So, just a little story of what I've been dealing with. Over the last while I have been completing a complete overhaul on both the wife's STR and my SV8. Guess I could post this in either section, but the terrible relates to working on the SV8, so it'll all go here. On the STR it included:

- supercharger rebuild
- new EGR and tube (it rusted out, cabin smelled like exhaust)
- new valve cover gaskets (leaking bad and smelled burning oil to go with the exhaust fumes)
- new oil cooler lines (leaking everywhere)
- new hose part in the trans cooler lines (again, leaking everywhere). Just cut out the hose part and double clamped in new high pressure hose (as done by others)
- new high pressure steering hose (more leaking)
- new front sway bar bushings
- replaced every single hose in the cooling system (starting to bulge and they are 15 years old)
- new expansion tank (leaking)
- new radiator (again leaking at the metal/plastic seam)
- new belts
- new bearings in all the idler and tensioner pulleys
- some other things that I can't remember at this current time!

As you can see, basically everything you can think of was done, and mostly because of a common theme, leaking! Now, the car is 15 years old and has 262,000 kms, so not really unexpected stuff. So, where does the bad start? Everything was going fairly smoothly, give or take a rusted/rounded bolt here and there, until I got to the accessory belt idler pulley. All the others came out no issue, and this one started the same way, until SNAP! Yep, the bolt sheared off about halfway out, and there was very little pressure applied I might add. So, this brings me to the first BAD. Not only was there almost no space to get a drill in there, but as any of you out there who have dealt with a busted Jag bolt, they seem to be made of some ungodly hard material that doesn't like to be drilled out. Well, I set to work, and managed to get it out after a few days of going at it. Threads were still good, so no real problem. Put everything back together and perfect! No issues at all, no leaks, and the car is running great. No we're at GOOD!

Moving on to the SV8. This car, while having more miles on it than the STR (currently 310,000kms) was in much better shape and therefore I didn't have to do much. Plus I had already replaced all the hoses in the cooling system. So, no leaking valve covers, oil cooler/trans/power steering lines were barely seeping anything, and when I was last in there to do all the hoses, everything was clean and in great shape. So, why am I going into it again? I didn't rebuild the supercharger. It needs it and for some reason I never did it when I had it all apart (hindsight is always 20/20). Whatever, no big deal. So, I tear into it. First bad, sheared bolt in the thermostat housing changing the thermostat. Not too bad since it can come off the car and is easy to work on, but follow this up with another SNAP. Sheared bolt number 2, thermostat assembly to block. Just great. This brings me to BAD again. However, these locations are relatively accessible, so only took a day to get these ones out. Yay, GOOD again. So, on to the supercharger rebuild. Shouldn't be too hard, I just did one on the STR. Get everything setup, snout in the press to knock off the pulley and the shaft out. It's all straight and level, start applying pressure (takes a lot to get that shaft out of the snout). It starts to move a mm or so, meaning ready to pop with a little more, then, for no apparent reason, something shifts and BANG, which brings me to TERRIBLE. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Other than the snout carnage, no other damage was done. I'm fine, the car is fine, everything else in the garage is fine. This is why I never get too close to things when I need to apply a significant amount of force with the press. You just never know. So, A new blower snout is on the way. Luckily I found a complete blower right away for ~$350, so it's on the way to me, but has higher miles on it so I will rebuild the snout (carefully!) on it before putting it in (already did the rear needle bearings and the rotors are in great shape on the one I have). So, while it is a terrible event, no real damage was done other than having to replace the snout, which since it is all apart, is very easy.

When all is said and done, this should all be back together by Wednesday or Thursday of next week, which just happens to be 2 or 3 days before the wife and I are leaving on a ~4500km road trip down to Pennsylvania and back with the car. Good times! But hey, if everything always went as planned, life would be boring.

 

WinterJag,

Thank you for reporting your adventure. It's a very important reminder to the rest of us.

I just had a similar problem replacing the water pump on an S-Type R. One of the old water pump mounting screws was broken. I ran to the hardware store and bought five new M6X1.0 bolts. I used one of my right-angle drills and a brand-new drill bit to drill the broken section of bolt (you're right, they are hard). I was then able to turn it out with an extractor. I chased the threads in the engine with an M6X1.0 tap to reduce the chances of this happening again.

I have two right-angle drills for drilling in tight quarters and they have saved me several times on broken bolts and studs:




I'm especially sorry about your broken supercharger snout, but by sharing this with the forum you will save many of us from a similar tragedy in the future. Thank you!

Cheers,

Don

 

Don, I used pretty much that exact drill. I never could have drilled in that tight space without a right angle drill. Everyone needs to have one of those in their tool collection!

