XKR 4.0 2002 - What to look for?
Discussion
Hi All.
After a long and extensive search for "the right one" I might have found it. I've been on the hunt for an XK8/XKR for a while now, seen quite a few and one (a XK8) really looked great. I agreed a deal, subject to an inspection. Sadly, the inspection revealed rotten cills, a rotten passenger side floor and a perforation in the front wheel area. If that was what we could see without too much difficulty, then what couldn't we see? So the search continued and I now have found an XKR that to all intents and purposes fits the bill.
I don't want a concours car, I want a nice looking one that I am happy to take out for a drive and if we hit a muddy puddle then it will just need a wash. I want the car to be a car, albeit a predominantly "weekend" car.
So I have my sights on a XKR Coupe, 4.0. Black with Ivory leather interior. Looks very tidy and decently lowish mileage.
As a 2002, I assume that the issues with the engine bores are not for this age car? I've also read extensively about issues with timing belts/chains, predominantly on the XK8, so again, is this something that needs considering with the XKR and at what mileage should it be done/changed/checked?
Finally, are there any "classic" areas that I need to look at on an XKR of that age which would give an indication of a deterioration that might be excessive. I'm not looking to buy it use it sell it on, I really want to buy it and cherish it for the next stage of its life (and mine!)
Cheers
Steve
After a long and extensive search for "the right one" I might have found it. I've been on the hunt for an XK8/XKR for a while now, seen quite a few and one (a XK8) really looked great. I agreed a deal, subject to an inspection. Sadly, the inspection revealed rotten cills, a rotten passenger side floor and a perforation in the front wheel area. If that was what we could see without too much difficulty, then what couldn't we see? So the search continued and I now have found an XKR that to all intents and purposes fits the bill.
I don't want a concours car, I want a nice looking one that I am happy to take out for a drive and if we hit a muddy puddle then it will just need a wash. I want the car to be a car, albeit a predominantly "weekend" car.
So I have my sights on a XKR Coupe, 4.0. Black with Ivory leather interior. Looks very tidy and decently lowish mileage.
As a 2002, I assume that the issues with the engine bores are not for this age car? I've also read extensively about issues with timing belts/chains, predominantly on the XK8, so again, is this something that needs considering with the XKR and at what mileage should it be done/changed/checked?
Finally, are there any "classic" areas that I need to look at on an XKR of that age which would give an indication of a deterioration that might be excessive. I'm not looking to buy it use it sell it on, I really want to buy it and cherish it for the next stage of its life (and mine!)
Cheers
Steve
Zulu 10 said:
By 2002 the bore issue was overcome by using steel instead of Nikisil.
There's some debate about precisely when the 'third generation' (steel as opposed to plastic) timing chain tensioners were introduced. They were certainly fitted to all 4.2 cars and there is a suggestion that the last of the 4.0 cars benefited.
My 4.0 car is a MY 2000 version and has the plastic tensioners which were degrading and showing cracks when I bought the car at 24,000 miles!
The specialist tools required to do the change are now available for less than £100 and the parts are £350 ish.
Thankfully the XKR doesn't have VVT so less to worry about, and some people will tell you only to do the top tensioners, but if you'd seen the state of my primary tensioners after such low mileage I think you'd do them all.
Rust wise the floor pans are a nightmare: mine were both holed by 30,000 miles but until you lift the carpets it's difficult to see.
If you get a chance to look underneath then you'll see a lateral seam under the floor mid-way along the car. Try prodding the underseal near the seam to see whether it's still attached. That will give you an idea of whether there's water twixt floor and underseal.
Also, look carefully at the lip at the rear edge of the cill where it becomes the front of the rear wheel arch IYSWIM for that area has a propensity to rust out.
Inner edge front tyre wear will give you an idea of the state of the bushes and ball joints.
You won't know until you own the car and can dismatle it, but the vee mounts between the rear of the front sub frame and the body are prone to delaminate. They're cheap but a pain to do.
Will add to this list as more things dawn on me.
That's very helpful thanks. I've had a good read through the "buyers guide" on the sticky which is also excellent, but having some info about specific areas for that particular age is very useful. I appreciate your input.There's some debate about precisely when the 'third generation' (steel as opposed to plastic) timing chain tensioners were introduced. They were certainly fitted to all 4.2 cars and there is a suggestion that the last of the 4.0 cars benefited.
My 4.0 car is a MY 2000 version and has the plastic tensioners which were degrading and showing cracks when I bought the car at 24,000 miles!
The specialist tools required to do the change are now available for less than £100 and the parts are £350 ish.
