At the risk of multiple posting I ask any moderator to move this question to the proper thread and let me know please. I posted it in the New Guy section a little earlier but realized that it may not flag my first question to the Forum in the correct thread. Thanks, jamjax

Hey Lads;

I am joining the Forum today from Geneva, Switzerland because I am in the process of buying a 2003 XKR Convertible, Zircon Blue, Blue top, Ivory Detroit 20" five spoke wheels 65,000 miles from the UK for £12,000/$19,000. Vin number SAJAC42R643A37223

It has all it's service records and I am having the wheels refurbished and the transmission fluid/filter changed before I pick it up in Richmond near Heathrow next month. All service is current up to the 70,000 service interval. Two owners before me.

My burning question is what is the received Forum wisdom on the necessity/preference for changing the timing chains and tensioners from what seems to be the '2nd Generation', partially plastic to the '3rd Generation' mostly metal with a plastic chain slider that the factory developed post 2005 for replacements?

I passed up a cheaper 2001 XKR with lower miles because of the tensioner, transmission and cylinder liner issues and don't want to get caught out with an engine that may self detonate.

The UK dealers are quoting about £1,600 to change them including 4 chains and tensioners.

I have read most of the blogs here and else where about this but can't seem to find a 'cut off' production date when you can stop worrying about the tensioner issue.

I was lucky enough to have a 420, a 1959 red XK150 convertible, and a couple of BMW 2002's as my college cars, what are college loans for after all but investing in your future? Since then I have owned every major marque except Ferrari/Maserati, saving those for my dotage, but as my Daddy said if 'I have a dollar in my pocket I will pay somebody else to work on a car'.

I only buy 'keepers' now and living on the front side of the Alps will no doubt limit my annual mileage to less than 5,000mi/8,000km a year so expect to keep this for at least the next ten years.

Will be happy to post photos of past and present toys but can't seem to figure it out yet.

In the mean time I would appreciate the benefit of your collective wit and wisdom on the tensioner replacement question.

My wife would also like to ask where we could find a 'grey' wind blocker/deflector for the back seat as she correctly points out a black one would clash (is that a color?) with the subtlety of the Zircon Blue.

Take your time on that question.

cheers and thanks for letting me re-join the ranks of the besotted with Coventry's finest product, regardless that they are made in Birmingham now.

jamjax, geneve, suisse

 

Your 2003 has the 4.2L engine with third generation tensioners and improved timing chains. You should have no tensioner worries.

 

Welcome to the forum!

The metal tensioners were introduced into production in August '01 so your '03 will certainly have them. Can't help on the wind screen.

 

This appears to be the correct section.

 

Thanks Guys but I am working off of this site:

Jaguar V8 Secondary Tensioners - Preventive Replacement

Which clearly states the 3rd Gen Metal Tensioners were introduced in 2005.

I am confused by this paragraph:

In 2005, Jaguar introduced a third-generation metal-based tensioner kit. (See the photos at left.) We now use the metal-based third-generation tensioners exclusively when replacing cracked first- and second-generation Jaguar V8 tensioners.

When read in conjunction with an earlier paragraph:

Engines subject to this problem include XJ8/XJR engines with the last six digits of their VIN numbers between 812256-F41862, and XK8/XKR engines with the last six digits of their VIN numbers between 001001-A24195.
My VIN number is clearly higher but they seem adamant that the newest Generation of Metal tensioners started in 2005.

I have seen that 2005 date in a couple of other places as well.
Any thoughts on resolving this?


Thanks for the input.


jamjax

 

I suspect the keyword is 'kit' ("In 2005, Jaguar introduced a third-generation metal-based tensioner kit"). It seems they are referencing when Jaguuar acknowledged the issue in a TSB: Technical Service Bulletin No. X303-68 of February 2005, titled “Rattle From Engine on Start-up and Idle,” and made a repair kit available.

 

A 2003 definitely has the metal tensioners. The article is either incorrect, or misleading as WhiteXKR pointed out above.

