Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice about my 2007 XKR.

I had an engine swap around seven months ago after the original one died; the car ran very well after the swap. I was advised to have a transmission fluid top-up after running a few weeks, which my current garage did and then until recently. There was a severe lack of power, a grinding noise from the gearbox at around 2000 in second gear, and a rattle from the supercharger, so I took it to my garage. They have sent me a report with many system error codes; they tell me the engine will need to be opened, parts replaced, and the cat isn't working correctly. I assumed it would be just because of the gearbox, which I have a spare one and a spare supercharger, so I was hoping it would be as easy as switching them, which might resolve the problem. However, they are telling me to take it to a garage in another state 3hrs away that will have the parts; they have always been reluctant to work on this car over the years; they didn't even want to do the engine swap. They told me to get it done elsewhere.. which I did, and now, by telling me there are too many problems and saying to scrap it, I'm wondering if they just don't want to work on it or if the issues are as significant as they are saying. I have no idea what I'm looking at on the system report, so I'll post it here; if any of you can clarify if it shows the major problems and if they are easy to resolve, would it be worth just paying for the labour to have them switch the transmission and supercharger to see if that resolves the main issue, or would it just be a waste of money trying? Any advice would be a great help.

It sits idle just fine. I had the registration done recently, where they tested the CO2 levels. So, if there's a problem with the cat, wouldn't that have shown up in the levels?

UPDATE: The garage has said it's the transmission AND the engine, apparently the timing chains; they said the supercharger is working fine, and the noise I hear is from the engine. However, the same rattle noise was there a year ago, and they said it was the supercharger, which I then had fixed, so I'm a little confused. They've said I can swap the gearbox, but if I try to use the car, the engine will break after a few days.

 

First thing before anything else.....
Check the Battery. Take it out and have it load tested somewhere, it's free. Removing it will also initiate a passive Hard Reset where all the modules lose their volatile memory.
You don't have your location listed so I will assume ConUs.
Start there first. Low voltage can cause a lot of other problems.

 

Most of these codes can be ignored for the time being, and may in any case be symptomatic of low battery charge - especially if there have been repeated start/stop/fiddle sessions going on. For comfort, it might be worth removing the battery (and doing a 'reset'), having it checked and fully recharged and then reading the codes again after a fully charged, known good, battery is installed.

If, as you appear to be saying, the transmission started making grinding noises after the fluid level was 'topped up', one wonders if that was done correctly.

If the engine was replaced a year ago, surely the timing chains and tensioners would have been sorted at that time. The code that seems to be timing chain related is the P0016-00 Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation - Bank 1, Sensor 1 but experts will chime in here. One thing the garage is right about - if the timing chains/tensioners have gone, using the car will indeed break it.

You need to -urgently- get someone who actually knows about the Jaguar 4.2 engine to take a look/listen.

 

By the way, I once had an X308 4.0 - the engine which started the whole timing chains saga. One morning I started it up, heard a gawd-awful racket and panicked. The local Jag dealer came round to my house, listened to it and agreed that the tensioners were gone and they would have to transporter the car to their workshops rather than risk starting the engine again. Once in the workshop, the technicians all agreed the tensioners were shot so they stripped the car down to find... nothing wrong with the chains or tensioners. After putting it back together and checking again, it turned out the noise was the aircon compressor clutch needing replacement. My point being that it's easy to assume the worst with that engine.

 

Hi, Cee Jay. I appreciate the response. I'm actually in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The battery was replaced around two months ago; as the car is already in the garage, I'm sure they will remove the battery when they switch the trans.

 

Hi Justin,

Unfortunately, the engine was replaced with a used one, which I think they just dropped in, so who knows what its condition was when installed? It's now out of warranty, so it was always a risky choice.
I will ask them to switch out the transmission first, then tackle the rest of the problems; the only issue I have is that there are no actual Jaguar expert garages here, even when they claim to be. :/ Maybe I should take it to another garage for a second opinion, but if the codes are showing as you say regarding the crank shaft, maybe they are right.


Thanks,

Keith

 

@Squire Your original post was asking for advice about the long list of codes you posted. Cee Jay and I have suggested many of them are consequent to a low battery condition at some point. Leaving all that aside, your car is presently with a garage who - from what you say - don't have experience of this model, are actively unwilling to work on it, and are trying to persuade you to scrap it. In your place I would be reluctant to trust their diagnoses or advice.

I still don't understand what you're saying about the transmission. Are you saying the transmission was fine after the engine swap, until the fluid was "topped up", and then started making this grinding noise? And are you certain the noise is from the transmission itself? I note there are no codes for the TCM by the way.

There's no point in swapping the transmission (yet) if there's indication that the timing chains/tensioners need work, since the car can't be driven in that state. This is based on the noise you say the engine is making. You say it idles fine but I assume does so while making a racket it shouldn't be making. You can remove the supercharger drivebelt - the engine will run without it - and confirm the noise isn't from there.

 

Allow me to add,
1. “Transmission fluid topped up” is not a standard maintenance requirement of this vehicle. Where is the leak.
2. “engine needed replacing” why?
3. “Timing chains…” easy scapegoat. But really? Sounds like a half-hazard guess to me.
4. Swap parts… if they have been properly refurbished, maybe. But what is the underlying root cause of your issues. That has not been addressed.
5. That list of codes. There is a process clearly outlined in the workshop manual that seems to be ignored. @ceejay has nailed the first test: battery.
6. The shop has asked you to seek alternate assistance… or scrap it. What are you waiting for.

And let me add 7. Swap the transmission. Again, why? A root cause has not been identified.

 

Just because that battery was replaced with 'new' does NOT mean it is fully charged. That car NEEDS at least 12.6 volts to operate correctly. No, the alternator charge voltage does not count. 12.6 volts at rest hours after last being ran. If yours is good, great.