Hello all

I'm about to do a major service on my XK, I have been told the tensioners were done about seven years ago, so am keen to do them again.

Where is the best place to get a set of tensioners and chains from?

Thanks yet again.

 

You might want to check this out: https://www.tituswillfordparts.com/
Look up parts for a Lincoln LS 3.9 V8. You didn't mention year so you'll need to research your own gaskets, etc.

 

Hi, sorry it's a 99 MY and I'm in the UK
with all the fog, frost and rain

Thanks though

 

Did they use 2nd generation tensioners when they replaced them seven years ago?

 

Two UK suppliers:

1. British Parts UK
2. Berkshire Jag Components

Both do kits. (1) has a kit including all seals; (2) does a chain and tensioner only kit.

Graham

 

Speak to Neville at North East Jaguar, he is the cheapest and does the machined 4th generation set, I use him a lot

TELEPHONE 0191 5867770
MOBILE 07976 839609
E MAIL neville@andersonjaguar.freeserve.co.uk

 

What is this 4th generation set? I just replaced mine last year with what I thought was the latest and greatest, the 3rd generation set.

EZDriver 2000 XK8

 

They are what are fitted to the X150 XKs (AJ34), the guides are different, made from metal with a plastic "slipper" rather than moulded plastic over metal, they are not technically meant for the X100, hence the machined quote

Here's a pic

 

Thanks XK, I've just e-mailed him a full list of what I'm after.
Hopefully I'll be able to put some business his way, always keen to support known good sources.

 

I found Continental Imports out of Oakland, Ca. You can e-mail them at...info@jagservice.com or Google them. Very competitive pricing and Jaguars is all they do. Extremely knowledgeable about repair procedures and they don't mind sharing the info. In my book Continental Imports are " The Jag Gods" in the United States

 

Also, you can replace individual parts without purchase of whole "kits" or you can go with a full kit, either way, they are glad to assist you. Very prompt shipping (got my tensioners and bolts in 3 days). Might not sound impressive but I e-mailed order on a Sunday and before I could get off of computer they were ringing my phone to confirm order! THat's what I call impressive!

 

Hi- we carry these as a regular item. The complete set with upper and lower chains, latest design tensioners, and new guides is $675. Shipping to the UK is no problem- about $75 (with insurance and 7-10 day transit time)

 

They machine away a bulge, and then even more. The bulge is there to evenly distribute the force of the tensioner piston as that one has a flat surface to avoid chances breaking the guide.

@Tony, Jaguarspecialitites
Are you aware of any durability/fatigue tests done?

 

They are a lot more substantial than the older type, I fitted them a few times and had no issues or come backs, I very much doubt the supplier has done any kind of drastic testing, from an engineers point of view I see no probs.

Just for your info (Jaguar Specialties) you are about $150 too expensive compared to Neville, but still always good to now what the other guy is doing

 

I can understand the dilemma, as with the older type the plastic does get brittle (at least mine was already after 75Kmiles or so), so I would also lookout for something like this.

But the steel used in the older type looks stronger (although a tad thinner). This is also noticeable where the piston touches the steel; there is slightly more deformation on the new type then the old type.

 

Are we looking at the same pics?

The steel in the guide on the original is about 1.5mm thick, the later type in the pic above is about 6mm cast steel, I would say that is considerably stronger

 

The one from my old 4.0 (that had done about 75miles) is 4mm thick, and almost no deformation where the piston touches the steel.

The later cast one is indeed about 6.5mm, and 9.5mm where the bulge is on an original one. However the one you show seems to be thinner where the bulge is machined away, possibly more like 5mm (Hard to see from hat picture), or have you measure that specific part?

 

If we take the one shown in the pic, the original has an internal steel section which is 3.5mm thick, this is covered by 2mm of plastic each side

The later one has a cast steel section 6mm thick with a 3mm thick plastic "slipper" over the top, the section that is machined just brings it down level/flat with the rest of the steel section so is about 5mm thick.

I am guessing a bit here to be honest as I dont have one here in stock to measure it, bu IMO it is a better/stronger guide

 

The old one is indeed 3.5mm, not sure why I wrote 4...

When I would have to guess what would hold longer, 3.5mm steel or 5mm cast, I would vote for the steel one, but I am by no means a metallurgic, so is just a guess.

Here is a picture of the 4.2 guide, where you can clearly see the bulge where the piston touches it (and a well trained eye might also spot that the guide is actually in 2 pieces...)


Have no idea why this one broke, am also not sure about the age, but all I can say is that I was lucky that the plastic mold was holding the 2 seperate pieces together...

 

Never seen one do that before!!!!

Does make you wonder,