First I want to thank everyone past and present who has contributed to this web site. I knew going into ownership of my Jaguar that I would be facing some issues (tensioners). Just hoping later rather than sooner.

Our honeymoon lasted about a week from purchase when my 2001 XJR (born on date 11/00) told me I needed to start paying more attention to it. I started it up in a parking lot I had just stopped at when the check engine light (CEL) came on, the warning about limited drive mod, and it was shaking a bit fierce. I drove it to a auto parts store to get the codes read. It came back as number 1,2,3,4 cylinders were miss firing. I bought some plugs to put in relieved that it was not worse than that and put the plugs in by using instructions I found here. The plugs I pulled from the right side (as if you were sitting in the drivers seat) were all black and wet. My guess those cylinders are number 1,2,3,4. The plugs on the left side were all white and dry. The cam covers also had a bite of rust by cylinder 7 and 8 which is right up against the coolant overflow. The previous owner did say they had to replace the thermostat. Must have been an overflow issue.

Put everything back together and hoped for the best. Nope, ran just as rough if not worse. The engine light even started flashing rather than being a steady light so I parked it and retreated back to the computer.

Today I took the cam covers off. Should have done this when I changed the plugs. Was just hoping for the best I guess. The chains are still in place. The left side is perfectly fine yet. The right side I was praying the chains were still on which they were. The tensioner has come apart in at least two sections. One piece is the rail that the chain rides against which I retrieved with a few little pieces missing from that and what I would call the back side. I will try and attach photos if I can here.

So I am in need of the tools to complete the job if anyone has one they don't mind lending, renting, selling. Otherwise I will go to the Ford or Jaguar dealer and get them sell when I am done. In the mean time I will start draining the oil and coolant. Is it required to take the hood (bonnet) off to do this. So far its been pretty easy working around it.

I'll take any other input as well. Especially if there is something else I should be replacing while I'm in there such as water pump, hoses, belts, pulleys, ets. Also, do I need to be checking the condition of the tie rods and such before I start spending too much money. I did read somewhere that I could pull the plugs and turn it by hand to listen for unusual noises but not sure what it is I turn by hand. I am not too much experienced with this kind of work but I have google as my friend.

 

First, welcome to the forums.

What you would be turning by hand is the crankshaft centre bolt using a 24mm socket on a breaker bar. clockwise only. You will need to remove all sparkplugs to turn easily. Make sure you stuff a paper towel into each sparkplug hole if not actually listening.

The stickied threads in the XJ8/XJR and XK/XKR should be useful to you in regards to the engine.

You will read about the zip-tie method. It is probably not for you, because you may have already skipped a tooth on the exhaust cam.

You may not need to do the primary tensioners/guides as it is the secondary tensioners which usually do the grenade routine.

 

Take a look at "special tools" I made when i replaced my tensioners https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/jaguar-xj8-jaguar-xjr-27/chains-tensioners-tools-51211/
dont have to buy them if your handy around the workshop!
good luck

 

Since your Jaguar is so new to you, there's a number of postings on this forum about this subject. You have a lot of reading to do.

Parts are cheapest @ Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealerships, especially Tousley Ford by internet: Ford PN 2W9Z6K254BA Right Secondary metal bodied Tensioner (1 required)
Ford PN 2W9Z6K254CA Left Secondary metal bodied Tensioner (1 required)
Ford PN W500301S300 Bolt (4 required)


Felpro (Part # VS50724R) gasket set @ www.rockauto.com is the most inexpensive I've seen--around $37. They also have a 5% discount: Enter 50132384151761 at the "How did you hear about us" spot at check out and click "Apply".


The tools can be rented @ Christopher’s Foreign Auto Parts for $75--http://stores.homestead.com/hstrial-...ing/Detail.bok. (Make sure you're getting two camshaft lock down bars.)


Your thermostat housing and water pump impeller should be metal units--not the original OEM plastic. Check that the serpentine belt and radiator hoses are okay. Make sure the bearings on the belt tensioner are good. Check the spark plug holes for oil--and you might want to change all the plugs.



Good luck!

