I have been working hard to keep my S type 1999 3.0 petrol afloat. Actually its in GREAT shape... I just had it MOT'd or in american terms sent to the DMV for its test.

It passed with flying colours, 1 notice was slight corrosion on the front brake pipes... which the mechanic said is normal but had to note it. And to replace and fill with new fluid its under £100.00 so not bad at all!

I bought a second hand drives seat as mine is ripped quite badly and traveled over 500 miles total to get it at a bargin price along with a new handbrake gator and centre concil lid. and stering wheel and airbag.

Those bits are NOT THE PROBLEM! They are all less than a days job to do.

HERE IS MY PROBLEM

I have read and searched.... so now I will ask.

I have a tapping sound from my engine. It started after a long period of non use. I dont tend to drive my car much to be honest. It has over 100k in miles! last oil change was about 95k I think mine has done about 108k miles. So its due a oil change. It never made this problem before. It taps and I first thought it was the tappets, then when I put my hand on the drivers side cover which facing the car head on is the cover for the cam chains. I thought it might be that one of the tensioners is loose... however I am shocked because the noise goes away.. My wife needed my car to go to work in.. the noise was there so I was a bit worried... after driving it for a week its fine and gone.. no tapping!!! now its been stood again for about a week it taps. I think oil pressure, or something like that, but I am not sure. I really am drawing straws, because there are no fault codes, it has full power and there is no loss of fluids. Any information would help. And yes the noise does go away after its been running for a day or two ... For me and my short trips it sounds like a london taxi sometimes..... I cant see any major fault.. although I must also add to this... I lifted the oil cap (note it was stood before I did this) and it was goopy ie yellow/white colour and thick.... but when wiped and driven that week it was fine no problems... this was of course during a gold season as well... Whats my next move please?
And if anyone says hammer... I will show you a hammer... lol

 

Maybe VVT solenoid? (Does it apply?)

For info on your car grab JTIS from here.

 

What you describe on your oil filler cap is classic faulty head gasket sign

 

Well, I think he meant "cold" not "gold" and you can get mayo by not driving far in cold weather.

 

I think you are OK. Just a bit of wear on all the parts and after a few days the oil all returns to the sump making for a bit of a dry startup.

Are you using synthetic oil? It sometimes stays put better for cold starts.

It could be your VVT but if you are not getting any VVT codes it's probably working OK.

Could I suggest to drive it every day? I find my cars all last longer and work better if driven regular.
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Right here is what I think. And my answers to the questions, Oil, I dont know I havnt done a oil change yet. As I stated its due for one so thats first on my list. The oil cap is now fine after driving it for a few days myself and the sludge like effect (not the type you see when a head is going) is fine and gone. However first thing in the morning or when I havnt driven the car for a 6-8 hours I start her up and notice that rattle sound, if I rev the car once or twice its gone completly and odd.. It sounds like a rattle/tapping sound and I can only think when I had my ear to the engine bay that its in the middle near the bulk head. I am thinking it must be a blocked pipe, or something oil related. If it was mechanical it would clearly do it despite my one rev. Its odd because I can carry on my trip and its fine after that. but If I try to drive it normally (ie nice and slow) without reving it once it will stay on for about a minute at the most before it clears. I think the rev of the engine pushes a blockage or lack of what ever into the appropiate area. I am going to have to investigate further. I also want to have my spark plugs changed but thats another day. I am seriously considering undertaking the challange but it appears to be a big one. But paying £200 for a spark plug change is not my idea of nice. Where I can buy the plugs and the gaskets for under £40 total. The oil change will be done by a garage because I cant bend and go under the car to do it. Well Will see ..... thanks for the advise guys. I will see what I can do.. I might do a video... just to show you how odd it is.

 

When you get your oil changed, make a point of checking whether a Jaguar Oil Filter was fitted or some aftermarket brand. The OE Jaguar filter has a non-return valve to prevent oil draining back into the sump so oil pressure builds up faster on startup. You could just be hearing chain / valve rattle until the oil gets round after the vehicle has been standing for a while.

The very first thing I do on any used car as soon as I get it is to change oil and filter. I like to know what's in there!