I've never seen a grey windscreen. I doubt they exist, simply because of the way a black screen is easy to see through. If you look at black mesh right next to any other color of mesh, you'll easily see that black mesh is much easier to see through. Plus, black goes with everything.

 

It probably wouldn't be too difficult to paint the frame (not the mesh) of a windscreen a different color. As Sam was getting at, the mesh is translucent so it's color really doesn't matter.

 

A big thanks to everyone, White XKR, Test Point and Rev. Sam, who correctly pointed out that the 4.2 has the 3rd Generation metal Tensioners introduced in Aug. 2001.

I actually stayed up late to call Carlos at Continental Imports in Oakland, California to ask about the information on their website and the update "Kit" noted above. The light went on for both of us when he said that the 4.2 XKR engines got the latest design, metal, tensioners.

He went on to say that they needed to update their website. By the way we had an interesting chat about some of his numerous restorations, many XK 120's, XK150's, V12 E Types, modern XK's and a '66 Shelby GT 350 that he is still pining away for that he sold for $12K. Ouch! Though not as bad as my selling my XK150 for $5K in '79. I am still howling. Seems that at one point Carlos owned 58 cars simultaneously. Anyone around should stop by and see him and his collection in my old college stomping grounds of the Bay Area.

I should have cited this earlier from another Jaguar Forum, Roadfly, that added to my confusion, they refer to 5!! different generations of Tensioners.

Gen 3 or 4 Tensioners?


Re: Gen 3 or 4 Tensioners?

Mark:

Jaguar list 5 differents tensioners part numbers,as well than water pumps.

All those VIN are for an XJ8 but, as a time frame V 814613 is beginning of 1998 MY so, I'm pretty sure that your car came with the earliest tensionner.

I'm not really sure why there is so many generations, what I know for sure is that the earliest plastic type ( your ) was upgraded to a better plasic and then to a metal bodied one for the 4.2 engine ( retrofit to earlier 4.0 engine)
That you have a plastic tensionner in it do not mean that it's the original one.


Right tensioner

NCA 2017 AC to V 814613
NCA 2017 AD from V 814614 to V 835511
NCA 2017 AE from V 835512 to V 856755
NCA 2017 AF from V 856756 to V ????
C2A 1511 from V ???? (4.2 engine)

So thanks again to the 'Old Hands' on this forum for saving me the expense not to mention the embarrassment of asking for something I already have and letting me relax and enjoy my new purchase.


RE the 'grey' wind deflector I am actually working off of an old post on this forum. You will find a photo of one around Post 6 in this thread about hard tonneau covers right under the Rev. Sam post...it sure looks grey to me in this photo.

But who am I to argue with a Reverend about 'grey' areas?

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...le-xkrs-54378/

Sorry about the link, it seems I am too 'young' to post photos yet on this forum.

I will be ordering mine from Adamesh right away even though I am often frustrated by the price differential between different sides of the pond. $175 in the US and £201 in the UK/Europe or US$320 which looks like a lot more than the 20% tax on everything in Europe plus another $50 for shipping.

Since it was my Italian Super Model wife that insisted that she get me a convertible for our anniversary it seems a small price to pay for peace in the cockpit. Or is this her way of outsmarting me yet again for the millionth time to get the car she wants when I 'thought' it was the car I wanted??

 

[QUOTE=jamjax;420015]
Since it was my Italian Super Model wife ..........[QUOTE]

Pics or it didn't happen, lol!
Vector

 

I get that a lot Vector. What no good looking Girls in Central Florida?

When I am permitted to post photos I will put one up of her and her Yellow Mini Cooper S. The Mini was for her the S was for me.....

cheers,

james

 

I can tell you how to fix that:

"Since it was my wife that insisted that she get me a convertible for our anniversary.................."

Lots of good looking girls here. My wife is a photographer, so I see a lot of models. (No, I can't post pics due to copyright issues, lol!)

 

Your wife's, the girls, or Jaguar Forum's??