Well, I've gotten to the cams and inspected the 2nd tensioner on the right hand side of the engine. I have what appears to be the original unmolested plastic tensioners still in the engine with no apparent/visible cracks or ground up parts. I did not think there would be as this 1997 XK8 with only 35000 m. seems to have been well cared for. However, I sure can't just button it up and call it good.
So thoughts now turn to replacing the tensioners and getting new gaskets. Of course, my question is in the title of this thread. Where do people trust the supply from? I have seen prices from $10.00 ( really) to over $200.00 each for the tensioners and from approx. $150.00 to approx.$ 500.00 for the gasket set including the bolt seals for the cam covers.
Let me know what your experience has been on the quality available from the different vendors.
Thanks,
Dennis

 

https://www.sngbarratt.com/English/#...rnedDown=false is your best bet.
The aftermarket parts are just fine from there. At least as far as I know.

 

Never fit the OEM tensioners. If you still have the OEM inside the engine, replace them A.S.A.P. They break and leave deposit. They damage your engine. It's your choice. New 4.2l Tensioners or a new engine. When mine where replaced i was shocked when i saw the remains of the tensioners. My can it a low mileage car to (less than 50.000 miles.

 

the cheap chinese tensioners are fine, everybody who orders one of the overpriced timing kits gets them.

throw the chain away of course

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jaguar-Ford...-127632-2357-0

 

When I had the black XK8, I bought the tensioners from a Ford dealership using a Lincoln LS V8 vin number. It’s an exact match for the metal body tensioners of our cars at a much more reasonable price.

 

I spoke with a local European car, Jagusr shop, many many years in business. I ask him about inspecting the tebsioners on my 01xk8 with 106,000 miles. Through the gentleman's German sounding accent I got that "it's a lot of work to take enough apart to inspect these tebsioners, hours of labor, special tools are required and hundreds and hundreds of dollars to simply inspect, so I may as well.replace them while they are in there. A $900.00 figure was mentioned. Is it that complicated on the xk8 just to inspect? Is it the xk8 thst has the big problem or another model?
thank you,
Mark

 

The uppers, Absolutely NOT... The most difficult thing is getting to the 2 10mm cam cover bolts in the back 'bottom' corners of the cam covers. I used something like this and it helped... Everything else is easy. Just remember to remove the 2 center cam cover bolts that always seem to be forgotten...

If you can find a 1/4 mini breaker shorter than 6inchs it won't hurt. Write back when getting them bolts back in, OMG, lol... Seriously tho, it's not that big ah deal. One leg up and straight out towards the nose O the car, belly over the fender, reaching with a few swear words - dexterity and a higher power, lol

The lowers, spend 20bucks and get an endoscope that will plug into your phone (you'll use it again - a good thing to have) Post the pictures you take here, folks will help ya know what you got down there. Don't give anyone any money to inspect these things. That's just me

 

I imagine that the tech was referring to the full monty rebuild where the front timing cover has to come off (hence the special tools for crank pulley, cam locking bars & tool, etc.) If you're in that deep, there's no point in not replacing what's in there.

 

I think your right. It seems like the demeanor is do it right and first class all the way.

 

Thanks to everyone who chimed in on this. The usual suspects as well as the information from some newly acquired followers.
I have found a supplier and made my choice. Hopefully a quality one. Don't know the QC standards of any manufacturer anymore in our global economy. Just take a chance and live with the success and curse the failure.
Cheers,
Dennis

 

[QUOTE=JayJagJay;2454847]

If you can find a 1/4 mini breaker shorter than 6inchs it won't hurt. Write back when getting them bolts back in, OMG, lol... Seriously tho, it's not that big ah deal. One leg up and straight out towards the nose O the car, belly over the fender, reaching with a few swear words - dexterity and a higher power, lol

Jay,
That is such an accurate description of the position!
Cheers,
Dennis