Graham

 

I fully agree with you, but due to circumstances beyond my control its been sat there hardly going out. I have been doing a few annoying fixes myself to it such as the window motor went on it. I found that using silicone spray is a good way to ensure your mirrors stay healthy... I have some trim to sort out and a new head unit to buy as I bought a brand new aftermarket one.. but its chineese.. which as wel all know ... is well lets leave it there.
So I am after a better quality head unit and would like to be able to have it play DVD's on the headrests for my children.

But back on subject.. yes I read about the proper jaguar filter.. I will be buying that and telling them to fit that piece and oil change.. I will put some flush in it and run it before I bring it to them.... this way it will clean it up a bit. What is the best oil.... now I only ask this because.... its done 110k it runs great no smoking etc. but what is the best oil for the UK and a high milage car? Anyone ?

 

Further to the post by GGG, if after the oil change you make a point of driving it at least every couple of days for a decent distance, and it does not happen again during that experiement ... then you do not have a problem other than the long layups.

 

just want to say thanks to everyone... I know trying to diagnose the problem over the internet isnt easy without viewing. But thank you.. I called my garage and I will be there when WE do the oil change... because I might be doing the auto box drain and refill... ((NOT FLUSH))

But I am going to be ordering the oil and filter very soon. PS what is the best oil for this... semi, fully, what weight. 10/40 etc???

PS I dont care what Jag manual says... what is the realistic thickness.

 

I have a '99 3.0 with 134,000 miles up, and it purrs like a kitten on Castrol 5W30 semi-synthetic.

 

jonrms; what you're describing sounds like a classic gummed up tappet making itself known to the world. Although I thought that the Jag motors used solid lifters (tappets) maybe I'm wrong. In any case here's something to mull over before spending beaucoup dollars.

Over time and exacerbated by too infrequent oil changes the small orifices in the hydraulic lifters tappets start leaking down oil when the car sits for any period of time. They can also get so plugged up as to not operate correctly so they clatter on initial start-up until they get 'pumped' full of oil again.

If they are leaking down they will need replacement to fully cure the problem as no amount of lifter 'de-gunker' (choose your own poison here) is going to cure a collapsed lifter. If their problem is gummed up orifices and passage ways it is quite possible to put a lifter or other upper engine cleaner into your oil that can go a long way towards fixing the problem.

There are a number of such products on the market but probably the three best are a product named Krex (sp??) along with Bardahl and Marvel Mystery Oil. What your looking for is a product specifically designed to free stuck lifters. It's sometimes marketed as upper engine lubricant. I've personally seen, and heard, badly stuck lifters clear themselves up in a matter of 5-6 miles of driving at normal speeds. High revs don't help and can in fact be harmful as the lifter(s) are not functioning properly which may do damage to some other part of the valve train. Give some of this a try and see if it helps. Also don't go overboard with too high a viscosity oil as the engineers who designed your motor have a better knowledge of what works best. In fact there are several brands of oil now on the market specially produced for high mileage vehicles like yours.

I am still a little hesitant about solid versus hydraulic lifters in the 3.0 motor, but if it's hydraulic the above could very well work for you.

Another, and much more problematic possibility is that you're hearing a rod bearing getting ready to self-destruct. That's a deep engine knock and will NOT sound as if it comes from the upper engine area however.

 

Really? Do what makes you feel best. There's no data anywhere that suggests that the OEM recommendations are incorrect.

 

RD- with all due respect, neither the V6 or V8 engines have tappets or lifters of any type. You're thinking of OHV designs. Not applicable here.

Both engine types are DOHC with a simple bucket and shim assembly. Oil type or crud will not affect clearance or noise other than a complete lack of oil.

The OP's problem could be a simple case of a noisy fuel injector.

 

Thank you again.. for a start, I want to say its nothing major... at first I was surprised and thought and feared the worst... I have been working on cars for long enough to know what is worrying etc.... Hell my own mechanic told me it was my timing belt... I had to tell him there is no timing belt and just a series of chains...

I took off the breather pipe after before and after the noise was going on.. from both sides there is nothing to suggest foul play in the chain.. although I cant see the main internal two deeper in the engine...

its coming from the top...

I tried high octane fuel etc.. its not that.. its oil related. its not the injectors. because that would continue (UNLESS its on the initial start up) I am going to check the plugs anyway for the heck of it.... but its last oil change was nearly 20k ago! time for another one....

