Hello Jaguar Forum colleague,
I am in the process of replacing the timing chain tensioners on my 2010 XK NA. I am using the tie strap method and I’m struggling to remove the timing covers (cams not crank). I’ve removed all 8 fasteners and sprayed the joints with carb cleaner, break clean but sill unable to remove.

I can’t seem to get leverage on the tab to attempt to pry off. Are they hard to remove? Any tips or suggestions.

 

How many miles? service history on the vehicle?

Pictures would be great please, wondering if I will have to do this down the road.

 

i have 55,000. Oil changes at 7k. Not much else to mention.
Watched video on Atlantic British (Roverparts.com) and he mentions to pry at tabs but they don’t seem to budge.

 

Here is a pic of one of the covers. I know that the workshop manual states to remove the VVT solenoids and positions sensors, could this be the issue? In the Atlantic British youtube vid he does not remove them before removing the timing cover.

 

Here is a photo from inside the cover (not mine !!!!)

 

What's the downside if you remove the position sensors?

 

None I suppose. I’ll remove them to see if that make the removal possible. Just can’t seem
to get leverage on the tabs to pry off. Thanks for the suggestion Queen and Country.

 

Went ahead and removed the sensors from the cover but I am still unable to remove the cover. At this point I will have to continue to wedge a razor to help start the separation. Just hope I don’t score the surface.
Not sure what else to do as I’m now at a standstill.

 

Luis, hang on someone with experience taking that cover of might be able to help. I will PM a guy who has done it.
Meanwhile, do you have a air chisel? put a piece of wood against that cover and let the air chisel tap on that for a few seconds.

 

Thanks very much Queen and Country.

I don’t have one but will see if I can rig up a similar way of providing vibration ( insert bad sex joke here).

Would be interested in others experience as you mentioned.

 

Contact "Davetibbs" over on the X250 board. He's rebuilt his engine and should be able to help. Also take a look in the XJ forum, quite a few tensioner replacements have happened over there.

 

Hello!

The sealant used at the factory for timing covers is strong and it definitely took some force for me to remove it - also when I removed mine I had the valve cover removed which probably allowed me to get more purchase on it to give it a good tug. Removing sensors not necessary for removal, but no harm in getting everything out of the way, especially solenoids.

I'd try and lever it off with the tab if you can find something good to lever against, which I think is how I did it. I'd also avoid using a razor blade as the aluminum surface on the heads is easy to marr and I guess the thinking is you could see issues with oil leaks, though admittedly this seems very unlikely at the top of the engine in front of the chains.

 

I did this morning.

Hey while you are here- what size 8mm wrench did you use, a long one or just normal, flex head or straight? I am fighting that e-diff fill plug you got lucky with.

Edit. please ignore, sorry got the wrong guy, meant to ask TexasTraveller

 

Thanks for the feedback. I thought i was going crazy with how stubborn these timing cover are !!!!!! I have left the valve covers on as you probably saw from my photo. I may try a small come-along connected to the two end valve cover bolt holes while putting is something to protect the threads. I do like a good challenge but this is much harder than i thought it would be.

Again, thanks for all you responses.

 

Happy to report I was able to remove both timing covers. I used Ford Fluid ZC-30-A Silicone Gasket Remover. Carefully spraying just around the seem last night and was able to pop them off with a pry tool. Prior to using I just couldn’t get it to budge. Picked up the fluid for 12 bucks at a local Ford dealership.

 

Can you do a step by step on the zip tie method? There will be lots of interest.

 

Sure would be happy to. Start to finish or just the timing tensioner aspect?

 

Start to finish please

 

Update
After getting ill ( maybe Covid but never got tested ) I was able to finish the work. I had to pull the valve covers off as I was unable to but in the driver side rail. I had to remove the passenger bank rails (both) as that was the only way I was able to fish the driver side in.

Of course I encounters issues. Along with a broken tab on one timing cover ($80 used replacement from eBay) I had:
stripped a thread in the block for the lower timing cover. Heli coil used to repair.

Snapped a bolt also in the lower timing cover.

So not sure how it is possible to perform the tie strap tensioner but I was unable to fish it in. I ended up breaking a small plastic tab removing the tensioner rail.

The car is now pieced back together. And she started up great. I did however have a few minor issues.

Ground cable came loose on passenger side timing cover as I forgot tighten. Also left the generated cable off the starter.

I now am dealing with a pesky P0420. Seeing odd behavior on this banks fuel trims. Long term jumps from 0 to 6 or 7 before short term increases. Stft very twitchy. Thought I had a bad rear O2. Replaced rear and the front A/F sensor but still getting odd behavior.

So I have cleaned MAFs, crank pos sensor (to ensure no debris on sensors) and all cam sensors.

Noticed a bit of oil from main breather to intake. Never had this before the work so not sure what the cause is. For that I just replaced the PCV valves. Hope this will help but there were no tears. The one closest to the front of the engine sprig was more compressed then its partner.

I was able to determine bank 1 injector 7 is 30% less than the other injectors on the bank so I will replace that shortly.

 

Sorry just a quick question, did you have much wear on the back of the tensioner blade? What prompted the repair?

I'm at 50k as well with this engine and wondering whether I should wait a bit longer before taking this on.

Thank you