Hi,

My wife and I test drove a 2012 XK with 61,000 miles this morning. The engine has a tapping sound that was audible inside. I did a video to record the sound with the hood up…perhaps I should have left the hood down because it is louder.

But, does this tapping noise sound normal? We test drove a 2008 XKR 2 years ago this month and I do not remember the engine sounding like the one today.

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

Test drive it again and record the sound, post it here. Aside from Gregory Hines, I've never known tapping to be a good sound:-)

 

If you were starting it from cold then it may be the high pressure fuel pumps on the side of the engine. Mine are quite noticeable for the first few minutes with the windows up..

The 4.2 doesn't have them.

 

when the engine is cold.

If you hear unusual noises when the engine is running at normal operating temperature, it could be the timing chain tensioners. See:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-fails-227798/

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-techs-159928/

Proper oil specification and viscosity is important. Jaguar went from 5W-20 to 0W-20 for the 5.0L engines. It appears they did so to provide better lubrication for the second design timing chain tensioners.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ngines-217207/

Before you buy any 5.0L XKR, have a Jaguar dealer do a Pre-Purchase Inspection at your expense. You can use the written report to negotiate a lower price if you're still interested in that car.
Pre-Purchase Inspection

 

ok, I give up. HOW do I add a video file? I have tried to add the video since the very first moment I wrote this post. I have followed the instructions: Manage Attachments, Select File, Upload....at first I thought it was because the file was an MP4 file and that file type is not listed. Then, I thought it was the size 47 MB, so I then reduced the size to 11 after finally finding a video editing app, and then I changed the file type to wmv at 11 MB. It still will not upload.

Merry Christmas.

To answer the replies so far:
*** this Jag is at the local Jaguar/Land Rover dealership so I would hope a pre-purchase has been done, and I would never buy any Jaguar without a pre-purchase inspection
*** the noise was audible at cold and warm temperatures without any change so perhaps it is just a normal engine noise. But, it does not sound to me like it is normal and I do not remember the 2008 4.2 XKR we test drove 2 years ago sounding like this
*** I do not think it is the high fuel pressure pumps because I hear the noise at cold temperatures upon start-up and after the 15 minute test drive.

Now, if I can figure out how to add the video to this post you can hear it also and tell me if I am hearing a normal sound or if it is something else.

Also, I am going to pass on this one because
1) it is not what I am looking for. I decided I want to be very specific: white, chrome wheels, XKR, 5.0
2) until I know if this noise is normal I cannot buy this one or any other one

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

Just upload it to Youtube and then make the video public

 

Great idea, Sean. Thanks.

 

Sounds almost normal to me, maybe a little bit louder. When was your last oil change? What weight oil?

 

unknown when the last oil change was- this is for sale at the local Jaguar dealership.

 

Search YouTube for "Jaguar XKR 5.0L engine noise", watch and listen to the videos and read the comments. Compare those videos to your noisy engine.

 

The oil filler cap in his video specifies 5W-20. I'd change the oil and use the new 0W-20 spec oil.

 

What does the dealership say about the noise?

It could be an exhaust leak, among other things.

 

Reason to Negotiate! If the dealer thinks you found a problem, they will try to unload quick.

 

Sounds pretty normal to me too.

This is my '10 when warm. The variation in sound is me putting the car in and out of drive:

 

With all due respect this isn’t entirely correct as has been previously discussed in other threads. Main dealers in Florida and other warmer parts of the world switched to 5W20 many, many years ago from the original JLR specified 0W20. JLRs more
recent documentation supports this as well. For cooler climes, 0W20 is still correct however.

As for 5.0 engine noise, I’ve a 2013 and 2015 and they are about the noisiest engines I’ve ever had in a vehicle. The 4.2 engines are significantly more quiet.

 

oh no…. hopefully this isn’t a leader to ANOTHER oil debate! ;-)

Happy Christmas All.

 

With all due respect, you're mistaken if you're saying that OW-20 was the first 5.0L oil spec. JLR changed the oil spec in 2017 for all supercharged engines to STJLR.51.5122, from 5W-20 to 0W-20. See:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ngines-217207/


See Posts ##18 and 20 by Forum member XJsss in the X351 (XJ) Forum about engine oil and the timing chain tensioners:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...sioner-245837/

 

Sounds like typical Direct Inject engine high pressure fuel injectors . Due to very high pressure pumps the injectors need to slam shut while operating.

 

Yep what he said

 

I think the change from 5W-20 to 0W-20 was a bit earlier than 2017, my MY 2015 F-Type V6 with a build date of Oct 2104 shows 0W-20 in the handbook and on the oil filler cap.