Don't know if this has been done before but I wrote an article on how to change the valve cover gaskets with pics and part list for the early xk8s with the four liter engine. Enjoy and please comment in how to improve!

jaghelp.com: How to change the valve covers on your Jaguar with a 4 liter engine

Please sticky!

 

AN IMPORTANT DETAIL IS MISSING FROM ALL ARTICLES REPLACING OUR VALVE COVER GASKETS.

The new gaskets are THICKER and WILL RESULTin the coil pack being further away from the tip of spark plug.

You should remove the coil pack boot, clean the spring and oil off the boot, stretch the spring a little so that it contacts the tip of the plug BETTER.

The oil in the boot/plugs are WILL CAUSE A MISFIRE, maybe not a check engine light,so will the SPRING NOT MAKING FIRM CONTACT WITH THE TIP OF THE PLUG. Someone sticky that.

 

I never heard of that. I've done a bunch of gaskets and never really had that problem, but is not a bad tip and it can't hurt, and I did forgot to add to clean the coils. Thanx!