Thankfully the XKR doesn't have VVT so less to worry about, and some people will tell you only to do the top tensioners, but if you'd seen the state of my primary tensioners after such low mileage I think you'd do them all.
Rust wise the floor pans are a nightmare: mine were both holed by 30,000 miles but until you lift the carpets it's difficult to see.
If you get a chance to look underneath then you'll see a lateral seam under the floor mid-way along the car. Try prodding the underseal near the seam to see whether it's still attached. That will give you an idea of whether there's water twixt floor and underseal.
Also, look carefully at the lip at the rear edge of the cill where it becomes the front of the rear wheel arch IYSWIM for that area has a propensity to rust out.
Inner edge front tyre wear will give you an idea of the state of the bushes and ball joints.
You won't know until you own the car and can dismatle it, but the vee mounts between the rear of the front sub frame and the body are prone to delaminate. They're cheap but a pain to do.
Will add to this list as more things dawn on me.
Edited by Zulu 10 on Monday 7th November 18:02
Is there any easy way of identifying whether the engine has plastic tensioners or not?
Edited by chalgravesteve on Tuesday 8th November 08:56
Zulu 10 said:
Sadly, as a potential buyer, not without removing a cam cover, and even then you'll only find out about the top ones, and from reading many web postings there are a lot of owners who take the easy and cheap way out by hoping that the lower tensioners will survive.
As the tensioners are driven by oil pressure, whilst they may not disintegrate, a series of cracks will allow oil to escape back to the sump instead of being used where it's needed: at the top of the engine. Added to that Jaguar's ridiculous idea of making the oil pressure gauge read normal at anything over 6 psi, and as I see it there's a disaster waiting to happen.
As an instant upgrade I would recommend you consider Real Gauge which was developed in the U.S. and converts the coolant temp and oil pressure gauges back to being proper indications of what's really happening in the engine, rather than some Coventry code monkey's idea of what looks good.
OK so hopefully the 7 jaguar stamps will be accompanied by invoices/paperwork which shows its been upgraded to metal ones. Otherwise it will need to be investigated. CheersAs the tensioners are driven by oil pressure, whilst they may not disintegrate, a series of cracks will allow oil to escape back to the sump instead of being used where it's needed: at the top of the engine. Added to that Jaguar's ridiculous idea of making the oil pressure gauge read normal at anything over 6 psi, and as I see it there's a disaster waiting to happen.
As an instant upgrade I would recommend you consider Real Gauge which was developed in the U.S. and converts the coolant temp and oil pressure gauges back to being proper indications of what's really happening in the engine, rather than some Coventry code monkey's idea of what looks good.
chalgravesteve said:
Zulu 10 said:
Sadly, as a potential buyer, not without removing a cam cover, and even then you'll only find out about the top ones, and from reading many web postings there are a lot of owners who take the easy and cheap way out by hoping that the lower tensioners will survive.
As the tensioners are driven by oil pressure, whilst they may not disintegrate, a series of cracks will allow oil to escape back to the sump instead of being used where it's needed: at the top of the engine. Added to that Jaguar's ridiculous idea of making the oil pressure gauge read normal at anything over 6 psi, and as I see it there's a disaster waiting to happen.
As an instant upgrade I would recommend you consider Real Gauge which was developed in the U.S. and converts the coolant temp and oil pressure gauges back to being proper indications of what's really happening in the engine, rather than some Coventry code monkey's idea of what looks good.
OK so hopefully the 7 jaguar stamps will be accompanied by invoices/paperwork which shows its been upgraded to metal ones. Otherwise it will need to be investigated. CheersAs the tensioners are driven by oil pressure, whilst they may not disintegrate, a series of cracks will allow oil to escape back to the sump instead of being used where it's needed: at the top of the engine. Added to that Jaguar's ridiculous idea of making the oil pressure gauge read normal at anything over 6 psi, and as I see it there's a disaster waiting to happen.
As an instant upgrade I would recommend you consider Real Gauge which was developed in the U.S. and converts the coolant temp and oil pressure gauges back to being proper indications of what's really happening in the engine, rather than some Coventry code monkey's idea of what looks good.
Only the first generation orange bodied secondary tensioners are activated by oil pressure. Jaguar incorporated a spring into the second gen cream coloured and metal third gen ones to keep the secondary chains permanently tensioned thereby solving the problem of slack and momentary start up rattle prior to oil pressure climbing on the first design and issued a TSB advising dealers to change to the second type only if the customer complained of noise. If you're told the tensioners have been changed they may well have been, from the first gen type to second gen type for precisely this reason but both have plastic bodies and both can fail catastrophically.
