Well, I've gotten to the cams and inspected the 2nd tensioner on the right hand side of the engine. I have what appears to be the original unmolested plastic tensioners still in the engine with no apparent/visible cracks or ground up parts. I did not think there would be as this 1997 XK8 with only 35000 m. seems to have been well cared for. However, I sure can't just button it up and call it good.
So thoughts now turn to replacing the tensioners and getting new gaskets. Of course, my question is in the title of this thread. Where do people trust the supply from? I have seen prices from $10.00 ( really) to over $100.00 each for the tensioners and from approx. $150.00 to approx.$ 500.00 for the gasket set including the bolt seals for the cam covers.
Let me know what your experience has been on the quality available from the different vendors.
Thanks,
Dennis