I always try to avoid partial engine warm-ups unless it's really unavoidable. Normally when I start the engine, I won't switch it off again until it's warmed up & the coolant temp gauge is in the middle-even if it means going for a slightly longer drive on colder days.

After all, these cars are about the enjoyment of driving a Jaguar around just for the hell of it-there's no logic to owning one of these cars-it's more of an obsessive love affair

 

Hello again guys for you who remember my starting problem in my 1998 4litre xj8 from last november. Well after all the talk of me selling it i have actually still got it, found it difficult to let it go.

I have not experienced any starting problems since, although i thought i would pay a visit here and seek a bit more advice. I have the classic tapping, well maybe not so much tapping noise but ticking noise sometimes from startup sometimes not, and sometimes when at temperature.

But more often then not when it ticks generally with a good rev i hear a sort of pinging or slight rattle noise and the ticking disappears. I know for sure now that it has had fitted the 3rd generation tensioners, there is now just over 80.000miles on the clock. The car has covered less than 30.000 miles since the new tensioners were fitted back in 2007.
Someone has told me it could be the lifters ( dont know what they are ) or variable valve timing ( dont know what that is either ) are these expensive things to do? Or could it be something else? Any help would be great
Thanks guys
Regards Chris

 

Have you removed the covers to see for yourself that they are the metal bodied ones? The sounds you are describing fit the bill....

Other places to look (after checking the tensioners) are the idler pulley(can make a ticking sound when the bearings go), Oil filter (should be OEM), and VVT (possibly do a flush)

Lifters? not likely.

 

Thanks for the reply, to be honest i would not have any idea wbat cover to remove or what to look for. I phoned the jag specialist who fitted tbe tensioners and they assured me they were the metal body ones.
Whats the OEM oil filter? And could the wrong oil filter cause the ticking sound? Sorry to be sound so clueless its just that i am just that.. clueless lol.
Regards Chris

 

There is no lifter noise, trust me. What you are hearing is most likely VVT (variable valve timing) solenoid. Nothing to worry about. You can experiment with different oils, and it might be quieter. My wife's 03 is ticking along just fine.

 

The OEM oil filter and several after market filters have a internal valve that prevents the oil draining out of the galleries when the engine is shut off. Some economy filters do not.

 

Thanks for that info Daniel its good to hear it is nothing to worry about if it is the VVT, but is that something that could be sorted? And would it be an expensive fix? And is there a particular oil to use?
Regards Chris

 

Thanks for that info Daniel its good to hear it is nothing to worry about if it is the VVT, but is that something that could be sorted? And would it be an expensive fix? And is there a particular oil to use?Regards Chris