To confirm what tensioners are fitted you either need to see proof that the metal tensioner part numbers C2A1511 and C2A1512 along with the different length bolts have definitely been fitted to your car or take the RH cam cover off and have a look.
Jaguar steve said:
No first generation XK8 or XJ8 will have left the factory with metal tensioners. They were introduced on the launch of the 4.2 engine and only then became available as a retrofit to both the earlier 3.2 and 4.0 V8.
Only the first generation orange bodied secondary tensioners are activated by oil pressure. Jaguar incorporated a spring into the second gen cream coloured and metal third gen ones to keep the secondary chains permanently tensioned thereby solving the problem of slack and momentary start up rattle prior to oil pressure climbing on the first design and issued a TSB advising dealers to change to the second type only if the customer complained of noise. If you're told the tensioners have been changed they may well have been, from the first gen type to second gen type for precisely this reason but both have plastic bodies and both can fail catastrophically.
To confirm what tensioners are fitted you either need to see proof that the metal tensioner part numbers C2A1511 and C2A1512 along with the different length bolts have definitely been fitted to your car or take the RH cam cover off and have a look.
Thanks for that. Very useful. So, a 2002 4.0 XKR will not have had metal tensioners unless it has been upgraded. CheersOnly the first generation orange bodied secondary tensioners are activated by oil pressure. Jaguar incorporated a spring into the second gen cream coloured and metal third gen ones to keep the secondary chains permanently tensioned thereby solving the problem of slack and momentary start up rattle prior to oil pressure climbing on the first design and issued a TSB advising dealers to change to the second type only if the customer complained of noise. If you're told the tensioners have been changed they may well have been, from the first gen type to second gen type for precisely this reason but both have plastic bodies and both can fail catastrophically.
To confirm what tensioners are fitted you either need to see proof that the metal tensioner part numbers C2A1511 and C2A1512 along with the different length bolts have definitely been fitted to your car or take the RH cam cover off and have a look.
chalgravesteve said:
Jaguar steve said:
No first generation XK8 or XJ8 will have left the factory with metal tensioners. They were introduced on the launch of the 4.2 engine and only then became available as a retrofit to both the earlier 3.2 and 4.0 V8.
Only the first generation orange bodied secondary tensioners are activated by oil pressure. Jaguar incorporated a spring into the second gen cream coloured and metal third gen ones to keep the secondary chains permanently tensioned thereby solving the problem of slack and momentary start up rattle prior to oil pressure climbing on the first design and issued a TSB advising dealers to change to the second type only if the customer complained of noise. If you're told the tensioners have been changed they may well have been, from the first gen type to second gen type for precisely this reason but both have plastic bodies and both can fail catastrophically.
To confirm what tensioners are fitted you either need to see proof that the metal tensioner part numbers C2A1511 and C2A1512 along with the different length bolts have definitely been fitted to your car or take the RH cam cover off and have a look.
Thanks for that. Very useful. So, a 2002 4.0 XKR will not have had metal tensioners unless it has been upgraded. CheersOnly the first generation orange bodied secondary tensioners are activated by oil pressure. Jaguar incorporated a spring into the second gen cream coloured and metal third gen ones to keep the secondary chains permanently tensioned thereby solving the problem of slack and momentary start up rattle prior to oil pressure climbing on the first design and issued a TSB advising dealers to change to the second type only if the customer complained of noise. If you're told the tensioners have been changed they may well have been, from the first gen type to second gen type for precisely this reason but both have plastic bodies and both can fail catastrophically.
To confirm what tensioners are fitted you either need to see proof that the metal tensioner part numbers C2A1511 and C2A1512 along with the different length bolts have definitely been fitted to your car or take the RH cam cover off and have a look.
JS X308 Buyers Guide
OVERVIEW
To avoid model confusion between the XJ models the 1997-2002 V8 engined XJ8 can be referred to by its factory designation as the X308. The all new at the time V8 engine in the 308 has similar architecture to current cars and is available in a 3.2, a 4.0 with VVT and a supercharged 4.0 and all versions are 5 speed auto only.
Engines were revised in the late 1999 model year from the original AJ26 version to AJ27. A XJ8 fitted with the revised engine version can be identified by a VIN number ending in five, not six digits. AJ26 engines suffered with weak water pumps, weak secondary timing chain tensioners and throttle body failures and had a Nicasil coating applied directly on the cylinder bore walls rather than using conventional steel liners pressed into the block.
