JAGUAR VALVE CAPS TIRES RIMS WHEELS XJ-8 XJ-R XK XK-R XF-R X-type BLACK | eBay

Are these caps safe to use although they are metal? Anyone know source for approved logo caps other than dealer?

 

NO!, The only metal caps you can use are Aluminum type. And those should get a touch of never sieze on them as well. If you use any that a re not aluminum they will fracture your stems or fuse to them. I use the Mina Gallery ones as they are auminum and they offer many different logo's.

 

BigCat.... I had reread your blown tire thread before posting. The ones I referenced in the link are apparently stainless steel. Was thinking they would not corrode or react with the valve. But if aluminum are the only ones that work, that's what I will stick with. Thanks.

 

Checked Mina.....no Jag logo caps.

 

Jaguar says no metal caps. Period. Use of metal caps could void your warranty, at least with respect to anything to do with the tires.

Even using "aluminum" caps may not be safe. Aluminum alloys differ. Jaguar and the TPMS supplier (China) may not be sure why they had failures.

Since failure of the valve stem is thought to result from use of metal caps and such failure can kill you, why would you risk it for a more or less invisible fashion statement?

 

What are the Jag OEM valve cap accessories made of?

 

Considering the OEM caps are right in the accessory catalog, I think Jaguar would have a hard time denying a warranty claim using those...

Just installed the black union caps on my car... found them online for $14 with shipping. That's still a lot for valve caps, but much less than invoice.

Cheers,

- Will

 

Accessory catalogue? What makes you think these are not plastic?

 

Jagular you are correct... they are plastic. I didn't even notice when I installed them...

Cheers,

- Will

 

I put a little di-electric grease on the valve stems and all seems good.

 

Plastic caps improve unsprung weight ratio.

 

Excellent point that now justifies the fashion statement (design detail). Good work Jagular!

 

I think yes. I have done dynamic test of both the plastic Genuine Jaguar Logo Valve Caps and the chromed brass style from Ebay on two Jaguars simultaneously. After many months I have found no visible corrosion present on either. I may send them to the University of Wisconsin for examination under an electron microscope to inspect for electrolysis or molecular migration.


I got a lecture about dangerous valve caps in the past. However changing supercharger pulleys or reprogramming the engine management computer, street racing, darking out the windows is apparently no risk at all compared to valve caps.

As I stated in the past after over 32 years in Fire Fighting and EMS in an urban/suburban environment, I have experienced an incredible number of vehicle crashes. The majority involved losing traction or directional control and failure to apply the brakes resulting in striking a fixed object that majority of the time was caused directly by the operators lack of control of the vehicle because of the driver being impaired, distracted or driving too fast for conditions. Never in thirty-two years see or see a report of a crash caused by air released because of the type of valve cap. In fact one of my Corvette came factory equipped with metal caps and I switched to plastic because everyone kept stealing them.

As I stated in the past, it may be possible that valve cap wrecks are urban legend, created to shift responsibility from an event that could more easily be explained by striking something in the road, driving on under-inflated or worn out tires or driving the vehicles in a way the tires were not designed for or just operator error.

After weighing the risks, I find it acceptable to use valve cap with Jaguars on them until someone steals them. To totally live dangerous I've installed after-market floor mats in my 2004 XJ VDP. OMG.

Seriously, I think the valve caps look nice and also my new mats. I am taking extreme caution driving the vehicles to offset my risk for not using OEM valve stem caps. I have not experienced any problem.

 

Edobernig - your post cracked me up.....lol

I've used these stainless steel valve caps on my Audi A6 for nearly 6 years now and 97k miles.

They've been on my wife's VW Passat for around 3 years and 50k miles.Previous to that I had them on my Ford Mondeo ST Tdci, my Saab 93 and Jaguar X type for years and hundreds of thousands of miles.

I'm still here and alive to tell the tale.

To be honest I have never ever heard of this issue unless its Jaguar specific and something I don't know about?

As can be seen below on my A6 from around 3 years ago.

 

He's even got the Saltire on his valve caps!!



Graham

 

Yes, he has Graham.....lol

very patriotic bunch us Scots you know

 

It is not Jaguar specific. Ford has experienced issues. The relevant statistic would be accidents caused by tire blowout. One poster on this board experienced a sudden loss of tire pressure but the TPMS unit was destroyed in the incident. The remains did show a broken valve stem. UK posters have reported failure while adding air to the tire.

Jaguar has updated the part and declares that only plastic valve caps are to be used.
The is a real hazard, potentially very dangerous. You would be extremely foolhardy to ignore this problem, especially relying upon anecdotal evidence or personal unskilled observation. Comparison to other makes, particularly predating TPMS use is also specious.

 

I used a set of freebe Mina Jaguar logo caps on my S type a few years ago. After about 6 months (car outside) two of them were totally siezed. The only solution was valve stem replacement.

If you do use metal caps, at least use never-sieze and check them periodically.

 

The problems with the metal valve caps likely result from reactions of disimilar metals in the presence of water, and made worse if salts are also in the mix. If the metals are pure in the valve stem and in the cap, it is alot easier to predict their reaction. I will likely stay with the plastic caps.

 

There is also the rigidity issue. Metal valve caps will put stress on the aluminum valve stem at the end of the thread of the cap. Sideways force could cause the aluminum to fracture at that point. Metal threads could also gall the aluminum. If the caps are stainless steel galling is almost certain to occur, this is a characteristic of stainless steel. If the metal caps are aluminum galling can also occur as aluminum does not like threading onto or into aluminum. Whether galling occurs or not the rigidity of metal caps could be the cause of the reported problems.

If you have ever seen a bottle of champagne opened with a blow from a saber you will understand how modest concentration of stress at one point can have massive effects. Don't try this at home.

Finally, since plastic caps are known to work and look fine why take the risk?

Just looking up TPMS information and came across a Popular Mechanics article warning about the possibility of metal valve caps interfering with the transmissions from the sensors.