Just mind and pack paper towels around the area. good for catching the oil and the grommet

 

Found it!!

Quick q on the plug. From the images above, it appears that it faces straight up (hence long Allen key required) . I was under the impression it would face towards the cabin.

Can you let me know, please?

 

Faces towards the cabin , Look in detail at each photo , use long Allen key chop part of small end of otherwise it won't fit as not enough room , Unless you can find a way past all them cables hoses etc to go straight in , pack area well it is a must as it is more bother to get plug back in than to take out , also a telescopic magnet for retrieving the plug if you drop it , then you will need a drink straw or from a can of wd40 etc and heat to a bend then tape to syringe hose . Good luck and preserve. George

 

What we going for here, raspberry or a nice apricot?

But seriously i had my snout & pulley changed a few weeks back, whilst the DIY in-situ change is laudable, my Indy noticed that the SC coolant hose under the SC was perishing when they removed the unit, I know as they returned the old one to me.

So to me worth the 5hrs labour paid to prevent a future catastrophic failure.

Like others on this thread, they put back in twice as much oil as they took out, now considering mine is on 55k miles that's an awful lot that's burnt off, weirdly the consistency/colour/smell of the old fluid wasn't that bad...I have a sample to send off for analysis...but will do that in the New Year and post up on here.

 

Thanks chaps. The length of the key is to use as a handle rather than to get it in place, got it!!

How long would you advise I leave when I chop off the Allen key? You mention you'd chop a bit more if doing it again.

 

5mm at most , file the edge . That vacuum hose that bends up pulls out , to replace use WD40 so it fits in ok

 

I got of quote of 6hrs at least from the indie I mostly used at that time , the type of garage that charges you an hour just for looking in engine bay . ******* , It can't be that hard I said to myself if a grease monkey can do it so can I .

 

​​​​​​
Thanks, George. Wd40 as a lubricant so it slides back on okay or for some other purpose?

Sorry for all the qs

 

Yes to first part , If you are not handy with spanners and self services do not attempt , Also unless you are very tall . I had to kneel on the engine block for hrs at a time on a cushion, trying to get the plug in and out a mill at a time due to the confined space . Good luck and beep us posted

 

Great stuff. I'm usually pretty good with fiddly things (and bodging tools to work) so I'll give it a whirl when the weather permits.

I might try this and cut a bit down. Looks like the tool I sonly 5 mm thick so might be the ticket.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BGS-115-Special-Ratchet-Silver/dp/B005C45QKI/ref=asc_df_B005C45QKI/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=208050023643&hvpos=&hvnetw= g&hvrand=4276527442934373402&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt =&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006832&hvt argid=pla-423508222217&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

 

Now THAT is defo a kodak moment!

 

I’m actually seriously considering this after you mentioned it. Is there really any reason not to? If not, would you recommend a “mod shop” doing the drill and new plug?

 

The metal chunks going inside the supercharger are the thing that makes it not easy for DIY to me.
Maybe it would be worth doing it if the supercharger is taken off for servicing...otherwise that appears impossible as a DIY to me.

 

Shame on JLR for putting that plug where they put it. Knowing there were going to put that motor in so many different models it would have made sense to have 2 differently located plugs..

 

Well in fairness they didn't put it there - Eaton did. The 5.0 installation has the charger mounted the other way round to the 4.2, returning the throttle to the front, but putting the plug at the back. And JLR had determined with both engines that the oil was 'lifetime' - i.e for the expected service life of the supercharger/engine/car...so why would they care if it could be accessed or not...

 

what’s the actual worst case scenario if you never changed the supercharger oil in that car for like 30 years of usage (once or twice a week for like an hour or two at a time)? Would the supercharger just wear down and stop functioning? In such case, let’s say that supercharger wasn’t even available as a part anymore. Couldn’t you just have a similar or even better supercharger retrofitted? I’m not saying I want to, i’d love to keep taking care of my current one. I’m just thinking worst case here so I can evaluate all options.

 

Interesting thread. I was wondering when to:do my ‘15 XKR that now has 40,000 miles. So, even though it’s 9 years old…I think I’ll wait until 50,000 miles. Then pull the supercharger, and replace the valley hoses at the same time. I don’t do well in confined spaces with my hands that mske Andre tbe Giant’s hands look small..


Oh yeah, from what I’ve read in other forums the oil doesn’t so much breakdown, but as said in this thread bakes out, and as it gets lower, you get whine…Well…that’s what I heard.

 

I’m on the 50,000km, 5 year cycle.

 

Well the problem with never changing the oil besides it getting dirty and mucky is every one I have done was low on fluid. I always put more back in getting the level right than I took out. Can't explain it as the SC does not consume oil? Or does it? I had no fluid leaks either so no idea where the missing oil went?
I also have never put enough oil in to match the listed oil capacity either. Always somewhat less volume.
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.
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I thought I saw a post where the oil level had dropped…
Nonetheless… oil, whether conventional or synthetic, does break down.