This is what cylinder head/valves look like after tensioner failure
 

So, I picked up a parts car with a "blown" engine for next to nothing. I started stripping the engine and sure enough found the secondary tensioner on right side was bad and secondary timing chain broken. I decided to keep going and took the cylinder head off. What happens when the secondary tensioner fails? The picture below shows the damage done...bent exhaust valves that gouged into the cylinder head itself...ouch.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...8c852d5e76.jpg

This story has a happy ending...I decided to attempt to save the cat rather than strip her for parts. I found a used head at a local salvage yard and put it all back together with new timing chain and tensioner. The result...another 1997 Jaguar XK8 back on the road, not sitting in a junk yard.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...29454249ec.jpg


And then there were 2...

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...1163393c8e.jpg

SWEET!

Wow! Painful to look at, but the end result is mighty fine.

Another happy ending for a stray car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They need 'forever-homes' like puppies.

bob gauff

Cool!



Dave

I don't know if I could stomach owning TWO of these cars, ha ha ha

Great work!

Bravo!!
I know these cars can be a handful to own/maintain/repair, but the end result is gratifying. So many people are quick to just strip it, abandone it or just throw it away when it just needs a little TLC. Good for you!

nice job!

Nice work. Car looks great. Glad to see you didn't give up on her. Rich

Excellent, well saved and thanks for sharing

Well done! Thanks for the photographs.




.

Beautiful!

Nicely done!

If that doesn't scare all 4.0 owners enough to replace their plastic tensioners immediately, I don't know what will....

Great save! Congrats!

Good on you for taking on the task…. and for having the know how and patience to do so.

OUCH and good job!

Awesome. So, how much did you end up investing in this beauty?

What condition were the primary tensioners and guides in?

The guides and primary tensioners were in surprisingly good condition with no cracks (engine has 81,000 miles on it).

All in it was $1250 - $800 for the car, $200 for the head, and $250 for other parts (tensioners, secondary timing chain, headbolts, and gaskets)