Has anyone ever had the tensioner/chain guide/etc. work done at a repair shop? I.E. a local specialist or dealership?
How much did you spend?

 

For just the secondaries I was quoted $1600 at the dealer and $1200 at the independent, cost under $200 DIY, included new iridium plugs.

 

Did everything for $2400,brought the tools.All Chains,guides tensions,waterpump,front seal,new iridium plugs,serp belt.Idler pulley and belt tensioner pulley too. Everything! Of that 1k was labour.

 

That is about the figure I ended up paying; except the engine already had the latest version of the chains and tensioners already installed, so, substituted a complete set of coil packs (8 @ $80 USD) instead of the chain upgrade.

Indie shop. Great wrenches.

3K for an exchange tranny, complete

1200 for an oil change, replace fuel rails and injector seals, new thermostat, replace bypass hose, flush heater core, lube doors, and check heater flap operation

All in US fiat currency.

HTH

 

I was also quoted $1200 at an independent, using the Jaguar recommended method with special tools etc. Someone suggested that the zip tie method should run about $800, but I couldn't find anyone that would do it that way.

 

Had upper chain tensioners, cam cover gaskets, and inner cover gaskets replaced by an independent shop for under $ 700.oo.
Was quoted slightly lower, apparently job was quoted intending to reuse some recently replaced gaskets.
Engine had noticeable valve cover oil leaks.
Shop found multiple source replacement gaskets used previously, Shop believes the mismatched gaskets & seals were contributing to cam cover twisting = outside & plug oil valley leakage

So they replaced all.


WARNING! This car passed all "Super Jag Forum Shade Tree External Tensioner Tests" with flying colors. Cold start with sounding tool against engine, all the wonderful Forum tips. No sounds, perfect idle.
Took it to Shop due to odd 'idle noise' when completely warmed up (30 min. or more), odd noise was VVT attempting to compensate for failed tensioners.
Turns out Tensioners were so gone that when unbolted, they broke apart, were splitting vertically.
Shop personnel claimed engine was on edge of major failure, told me to go play the lottery when I admitted I was going to wait 'till Spring to have tensioners looked at, and stopped by Shop on a whim. Said I was the luckiest Jag owner in town that day.

 

My upper cam chain tensioners were cracked down the middle when I replaced them also. You can't rely on your ears to check them, and even when you eyeball them it isn't easy to tell. When you remove them and they fall apart in your hand it's pretty obvious. I never did hit the lottery though.

 

Every time we drive our Jaguars, we feel like we've won something! (Lottery of Life?)