My car is a 2000 XJ8, The secondary timing chain let go and broke 2 exhaust valves in one cylinder only. The head looks like a mess but can be welded and repaired. The piston however has a hole in it. The rod caps cannot be accessed by just removing the oil pan. It looks like I need to remove the "Structural Sump" to access the rod caps. However the cross member and steering rack are in the way. Anybody got any advice as to what I need to do? I would like to replace the piston and go ahead and reassemble the engine. My 2 sons and I took this on as a project and as a leaning experience for them. Do I have to remove the engine to replace the piston? Does anyone in the Jaguar world feel my pain?

 

I do feel your pain but have not been that far into the engine. Great learning experience for the next generation! My son and I restored two cars during his high school years. I created a car monster.

Someone with real experience in that area will be along shortly.

. . . welcome to the forum!

 

I do beleive you have to pull the block to replace piston. Not 100% but i think you might have to. good luck!

 

Might want to weigh the costs of machining/gaskets/tools etc to the cost of a good used motor... I bought an XJR and considered rebuilding until I added up the costs which were in the 2K range+labor vs a good used one for a little over 2K+no labor.

 

As the crankshaft is held in place by a bedplate, it's an engine out job.

On the side of the engine block there are a series of numbers *22212222* for example, these are bearing grades, you may require a new bearing for the damaged piston connecting rod big end.

Valves can be bought as can the bearings from either Jaguar or racing green. It's a big task, and a bunch of factory tools like the crank pulley puller, timing lockdown tools and gaskets will be required, but it can be done.

You will need to get your post count up so you can download information from this site, alternatively p.m. me for a Jaguar rebuild book so I can e-mail it to you. Once you have read this and assessed the work, along with priced all parts required, you're in a better position to make the call as to doing the job or finding a replacement.

 

Someone on this board had to do a similar job. The post was complete with pictures.

What they used was a engine support for a FWD car to support the engine and then dropped the entire front end assembly. It is a bar that runs across the engine bay with support pylons at the ends that fit into the fender seam along the top of the engine bay.

It's quite common on FWD cars to use this method to service transmissions and clutches.

 

If it were me now, I would replace the engine with a used one. BUT, when my son was still at home, I would have done the rebuild with him. Thats why, now that he is grown, he can do any mechanical work needed on any of his cars and he has the confidence to handle any problem he needs to handle . Good luck.

 

I would like to say thanks to all of you who weighed in on this subject. If anyone has any other sugestions I'm all ears. If not I'm gonna call it a day on this project. Removing the engine or dropping the front end are all viable options but I haven't the facilities for either one. Got the know how just have the place to get it done. She is destined for Craigs List or Ebay. If there is someone from the East Texas area I would like to find a good home for her.

 

What did you end up doing?

 

Hello Sean B I a newbe here but could you tell me where can i get a book on the rebuild I have done xj6 engine before but this will be my first xj8 4.0 and im in the need for a book on what bolts that I can and can't reused i have read that i can't reused the ones in the bedplate once I remove them

 

Welcome to the forum. Please visit the new member area and introduce yourself:

New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

Once you have made ten posts and been around for three days you will be able to download the factory manual JTIS 21, engine rebuild manual, and parts catalog JEPC.

 

Greetings Lobo and welcome to the forum.
It would be good to know how many miles this engine has covered and it's service history.

A 2000 is actually built in 1999 and would have the 2nd generation plastic tensioners if standard and has not been upgraded and i would ascertain that is what has happened.
It's ben allowed to run too long without upgraded parts, hence the damage you have experienced.

This model is known a an AJ27 engine and is the 2nd generation of the model, immediately
recognisable with the VVT solenoids connectors sticking upwards out of the front of the cam covers.
You will need to knopw if this is a Nikasil engine as around this time the transition wa made to
steel linered blocks.
I prefer the Nikasil myself but that is another story ;o]

These are well engineered and precise known as a 'zero clearence'
engine.
Some are lucky enough to get away with the engine stopping in just the right place and others have experienced the 'full hand grenade' ;o]
As has already been mentioned, being a 'bed plate' design engine, it means removing from the vehicle.

If you have the room and are able to lift car high enough, you can remove the entire engine/front subframe cradle from the car below in reverse of how it was assembled at the factory.
Otherwise, it's remove from the top.

There is not a lot of clearence so, care is needed.
You will need to remove the bonnet/hood, the radiator/a/c matrix as a unit....some say this is not necessary but hey, it's a sinple job and saves possoble damage.
Of course a suitable egine hoist or preferably and endless chain fitted with an adjustable lifting bar....remembering you have quite a long gearbox attached to all this ;o)

The engine itself is no different in most respects to any modern all alloy engine with close tolerance parts that need precise dissassembly and re-assembly.
The use of good quality tools, two torque wrenches of ft/lbs and inch/lbs or metric reading equivelants.
Everything is basically nominated in Newton Meters or Nm so you need to think metric.

Surprisingly very few specialist tools are required....save the necessary cam locking tools, crank locking tool and there are various ways of removing the front pulley damper.
Be warned....it is much simpler to loosen the front pulley nut while the engine is still IN the car ;o]
Make sure you gave good fitting 3/8 drive sockets, various extensions, a good set of Torx bits and sockets and an angle gauge for the head work.

An telescopic magnetic retrieval device is essential for removing the cam follower shims and somewhere to store them in sequence as along with all parts of this engine, it needs to be dissassembled in sequence and stored somewhere clean and tidy.....did I mention CLEAN?

If the head is damaged, it is far simpler and more cost effective to replace it.
These engines are not known for cam lobe wear unless cheap oil changed infrequently has been used.
The cams ride directly in the alloy caps.
The cam followers are not hydraulic which a mistake many people make.

Pistons are no problem along with other associated bits but you will need to select the best grade and have the conrods checked for true....far better to replace the affected parts.
The conrods are of the 'fracture split' design as used by BMW so, there is no
'mix n' match' here!

I might also mention that if replacing secondaries, it would be far more cost effective to buy a full timing kit available from a number of suppliers which contain a full primary and secondary chain set along with both sets of upper and lower tensioners in alloy (which are the 3rd gen.) and all associated gaskests. and bolts.
i know there are a couple of suppliers of these kits who also rent out the full cam locking tool kit
at a very good price....do your homework.....Parts Geek is one.

Taking into account that these engines use far less assembling compounds than many of it's contempories, mostly fitted with 'compression' gaskets.
The only areas using assembly goo is the bed plate structure and two small points where front timing cover joins the heads.

The obvious thing of course, while engine and gerabox are out is to go through everything like replacing the thermostat tower with alloy upgrade, thermostat, check water pump.
You could easily have all the injectors sonically cleaned as well ;o)

Part out your alternator and starter motor for refurbing (both Denso units)

While you are there, you can service the gearbox with new sump gasket, filter and oil.
Check over all the ancillaries, wiring etc.

With the engine out, you can also work much more eassily in replacing suspension bushings, check over power steering mounts.
This engine is suspended at the front on hydraulic mounts which normally don't give trouble
but while you're there are easily and relatively cheaply replaced.

Do a good and thorough job and you will end up with a car that will soldier on for many years with due care and attention ;o))
Careful attention to detail is what is required here and remembering to mark everything and to keep in groups....normal common sense rebuild practice ;o))

One last word, it's far simpler to gather all your associated tools and spare parts before you start and make sure you have a good sized CLEAN work space.
Did I mention CLEAN??
This will be a very rewarding project if you take your time and educate yourself and boys as to how these engines were designed 17 years ago and how they operate.

Forwarned is forarmed ;o))

 

Errrrmm great post XJay but lobos post was 2 1/2 years ago..... I am sure dv3will will find it useful

 

Thats as well maybe my friend but he is new to the forum and was asking spesific questions....that OK with you ;o]

 

That as it may -- I think Lobo junked it and moved on, in 2011!

 

My XJ8 has been off the road for 7 months !! ... i was advised by my mechanic to drop a brand new 4.5l lexus into the car for a mere ZAR9000.00 .... being a purist i didnt ... BUT... wish i had !!!

 

Hi, I am brand new to this site, and a brand new owner of my very first Jaguar, which seems to have this problem.. and this will be my first attempt to tear this deep into a motor. I have friends at work that will be guiding me through the process, and all the tools, as I am a production maintenance tech, just not on autos. I haven't even cracked the valve covers off to check if the valves are bent. my questions are:

what are the odds that a valve is bent? the guy I bought it from said he drove it daily, then one sunday morning, he pulled it out of his driveway and parked in the road so his kids could play in the drive. when he went to move it back, it turns over, but no spark. other than trying to turn it over a lot, it seems I may be lucky in this. it has zero compression. I'm certain the timing chain has jumped. with the oil cap off, the upper parts are turning, and I did verify spark.

how do you reset the timing? of all the videos I've seen, and stuff I've read, they all explain how to ensure timing is kept, but not how to reset if off... is it the tools that mount to hold the cam shafts at TDC and that piece that seems to insert down near the crank shaft, circular but with one square corner, that realigns the two?

where is the best value place to order those specialty tools and a timing chain replacement kit?

enough questions for now! I know this post is old and the last post on it was a year ago, but hopefully some of you guys will respond!! thanks in advance!!

 

You need to do a lot more reading about 'cylinder wash' or 'bore-wash' and even engine cam/crank timing.

The engine DOES NOT time at TDC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !

LOTS of info on this site about the 4.0 V8 engines.

Look at both the XK8 and XJ8 forums for V8 info.

I uploaded my Student Guide 'engine course 168' to the large file area if you need to have info on the 4.0 V8 disassemble/reassemble.

bob gauff

 

hi lobo. got another answer for you . i've got a 2000 xj8 that you could drive home to texas from memphis tn, and have all the parts you need. for $2000. 105000 miles, upper chains done,no leaks, fresh brakes. have too many and don't need this one. jon

 

Jon: I suspect that after 3.5 years Lobo found his way by other means . . . His thread dates from 30 July 2011!!!!!