I hear a lot of you guys talking about timing chain adjusters. I have a 2000 XK8 conv. with 54,000 on it. How important is it to replace them and what is the approx. cost?

 

Get ready for a storm of replies on this question. The short answer is to check/replace the secondary tensioners ASAP. The primaries hold up much better and should be OK given your mileage.

Cost will vary from a few hundred bucks if you are handy with a wrench (spanner), to $600-$800 at an indie shop, to $2000 at the dealer.

Search the forum. TONS of discussion and info on this topic.

 

It's imperative! The plastic tensioners will get very brittle not only by mileage but by time. And if they break, unless you're very lucky (as I was), you'll lose your engine. Bent valves, broken timing chain....the results are not pretty and very expensive to repair after the fact.

 

I just finished doing mine, new adjusters with shorter bolts from Sng Barratt $140, Felpro gasket kit $50, I used the zip tie method, no special tools required, torque wrench, socket set (with wobbly extenders) open end wrenches and a tube of RTF gasket sealer. Job took about 2 hours a side (if you don't count the 6 hours searching for a lost bolt) Mine is a bit older than yours with the same mileage, the old plastic tensioners crumbled when I removed them. I swapped out the old spark plugs while I was in there. $50. Just do it my friend, piece of mind is priceless.

 

I take it the majority feel the "second generation" tensioners were no better? I have an 01 XKR with 26k and certainly understand time is as big of an issue as miles.

 

Yes, the 2nd gen were still plastic bodies. Get the last metal-bodied version.

 

So, at what VIN were the mark 3 tensioners introduced, I have a 2004 XKR should I be getting them changed?

 

My understanding is the first gen tensioners gave an audible ticking sound, but only sometimes about the time they were to fail. The next/2nd gen tensioners had a spring in them which masked the ticking sound or prevented it, giving no indication of impending failure, so in effect were the worst of the two! In any event both will be past their sell by date now and it is imperative they are changed, regardless of mileage!

Arty.

 

The problem only exists on the 4.0L engines.


Some say they were changed from engine s/n 010813xxxx but this is uncertain as I understand.


So you are safe. Happy driving