Unlikely a common issue amongst our XK's ..can only really put it down to the drivers habbits.

On a positive no need to lower the subframe as the replacement engine mount can just squeeze in, however if replacing the drivers side the rack would need to be dropped in order to remove the old mount.

 

I was wondering how you identified this as an issue - did you hear some clonking upon acceleration to alert you to the problem? Or did you just see a fault with the mount when changing engine oil, etc.?

 

Patrick upon intense acceleration the vehicle had a thwacking noise coming from the left has side

When coasting / driving normal the noise was not present .

I will upload the footage of me loading the engine up so you can clearly see the abnormal movement coming from the left mount

 

Yep, hood open in gear give it some gas and the engine waves at you...

What did you use to hold the engine up while swapping the mount?

 

Not sure what Steve used but I have one of these and used it on my last Jag

https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-l...bar-96524.html

 

I did the mount at home so no engine brace available.

A trolley jack with a thick rectangle rubber block was used to lift the engine up

 

how hard is this? thinking of taking this on myself.
What would this cost at an indie?

I've never dropped a steering rack before though..

 

depends on the tools you have really. Two bolts (order replacements - don't reuse) on the steering coupling and three on the rack. You're not really removing the rack so much as releasing it. Slight lift of the engine using the tool in my post #5 or what Steve did in his post #6.

 

Some even better news if your just changing the left hand mount (which most likely the casse due to the way the engine rotates ) you won't need to touch the rack there is ample room .

 

Are you referring to the left hand drivers side on a US spec XK?

 

Ah yes your correct if it's a US spec the rack will have to be released
A UK spec no need to touch the rack

 

Ah yes your correct my apologies, if it's a US spec the rack will have to be released .

​​​​​

 

Was quoted by an indie $230 to change the mount,
and I paid about $119 for the mount itself total: $350 for drivers side mount
does this seem reasonable?

 

depends on what his hourly rate is. If he's charging $90/hr, that's 2.5 hours. Seems reasonable to me but a tech would have to verify jaguar what Jaguar allots for their techs.

 

Hourly is $115 x 2 hours

 

The rack is also being released so don't forget that . 2hrs is 2hrs work and considering you provided the mount which you picked up cheap you need to look at the total cost which I do think is reasonable

 

Thanks for the update Steve.

I need to ask...are times that hard that you have to tape up latex gloves?

 

Haha the joys of working from home and cbf running up to the auto shop

 

Ha. Funny thing working with those gloves. I don't know if it's years of using bare hands before they were developed or what, but I always start with them, then at some point, usually when taking a break, I pull them off and never put them back on. I guess I'm trying to corner the market on stupid, I don't know.

 

Guess I've been spoilt I absolutely to refuse to work on a car without them lol and dont get me started about working without a hoist ....The finer things in life haha