Hello all automotive troubleshooters. One week before my return to Florida for the winter, my summer wheels crapped out on me. I have a 99 xk8 with aprox. 110k miles. I checked it with an actron pocket scanner and came up with the following codes. P0455 -
obd eobd vehicle dlc code (evaporative emission system leak detected (large), p 0506 - idle air control and last but not least p 1396 - variable valve timing solenoid. I admit i haven't a clue what any of that means but am curious to know what i'm dealing with as I parked the car in the garage will take care of this matter in May of next year. I would like to get some guidance as to how serious codes are. The Jag dealership in my area is very expensive and want to make sure i don't get raped by them. Any help out there will surely be appreciated.
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Hopefully the mods will move this to the XK8 forum, because this is the 2006 onwards forum and there's less XK8 expertise here.

The 0455 code shows there's probably an air leak in the fuel tank or the filler pipe which is allow petrol vapour to escape. If that's the case, it's likely to be a perished rubber gasket or something similar. While it isn't a major fault, it will probably get you failed on smog checks.

0506 indicates that the airflow into the engine at idle is lower than expected - common cause is a restriction in the air intake system. Probably worth checking/replacing the air filters.

1396 is a model-specific code and I don't have the XK8 workshop manual. However, the VVT solenoid controls the variable camshaft system, which changes when the valves open & close as RPM increases or decreases, in order to optimise engine 'breathing' and improve both power & efficiency. On the 4.2, and I'm assuming the 4.0 as well, replacing it involves removing the engine front cover, which in turn requires removing all the hoses & pulleys on the front of the engine, so it's not a quick job.

 

First off hows the battery, while not the typical ones associated with low voltage your codes are sort of all over. So ensure you have a full charge.
P0455 I've gotten 4 times in 2 years, I have a new Purge control valve I'll be putting in this winter, check your gas cap first, ensure the seal is intact Clean and lube it to ensure a good seal, then you'd work from there if it persists.

 

Unfortunately, bringing a 15 year old car to many dealerships is an invitation to get violated. If there is a Jag dealer in your area, there are likely one or more independent shops that also do Jaguar repairs. Try to find a reputable one.

 

I have to say your reply was the most honest that i have ever seen. Do you have a ballpark figure for the last code which is labor intensive? Thanks again.

 

ya, I've had that code since day one. I think the other 2 codes are the more serious. Thanks for your input though.

 

re: Ngarara - Your reply was the most informative. So I guess the last p code is the more serious of the 3. Would you like to take as stab at a ballpark figure for the repair. It seems anytime i go near the jag dealership, I get quotes in multiples of a thousand dollars. My other 2 replies are for the gentleman who mentions a faulty battery and the other for being so honest about violating an owner of a 15yr old jag.

 

Yes, the VVT is the most severe of the three. As WhiteXKR says, look for an independent specialist; not only will their labour rates be a lot lower, but they're usually prepared to consider using refurbished or even good-quality secondhand parts. That's something dealers just won't do - and dealers don't like working on older cars, so I suspect they give you a 'nuisance value' quote. That's an inflated figure that would make it worth their while to spend time on an obsolete model.

I'm in the UK, and since I assume you're in the US, I really can't tell you how much it would cost where you are. Looking at what needs to be removed, I'd guess 3 man-hours for the labour, but that really is a guess. It would take me longer, but I'm not a mechanic!

 

Ngarara, I love that expression. It is so true. There seems to be so much snobery amongst Jag dealers, owners and repair people. 2 yrs ago when i decided I didn't want to spend $2000 repairing a useless hydraulic leak and convert to manual top, I got all kinds of flak by Jag purist. Well, I have been manual for 2 yrs now and saved myself tons of money. Unfortunately, in Maine, my summer residence there are very few capable Jag mechanics. I was thinking of trying Craigslist and offering up a bounty of $1000 to take care of all these necessary repairs. The sad thing is that even the independent repair guys claim they need super sophisticated devices to diagnose mechanical problems. I really hope you didn't mean a 15yr old Jag is obsolete, because my first choice would be a 1958 Boston Blackie model. Anyhow, thanks again for your quick and knowledgeable response.

