I have a 2002 Manual X-type with around 70K miles on it. I recently started hearing some sort of whirring/rattlling sound from the engine esp around 3-3.5 K rpm depending on which gear I am on. After an oil change it subsided for a bit but now is pretty obvious, esp when merging onto a highway.

Is this a cylinder thats seizing up since I do feel some power loss once in a while or maybe I am just imagining that.

thanks
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Also pls recommend a good service tech in and around the seattle area if you know of any.

 

Went to my local OReillys and plugged in the OBDII scanner and it reported no codes. BTW the noise comes from the passenger side of the engine block even when the car is just being revved.

 

cmon folks - 50 views and not one suggestion. ??

 

You need to be more specific my friend. Try to get a location of the sound. Park it and rev it up. Have a friend do the same and see where its coming from. Hard to help with just a described sound.

Is it only under load?
Does it sound like a misfire?
Is it a metallic sound?
Pinging sound?
Can you feel it in the pedals?

Just try and scoop up some more info

 

Could be the cam chain is loose, open the oil filler and look into the engine and you will see the chain. Have someone rev the engine to the rpm that the noise starts and listen to the chain. Rev the engine slowly up to the rpm by the way.

 

BTW I took my car in this morning to have it looked at the local landrover jaguar shop and they called me back just now and indicated that the sound is coming from the bottom part of the engine and in order to diagnose what it is , they need to remove the oil pan and for this they need to open up the transfer case which is a 5-6 hr job and incase I decline the final remedy they need to put it back as well (another 5-6 hrs) so I am looking at 12-1300 $$ just to get a diagnosis.

Any suggestions on what to do here?

 

You say that its subsided after you had an oil change? How long has it been since an oil change? Are you hearing the rattling at start up as well? I had a pretty bad rattle at start up around 75K miles; then I changed to synthetic oil. I haven't heard a rattle since and I'm at 106K miles now.

 

oil change was done 2.5K miles ago during the 70K service at the same dealership. I had indicated to them the problem at the time and nothing was done, but now its a whopping 1300 to figure what the problem is.

I am thinking of getting the car back and finding another mechanic or just driving it till it dies.!

 

pseudo, I would be venturing to guess that you have a timing chain that has become stretched or the tensioner has failed, leaving the chain loose. AN oil change will not affect the transfer case. But, unfortunately, the only way to get the oil pan off to do an internal inspection of the engine is to drop the transfer case.

Based on how new engines are surviving, I would be placing a lot more faith in the timing chain than a lower end motor problem. Unfortunately, the timing chain is not an easy fix in itself either.

 

Thanks for all the responses guys. Thermo, I checked with the service tech and he said that the foreman checked the car with those steths that you recommended and found the noise to be from the lower engine portion. Given thetas they said they had to open it up and once they did that it could be as simple as a bearing or as complex as rebuilding the engine. How do I proceed with this - take it to another mechanic who might not have dealt with jaguars or just keep using it as is.

 

psuedo, using the car as is I don't see as an option unless you intend on dropping even more money into the car (ie, garanteed engine rebuild). As for what to do at this point, I would go in search of a second opinion. See what they say.

As for the location of the noise, keep in mind that you have a chain that runs from the top of the engine to the bottom of the engine (actually 2, one for each head). So, based on how the chain is moving inside of the engine, the slack of the chain can be hitting anywhere.

Based on what I know about the Jag engines, I would be placing more money on the timing chain than on something loose in the bottom of the engine. But, without hearing the sound, I am grasping at straws. I say to find another tech that is knowledgeable with Jags and go from there.

 

Let me record the sound and post it somewhere you can hear. Will definitely get a second opinion but don't know of any other tech other than the Seattle/ bellevue dealership.

 

pseudo, doing a quick look online, I see 2 options that you have.

Jaguar Specialty Enterprises Ltd
1503 128th Pl NE, Bellevue, WA 98005
(206) 622-5247

or

Jaguar Tacoma
1601 40th Avenue Ct E, Fife, WA 98424
(253) 896-4200

I haven't dealt with either one of them, so, what their quality of service is, I will not speak for. But, both of them should be able to give you what you need.

 

Thermo/All I want to thank you for all the advice and options you gave me.
Just want to update that I did take it into another mechanics shop and he basically told me that he would need to rebuild or replace the engine as well.

This morning the engine noise got really loud and am parking the car till I can figure out what options I have of disposing it - Sell it as a parts car, donate it, or ..?

Planning on picking up a subaru wrx for my next one.. hope that does more than 9 years that I got from this one.

 

I am extrapolating from a similar issue I had with my manual Acura TL. It was a short vibration that was heard at 3000 RPM, when the engine was warm. The issue was the A-pipe in the exhaust system (the part that connects to the engine). The problem happened at around 60K miles.

Apparently it is a common problem with ALL manual Acuras, but most owners apparently just live with it.

 

Aluni the noise is no longer a whirring sound at high rpm, as was bound to happen, the noise is a knocking sound even when I start up my engine now. So definitely the problem has gotten worse.

I am interested in knowing as to what other folks do with cars which are in this state?

 

About that oil pan coming off to see what's going on below...
I believe that the oil pan can come off without touching the TC. That last difficult to reach bolt can be cut by using a multi-master oscillating blade to cut the head off. Whats left of the shortened bolt can be removed with the rest of the pan. A shorter replacement bolt (7-8 mm shorter) would take it's place.

Others drill a hole through the casing to take that bolt out.

Just a thought. Sorry to hear about the engine

 

The V6 Ford engines in these cars are pretty solid and if the oil has been changed regularly there should not be any problems with them. Perhaps your timing chains need replacement?

Ford still uses these engine today, and it is in the new Taurus it is now close to 4 liters and turbo charged.

 

Sounds like it maybe a timing chain tensioner shoe may have come off. Is the sound from the timing chain cover or closer to the oil pan?