I plan on getting them done in a month, but I want to order the parts myself, and drive to my brother-in-laws place where he's offered to help and use his friend's garage. Should I feel okay with driving that long?

 

The official answer around here is that you should not start the car again.

Start up seems to be the time of most failures although driving failures have been reported.

As long as you are aware that the tensioners will fail, your car, your dice.

 

Spend the money to haul it. I would not take the chance.

 

Ditto on all above. I did mine five years ago and they were just starting to crack at 42K miles. If you look at the cost of failure versus the cost of a carrier moving the car there is no argument. Have it hauled and don't start the engine.

Thanks for using the forum. A lot of good reading.

 

To add more. My 97 was running fine, we drove it home from getting me out of the hospital at the time. We pulled into the grocery store and shut it off. I already knew what to look for when it was ganna go, the slap/rattling on start up and running rough. Well we got back in and I started it was making the dreaded noise with NO prior symptoms.
HAUL IT!

 

Having it repaired locally at an indy would be much less than transporting it 8 hours away for a free repair.

Upper tensioner parts are less than $140 shipped. Look for Lincoln 2002 LS 3.9L tensioners. Zip tie method is 2-4 hours of indy labor or free if you do it yourself.

. . . and mine were split, both sides, at 40k miles. Still worked but who knows for how long.

 

seeing all the low mile cars with busted ones makes me think not driving them hurt them more cause they were prone to more heat cycles then cars driven all the time, maybe more prolonged drives.

 

Maybe. Mine had over 90k miles on it when I had them replaced. They had only "minor" cracks beginning and the shoes were fine.

Either way, glad I had it done.

 

This issue is real and does potentially have bad consequences. That said and yes I know the forum 'must be done, don't drive car' mantra is good advise I can tell you I've read many threads on people driving with old tensioners and 'getting to it at some point', and this is with only the people who use this forum. I'd go with some kinda bribe for your brother to drive up to see you, doesn't require many tools we could probably list them here for you just in case. Over all you do need to address them but be aware of what could be if not.

 

I've replaced the secondary tensioners on my two 2001 XKR's, they had 2nd generation type with the spring that helps compensate for loss of oil pressure due to a crack. First car was changed at 80,000 miles and made a clicking noise when warm, found the crack extended 1/2 the length of the piston barrel. Second car was quiet, changed at 100,000 miles but the tensioners were cracked almost the entire length. Think I was lucky on that one!

 

If you don't have any symptoms of a tensioner failing, i.e. hear a rattle at startup, I see no reason not to drive. The 2nd generation you have is already of a better design, nevertheless I would change them for just in case.

 

I must be very adventurous. I don't think the car will blow up on the drive. It might, but you also might blow a head gasket -fuel line- tire - transmission, etc. There are so many people out there unaware of these pending time bombs, driving without a thought. Sometimes ignorance is bliss

 

Well on these Jags, head gaskets are far from a normal issue with these cars, fuel lines, can't recall the last time I saw a thread here for a busted fuel line, tires well that is part of driving, trans missions while are issues I see few threads here on these crapping out. Short of the head gasket none of those things will destroy a costly motor with parts that are a regular fail point on the motor and with many threads here covering it. As I posted earlier mine went with NO sign, until the NEXT crank of the motor and that was that. He has a long drive, if he leaves it running he may be ok, shuts it down, it could fail that next crank. All this jabber may be for nothing when he opens it up.
But why take the chance to smoke a motor to try to save a few dimes???

 

Thanks much for all the responses.
I've never worked on a car before, but believe me, I want to start with this car. Do you think the zip-tie method is something I could handle on my own, or maybe with a friend that's worked on a few cars before? Are there any videos showing this entire process?

No chance there's anybody living in the minnesota/wisconsin area that would help me out, eh? :P

 

I don't know about a video but have you read these?
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ion-how-37415/
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ics-how-52653/

 

Skippy, do a search and look in the DIY section at the beginning of the forum, it's listed there under zip tie method to replace tensioners. The hardest part is getting to them and a torque wrench is required when replacing the bolts and nut. Time consuming and put things in order on a table or somewhere the kids won't knock it. Pictures will help before taking each section apart, it helps.


Wayne

 

I had a fuel line go on me in the middle of Manhattan. This happened last summer. I never posted about it because it seemed like an unusual problem. The line from the fuel pump to the filter burst. Life can be fun

 

Here's a quick youTube search https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...dary+tensioner There some video showing the tensioners and replacement (maybe not using zip tie) so watch a few and become familiar with the parts and locations. Then when you read the zip tie method and see the pics how it works you will understand.

You will need a torque tool for resetting the cam lock and the valve cover!! Use one on the cover, many don't and end up cracking the cover it's made of plastic(s) trust the number, a search will give you the values or the ziptie instructions might I haven't looked at them in some time.