them out without removing the radiator, if I remember correctly..
I replaced my timing chains while ago, an the trick to get enough room to remove the timing cover, was to support the engine and transmission from below, remove both supports, front and rear of engine (rear one also supports transmission) and the push the whole lump couple of centimeters to one side to get clearance. It doesn't need much.
When installing cover back on, clean carefuly the mating surface that contacts to oil sump, and use rtv or similar on the joint.
My sump gasket started to leak on that joint shortly after that job was done, and that is quite a PITA to replace..

Thank you very much for your reply. I want to apologize for my rather harsh tone earlier—I was a little emotional when, after hours of trying and searching for information online, I found your post on this forum, and imagine my disappointment when, after reading it all the way through, I realized there was no answer here :icon_bricks:

It would be very helpful if you could tell me exactly what you did to free up space to remove the cover. Did I understand you correctly that you LIFTED the engine with a jack (by unscrewing the right engine mount) to make enough space to remove the cover upwards, and did you need to turn it counterclockwise?

And did you have to remove the crankshaft?
Thanks a lot in advance.

I would really like to help you with the searching, but I i guess it wouldn't be helpful since I'n in Cyprus 🙃

First of all, I want to apologize for being a little harsh in that message, but I was just emotional, you understand: I was fiddling with the cover and around it for hours, and when I went online to look for information, I found your post... Imagine my disappointment when I finished reading the thread and saw “Hurray, I did it, thanks everyone, bye.” :icon_rant:
Please forgive me for my harshness. :icon_beerchug:

You would really help me a lot if you could tell me a little more about how exactly you managed to remove the timing cover. Am I right in understanding that you lifted the engine on the right side (further from the gearbox, the one with the timing cover) enough to create enough clearance to remove the cover from the top?
Thanks for clarifying about the A/C compressor - it gives me additional reason to think that you were able to remove the cover from the top.
Please also clarify whether you had to remove the crankshaft to be able to pull the cover out.

P.S.: There are no problems with the radiators and hoses connected to it, I have removed them many times before, and removed them again. But thank you for clarifying.

Hello again! Here are some pics to describe how I finagled the timing cover out, not gonna lie it is gonna take some time and patience but it should somewhat help this way (atleast for me), Support the engine closer the passenger side with a Jack, remove the mount on the passenger side, after valve covers are removed, proceed to remove the camshaft position sensors (I believe thats what they are but are circled in photo), then lift the engine to kinda angle the passenger side a bit higher giving you a bit more clearance, then attempt to rotate the cover in a counter clockwise motion until it is about 90 degrees from starting position, then lift cover up and out. With some luck, a prayer, and some harsh language, it should be possible. Just make sure you have the alternator and ac compressor plus and accessories off the timing cover first, also the bolts for the power steering pump (dont need to remove pump just bolts, same with ac compressor and alternator, just the mounting bolts). It also helped to move the power steering reservoir suction hose for a bit more clearance at the top.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...2dbdb7353.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...c40c6556f.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...8249db2a2.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...b62ba893c.jpeg

@BennanT: Can you send a picture of "cap retaining bolts", so that I know, what you are looking for?