Hello everyone it's been a while since I last posted. I have just acquired a 2001 XJR with 70k miles and plan to road trip it from New Jersey back to California in about a week's time. It appears it has not had its secondary timing chain tensioners done and will likely still have the "gen 2" tensioners. As of now, it shows no sign or symptoms of bad secondary tensioners, but I obviously realize that the entire timing guide and tensioner system needs to be replaced and I intend to do just that. However, I would like to drive the car from New Jersey (where I bought it) back home to California, and my gut says it'll be fine just cruising on the highway back if it isn't presenting any symptoms of failed tensioners, but I wanted some input from other forum members.

 

I think you'll be fine as well. But at least check them as soon as possible. If indeed they are still plastic, change it.

 

Yes! I intend to do that literally as soon as I get home and replace both the primary and secondary tensioners and guides.

 

With no signs of issues I'd suspect they'd be ok too.
But for peace of mind you could lift a cam cover & see if the secondaries look cracked/falling apart. If they look ok then you'd expect them to last for a bit.

 

Most everything posted in these forums point to the tensioners failing more on higher mileage cars
than yours. If you don't at least, give it a visual check, you will be worried the whole way home.
Peace of mind during such a long trip is a very desirable thing.

 

I agree, i am not with the car right now but I will bring some basic tools, at least enough to pull the valve cover and take a peak.

 

not sure where the car is in nj, but i could swap them out for you before your trip for peace of mind.

 

Get the engine serial number and see if you might have a replacement engine in it. My 2001 I bought in NJ did, so logically shouldn't ALL 2001 XJRs bought in NJ? Yes I'm kidding about that, but seriously, unless you know for a fact its the factory engine, its worth getting the serial number to see if you might not have to be concerned.

 

For what it's worth, I changed the mk1 secondary tensioners in my XJR at about 78k miles & they'd barely started to show any cracks in the bodies.