so i have a 98 xjr and its at 131 k miles i bought it not knowing what has been done or what needs to be done but it is a damn good running car that shifts great and sounds mean it has dual 3 inch exhaust that is great but other than that no check engine codes (when i bought it) but after i have had it for a little while im getting a strange ticking noise that kind of reminds me of a lifter noise but im kind of ruling that out because when you start the car cold there is absolutely no noise no ticking nothing at all but after you drive it for a while i start too get a ticking noise that i cant figure out. im ruling out the lifter noise because every lifter noise i have ever heard is loudest when cold and then gets quieter so im confused at what it could be, maybe needs a valve job or a cam chain? im totally new to jaguars but when i fond a xjr for 1500 dollars i couldnt pass it up.

 

Hey there, glad your enjoying the XJR, and especially for $1500! I'm going to cut straight to the chase. You need to rip off your valve covers and check your upper chain tensioners, most likely they need to be replaced and updated. My right bank upper tensioner presented itself (@140k)just as yours did. Absolutely no sound when cold but as soon as it warmed up when I was idling i would get the "tick... tick... tick...", I remember it being quite embarrassing sitting at stop lights in downtown chinatown/boston hearing it echoing off the concrete walls. The notorious crap plastic tensioner was falling apart. I had the car two weeks and replaced them right away, I would recommend you plan on doing the same or at least check your tensioners condition seeing its a 1998 for safety sake. Just a hunch, probably why you got such a good deal

 

+1 ON THAT! Just check the archives for timing chain tensioner horror stories.

 

+2 on that.
Once I got the fuel pumps in, dealt with the cylinder wash, found it needed tensioners in a bad way.. Buy hey, it was a $1300 XJR
Was thinking supercharge bearings first but once I used a listening devise(aka my 2ft prybar)
I was able to isolate the noise to the right timing cover.