I am fully aware of the reving the car and what could be done over a long period of time... but i was proving a point.. its not that..

anyway I will play it by ear.. do the oil change. . and then report back.. dont expect it to be done over night.. I cant be bothered atm to get in the car.. lol..... no really I cant.. my back is killing me atm.

 

Mikey; in my defense I believed as you do that the engine design discarded the use of tappets but before answering the original question I browsed through some available Jaguar literature and found, to my surprise, the following information. (Please excuse the formatting as I am trying to copy portions of a .pdf file over into what is essential MS Word document and the formatting gets weird)

The following section comes from page 31 of section 3# of the workshop manual that is located in the X350 download section. As you'll see it specifically notes the use of mechanical tappets on all of the engines. In my universe I would take that to mean solid tappets as opposed to hydraulic since they use the term 'mechanical' but perhaps they mean something entirely different and therefore should not have used the word tappet at all. If I'm wrong, and I may very well be, then I'm in good company with the authors of this jaguar workshop manual<G><G>

ps: just occurred to me that perhaps our collective confusion on the American side of 'the pond' is the use of the term "bucket" in an OHC engine whereas the English might still use the term tappet. They do serve the same purpose when you think about it. That would surely be non-hydraulic which would throw my theory of his problem out the window in any case.


Engine




Vehicles with 3.0L engine



The 3.0L engine consists of:


· a six cylinder 60 degree 'V' configuration liquid cooled aluminium cylinder block with dry cast



liners


· aluminium pistons with cut-outs in the piston crown to clear the valve heads for any



available combination of camshaft profile and valve phasing


· two aluminium cylinder heads with square squish chambers

· two steel overhead camshafts per bank

· four valves per cylinder

· mechanical tappets and top mounted phosphate coated cast iron shims

· continuous variable camshaft timing (VCT) of the inlet camshafts

· two silent timing chains with one hydraulic tensioner per chain

· magnesium alloy valve covers with rubber seals

· a variable intake system containing two electrically controlled intake manifold tuning valves

· plastic lower intake manifold with integral fuel rail and injectors

· engine front cover manufactured from aluminium which accommodates the crankshaft front



oil seal


· an oil pump located at the front of the crankshaft

· an aluminium bed plate

· an aluminium oil pan

· a steel crankshaft

· fracture-split connecting rods in sintered-forged steel

· cast iron exhaust manifolds

· a single, multi-vee belt which drives the front end accessories

· an advanced engine management system incorporating electronic throttle control

· the requirements of the CARB OBDII USA legislation



The engine code and serial number are located on the engine front cover as well as the left-hand side

of the bed plate adjacent to the oil cooler assembly.

 

This is the S-type section. If you review the valve clearance adjustment procedure contained in JTIS, you'll see that the words 'bucket and shims' are specifically used.

"Install the special tool.

Making sure the legs of the tool are in contact with the edge of the valve bucket, compress the bucket.

Use compressed air to remove the shims that require replacing. Blow compressed air between the shim edge and bucket to dislodge the shim."

etc.

 

[QUOTE=Mikey;726968]This is the S-type section. If you review the valve clearance adjustment procedure contained in JTIS, you'll see that the words 'bucket and shims' are specifically used.

Mickey....the section I posted was specific to the Jaguar 3.0 V-6 regardless of model or essentially even the year (within the life of that particular v-6 line). They don't put a different V-6 in the S-Type then into XJ6 or any other models that they may not import to America. The engine will be the same across all similar year models, and aside for slight differences in tuning, cam profiles, induction methods, etc. they will require almost identical service and repair procedures.

My comments to which you posted your latest reply stated two things that you ignored. One, I stated that it was possible/probable that the writers of the service guide use the term bucket interchangeably with tappet as they both do the same thing, that is that they both are interposed between the camshaft lobes and the valve stem ;and Two,my theory about plugged hydraulic lifters as a possible cause was a non-starter since "mechanical" tappets/lifters/buckets DO NOT suffer from sludge build-up due to their non-existent orifices !!

I try to read peoples posts to understand and possibly add something of value. I do my best not to read them with an eye towards finding fault where none exists beyond a difference in terminology.

 

Nor I. My point was to ensure the OP did not go off on a wild goose chase looking for a mechanical fault on a component that cannot possibly be the cause.

Tomato, tomato- it sometimes does make a difference.

 

So you deny that Jaguar itself used the term 'tappet' in describing the valve train on their line of V-6 and V-8 engines?