First I was getting P0027-72 & P0029-72 (exhaust valve control solenoids on both banks). I replaced both exhaust solenoids with new, and the error switched to the intake control solenoids on both banks. After clearing codes and restarting, P0027-72 & P0029-72 came back. The other two temporary codes are P054B & P054D, indicating cold start exhaust B- camshaft position timing - over retarded on both banks.
Regarding the tensioner, I purchase mine from Atlantic British and they claim these tensioners are pre-loaded, meaning one does not have to follow the procedure outlined in the video. They explain that the click you hear is the snapping of the shaft into the grove of the guide (which I did hear). I am willing to try the method in the video.

 

They explain that the click you hear is the snapping of the shaft into the grove of the guide (which I did hear)- yes this is correct, but then the chain can still be loose. you have to make one more click. Do you understand me? My proposition: leave timing cover, set timing before demontage all( rotation crankshaft only) and send video. I think this is impossible 2x exhaust new phaser damaged after 50 miles

 

OK, I took covers apart and found the timing dead on; however, I found both tensioners "flexing" and I am not certain if that is by design and normal. I started a new thread on this forum https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...4/#post2164381 which has a video of the flexing tensioners and a description of the discrepancy on how to install them.
Lastly and quite important, I found one of the three VVT phaser retaining bolts completely lose. Perhaps that was the culprit to the sluggish engine performance? I also found the engine oil (changed twice within 60 miles) quite dirty.

 

Replied to your new thread.

 

Sorry to resurrect an old post
Do you have the piston ring lay out and ring gaps? Doing a piston on my XKR 5.0 and cant find this info anywhere!

 

Sadly not - I replaced my factory pistons (and rings) with custom forged ones from Mahle and followed their instructions, which were fairly generalized (link: here).

Jaguar haven't really made too many specifications of the block available in the Service Manual, even though general block engineering methods such as measuring piston-to-wall clearance are included. Makes no sense to me, but there you go

 

Dave do you have the spec build sheet from Mahle for the pistons? Or the sticker spec on the box? Do you know if these pistons are lighter than stock, and were balanced from Mahle? Planning a performance build but starting with this one.

 

I'll have to dig through all my docs and see if I still have anything. From memory they were a little lighter than stock and balanced, but I had the whole rotating assembly balanced separately before engine assembly anyway.

 

Ah damn, do you know anyone who might know? As I'm replacing a piston as one of mine has broken, and not quite sure what to do atm!

 

Can't you go old school and measure?

Measure Piston with a micrometer on then use that measurement to set up a bore gauge

You need to get a good piston and makes sure it's not deformed and take bore measurement top, mid and low in the bore, front back side to side.

You will be able to get clearance and that will give you ring sizes

A good machine shop that rebuilds motors will be able to help

 

Hi Dave, came across this very useful thread and hope you might be able to help me...

I've got an XFR mid-way through an engine rebuild. How did you re-install the engine? I assume from the top, did you fit the engine and gearbox together off the car and then put it in as one? I'm weighing up the options...

Brief story about mine. Bought as a rough runner. Suspected head gasket failure. Turns out it also has many cracked pistons. So far left bank removed and being rebuilt.

Many thanks in advance!

 

Engine goes in through the top, then gearbox goes in underneath and bolts up. In my experience the two bolts on the top of the transmission are a mare - you have two options: If you have a lift (or even without) get under the car and stick a few extension bars together to get at the bolts from the rear of the transmission, or delay fitting the supercharger/chargecooler to the engine so you have enough access to the bolts from above (basically impossible once S/C is fitted).

If you have a second person, I'd remove the bonnet/hood when refitting the engine for easy access.

 

Thanks a million for the advice, Dave. I don't have a lift, so will have to decide whether to go under or over the car... I'll leave the supercharger off so I have options.

Regarding yours, do you still have it? Has it moved on much since the last updates in this thread? The gauges you have look great, and given the lack of warning systems on this car, a very useful addition too.

 

Dave, that was a fascinating and terrifying read. Terrifying because my 2012 XF SC just did EXACTLY what yours did and I have exactly 0 mechanical background. A self rebuild is out of the question, but I'm friends with a mechanic who has said he would be willing to take it on or to swap out the engine if I decide to go that route. I've already moved on to a 2017 F-Type R Coupe, so I'm not in a rush and he is willing to do it for a low rate. My question is more one of value. What did it cost you in material and time to rebuild that engine?

Since I am a complete neophyte in this area, I have a lot of other questions to be answered to assess the best way to maximize the value of the car. Getting even a sketchy 5.0 SC engine would cost $8K. After that and installation, I might clear $3K on a sale if I was lucky (it DOES have brand new tires...). There are a lot of na 5.0L out there for around $4K, however. Will that work? The Jag dealer won't mismatch the engine, but one of their mechanics says that he has done it for personal vehicles and side work. He also said that the 3.0L SC will fit, as well as several of the LR engines (all assuming you have the right ECU). I was a bit fuzzy on the LR issue, but it definitely involved using a LR block. I saw at least one piece of info that implied a 2.0L Turbocharged engine would fit a 2012 XF. How do I find out what will and won't work?

Even if the resale value is low, if I could fit a much lower powered engine into the car, I'd let my daughter have it when she turns 16 next year. (I emphasize MUCH lower powered...) The rest of the car is in excellent condition and I hate the thought of junking it if there is any reasonable way to get more life out of it.

 

In time, from engine destruction? About 2 years until the restart, and another 6 months before everything was 100%. I had a lot going on in life outside the car.

Cost is harder because my situation was different: Even only 2-3 years ago the price of engines was quite a bit higher - at the time, it seemed if you were lucky a sketchy one could be found for $12k but in reality in buying a used engine, changing out the bits you'd need like timing gear & oil pump, you'd be paying basically the cost of another used car, and mine with a blown engine was worth nowhere near that even if I took the time to part it out. So I came to the conclusion I didn't really have a choice but rebuild, and unfortunately due to the other commitments I had at the time I couldn't devote a lot of time to it, so the time stretched out, and with it the scope creep, and before I knew it I was basically swapping out every part for a new one. This is good, because it means that I've ended up with an engine that basically should be like new, but it's also bad because the parts, along with other costs associated like the time in the shop I was working on it, storage costs etc ended up costing more than it otherwise would have.

Just in terms of parts costs I haven't honestly added up the cost of parts in total but a quick mental estimate puts me in at probably $8k, not including side projects like the gauges or the hood. However, had I wanted to just get it back together as quickly as possible and only change out things that absolutely needed it I maybe could've done it for $4-5k including timing parts.

Of course, over this time it seems the cost of used engines has got quite a bit cheaper, and had I been in that situation now, I think it probably would've made more sense to buy a good used engine, changed out the timingo/oil pumps, and dropped it back in ASAP. I don't regret the route I took, it made the most sense at the time for the situation I was in and I've ended up with an essentially as-new engine, I've learned a **** ton about this engine and still learning more, and giving it full beanage up the straight at Thunderhill Raceway recently was particularly satisfying knowing that I built that engine. It's now begging for a larger drive pulley and a remap....

I wouldn't recommend it as a route for the faint-hearted though.

 

Dave sorry to bring up this again but what torque specs did you end up using for the ARP studs, nuts and M8 bolts? Did you end up using ARP bolts on the Piston rods? Thanks in advance

 

On the M8 bolts on the outside and sides of the main bearing caps I just went with the max guided torque spec of the ARP bolt, which was probably "about the same" (give or take) as the factory TTYs ended up.

For the M10 studs and nuts on the inside of the main bearing caps I followed the ARP torque specs of the kit they originally came from (for an SR20DET), and if I remember correctly they were 20-40-60 ft-lbs in 3 stages.

Yes I used ARP bolts for the connecting rods too, I found a guy on eBay selling custom sets for the 4.2 V8 engine, fortunately while the connecting rods are completely different on the 4.2 the bolts are exactly the same. I followed his torque specs with these.

I also had the block and all the conrods line honed with the ARP bolts fitted. Maybe overkill but it seemed worth doing it ARP stress it in their instructions.

 

While I can see no harm in line boring/honing the mains, I think it is a total overkill, unless you had problems in the area. I cannot see the difference the torque would make, whether you use the original or the after market bolts, unless they are made of an entirely different grade of steel.
The same pitch, the same diameter, the same steel, the same torque the same tension, and thus equally round, I would say.
Did you notice any material removed during the honing process?
By the way, a nicely kitted out workshop and an interesting hobby to be able to delve into.
I have been thinking of getting a 5 liter engine at one stage from maybe a RangeRover, but they seem to suffer form chain problems?
Found an S R with a burned piston, and no wheels. Engine in pieces, stinking of rat pee. Yummy!
Decisions, decisions!!!

 

Honestly - I tend to agree. I measured the out-of-round on the main bores with the ARPs torqued up and ended up with a number that might have even still been within spec, so the line hone of the block would've been little more than a "dusting" of the bores. However, I paid a machine shop to both line hone the block as well as hone the cylinders to the spec given to me by Mahle for the pistons because it wasn't that much more to have it done, so I don't know if any metal was even removed during the line hone.

That said, I'm not a metallurgic engineer, or even any kind of engineer (unless you count "software" which I don't), so when ARP bang on about the importance of line honing in their instructions and the seller of the ARP rod bolts told me I had to as well, I decided it was worth the cost given all I was putting into the engine.

 

Thanks for posting all this, going to be rebuilding a supercharged RR Sport engine as soon as I can get it out !! I knew it had a problem but this is what I see with a camera down one of the plug holes......something missing me thinks !!