i have a 2000 xk8 with 65,000 miles. i recently had to replace a valve cover gasket because of a small leak and i noticed i still have the factory timing chain tensioners. i just have a few questions about this procedure.......

1. do i have to replace the chains with the tensioners?

2. i found new timing chains that have a snap in link so you dont have to mess with the lower cover and chains. are these chains just as good?

3. do i need any special tools besides the tool that locks the camshafts in place?

4. is it just the upper tensioners that i have to worry about?

5. and last but not least is there a certain mileage that these tensioners seem to fail, or can they pretty much fail at any time?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

1. do i have to replace the chains with the tensioners?

Not unless you have lost the plastic 'slippers' on the tensioners and see wear on the chains.

2. i found new timing chains that have a snap in link so you dont have to mess with the lower cover and chains. are these chains just as good?

No.

3. do i need any special tools besides the tool that locks the camshafts in place?

The plug that locks the flex plate at the correct alignment position is helpful but that should come with any tool you might acquire/rent. A ball end 10mm Allen Wrench is prescribed in the manual but I cut off a short piece of a 10mm and used a socket/universal drive to clear the front cover.

4. is it just the upper tensioners that i have to worry about?

Most failures are secondary only. The primary tensioners/chain guides make racket if they are wearing.

5. and last but not least is there a certain mileage that these tensioners seem to fail, or can they pretty much fail at any time?

They can fail at any time. My first car, an '00, had the tensioners changed at 40k mile intervals under warranty.

 

You will get some varying opinions...I will answer how I can...
1) I did not and I drive with 100 percent piece of mind regarding tensioners
2) ?
3) ? I paid $600 to have mine done in September '12 because I was picking up a car in MD and did not want to risk driving it 600 miles with the old tensioners.
4) I only did uppers. On an '01 with 35000 miles the uppers were in what appeared to be excellent condition (as was the appearance of the rest of the visible inside of my engine). Its not that the plastic in the lowers cannot degrade. It can from what I have read. But you will typically get significant noise/warning before those cause any type of catastrophic failure.
5) Others will have better info but from what I have seen there is a high probability that many factors contribute. Age, mileage, whether the car has overheated etc. I am quite sure that I have read of many failures at less than 65K. Jac

 

And yet more answers to your questions.
1. do i have to replace the chains with the tensioners?
I didn't and was advised it was not needed.

2. i found new timing chains that have a snap in link so you dont have to mess with the lower cover and chains. are these chains just as good?
I would say no to those. Wrong place to save a few bucks.

3. do i need any special tools besides the tool that locks the camshafts in place?
Rental or purchase kit should come with everything you need.

4. is it just the upper tensioners that i have to worry about?
+1 on answers so far. It is usually the secondary set that is the issue.

5. and last but not least is there a certain mileage that these tensioners seem to fail, or can they pretty much fail at any time?
+1 on could be anytime. However, my car had 100k+ miles and still had the original tensioners. Minor cracks (if there is such a thing) only and both shoes in excellent shape.

 

I replaced my tensioners myself using only the zip tie method. If you are comfortable enough to pop the valve cover, you should should be skilled enough to do so also. Research all the threads detailing the process. You just want to position each cam so that the lobes are applying minimal pressure to the valves.

B

 

@Jacsun - it seems like $600 was a bargain. ive read where this is usually at least a $1000-$1500 job.

 

this is all helpful. i will continue to read through the previous threads on this matter, and hopefully i will feel good enough about it to attempt it soon.

 

A little off the subject but are leaky valve cover gaskets common?

 

same here, use a rubber mallet to whack the camshaft as you unscrew the cap screws each revolution

 

I would do the lot.... Then again I am the giver of the bill rather than the receiver so you could call me biased, but then again I think it is false economy not to, if you have done more than 60k miles it does not mean the primaries last for ever and you will be back in there at some point to change them along with the chains.
It is true the primary tensioner did not suffer no where near as bad as the secondary but I have seen evidence of the casings splitting mainly through going brittle with oil contamination...

But more to the point the chain guides fall apart a lot quicker and this does require the chest plate removal, I would almost guarantee every 100k car that has only had the secondary tensioner done have shot chain guides

 

I agree with Beep777. I also used the zip-tie method - very straightforward. there are many write-ups with photos of this forum

 

+1 for zip tie. Just make sure you inspect the primary followers.

 

That was in MD. I think I got the same quote at Import Auto group in South Holland. Again, this is just to replace the secondary tensioners.

 

Just to represent the tool side....I was able to borrow a set so that cost was not a factor. The 10mm bolts holding the cam sprockets on are pretty tight and I needed a breaker bar. Used a hex drive on a long extension to clear the engine, as testpoint said. I liked the cam locking tools, as I knew the timing was okay when the job was done. The new gasket set with the O-rings will stop the leaks. Sounds like either way works fine, just do it so you don't have a trashed engine on you hands. At 65,000mi my tensioners were split and one slipper came off with a slight pull. Dodged a bullet.

 

The thread address below will describe my replacing the upper tensioners using the zip tie method along with a complete set of pictures. With the mileage you have on the car you must do at least this and do it NOW. The primary chain system will normally make noise before a really bad failuer giving you time to do the job then. The upper is not like that. You can get destrustive failure just starting the engine requiring pulling a head or maybe even engine replacement. My car had 42K miles when I did this job. The car now has 49K miles and is runnin great.

No special tools required with the zip tie method. Just a good sensitive torque wrench


https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ics-how-52653/

 

I have a question regarding the subject. I'm thinking on doing the job myself on my car, since I'm a student I'm a little tight on money. I was wondering if there is an equivalent ford tensioner that I can buy for less money than the ultra expensive jaguar part and have absolutely no problems with?

 

Ford parts are identical to the Jag tensioners in all aspects except the price. The same tensioners were used in a Lincoln LS engine. Here are the FORD part numbers:

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 - YOU MUST USE THESE NEW, SLIGHTLY SHORTER BOLTS)

Try www.sunroadfordparts.com good pricing, quick delivery.

 

I am doing this on my 98 XJR look at this source on ebay, his prices are better than the dealer shown
JAGUAR, LINCOLN items in CHRISTOPHER'S FOREIGN CAR PARTS store on eBay!

 

Perhaps you should look again. My reading is that the Ford dealer tensioners are about $20 less even adding the bolts included in Christopher's site.

 

$20 less than the Jaguar dealer tensioners or less than what Roger linked to?

I noticed you only gave me the part numbers for the secondary tensioners, what about the primary ones? Should I also change those?