 

Do you know anyone with metal working experience. I just finished doing a full timing component replacement and had all but the crankshaft stop made up for me. My buddy made cam locks out of 3/8' steel (bolts from Lowe's) he did a great job on a cam sprocket tension tool that I can use a breaker bar with, and he even made up a tool that let me pull and reinstall the harmonic balance pulley with out having to crawl up under the car. I can get you pictures, and specs. Do a Google search for Chris's Foreign auto parts (NJ), I found a kit complete with all chains, tensioners, guides and EVERY gasket and seal you need to put the whole thing back together. He had the best price I found in a month of searching.

 

Thanks for all your replies so far. I will go to the sources Bamaman wrote about. I'm taking the hood off today and draining the radiator. It's a bit of a slow process for me because of time but will work on it an hour or two a day. When I used the drain plug to drain the radiator not much came out that way. I will take off the lower hose and hopefully see it gush out that way. Also when I took off the plastic cover under the radiator I found that it was held on the back side with a bungee cord, I don't suppose the bungee is OEM lol.

 

Jaguar do use a lot of black zip ties though, especially down there.

 

You really do not need to remove the hood. I did mine with it up in the normal position but there is also a 'service position'. Pop off the hood struts and put a bolt through the hole to lock it in a vertical position, completely out of the way.

 

Test Point, thanks for that input. I have tried reading as much as I could here but not read what to do with the hood. I am following the 61 page pdf from Blackonyx in the stickies. At this point I only intend on replacing the secondary tensioners, water pump if its plastic, hoses and gaskets. Still looking for a piece of plastic that came off the secondary tensioner. Hopefully when I get it all apart I will find it.

Test Point, I just sold my 2003 Gold Wing (ABS) that I bought brand new and put on 53,000 miles. Another one in the future, just don't have time now to ride anymore.

 

I've done mine and it is not too bad of a job (just did the secondary tensioners)... As for tools.... I think I've seen some guys just use a piece of flat steel that bolts over the flats of the cams. So a drill (drill press better) and hacksaw is all that is needed to make the cam lock tool.

As for the other tool that allows you grab a hold of the cam sprocket, you should be able to fashion something out of flat steel but it will require more complex cuts... A curve or square "cut" so it will go around the center of the camshaft. Then you need to drill 2 holes in it and put in small steel rods that actually hold the cam sprocket.

I am sure there are a dozens different ways to do it. Given the cost of the tools, it is probably worth the time....

NorCalDiesel let me borrow his homemade tools, I am not sure if he is still hanging around on the forum or not....

 

I just posted a thread on XK8 1997-2003 on replacing the upper tensioners with 12 pictures. Pics turned out good. Same engine. might take a look at that.

EZDriver 2000 XK8 1995 Xj6

 

EZdriver - thanks for the input. I looked at your pictures and compared with what I have now. Looks like I had three pieces break off. One I've retrieved so far after taking the cam covers off (photo attached) and the two side supports have a piece broken off (photo attached) which I still need to retrieve. In my photo of the tensioner you will see the white marks just above the mounting screws, that is where the plastic supports also broke off.

I did take the hood off as well. After taking the struts off the hood I looked at the hinge bolts and thought what the heck. It took me 10 or 15 minutes to do. I guess its comparable to renting a hotel with a ocean view. Just gives me a different view but the rooms are still the same.

 

Looking at your pictures and how slack the chain is I would bet that you have jumped more than one tooth. If so you may have some bent valves. As it has been described to me jumping one tooth causes some rough running. Jumping two causes really rough running which is what I think you describe. I really hope I'm wrong. But I would do a compression check after you replace the upper tensioners and before you put everything else back together. Bent valves means pulling at least that right hand head. Keep us informed.

EZDriver

 

Yes I'm worried about the valves as well. Just taking it a step at a time and deal with it.

I did commit my first stupid blunder (hopefully its ok to admit that here). When removing the accessory drive belt tensioner pulley. I pulled on the 15mm nut used to loosen the belt rather than the 13mm bolt just below the pulley (picture attached). Now I have to repair that as well. Must be a left hand thread. Hopefully there is a replacement bolt without having to order the whole assembly. Looks like I can buy the part new from partstrain for $88.95 its part number W0133-1800578

What is the correct tool to remove the Crankshaft Pulley?