 

Yeah, I used 'obsolete' knowingly - it's not my attitude, but it's how dealers seem look at any car over 10 years old (less than that, in some cases). After a certain length of time, they don't carry the spares and the mechanics get out of practice - and the younger ones haven't even been trained on that model. Sometimes they will do the work, but they make it worth their while. However, I've heard of people being told "No, we don't service that model any more", and that's it.

The indie garages do still need the Jag diagnostic tools to deal with more modern cars. Even in your '99 model, there's a fair few electronic modules that need to be diagnosed and configured. It's worse in the recent models - there's something like 23 semi-intelligent modules in my XKR, and some of them have security checks that stop you just swapping parts from one car to another. You have to have the diagnostic system to 'introduce' new modules to the car, and authenticate and configure them. There are 'hacked' versions around that enthusiast DIY maintainers can get hold of, but they have limitations (e.g. you can't obtain or upload software updates for the modules). The real deal costs something like $1500.

 

You hit the nail on the head. I did go to an independent garage and got exactly that kind of answer. I was told one of my modules was not talking to the other. He gave me the name of 2 online suppliers and told me to order the part but first I had to remove my module and get the part # as these parts are coded and I had to get that specific one. He told me I could return and he would install it or I could do it myself. He diagnosed this problem with an ipad device wirelessly. It took him 5 min and he charged me $80 for the diagnosis. I drove the car for 2 weeks without a problem and then it crapped the bed. It would not start so I parked it in the garage for the winter.
When I had that hydraulic leak for the conv. top, I got the same type of run around. The independent guy said exactly what you said. It wasn't worth having to reeducate himself for the project. The dealer would do the work gladly for $2+ grand. So i removed the hydraulic pump which I'm told is worth $1000 on ebay and bled the lines and went totally manual. I had to gerryrig the quarter windows but am very pleased with the results.
Do you really think all these electronic modules are really necessary or are they just there to increase the cost of the finished product? It is a shame that it that the maintenance of a Jag has become so extravagant that a old retiree like me is priced right out of system. I had hoped that this would be my last car and that my children would get some use out of if. I don't mind being told that I'm trying to drive a wealthy man's car on the cheap. I'm just a practical guy who thinks that a Jag is still only a car and with a good mechanic, it could last forever. Thanks again for letting me blow of steam.

 

No, it's not to kick the price up. It's the desire of the target market for new Jags to have 'all mod cons', and the best way to deliver a sophisticated driver experience is to use smart electronics. Most people who are buying a new luxury car now (and they're the focus - you & I buy their hand-me-downs) would not be happy raising their convertible hood manually, for example. And I'm afraid it's not just a car anymore; it's a fusion of car & computer, in the same way that a phone isn't just a phone anymore. I don't know how cars like mine will be kept running in years to come - probably by enthusiastic specialists who will be keeping the diagnostic tools running in the same way that they keep the cars running!

 

Ihave to ask you, do you personally maintain your wonderful stable of Jags? You are so knowledgeable about the way the car industry has metamorphasized over the years. I, on the other hand am finding it difficult to comprehend why the industry is doing this. When the auto becomes so sophisticated with its inner workings, won't the consumer balk at the perverted cost of these beasts? Just look at how many recalls the car manufacturer's are involved with at the present time. I've never understood why losing engine power would cause you to also lose your ability to stop or steer the car. I realize that making a car more user friendly is a rather simplistic idea but wouldn't it make more sense? I really wish I had mechanical knowledge and ability because I really like getting my hands dirty. Unfortunately, whenever I try to fix anything mechanical, I usually end up creating further damage.
I wonder why Ford couldn't make a go of Jag when they had if. I wonder if MG and Austin-Healy would still be around if they adopted this new elitist concept of mechanics. The new Indian owner of the Jag does lots of advertising here in the states but I wonder how effective it is.
oh, I have tried uploading a pic of my car and for some reason I have been unsuccessful. Is their a magic trick to doing so?

