Sad story to report : cruising home from the golf course the other night when my 2001 XKR developed an odd noise from the back-end. I kept going hoping I could make it home but car the decided to break about halfway to my house. I pulled in to a large turn out area and tried a few things . Stop -start the engine. It is okay, no codes. Started engine, put in drive, car moves forward, albeit with a big clanking sound from the rear with every rotation. Reverse, the same. So engine and tranny seem fine. My guess before it gets up on the hoist is a broken universal joint on the right rear drive axle. I will find out tomorrow or the next day. Any thoughts?

 

Ted, I once lost the rear end. Good news is it wasn't just a clang - it was a LOUD bang then a shudder kind like u drove over a telephone pole when I drove her forward after it happened.

Keep us posted.

John

 

Ouch! Sounds very much like a catastrophically failed U-joint. My '05 XK8 with 106,000 miles has just started making a slight (single) "pop" sound in the left rear when starting forward from a stop. Haven't jacked up the car to see if the U-joints are serviceable (aka, with retainer clips = replaceable) or if they are permanently pressed in from the factory (no clips). I do know that new half shafts are no longer available but used ones still are. The half axle shaft assembly number for a 2000-2005 XK8/XKR is MNE3240AB, which also fits a 00'-02' Vanden Plas or XJ8, or a 00'-03' XJR.

A quick search reveals both the clipped in U-joint and pressed U-joints are still available, at least from the UK, so we might be able to locate replacements a little closer to home: https://www.scparts.co.uk/sc_en/brit...nt-197050.html. Always good to try and cross index parts like this; I had a 1972 Corvette Stingray once that suddenly started screeching when a rear U-joint began going out. Found that a 1956 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup U-joint was a matching crossover part and was only 1/3rd the price of the Corvette-branded one!

Looking around for more options here... Keep us apprised of your own findings and resolution!

 

Thanks for taking the time to share your information. What I have discovered is that the rear-end has self destructed. Having never before lost a rear-end, I didn’t recognize the noise. I was lucky enough to source a brand new rear Differential from Welsh Enterprises in Ohio. The installation occurred yesterday and I should be driving the car again this afternoon. The problem with these differentials is that they are not beefy enough for the XKR torque and HP. It was recommended to me that I should get a Limited Slip differential from an XJ 6 but I couldn’t find one. If this rear-end goes bad I will definitely search out a heavier differential. On a better note, the whole undercarriage of the car looks good, no rust, and all the suspension components are solid.

 

Just want to follow up about your post. Have you been able to replace the U-joint ? If so press or clip one’s ?
any parts number to refered ?

thank you
Michel

 

So when was the last time you took out the oil level plug in the diff and checked the level?
Let me guess ..never...................