 

I'm trying to remove the 24mm bolt holding the Cam shaft pulley on. How critical is it not to move the cam in the reverse directions (counter clock wise). In other words will I do some damage if it my locking method slips. I have attached a couple nylon tie down straps around the sprocket and around the frame on each side. Picture attached

I did turn the cam by hand (clockwise) to line up the flats on all 4 cams. One cam on the right side is off compared to the other 3, but it appears to be by one tooth only. Just by eyeballing it I moved the cam by one tooth and it appears that the one out of alignment with the others moved to a position that would would have been alignment with the others. Picture attached showing how far the cam is off to the other.

 

Why are you removing the crankbolt? Are you doing secondary and primary?

Doing only the secondary does not require removing the timing cover.

Doing both usually requires full lockdown.

So, right now it seems to be you have a bit of both and that might not be a good thing.

edit: if post #9 is still true, you have gone too far. you need to read up on either the zip tie method for secondaries only, or the lockdown method.

in either case, you will have to modify your procedure to bring the one cam into proper alignment.

 

Yes I only plan on replacing the secondary's at this time. I have plastic that has broken off the right side tensioner. I have not retrieved all the pieces of plastic and was thinking I need to take the front off to find those. Also thought it would be good to check the primary tensioners.

For now do you think I could get away with installing the secondary tensioners using the zip tie method and at the same time when I loosen the cams themselves just turn the one that is off and reposition it on the chain?

 

Probably more than half of the people replacing their upper tensioners have had bits of plastic missing.

The usual advice is to leave them be as they will tumble into the oil pan. Then the screen on the oil pump pickup will prevent them going back into the oil pump. Some people will drop the pan to retrieve them.

If you open up the timing chain cover without knowing the full lock procedure, you will end up in a heap of trouble.

It looks like you might not have the lockdown tools. Therefore, look for multiple threads on the zip tie procedure. Read them all. As each is a bit different, that will give you a better understanding of *why* each step matters.

To compensate for the fact that you have a slipped chain, you might try lining up the three flats, line up the last flat as requred, and only then consider yourself at the start of the job.

Do not try using a procedure that encompasses both primary and secondary, that will only confuse matters.

 

Thanks, I will gladly stop going the direction I have been going and do the zip tie method.

 

Ok here is an update where I'm at with this project. I did take the right side (U.S passenger side) exhaust cam off as described in the so called zip tie method. I advanced the cam manually one tooth on the chain to get it to match the position of the other cams in comparison to the flat spot(s). So I know for sure it was only off by one tooth so hopefully no further damage to the engine. After putting the cam back in place I can advance the crankshaft pulley using the 24mm socket clockwise with no binding or noises inside the engine with the spark plugs taken out.

After putting the new secondary tensioners on, the chains on the left bank are very tight all the way through the cycle. On the right side (where my problems all began) however the secondary chain is very loose to the point I can stick my finger between it and the tensioner (see picture). As I rotate the cam (via the crankshaft) the loose spot on the chain rotates threw the cycle, meaning as I move the chain the loose spot follows the chain so that the top will be very tight at one point of the cycle and the looseness is then at the bottom. Which to me says that the chain is stretched at that part of the chain.

I have ordered a upper timing chain with master link from Christopher's Foreign Car Parts for $59 to hopefully fix this. To replace the secondary chain my shade tree mechanical inclination says leave the cams in place (unlocked), use my handy dandy bolt cutters to take out the old chain, wrap the new chain around the two sprockets, insert the master link and walla I'm done.

Now the other side of me says this probably is not a good way to do this. I have the drawing to make a camshaft lock tool (I believe at minimum this needs to be done) and the timing chain tensioning tool (not sure if I really need this) but I will get a hold of some scrap metal and see what I can come up with for these. Also if I am to lock down the crankshaft is it best to order the crankshaft timing tool say from motorcarsltd part number 303-531 for $45 and lock the camshaft in place as well.

I have most of the torque values but do not have the value for the 10 bolts (caps) holding the cam shaft down. I did set them at just over 20 Newton Metric without any problem. I do have the JTIS disk but haven't been able to load it on my Mac yet which I have Windows XP using Parrallels for the install. It wasn't reading the disk. My wife will bring home a Windows computer from work and I will try the disk on that. Why can't things be plug and play?

Thanks for following my fun time.