Trying to do tensioners on my 98 XK8 and am finding it very difficult to get the lower rear bolt on passenger side loose.

I've read through all the tensioner pdf's and found nothing particular about those bolts. (The drivers side looks like it's going to be just as bad or worse).

Is there a trick that I haven't uncovered?

I tried to remove the heat shield but can't even find anything other than the one plastic clip that I broke and resulted in no real movement.

I even tried a hex wobbler extension but it doesn't give me enough angle.

I have to be missing something obvious?

 

I hear your pain, but when I did this a few weeks ago, luckily I didn't have any problems with any of the valve cover bolts. The one thing I can offer is that I ended up using a universal-joint and hex wobble extension on a 1/4" socket to get a good angle. And I did take the attached pics when I did an early check to make sure I could get a good angle on both sides.

There definitely are some earlier threads where people have described the problems with the rear lower bolts, so you are definitely not the first.
Here's a link to one of them with some inputs that may be helpful:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...roblem-122100/

Good luck!

 

Using a 1/4" drive universal and wobble extension resolved the access issue but maybe I removed more stuff in the way.

 

Thanks JohnT and test point. I just found my 1/4" 8mm so I'll try my wobble, but it sure doesn't look like it'll fit. I suspect I'll end up with the frankenstein described in your link JohnT. Thanks, not sure what I couldn't find that in my search, guess I was tired.

 

+1 on the recommendations above. Attached is one tool configuration I used to get to the rearmost lower bolts of the cam covers.
Others have recommended a flexible ratchet wrench extension. (On the driver's side, LHD, I removed the T30 head Torx bolt so I could move the coolant tank aside for access to the lower cam cover bolt on that side. I did not have to disconnect the hoses or drain the coolant.)
Good luck with it!

 

Thanks for the pic jimmiejag, I've got those tools so I'll give it another whirl tomorrow.