New Project: Tensioners
#82
07-18-2019 | 10:26 AM
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Joined: Jul 2019
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From: Horseshoe, Va
I purchased my timing chain kit from JaguarTimingKits.
Sounds like the same idea as Terrys kit - most gaskets were OEM.
Installed well, but has only been on the car for 2 months now.
Followed what I thought was a valve tick, turned out that the lower tensioners had frozen and the guides were chipped & cracked.
Definitely dodged a bullet.
Changed it at home in the driveway in 2 days. One day to remove, one day to put back together. Cleaned all parts on the evening between.
No more tick, lot less worry.
Sounds like the same idea as Terrys kit - most gaskets were OEM.
Installed well, but has only been on the car for 2 months now.
Followed what I thought was a valve tick, turned out that the lower tensioners had frozen and the guides were chipped & cracked.
Definitely dodged a bullet.
Changed it at home in the driveway in 2 days. One day to remove, one day to put back together. Cleaned all parts on the evening between.
No more tick, lot less worry.
#83
07-18-2019 | 11:51 AM
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Joined: May 2019
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From: Sunapee, NH
Thanks for your replies. I recently purchased 2000 XK8 Coupe with 72000 miles. Very clean car but has a few common issues that I have seen posted here. Seller was second owner but did not know if timing chains and tensioners have been replaced. My plan is to remove a cam cover to see if secondary tensioners were replaced and if not will proceed to tackle the job of replacing chains, tensioners and guides.
#84
07-18-2019 | 04:55 PM
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#86
07-21-2019 | 11:11 AM
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#87
08-06-2019 | 12:17 PM
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Now that it's been a few months since I finished the tensioners project, I want to add one more comment. The only part of the job that I was less than comfortable with was reinserting the oil dipstick tube. I only pulled it out as far as necessary for the left cam cover removal, but I was afraid that it might not go back into the engine properly. I was unable to see where the dipstick tube goes into the engine. Since the top of the dipstick tube is supported by and slips over a stud on the cam cover, I didn't have much play when I reinstalled it. I just pushed it straight down onto the stud. I figured that if it leaked, I'd cut the hole in the tab that goes over the stud on the cam cover and make it a fork so that I could wiggle the dipstick tube in, then slide the fork over the stud.
I didn't have to do that, as I've had a clean piece of cardboard under the car and it's still clean. No leaks.
I didn't have to do that, as I've had a clean piece of cardboard under the car and it's still clean. No leaks.
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volkris (08-06-2019)
#88
08-31-2019 | 07:18 AM
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From: Maryland
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DavidYau (08-31-2019)
#89
09-28-2019 | 12:15 PM
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From: Maryland
I finished buttoning the motor up late yesterday afternoon and started it up this morning. It went off without a hitch.
My original guides and tensioners still looked pretty good very light wear on both the primary and secondary wear surfaces. No cracks at all on the primary chain guides. One secondary tensioner body had the very beginnings of a crack forming in the usual area, barely visible. I probably could have gone years without replacing anything given the mileage I drive. I didn't replace the chains themselves as there was no need to.
Very few issues during the job. A few of the retaining clips on the coil pack connectors broke when I disconnected them, I secured the clips with wire ties when I reassembled. Some threadlocker residue was preventing the installation of the new crankshaft pulley bolt so I chased the threads with an M16x2 tap. I had a few moments head scratching about the wire harness routing when reinstalling the intake manifold (I removed it to check the valley hoses but the previous owner had already replaced them) That's pretty much it.
My original guides and tensioners still looked pretty good very light wear on both the primary and secondary wear surfaces. No cracks at all on the primary chain guides. One secondary tensioner body had the very beginnings of a crack forming in the usual area, barely visible. I probably could have gone years without replacing anything given the mileage I drive. I didn't replace the chains themselves as there was no need to.
Very few issues during the job. A few of the retaining clips on the coil pack connectors broke when I disconnected them, I secured the clips with wire ties when I reassembled. Some threadlocker residue was preventing the installation of the new crankshaft pulley bolt so I chased the threads with an M16x2 tap. I had a few moments head scratching about the wire harness routing when reinstalling the intake manifold (I removed it to check the valley hoses but the previous owner had already replaced them) That's pretty much it.
#90
09-30-2019 | 07:18 PM
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Ronald Vennell (10-01-2019)
#91
10-01-2019 | 06:13 AM
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From: Maryland
Absolutely. That nagging "what if" that I had every time I drove it is gone.
The next thing is to replace that valve in the transmission that potentially could lead to the A drum grenading. Information is good but it doesn't make for a peaceful mind......
The next thing is to replace that valve in the transmission that potentially could lead to the A drum grenading. Information is good but it doesn't make for a peaceful mind......
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DavidYau (10-02-2019)
#92
12-11-2020 | 11:46 PM
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Joined: Sep 2020
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From: Jerome Idaho
I started tackling the replacement of the timing chains and tensioners. I have most of the parts and tools, the remaining ones are ordered and should arrive soon. I was going to wait until I had everything, but I have enough to get going and I wanted to get started.
The car has 103,000 miles and no symptoms of any engine problems, nor did it ever have any. It purrs like a kitten but it's time to do this, before bad things happen.
