Having just broken off a piece of a cam sprocket bolt (getting closer to having the heads off in my head gasket replacement), I have concluded that what was packaged and sold as a "Polydrive" socket is in fact a Ribe socket. Looking around, I now think every Polydrive socket I see for sale online is, in fact, a Ribe socket.

The manual indicates I can use a 10mm Allen key instead, and that's what I plan to do (sadly, I might be welding on a nut around one cam sprocket bolt!) but, is anyone aware of a source for a true 10mm Polydrive socket? It appears to offer better bolt contact than the 10mm Allen key.

- scooter

 

When I worked at the dealer we got a TSB (ADMIN TSB) for the mandatory tool.
Global Tool #303-1077
Description 12 mm Ribe Bit Socket engine number 0108100000 onward

Earlier engines used a 10mm hex bit.

I think you are combining info?

 

Thanks, I really appreciate the quick reply. How can I tell what my engine number is?

While a 10mm Allen key fits, a 12mm Ribe does not. An 11mm Ribe does fit, but the 12 is just a tad too big.

 

As far as I can tell, Polydrive is a registered trademark of Brugola, other than that there is no difference to the more generic RIBE. (e.g. wikipedia and other sources)

Of course, there can be major differences in the quality of the tool, regardless of Polydrive or RIBE.

Also, you said you broke either the socket or the bolt. That's nothing to do with "camming out" due to poor fit, is it?

 

I have broken a few cheap ones on VWs. So I purchased a real one.

That aside, I did have luck once grinding down one once until I reached good structure, in a pinch. Not sure that will help your situation. I always clean out the head, and tap it down for good measure.

 

So the mystery deepens...

The Jaguar designers threw some luck my way, and lo and behold, in the '05 one does not need to remove the cam sprockets to remove the cam shafts. So.... I got access to the head bolds, and much to my surprise, while my replacement head bolts are polydrive, my existing head bolts are 13mm hex heads.... they came off quite easily (well, with a breaker bar and extension because I haven't gone to the gym in a year).

I suspect the tool I used wasn't true to the format. I was able to find a VW polydrive socket that looks like it's the real deal, and if so I'll use that for head bolt installation.

I have some 3/4" mild steel unplated nuts arriving later this week. This weekend I'll weld one onto the stubborn (and stripped) cam bolt, and that should fix the issue.

Thanks everyone for your helpful and quick responses.

- scooter

 

So this is the correct part for the current x350 head bolt design, at least the ones SNG Barrat sent me: https://www.freedomracing.com/jlr-303-1653-cylinder-head-bolt-socket-tool.html

It's not cheap, at all, but it's a good fit with better contact than the 10mm allen key socket.

 

That part no JLR-303-1653 doesn't actually state what type of socket it is. Polydrive...Ribe...whatever. But oh, the quality!