Trust me, I read all the post about the Timing Tensioners and I took them to heart.
I have been looking for all the parts I needed and planned to swap it all out during my vacation in September, but mt baby didn't wait for me

I arrived home from a night ride with my son...Top Down, Music Pounding, Purrrrfect Weather, Just really enjoying the ride... We were in the drive when my son got out of the car (easier than getting out in the garage) and he says "what's that noise?" Hitting the off button on the music I heard a terrible thing....Bang bang bang bang...

So here we are, I really sounds to me like it is the timing issue.
The car was still running when I heard the noise and immediately shut it off....we pushed it into the garage. Unfortunately with my schedule I probably wont get a chance to tear into her for a couple of weeks.
I am looking at parts kits (already acquired the tools) and found this on eBay

JAGUAR V8 1997-01 COMPLETE TIMING CHAIN KIT, EVERYTHING
Jaguar V8 1997 01 Complete Timing Chain Kit Everything | eBay

My question is... Is this a good deal? It seems to include everything from what I can tell
and most important.... Is there ANYTHING else I should do, look for, etc... once I tear into her to do this job?

I am not mechanically inept. I work with various types of machinery and electronics for a living and have worked on more than a few engines in my years, so I am not afraid to dive in and do whatever it takes. I just have not ever worked on a Jag (or any other European car) before and would REALLY appreciate any tips, tricks etc ...

I have read this forum exhaustively and really appreciated all the info found in the timing issue threads, but it seems that most are what/how to do Before its "too late"
Now that I have already arrived at that point (bang bang bang) BUT it IS still running, I just wonder if I should plan on tearing down the whole engine or would it be ok to just change everything timing and make sure that all is aligned properly and try to turn her over?

 

I doubt that a tensioner is at fault. They usually cause a rattle at start up, but you probably have the 2nd gen tensioners and they may not do that. In any case, I would not start the engine again without first removing both valve covers and rotating the engine clockwise from front with a 24mm socket on the crank bolt to get the cam flats lined up. If they are in alignment you can put the covers back on and start it.

 

That kit is for replacing both primary and secondary tensioners. Not sure if that's what you have in mind, but most times it's just the secondaries that are replaced.

If you do find there has been a secondary tensioner failure, and the secondary chain has slipped off the sprocket, then the extent of damage to valve gear and pistons (if any) will depend on where in its rotation the cam happened to stop.

Lots of good "how to" stuff in the stickies on doing this job.

Good luck.

 

Chains are more of a rattle rattle rattle. Maybe you have other issues. Without playing "what's that sound?" it could be many things. A loose pulley will make some godawful noises for example.

I'm with RJ237. Use his procedure to check that the chains haven't jumped a tooth or two and if OK, fire it up for further diagnosis.

 

Thank you Gents !!

I was planning on going ahead with the full kit not just the upper tensioners
My car was built in Nov 99, so I am guessing that it has the plastics

I guess I just have to go ahead and open her up to see whats what and go from there.
Just crossing my fingers (and toes and eyes and anything else that will cross) that there is not deeper damage .... The last thing I want is an 8 cylinder anchor

 

If the the tensioners look ok and the cams line up, put it back together and start it up. You don't want to go through the work of replacing the chains and tensioners only to find you have bottom end problems.

 

If you find original tensioners when you get in there, even if they look OK (they usually do until you get them out), I would replace the secondaries before the next start.

Pretty easy job at that point, and why tempt fate?

 

That is pretty much what I was planning to do....
1) Open her up and see what I find,
2) Change all the timing if I see a timing prob
3) If no obvious problem visible, calm myself after much jumping, cursing and nashing of teeth
then proceed to the next obvious steps to diagnose

I am hoping to skip steps 3 & 4

 

Ganna spend you money for you. Go ahead and fix it all, even do the water pump. You are going to be in there may as well and do it all. Hell even check all you serp belt tensioners and the like, you may find one that is a little noisy that you had not heard under regular driving.

 

Don't panic ! The banging noise could be all manner of things and not always an expensive fix. I replaced my tensioners and still had a small banging / knocking sound coming from the front of the engine. Ended up being the steering pump pulley bolts had come loose. Also the serpentine belt tensioner or idler pulley could be faulty. Try running the car briefly without the belt to eliminate all these items in one go. Get those tensioners changed though, check those first.

Good luck, you may have been fortunate and things could be better than you first thought.