I am replacing the idler pulleys as one seems to be noisy.
Now I put a bar and socket on the tensioner pulley, pulled to the RHS to release the belt but it was lucky to move 10mm before it hit like a stop and go no further.
Doesn't seem much to be able to take the belt off the alternator pulley.
Is this normal?
So I thought I'd check on this site before continuing.

 

That does sound tight, although you should have enough slack in the belt to get it off the alternator.

Could it have had a short belt or oversize pulley fitted previously? I do remember there being several belts that are all 'about' the same length. Should be NCA2211AC.

I used Dayco 89016 for the pulleys - cost around a third of the OEM C2C22758, and remember the tensioner pulley bolt is left-hand threaded.

 

I ran into this exact same problem recently. I ended up taking the idler pulley off in order to remove the belt. However, once I had my daughter back to put the belt on, which I assumed was going to be extremely difficult, it slipped right over the idler pulley. I think it boiled down to a matter of only having one hand to try to negotiate the belt off while I was holding the tensioner free with the other.

 

^^ Yep, I have always found that changing the serpentine belt on ANY vehicle is always so much easier and faster with two people working on opposite sides of the engine bay. This is especially true for my 1999 Dodge Ram 5.9-litre V8 pickup....

 

Thanks all
I'll carry on. I ordered the Dayco 89016 pulleys but they won't arrive until Monday.
Posted snail mail. 7 days to go 450 kms.
I'll check the length of the belt as maybe it is a bit long and is near the limit of the tensioner.
Extra hands might be the way to go to make it easier.
Thanks again
Mark

 

Still waiting on pulleys.
On checking the belt, it is a Dayco and 72320 printed on it as the size.
Now NCA2211AC seem to have slight differences in length when search the net.
Local suppliers list 72322 as a fit, but USA suppliers have 72327 as a fit.
The belt on there now is obviously short as looking at the belt wear indicator on the tensioner, the pointer is to the cars RHS by another imaginary notch.
The correct better size seem to not exist in Australia for Gates and Dayco, only overseas. The freight to Australia $30-$40. about the price of the belt.
The joys of living Downunder.

 

That's pretty much what I found. All similar length but slightly different. Came across 7PK2327, Dayco 5070925 (2325.12mm). Had a look on Amazon originally and found one at around Ł15, but the shipping was about Ł40! Really? I shipped a computer to my daughter at Uni in the UK for less than 1/2 of that.

I ultimately got one from the local motor factor. It's a Contitech 7PK2345, which on the face of it is around 20mm too long. However, the indicator on the belt tensioner sits at the middle mark & I've not had any issues.


Good luck!

 

Check on rockauto. I bought the Contitech's Elite Poly-V belts for $17.57 (serpentine belt) and $19.40 (supercharger belt). If I am not mistaken, they ship worldwide. Don't know how much the shipping will cost you, but it is worth a look.

For today, this is a 5% discount code you can use 8655393677872956. To apply the code, you copy/paste it to their "How did you hear about us?" text box. If you see this too late, you can google "Rockauto discount code". There's usually a current one in the first few results.

 

The belt tensioner on the 4.0 L V-8 used in the XK8 and XJ8 has a large headed bolt on which a wrench is used to relieve the tension in order to remove the serpentine drive belt. Over the years from multiple use, or from accidentally applying too much torque, the head of the bolt can twist off. By removing the belt tensioner from the engine block, it is an easy enough task to drill the remains of the bolt and remove with any style of “easy out”.

However, it is not easy to find a replacement bolt … a flange head hex 10mm x 1.5 mm left handed thread pitch, 30 mm length. You will not find one at Ace Hardware, Fastenal, or at your favorite Jaguar parts supplier. With exhaustive searching, you may find one on the internet ranging in price from $20-45 per bolt.

The source I found was Belmetric at www.Belmetric.com. They sell a M10x1.5 part # LB10x80F for $19.89 + shipping. The bolt is 80 mm long but easily trimmed to length. Make it easy on yourself by purchasing a matching nut, treading on the nut and placing the bolt in a vice, trim the bolt, and back the nut off to straighten the cut threads. Since this bolt is a regular hex head and nut a deep headed flange, I used a metal spacer and washer under the head to allow enough depth for a socket to stay secure when tightening the bolt and when using the bolt head to relieve belt tension.