ENGINE NICASIL
Some Nicasil coatings eroded due to a combination of high Sulphur content fuel and repeated short trips. Sulphur maximum allowable levels in petrol were lowered considerably in Jan 2000 so any pre 2000 Nicasil coated engine that you know for sure is OK now should not be any concern. Several Nicasil engines were changed under warranty so you may find a pre 2000 car with a later steel lined engine fitted - identify this by the presence of a green tag on the head buried at the back of the RH bank and the engine change should also be recorded in the history. Symptoms of bore erosion and loss of compression are fast cranking, poor cold starting, a lumpy idle and heavy oil deposits in the breather system and air intake. Crankcase pressure will be high too – a quick check for this is to undo and slightly lift the oil filler cap at hot idle. There should be little or no internal pressure or fumes escaping. Jaguar dealers can perform a blow by check to determine engine condition. A good condition engine will show less than 20l/m anything over 30 l/m is shagged.
ENGINE COOLING
Impellors on AJ26 water pumps can disintegrate giving a loss of efficiency leading to overheating and potential head gasket failure. An early pump can be changed to the later version with a metal, not plastic impellor. The temperature gauge is software driven and is not always an accurate refection of actual coolant temperature.
For an indication of water pump efficiency, remove the coolant header tank cap when the engine is absolutely stone cold, start up and gently increase engine speed. If the water pump is healthy you should see a strong stream of coolant into the tank from the thin black pipe that runs from the top left of the radiator to the header tank.
You may be able to identify the later type of pump by the presence of a black plastic, not metal gasket, but the only certain way is to remove the pump and have a look. Spring type coolant hose clips can loose tension and let pipes blow off and some plastic parts on the hoses, unions and thermostat housing are very delicate. Check all over the engine compartment for evidence of coolant leaks, particularly around the thermostat/filler cap tower and coolant (valley) pipes underneath the inlet manifold as well as around the expansion tank hidden under the front of the nearside wing. Leave the engine idling to make sure the cooling fans kick in. Sniff around too as hot coolant has a distinctive smell. Auxiliary heater pump failures cause loss of heat output in the cabin at low engine RPM. Two types of coolant available for the XJ8 - don’t mix the later orange long life one with the earlier green one.
ENGINE THROTTLE BODIES
AJ26 throttle bodies all ought to have been changed to the later design under a factory safety recall. Some of the early bodies suffered from failing actuating motors causing to the engine to cut out completely on a high speed overrun. The later design should have been factory fitted to all cars from VIN 043775 onward.
SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS AND CHAINS
The only post AJ26 revision engine issue that remains is the secondary timing chain tensioners. These were replaced by a mk 2 version in Oct 1998 from engine no 98102106XX but the mk 2 type still had a plastic body which can crack or break up leading to slipped or broken chains. Mk 1 tensioners are actuated by engine oil pressure and failure can often be identified by a sharp rattling noise similar to a bicycle chain dragging on the chain guard on a cold start. The mk2 type is permanently tensioned by an integral spring instead which means it’ll usually fail silently.
A permanent solution is to retro-fit the later mk3 version tensioner made with a metal, not plastic body from the later 4.2 incarnation of the V8 engine. Jaguar issued a TSB in 2005 advising the fitment of these to the X308. Only way to be sure of which tensioners are fitted to an 308 is to either have a receipt with tensioner part numbers C2A1511 and C2A1512 which are the metal bodied type and the required 4 shorter bolts to fit them on it relating to that particular car or remove the RH cam cover - the LH is a PITA to get off - and have a look. A reddish/orange (mk1) plastic or cream (mk2) plastic tensioner body is bad news, a grey aluminum metal one (mk3) is good.
The cam phasing on the V8 places uneven loading on the timing chains and they can stretch at high mileages or on neglected cars. If this is identified then a full chain and tensioner replacement is required costing up to £1000. If the chains and sprockets and guides are serviceable then it’s a sensible move to fit the mk3 secondary tensioners which is a fairly easy DIY job. Tensioners cost around £75 a set plus a couple of quid for new bolts. Camshaft setting tools can be hired from the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club. Secondary tensioners can also be changed without any setting tools by tie wrapping the secondary chain to the exhaust cam sprocket and jamming the chain on the inlet cam sprocket with a wedge of wood to preserve the timing and removing the exhaust cam all together. Taking the cam out gives just enough room to ease the secondary tensioner away from position and fit a replacement. Chains slipping one tooth – usually on a cold start - will give a very rough running engine, more than one tooth slipped means exhaust valves will contact pistons.
A good general rule of thumb for engine condition is quiet running with just faint injector tick audible and internal cleanliness. Bright shiny metal inside the oil filler cap and dipstick along with clean oil and no evidence of leaks is a good sign, as is clear coolant that does not smell or taste bitter or acrid.
GEARBOX/DRIVELINE
X308 gearboxes were marketed as “sealed for life” meaning no oil changes are called for in the schedule to reduce servicing costs. It's a ZF unit in the n/a cars and a Mercedes one in the supercharged cars. Any hesitation or engagement of Drive with a jerk as the engine speed rises means a potential gearbox failure looming and any gearbox stuck in 4th or 5th or only driving in reverse is FUBAR'd. A very faint gear whine may be heard in intermediate gears but any gearbox issues or concerns are potentially fatal. An oil and filter change might be all thats needed to cure a gearbox malfunction like occasional reluctant or rough changes but thats never guaranteed. Gear changes should be seamless and quiet and you should have instant response using the throttle, Sport switch and J gate selector.
Ideally the gearbox oil and filter should be changed at 50k then at 25k intervals; it's not a simple drain and refill on the ZF box as the final fill has to be done quickly with the engine running and within a narrow temperature range. There is no conventional dipstick for checking oil level.The ZF 5 speed box on the n/a cars requires Esso/Mobil longlife LT 71141 fluid also known as Lifeguard Fluid 5 and not conventional Dexron 3. The Mercedes gearbox in the supercharged version is also sealed for life but the same change requirement apply although you can use standard Dexron 3 in this box and once you have fitted a temporary dipstick its a much less complex job to do. Some transmission specialists offer a flush and change service done via the rather fragile oil cooler pipes in the radiator which also gets most of the oil otherwise retained in the torque converter out.
The same sealed for life marketing applies to the rear axle. Oil ought be changed but there’s no drain plug so old oil has to be vacuum extracted out of the filler plug. Refill with a API GL5 75 or 85/90 oil. Whiny diffs - a high mileage Jaguar specialty feature - can be quieted down considerably with EP140 or even EP250 oil.
BODY, PAINT AND CORROSION
Substantially better than earlier Jaguars. But look for corrosion round the rear wheel arches, round the front and rear screens especially underneath the screen rubbers in the bottom corners, bottom of the front wings, sill closing panels, jacking points and most importantly on the inner wing behind the front shocks on both sides. There's a reinforcing plate where the engine sub frame V mount is bolted to the body rail and some cars have corroded badly here. Corrosion around the same area may also be visible in the engine compartment on the top of the body rail around the heads of the two 10mm bolts that retain the top of the V mounts. Corrosion here is an MOT fail and a big welding job if the subframe has to be dropped. Another area to check is the joint between the rear of the front inner wings and the bulkhead. Body and paintwork is otherwise pretty good however some darker coloured cars suffer from peeling lacquer. Darker cars often appear to have slight but consistent orange peel in the lacquer all over the body too but you can use this to spot inconsistencies and start thinking about accident damage repairs. Bumper corners are susceptible to damage and bumper mounting brackets can corrode. Lacquer on the XJ8 is soft and easy to scratch with careless washing Providing you can’t actually feel scratches with a thumbnail and the paint colour underneath is OK it’s possible to restore the bodywork to a glossy finish with a mornings detailing if that's your thing. Stripe down body flanks if car has one is hand painted and not always completely straight.
INTERIOR
Very cozy given the size of the car. Always leather with different levels of trim and seating design. Wood trim clips on and is easy to change to different design. Drivers seat back and steering wheels tend to suffer from wear. Head linings can sag. LWB version is 4" longer and the extra room is in the rear seat floorpan. Check everything and repeatedly cycle the whole climate and a/c system through all vent operations and temperature range and run the interior fans at high speed while doing so and listen for any vibration caused by foam sealing strips coming off the flaps and jaming in the fans.
SUSPENSION, TYRES AND BRAKES
X308s are heavy and can be hard on suspension and brakes. Listen and feel very carefully for any clonking or knocking over bumps and make sure the car comes to a straight judder-free stop under both light and hard braking. Stop the car on the handbrake to make sure it works. A sharp rattle heard and felt through the steering over bumps combined with a little free play in the steering wheel may be a worn crush joint on the lower steering column. A clattery rattle from the rear is likely to be failed shock bushes or worn rear exhaust hangers. A soft clonk from the front might just be anti roll bar bushes. X308s with weak rear A frame bushes or worn rear hub pivots will tend to self steer and wander about under hard acceleration.
Look and feel round the tyres for uneven wear patterns; any suspension wear or bush failure allowing incorrect geometry will cause tyres to feather badly and excessive wear in the inside edges of the fronts is sometimes a symptom of excess negative camber from wishbone bush or ball joint failure rather than excess toe out. There is a subtle difference in the two wear patterns with excess toe out usually causing a even slope across the tyre and excess camber more likely to show a sudden step up in wear on the inside 25%. Slight and even feathering inside and out is normal on the front tyres.
308s are very sensitive to wheel and tyre imbalances or damage, typically you'll feel a steering wobble between 50-70MPH and possibly vibration through the seat from anything over 45MPH if there are any tyre problems or buckled wheels. A Hunter Roadforce wheel balance may help diagnosis. Incorrect tyre pressures and knackered or faulty tyres will severely influence handling and ride. Most X308s exhibit a faint exhaust harmonic around 50 and another one at 65MPH. You might possibly experience a hint of driveline vibration through the body too. Don't expect too much in the way of the legendary Jaguar ride quality either - it's acceptable on touring (black shocks) suspension and 16" wheels but sport suspension cars (green shocks) have higher damping rates and have a thicker front anti roll bar and one fitted on the rear too which when combined with larger diameter wheels and lower profile tyres gives a hard crashy ride on poor roads. CATS suspension may be fitted as an option to any X308. CATS has electronically controlled valves in the shocks to vary the damping rates depending on driving style. Identify CATS by the presence of a plastic cover over the top of the front shock absorber with a lead going into it.
ELECTRICAL/OBD2 DIAGNOSTICS
Electrical systems are generally pretty robust. As with any old car you might have the odd problem so check absolutely everything works. X308 is OBD2 compliant and a £20 code reader plugged into the socket in the driver’s footwell will help diagnosis a lot. Electric aerials are easy to damage but easy to replace, there are occasional O2 sensor, airflow meter and brake light switch failures. Non working key fobs usually need nothing more than new batteries, a clean and easy DIY reprogramme. 308's need a strong battery to avoid random error messages appearing on start up. If you get one – usually TRAC FAIL – the battery is on its way out or needs several days on a trickle charge to bring it back up to full capacity.
BUYING AND LIVING WITH AN XJ
Generally the 1997-2002 XJ8 is a strong car and capable of big mileages if maintained well and not abused or neglected. It's mostly easy enough car for a competent DIYer to work on and parts are pretty reasonable and in good supply from several independents and the Jaguar Classic Parts scheme. The few specialist tools required can be hired from the JEC.
Expect around 26/8 MPG on the motorway or touring, between 20 and 24 around town and mid teens or less if you're nailing it in a n/a car, the supercharged versions typically use more. Quality tyres start around £100 a corner in 16" diameter size. Early cars fall into a cheaper VED bracket then later ones. Servicing schedule is annual or 10000 miles. 70k service is the expensive one on n/a cars
3.2 does 0-60 in 8.1s and the 4.0 is a second quicker.
Shortening intervals between servicing and using a genuine fully synthetic oil is worthwhile IMO. It’ll help protect the timing chains and give a small improvement in fuel economy. Keeping oil topped up to the maximum mark - both my V8's have used a little - is a plan too as it reduces stress on the oil and both reduces the possibility of oil starvation on rapid cornering and seems somehow to make a subtle improvement in refinement. A through rust proofing and full fluid change is a benefit too if you want to preserve the car. Waxoil has the effect of lubricating suspension components and a good soaking - not anywhere near the brakes 'tho please - will subtly improve the ride quality.
Keeping the inside of the throttle body and the elements of the airflow meter spotlessly clean as well as the 2.5mm calibrated bleed hole in the breather system will stabilize and improve throttle response and consistency especially at small openings. Again it's a subtle but worthwhile improvement. Any leaks in the air intake or breather system need fixing.
Providing the suspension components are all OK and the tyres are reasonable a occasional Hunter full 4 wheel laser alignment geometry check and reset will improve feel of the car dramatically. Small changes in tyre pressure have a unusually big influence on how the car drives too.
One last thing. A software error means its a very bad thing to start an X308 from cold and then switch off again straightaway or before allowing the temp gauge to move off the cold section of the scale. There's a chance are it’ll flood when you next start and wash all the oil of the bores and it’s a right PITA to get it running again.
Jaguar steve said:
Yes. Essentially the same car mechanically as the 1998-2002 XJ8.
JS X308 Buyers Guide
OVERVIEW
To avoid model confusion between the XJ models the 1997-2002 V8 engined XJ8 can be referred to by its factory designation as the X308. The all new at the time V8 engine in the 308 has similar architecture to current cars and is available in a 3.2, a 4.0 with VVT and a supercharged 4.0 and all versions are 5 speed auto only.
Engines were revised in the late 1999 model year from the original AJ26 version to AJ27. A XJ8 fitted with the revised engine version can be identified by a VIN number ending in five, not six digits. AJ26 engines suffered with weak water pumps, weak secondary timing chain tensioners and throttle body failures and had a Nicasil coating applied directly on the cylinder bore walls rather than using conventional steel liners pressed into the block.
