Hi

As a new member of the forum I am hoping to pick the brains of all you long term Jaguar experts.

I have a mint December 1998 XKR in Antigua Blue Metallic, with Cream Leather interior, which I have owned for just over a year.

I managed to source a good numberplate for the car S4 XKS (Supercharged, 4 Litre, XKSports)and the car is a real head turner.

I am booking it into a none franchised Jaguar specialist (Dorset Jaguars) for a service having laid up the car for the winter and the garage has suggested that I have the piston bores de-glazed as part of the service.

The car has only done 37,000 miles and runs perfectly, so I am wondering if I should leave well alone, as I am aware of problems with the Nicasil linings on some of the early engines.

I have already had advice to the effect if it aint broke dont fix it, so I would appreciate any thoughts on the matter before I book it in.

In addition I have noticed a squeak when the engine is running at tickover. This noise seems to be coming from the rear of the supercharger box on the top of the engine. It sounds to me like a squeaky bearing.
Is this something that I should get sorted immediately or can it be dealt with at service time?

All assistance gratefully received.

 

I would not touch the bores if your car is running well. Not worth the cost to do that unless it is broken.
As for the squeek, possible the supercharger is the culprit. Have had to replace them for that. Unless you can't live with the noise, I would leave that also. Chances of supercharger seizing is slim.

 

I'd like to know - were the XK's engines in the cars made before 2000 affectedby the timing chain fisaco that the XJ's were plagued by?

My wife had a 98 XJ8L Vanden Plas with the XJV8 engine with the aluminum block and cylinder coating. One of her timing chains broke and caused a valve to scrape the side of one of the cyllinder walls. I had to put a new engine in her car because of the scrape on the side of cylinder wall 6. The faulty timing chains were a known issue, but Jaguar really treated a lot of customers badly with that. They refused to replace the engine, knowing that the timing chains in those engines had a manufacturing defect.

Anyway, I was just wondering if the engines in the 1999 and older XK's had the same possible issue.

Thanks

 

Agree with the tech ^2 posts above. Turn the radio up just a bit louder my friend. [sm=smiley20.gif] Having a '98 with only 37,000 miles is rare indeed. May she provide you with many years of enjoyment (and minor maintenance costs). I LOVE that blue color! I would've preferred that color combo over my eventual silver, but the 03s were almost nonexistant in the wheel package that I wanted, and the 04s were blue portfolio editions, and you got two-tone everything, which was too much flash for me.

 

Yes the XK and XJ had the same engines therefore the same concerns. Late 99 and on had the steel sleeve blocks, but still the older style tensioners.

 

...that makes those timing chains fail so easily? Is it the connecting link?

It disturbs me that my 02 XKR 100 has those same type chains and tensioners. Geeze I love my car - I sure hope I got a good set in mine, because I drive it a lot!!

But, I did purchase a 100K warranty from a reptuable company. If they break and my engine needs to be overhauled, then I am covered - at least until 100K.