Well just ordered metal cam chain tensioners and Cam locking tool as had no history of them been done, parts arrived and stripped it down to do it to find nice metal tensioners installed !

Does any one know when the metal bodied tensioners were released?

Thanks in advance

 

Engines with plastic tensioners include XJ8/XJR engines with the last six digits of their VIN numbers between 812256-F41862, and XK8/XKR engines with the last six digits of their VIN numbers between 001001-A24195.

Vector

 

A little more precise answer to the question is that the metal tensioners were introduced on August 13, 2001 at the engine plant. Since the engine serial number encodes the manufacture date of the engine the engine serial number becomes the critical deciding factor. An engine serial number of 010813 (YYMMDD) or above would indicate metal tensioners.

While there is no direct correlation of engine serial number to VIN the previous post is approximately correct.

The engine serial number is on a machined area near the water pump and is effectively impossible to read on an engine in place. A courteous call to your local Jaguar dealer with the VIN will produce the engine serial number.