ENGINE NICASIL
Some Nicasil coatings eroded due to a combination of high Sulphur content fuel and repeated short trips. Sulphur maximum allowable levels in petrol were lowered considerably in Jan 2000 so any pre 2000 Nicasil coated engine that you know for sure is OK now should not be any concern. Several Nicasil engines were changed under warranty so you may find a pre 2000 car with a later steel lined engine fitted - identify this by the presence of a green tag on the head buried at the back of the RH bank and the engine change should also be recorded in the history. Symptoms of bore erosion and loss of compression are fast cranking, poor cold starting, a lumpy idle and heavy oil deposits in the breather system and air intake. Crankcase pressure will be high too – a quick check for this is to undo and slightly lift the oil filler cap at hot idle. There should be little or no internal pressure or fumes escaping. Jaguar dealers can perform a blow by check to determine engine condition. A good condition engine will show less than 20l/m anything over 30 l/m is shagged.
ENGINE COOLING
Impellors on AJ26 water pumps can disintegrate giving a loss of efficiency leading to overheating and potential head gasket failure. An early pump can be changed to the later version with a metal, not plastic impellor. The temperature gauge is software driven and is not always an accurate refection of actual coolant temperature.
For an indication of water pump efficiency, remove the coolant header tank cap when the engine is absolutely stone cold, start up and gently increase engine speed. If the water pump is healthy you should see a strong stream of coolant into the tank from the thin black pipe that runs from the top left of the radiator to the header tank.
You may be able to identify the later type of pump by the presence of a black plastic, not metal gasket, but the only certain way is to remove the pump and have a look. Spring type coolant hose clips can loose tension and let pipes blow off and some plastic parts on the hoses, unions and thermostat housing are very delicate. Check all over the engine compartment for evidence of coolant leaks, particularly around the thermostat/filler cap tower and coolant (valley) pipes underneath the inlet manifold as well as around the expansion tank hidden under the front of the nearside wing. Leave the engine idling to make sure the cooling fans kick in. Sniff around too as hot coolant has a distinctive smell. Auxiliary heater pump failures cause loss of heat output in the cabin at low engine RPM. Two types of coolant available for the XJ8 - don’t mix the later orange long life one with the earlier green one.
ENGINE THROTTLE BODIES
AJ26 throttle bodies all ought to have been changed to the later design under a factory safety recall. Some of the early bodies suffered from failing actuating motors causing to the engine to cut out completely on a high speed overrun. The later design should have been factory fitted to all cars from VIN 043775 onward.
SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS AND CHAINS
The only post AJ26 revision engine issue that remains is the secondary timing chain tensioners. These were replaced by a mk 2 version in Oct 1998 from engine no 98102106XX but the mk 2 type still had a plastic body which can crack or break up leading to slipped or broken chains. Mk 1 tensioners are actuated by engine oil pressure and failure can often be identified by a sharp rattling noise similar to a bicycle chain dragging on the chain guard on a cold start. The mk2 type is permanently tensioned by an integral spring instead which means it’ll usually fail silently.
A permanent solution is to retro-fit the later mk3 version tensioner made with a metal, not plastic body from the later 4.2 incarnation of the V8 engine. Jaguar issued a TSB in 2005 advising the fitment of these to the X308. Only way to be sure of which tensioners are fitted to an 308 is to either have a receipt with tensioner part numbers C2A1511 and C2A1512 which are the metal bodied type and the required 4 shorter bolts to fit them on it relating to that particular car or remove the RH cam cover - the LH is a PITA to get off - and have a look. A reddish/orange (mk1) plastic or cream (mk2) plastic tensioner body is bad news, a grey aluminum metal one (mk3) is good.
The cam phasing on the V8 places uneven loading on the timing chains and they can stretch at high mileages or on neglected cars. If this is identified then a full chain and tensioner replacement is required costing up to £1000. If the chains and sprockets and guides are serviceable then it’s a sensible move to fit the mk3 secondary tensioners which is a fairly easy DIY job. Tensioners cost around £75 a set plus a couple of quid for new bolts. Camshaft setting tools can be hired from the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club. Secondary tensioners can also be changed without any setting tools by tie wrapping the secondary chain to the exhaust cam sprocket and jamming the chain on the inlet cam sprocket with a wedge of wood to preserve the timing and removing the exhaust cam all together. Taking the cam out gives just enough room to ease the secondary tensioner away from position and fit a replacement. Chains slipping one tooth – usually on a cold start - will give a very rough running engine, more than one tooth slipped means exhaust valves will contact pistons.