 

Have often wondered if factory settings were a bit more than they were when taking things apart.

 

WinterJag that is most unfortunate. Can you tell by looking at the broken edges if the fracture(s) occurred all at once or is there any indication that the snout was experiencing stress fractures prior to the self destruct sequence? I have come to almost expect bolts to snap on occasion without warning and been happy the threads in the aluminum stayed intact, but had the snout exploded under the hood while in use the carnage would have been devastating. What exactly happened? I presume you were removing the pulley and were using a tool for that purpose? I shall have to look up a diagram of the supercharger to see an exploded (excuse the comparison) view of the components.

I have enough excitement repairing my NA 4.2 so perhaps I will forego my dreams of moving up to a XJR. Good luck with your replacement.

 

Wingrider: I have also wondered if things were torqued down tighter than factory specs when taking things apart. The amount of force needed to break some bolts loose that were only supposed to be in the 20-30 ft/lb range (or so) felt more like 200 ft/lb!

Rancheroguy: I had the blower off the car and was using my press to push out the shaft/pulley from the snout for a rebuild, something I just did a little while ago on the STR without any issue. The break was only due to the whole setup shifting somehow (still can't figure out exactly what happened) and in the process the probably multiple tonnes of force being exerted on the snout shifted to put pressure on the outer edge of only one side of the snout face, which is just cast aluminum. It just wasn't designed to to take that kind of pressure, so it cracked!

Overall, while this sucks big time, it's not really that bad in the grand scheme of life, A couple hundred bucks is the only real damage so, can't complain. After all, it's only money.

 

I feel that the aluminum has a tendency to lock to the steel bolts, more so with the Jaguar than my motorcycles. Probably due to the engine's mass and the type of Jaguar's alloy when subjected to heat over a long heat period of time. One reason I am happy when the threads remain after a bolt snaps (knock on wood). I have had bearings explode when pressing them off axle shafts before and now use cold (a deep freezer) and a little heat whenever possible. Unfortunately some components do not always lend themselves to that practice.

"After all, it's only money." Should be over the parts counter at every store I use.
Again, good luck and thanks for informing us of your (mis)adventure.

 

Well, just to wrap this up, I got the new blower today, and guess what, it came with the intake elbow and the blower to intercooler manifold. So, after re-selling those bits, should work out to about no cost for the blower (YAY! Free mistake!). Now, as nervous as I was, I still tore the blower down and rebuilt it. Well, took all of about 20 min and went without a hitch. So, the press is just fine. Looks like this was just one of those things. Should have the car back on the road tomorrow!

 

Sweet!!

So back to good again???

Good luck!

 

Don,

From my recollection the torque spec is 8Nm + 90 deg.

When I tried to remove my water pump one bolt head rounded off not allowing me to remove it. (I used a 6 point socket)

Bolt out socket kit - no dice.

7mm socket, no dice.

Wound up getting my dremel in there and grinded the head off flush to the water pump housing. Tight quarters indeed...

The heat produced from the dremel finally allowed me to unscrew the remaining bolt by hand once I was able to pop the water pump off.

I ordered a new bolt from Jaguar.

Getting torque to 8Nm was ok but I was only able to get the + to between 45 - 60 deg. Didn't want to push the envelope.

No leaks!

Guess your REAL lucky you didn't snap more bolts if you torqued them all down to 25Nm...

 

Hi abonano,

In the torque tables for the 3.5L and 4.2L engines, the water pump mounting bolt torque is given as 12 Nm / 9 ft. lbs. with no additional angle of rotation given. But in the actual replacement procedure, the spec is exactly as you stated, 8 Nm + 90 degrees.

Cheers,

Don

 

Having just finished an intake manifold R&R with one bolt pulling aluminum thread out with it, and another snapped bolt, I started wondering about anti-seize lube on ANY bolt that goes back into aluminum thread, not just the spark plugs.

Any thoughts, anyone. Physics and chem and metallurgy majors especially?

I would have thought that a hardened bolt that had been very hot over many miles would have lost it's temper and gone soft and bendy, not brittle.

 

Seldom use a torque wrench on anything other than internal motor parts, as well as some suspension bolts. As the size of bolt goes up, more force needed to remove. After a while of taking things apart, there seems to be a sort of standard feel. You can often tell when someone has been there, the torque feels off. Too tight, more than loose, but both are a give away, to the fact. Next time things come apart, they feel the same, as when they first came apart, you did things right. Bolts do not last for ever, replace them any time they show wear. especially if a lot of torque is required.