 

We used to make cars with 39x or 45x ci engines with 400 hp, nowmy 02 (15 yrs old) XKR has 400hp (aprox) with 265 ci engine. Machining tech allowed for tighter tolerances, fuel injection required monitoring. Sensors got cheap(er) and allowed system monitoring all in the holy grail of MPG and the emissions being restricted by the government. This is just in the powertrain, think of all the bells and whistles people like for convince, heated / powered seats, backup sensors and remote operations, navigation, adaptive cruise control (my favorite on 14 ford fusion) and the electronics go wild. Tougher to maintain and debug sure but then I used to have a 14" b&w TV that weighed 20 lbs.

 

I guess this old fart would like to go back to simpler times. I don't need a smart phone. I guess, I'd like to see my kids use it for what it was intended, conversation and not text messages or gps or emails. I'd like my cars to be the same, purely functional. Get me from point A to point B , but I'd like to do it in style. If I could afford a 50s xk that would be a dream come true. No fancy electronics, no computers or heated seats, just a basic beautiful set of wheels. Oh well, that's not going to happen so I guess I'll just keep bitching. Thanks for reminding me that the year is 2014. Having spent 71 years on this earth, it becomes harder each year to change my perspective.

 

It would seem that it doesn't matter where in the world we live with our Jaguars,dealers all have the same attitude, as do some of the so called indi's, I also concur with your comment on cars & phones - keep it simples.
If you are still looking for info on your codes then to add to other stuff you have been given - P1396 refers to a VVT solenoid malfunction on B bank of cylinders.
A little light reading for you that may also help is Jaguar Tech Bulletins -
303-08 for P1396 diagnosis
303-13 & 303-08 refer to the evap system & purge valves.
If you have the twin canister system then a common problem with earlier cars is a small hose between the canister & the canister close valve that is prone to cracking - I would check this first as it could be a quick & cheap fix.
Happy Jaguar motoring!!

 

Thank you so much. This forum is wonderful that so many people, yourself included provide very helpful information to people like myself who are mechanically deprived. I'm going to take you up and really get into the info you have provided me. I won't be back in Maine till late May and hopefully, by then I will have solved this problem. Thanks again.

 

With the P0455 I would be looking at the Purge valve and the lines associated with it back to the Purge Canisters to the Fuel Tank. You have a line that goes from the purge valve to the rear of the car that could have been compromised when lifting the car improperly. This would cause the airflow to be incorrect. As for the VVT code this could be corrected by just changing the oil. With that being said you could also have a stressed battery that could have caused an improper code so I would check the battery first.

Check the battery and the purge system. Find a shop that can perform a smoke test on the system and make sure he has a lift so you can check under the car and in the left front wheel where the purge valve is located. Do the battery and the smoke test.

 

I only have the one Jag (the XKR 75) - the other ones have been sold as I've upgraded, since I don't have the space to keep a stable of Jags. I do keep my cars a long time, though; I kept the XJ-S and XK8 for 13 years each.

I don't work on my cars much - I don't have a garage, so I don't really have the facilities. And I'm short of free time, too. If I had the opportunity and the place to do it, I'd probably do more, but it is more difficult on modern cars. And that's modern cars in general - I'd have the same difficulty dealing with the electronics in our Fabia (Skoda-bodied VW Polo GTi). Gone are the days of rebuilding an engine by myself.

 

Gus,
It is so nice to hear from you again. You probably don't remember me but I'm the guy you helped convert my ragtop to manual 2 yrs ago. You helped me with the electronics of the rear 1/4 windows. Has worked fine ever since.
I'm just curious about the oil change suggestion you made concerning the vvt problem. I only use the Jag during the months of summer. I probably don't put on 3000 mi. in that time. Oh, and I always have my oil changed in June. I don't think I put on half that amount this year, when in Aug. of this year, my car stalled in traffic. I had it towed back to my house. The tow guy was hesitant at first to put the jag on the flatbed. He eventually ran a cable to the rear and got the car on the flatbed. A couple days later, I drove up to Portland (40mi r/t) to have independent technician check it out. He did a diagnosis with a wireless ipad and told me one of the modules had to be replaced cause it wasn't talking to the others? He gave me 2 web sites where I could get a replacement module and sent me on my way. I drove the car for 2 weeks more until it stalled again. I've gotten several different fixes for the vvt but the oil change has me stumped. I'm getting some great help from this forum and I plan to attempt to all of the fixes when I get back to Maine next year in late May.