How do you know if your top tensioners have broken?

 

Hi fattyblow,

Welcome to the Jaguar Forums!

I have taken the liberty of re-titling your post so others with relevant information will know the subject of your question. Our members are busy folks and may not find the time to open and read a thread with a vague title like "Question."

In the meantime, have you tried using the forum Search function at the top of this page, and the Advanced Search function under the Tools tab at the top of this page? Mountains of information about the X308 tensioners have already been posted, and you may find the answers to your question have already been posted many times.

Another suggestion would be to post the specific symptoms that prompted you to ask about the tensioners. Perhaps knowledgeable members will find it more convenient to address your specific issues rather than taking the time to repeat general information they may have posted many times before, only to learn that your problem lies elsewhere.

Cheers,

Don

 

I replied to your post in the introduction thread.
I do not think it is tensioner related (although a check and possible replacement might be needed).
You might suffer bore-wash.

E.

 

ok. thanks

 

"now it only turns wont start, just cranks. Ifigured i would start knocking down problems replaced battery, starter, fuel pump, and started to replace the coil packs and spark plugs, but then did a compression test and it wasnt right. any advice"

I think Eric is right. Does not sound like a broken secondary tensioner chain. You might try putting teaspoon of oil into 3 or 4 cylinders to overcome bore wash that was common with the 98 models. Another thought, push the gas pedal all the way to the floor and crank it a few times (shuts off gas supply allowing the oil pump to lube a cylinder or two): once you sense it is trying to start, let pedal up to allow fuel flow to the injectors.

You might also buy a code reader to read your OBD codes, if any.

 

if they're not broke now , they soon will be. while you have plugs out go ahead and pull covers

 

Hey hey you guy and or girls;-) are great. Thank you all for the great advice, that's exactly what it was all oil did the trick. But the tensioners have me a little weary of driving it. If I replace the upper tensioners shouldn't I replace the chains to?

 

Unless there is signs of damage the chains are usually fine to reuse. Few replace them.

 

If you have the original tensioners...the 1200-1500 (quid or bucks or ducats) to replace them with the metal ones will ensure that you don't face the issue of having to replace (at a pretty painful cost) an engine somewhere down the line.

The chains are probably just fine. It's the tensioner bodies and slip pads on them that fail, sometimes spectacularly, sometimes not. If the rest of the car is in good nick, false economy to wait till they do.

Once you do, that common and well-known issue goes away. If you're going to keep the ride, consider it an investment in your piece of mind.

BTDT and worry about other things (like folks that back out of parking spaces without bothering to look behind them and almost wipe you out?)

 

please forgive my ignorance but I dont have the insight on this car i love.I just knew that I always wanted one so you have to take it slow with me til I get my feet wet. are there any currant step by step timing chain and tensioner removal?

 

Several:


Cam Chain Tensioners
Tmingi chain and tensioner replacement
Help - sudden fail - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum
I just changed my own timing chain tensioners........HOW TO - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum
Ford tensioners for Jaguar??? - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum
Tensioners, when are they a "must replace" item? - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...eplacement-pdf


Cam Chain Tensioners Lincoln LS Part Numbers
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...34/#post330655

JTIS .pdf files on Chains/Tensioners replacement
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...prokets-54603/

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...xtracts-66696/

Cam locking tool dimensions
Welcome to Jag-lovers - Members Photo Viewing Page

Cam Chain Tensioners Cam Removal Method 2nd tensions DIY instruction "HOW TO" - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

Broken Cam Due to Removing Cam
Cam shaft woes - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

 

to answer the first post if the tensioners are broken you will hear a lot of noise. Sounds like a bad camshaft. A broken guide may manifest itself as a ticking. if you run the engine for any length of time with bad tensioners then you will find the rollers split and come off the chain. i did several thousand kms on bad tensioners i am ashamed to say and one chain was missing about a dozen rollers!!!! I think they must be still in the sump.

 

Please watch and consider, also, watch part 2 as well...

 

you don't want to know it is broken because it is already too late, you want to change to the updated tension ASAP if you Jag comes with the plastic type.

 

You might want to add the model year and XK8/R XJ8/R information to your signature line so we could be of more help.

Tensioners were plastic until engines manufactured after 8/13/01. Check the manufacture date on the driver door 'B' column.

I went back and read your initial post regarding a starting problem after the car sitting for a year. Far cry from replacing the tensioners on your '98 VDP.

You either have cylinder wash or a failed fuel pump.

Look it up.

 

This is the build date for the car, not the engine. To verify whether the engine has the plastic or upgraded tensioners, you will need to check against the engine serial number which is on the engine itself.