Just had the tensoners checked and replaced at my trusty local workshop.
They were the original Mk 1 plastic ones. A big crack in one slipper!
Now all back together with new type, all new gaskets and O rings, oil and filter change £550 all in. Best money I have spent in a long time.

A very big thank you to forum members for posting the dangers of the tensioners - if I had not been a forum member and seen the warnings I would definitely have been one of those with a knackered engine in a few months time.

While I am sharing the good news here's a bit more. Wife has a 2007 Toyota RAV4 - 2.2 XT4 diesel - very nice but 2 days ago head gasket blew! A well recognised issue on these engines. Anyway, thanks to Toyota's extended warranty for this fault just been told I will have a brand new engine fitted at no cost. Very happy.

Steve

 

Great news on both fronts, thanks for sharing your positives

 

Hi
Can you tell what type tensioners you have without removing half the engine?
Cheers

 

Nope - I went down that route even suggesting using an endoscope but was dissuaded not a good move. Only sure way is to take cam covers off and use the Mk1 eyeball. I chose not to do it myself as I just don't have the tools, garage space or time and have a great local workshop. I guess the only exception is if they have been replaced by a Jaguar main dealer there will likely be a computer record logged.

For the peace of mind and the potential of preventing a catastrophic not to say expensive failure it's a no brainer to get it checked.

Steve

 

Glad for you. I changed mine last week and found one with a one inch crack!

 

And for you. Those look a different pattern and colour to mine.

 

This could have been the next thing you would have seen: