Hi,

I'm new to these forums having just bought a 1997 XK8, overall car is very good but I have one potential major issue, I have two error codes:-

VVT bank 1 solenoid open circuit
VVT bank 2 solenoid open circuit

Attached are two pictures One showing the camshaft end cover with the VVT solenoid and it's connector, the other showing my car with theh solenoid missing and the cover plate blanked off and the connecter blanked off

Clearly this is why I have the solenoid error codes - but why has this been done, do I not have a VVT system on this model, why was it removed? Can anyone shed any light on this.
(PS it had a re-con engine fitted 16,000 ,miles ago)

Cheers, Tony.

 

The head without the VVT is from a XK/XJ - R. The R's didn't have VVT's.

About the best you can do at this time is to disconnect the VVT valve that you do have and try to forget about the CEL. That should run the ignition timing advance normally but the valve timing will not have any advance.

Do you have any recourse in the sale/purchase? That is really a poor repair to be able to dump the car as quickly as possible. Most likely you do not have a replacement engine, only a replacement head.

Sorry for the problem but problems are what bring most to the forum.

 

Thanks for your reply, what is my solution here - new heads?
Will the car run without damage like this?
Presume it will be down on power as well?

 

Sorry - I realise some confusion may have been caused by my poor description!
Both the heads on the engine are blanked of (both missing VVT solenoids)
and both heads have blanked off plugs.
The picture of the head with the solenoid was downloaded from internet to show what
was missing from BOTH heads of my engine.
Does that change your answer? I assume that they re-con replacement engine was probably from a XK/XJ - R rather than an XK8 - would that be correct.

Apart from the VVT, what are the differences between these two engines?
Power? Size? efficiency?

Thanks, Tony.

 

It would appear that someone replaced your normally aspired AJ26 engine with the long block of a compressor AJ26. The R version has lower piston compression ratios relying on the compressor to fill the additional space. Your engine will run fine but have less horsepower. The lack of the variable cam timing is also going to reduce performance. How much less would only be a guess.

At least you will be able to comfortably use the lowest octane fuel.

Sorry about that but welcome to the forum.

 

The AJ27 front timing chain cover has blanked areas like you have as well.
You will need to do more investigation to determine if you have AJ26 or AJ27 or a mixture ??????????

Could be someone 'Frankensteined' the engine?????

bob gauff