I'm planning to document the experience for myself and others as I go. 35 years in commercial aircraft maintenance will do that to you.
I replaced the spark plugs with Autolite Iridium XPs which I got from Rock Auto and with a rebate that came out to $16 including shipping. Two bucks each for those in my hands is cheap. The removed plugs were blacker than I'd like to see but they were all the same color so no individual cylinder issues. Maybe better fuel in the future will lower the carbon deposits. I admit to buying some cheaper gas in the past, but not anymore. Just the good stuff from now on.
Another enlightening moment was that I did a compression check while replacing the spark plugs and I came to the conclusion that there is no reason not to check compression any time I replace spark plugs. It is so quick and easy there is no excuse.
The Harbor Freight Compression test kit P/N 62638 costs about 25 dollars and you can always find a 20% off coupon, so do the math. It's cheap. The threaded end of the hose provided in the kit fits so there is no need for the adapters in the kit. I put a little oil on the threads of the hose end and shoved it into the spark plug hole. Gently spin the rubber hose by hand until tight and it went in 8 times out of 8 tries. Crank the engine and read the gauge, then move it to another cylinder. It was ridiculously easy.
I removed the fuel pump relay in the trunk during the compression check.
Now the battery is out of the car and on a trickle charger for the duration of this event.
Today I got as far as removing the right cam cover which was easy except for the lower back bolt. It was a little tight for clearance, but not too bad.
I'm not rushing this job, I expect it to take a few weeks, depending on how much time I can devote to it each day. I'm much more interested in remaining organized and good results than breaking any land speed records.
Harbor Freight moving blankets are serving well as fender covers.
A husky puppy and a black lab/shepherd mix make sure I don't get disturbed, except when I first go to the garage and they extort me for protection biscuits. That's my fault for keeping dog biscuits in the garage.
If anyone has any questions or comments, fire away.
Greg
The car has 103,000 miles and no symptoms of any engine problems, nor did it ever have any. It purrs like a kitten but it's time to do this, before bad things happen.
I'm planning to document the experience for myself and others as I go. 35 years in commercial aircraft maintenance will do that to you.
I replaced the spark plugs with Autolite Iridium XPs which I got from Rock Auto and with a rebate that came out to $16 including shipping. Two bucks each for those in my hands is cheap. The removed plugs were blacker than I'd like to see but they were all the same color so no individual cylinder issues. Maybe better fuel in the future will lower the carbon deposits. I admit to buying some cheaper gas in the past, but not anymore. Just the good stuff from now on.
Another enlightening moment was that I did a compression check while replacing the spark plugs and I came to the conclusion that there is no reason not to check compression any time I replace spark plugs. It is so quick and easy there is no excuse.
The Harbor Freight Compression test kit P/N 62638 costs about 25 dollars and you can always find a 20% off coupon, so do the math. It's cheap. The threaded end of the hose provided in the kit fits so there is no need for the adapters in the kit. I put a little oil on the threads of the hose end and shoved it into the spark plug hole. Gently spin the rubber hose by hand until tight and it went in 8 times out of 8 tries. Crank the engine and read the gauge, then move it to another cylinder. It was ridiculously easy.
I removed the fuel pump relay in the trunk during the compression check.
Now the battery is out of the car and on a trickle charger for the duration of this event.
Today I got as far as removing the right cam cover which was easy except for the lower back bolt. It was a little tight for clearance, but not too bad.
I'm not rushing this job, I expect it to take a few weeks, depending on how much time I can devote to it each day. I'm much more interested in remaining organized and good results than breaking any land speed records.
Harbor Freight moving blankets are serving well as fender covers.
A husky puppy and a black lab/shepherd mix make sure I don't get disturbed, except when I first go to the garage and they extort me for protection biscuits. That's my fault for keeping dog biscuits in the garage.
If anyone has any questions or comments, fire away.
Greg
#94
06-28-2022 | 09:49 AM
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Sorry to dig up an old thread, My car has only 55k miles and purrs like a kitten but I do believe in preventive maintenance. This job has haunted me but now I feel it's well within my capabilities. I'm good with just about anything you can do with hand tools but don't want to get in to things like impact guns and welding, and the other brute force things needed to do stuff like suspension work. Considering the mileage on my car, I'm in the camp to retain the OEM timing chains. It's not a matter of cost, but I question the build and material quality of 2022 steel parts vs something from the 1990's. My car will mostly be a garage queen, taken out on weekends in the summer. I'm getting the upper strut bushings replaced this weekend and might replace the hydraulic lines for the convertible top. This looks like a good winter project for when the car will spend six months in the garage. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Thank you Greg for this excellent write up!
#95
08-31-2022 | 03:37 PM
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Brett,
You can do this, just take your time, stay organized, and don't look for shortcuts. Slow forward progress is perfectly acceptable. This is not a timed event.
I wanted to capture all of the issues I encountered and how I resolved them for the benefit of others and my future self.
With that knowledge, you're better off than I was so your results should be just as good.
You can do this, just take your time, stay organized, and don't look for shortcuts. Slow forward progress is perfectly acceptable. This is not a timed event.
I wanted to capture all of the issues I encountered and how I resolved them for the benefit of others and my future self.
With that knowledge, you're better off than I was so your results should be just as good.
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