just finished replacing the secondary tensioners on 1998 xk8 conv... pretty smooth job, and only small cracks in old tensioners.

car started and seems to run fine, but the 'check engine' light is now on. Is this normal after doing this repair? is there a way to turn it off?

 

Well done!

You will need to check the codes to see what's wrong, but I'm betting on a loose electrical connection or a leak in the inlet ducting.

 

How many miles on your car?

 

Well, if you disconnected the fuel injection relay when you first cranked the engine (like you are supposed to), that could have set a fault code. If this is the case, it will eventually clear, but it is best to read the codes clear them and read them again to see if any come back.

 

I did disconnect the fuel relay... is there a special tool needed to read the codes?

the car has 51k miles...seems to idle and run fine.

 

You need an OBDII reader. If you have an Autozone or Advanced Auto near you they will read and clear the codes for free.

You can also buy a reader there for under $100...it is a handy item to have.

You might also just try 5 or 6 starts and see if the check engine light clears on its own.

 

True enough. Any owner of a modern car that does their own repairs should have a Code Reader.

Most codes will eventually clear after repair but it's handy to be able to clear them immediately.

 

I had Auto zone read the codes and they came up with a P111 and P1230. He said the P1230 was related to fuel pump, but did not know what the P1111...anybody know?

also, he said they'r not allowed to 'turn off' the check engine light, so I need to buy a code reader I guess. Any suggestions on a good reasonably priced one? I also have 2 mid 80's BMW's, so is there a particular kind that can read older cars as well?

Appreciate all the support from here!

 

P1111 is not a fault code, it just means that the car has passed its self emissions tests. That is a 'good' code. P1230 is to be expected from the disconnected relay.

ODBII readers are for '96 and later cars (in the US). Most will do the job.
See https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/g...-%2A%2A-33347/

 

thanks.. found the recommendation list after after I posted my question....

For anyone thinking about replacing the secondary tensioners, a couple things I learned... First, read as much as possible on this forum. Second, don't forget to rotate the 24 mm flywheel bolt on the engine to align cam shaft so there's no tension on valves when you lift the cam, and third get a 1/4" drive socket, a 'universal' connector and an extension to remove the lower-rear cam cover bolt on each side.

I didn't have to mess with removing the dipstick (which seemed to be a pita for for some cars)... I just lifted cam cover off with dipstick in place...

I did break-off connector clips on 4 of the coil connectors when removing them, and had to use a dab of sealant when I replaced them so they don't vibrate off....I was trying to be careful, but guess they got brittle after 14 years.

I appreciate the generosity of this forum, and those who took the time to write-up the proper procedures and included photos...I knew exactly what to expect and there were no surprises...and I probably saved around a grand in labor cost, and learned a little about my car.