A good general rule of thumb for engine condition is quiet running with just faint injector tick audible and internal cleanliness. Bright shiny metal inside the oil filler cap and dipstick along with clean oil and no evidence of leaks is a good sign, as is clear coolant that does not smell or taste bitter or acrid.
GEARBOX/DRIVELINE
X308 gearboxes were marketed as “sealed for life” meaning no oil changes are called for in the schedule to reduce servicing costs. It's a ZF unit in the n/a cars and a Mercedes one in the supercharged cars. Any hesitation or engagement of Drive with a jerk as the engine speed rises means a potential gearbox failure looming and any gearbox stuck in 4th or 5th or only driving in reverse is FUBAR'd. A very faint gear whine may be heard in intermediate gears but any gearbox issues or concerns are potentially fatal. An oil and filter change might be all thats needed to cure a gearbox malfunction like occasional reluctant or rough changes but thats never guaranteed. Gear changes should be seamless and quiet and you should have instant response using the throttle, Sport switch and J gate selector.
Ideally the gearbox oil and filter should be changed at 50k then at 25k intervals; it's not a simple drain and refill on the ZF box as the final fill has to be done quickly with the engine running and within a narrow temperature range. There is no conventional dipstick for checking oil level.The ZF 5 speed box on the n/a cars requires Esso/Mobil longlife LT 71141 fluid also known as Lifeguard Fluid 5 and not conventional Dexron 3. The Mercedes gearbox in the supercharged version is also sealed for life but the same change requirement apply although you can use standard Dexron 3 in this box and once you have fitted a temporary dipstick its a much less complex job to do. Some transmission specialists offer a flush and change service done via the rather fragile oil cooler pipes in the radiator which also gets most of the oil otherwise retained in the torque converter out.
The same sealed for life marketing applies to the rear axle. Oil ought be changed but there’s no drain plug so old oil has to be vacuum extracted out of the filler plug. Refill with a API GL5 75 or 85/90 oil. Whiny diffs - a high mileage Jaguar specialty feature - can be quieted down considerably with EP140 or even EP250 oil.
BODY, PAINT AND CORROSION
Substantially better than earlier Jaguars. But look for corrosion round the rear wheel arches, round the front and rear screens especially underneath the screen rubbers in the bottom corners, bottom of the front wings, sill closing panels, jacking points and most importantly on the inner wing behind the front shocks on both sides. There's a reinforcing plate where the engine sub frame V mount is bolted to the body rail and some cars have corroded badly here. Corrosion around the same area may also be visible in the engine compartment on the top of the body rail around the heads of the two 10mm bolts that retain the top of the V mounts. Corrosion here is an MOT fail and a big welding job if the subframe has to be dropped. Another area to check is the joint between the rear of the front inner wings and the bulkhead. Body and paintwork is otherwise pretty good however some darker coloured cars suffer from peeling lacquer. Darker cars often appear to have slight but consistent orange peel in the lacquer all over the body too but you can use this to spot inconsistencies and start thinking about accident damage repairs. Bumper corners are susceptible to damage and bumper mounting brackets can corrode. Lacquer on the XJ8 is soft and easy to scratch with careless washing Providing you can’t actually feel scratches with a thumbnail and the paint colour underneath is OK it’s possible to restore the bodywork to a glossy finish with a mornings detailing if that's your thing. Stripe down body flanks if car has one is hand painted and not always completely straight.
INTERIOR
Very cozy given the size of the car. Always leather with different levels of trim and seating design. Wood trim clips on and is easy to change to different design. Drivers seat back and steering wheels tend to suffer from wear. Head linings can sag. LWB version is 4" longer and the extra room is in the rear seat floorpan. Check everything and repeatedly cycle the whole climate and a/c system through all vent operations and temperature range and run the interior fans at high speed while doing so and listen for any vibration caused by foam sealing strips coming off the flaps and jaming in the fans.
SUSPENSION, TYRES AND BRAKES
X308s are heavy and can be hard on suspension and brakes. Listen and feel very carefully for any clonking or knocking over bumps and make sure the car comes to a straight judder-free stop under both light and hard braking. Stop the car on the handbrake to make sure it works. A sharp rattle heard and felt through the steering over bumps combined with a little free play in the steering wheel may be a worn crush joint on the lower steering column. A clattery rattle from the rear is likely to be failed shock bushes or worn rear exhaust hangers. A soft clonk from the front might just be anti roll bar bushes. X308s with weak rear A frame bushes or worn rear hub pivots will tend to self steer and wander about under hard acceleration.
Look and feel round the tyres for uneven wear patterns; any suspension wear or bush failure allowing incorrect geometry will cause tyres to feather badly and excessive wear in the inside edges of the fronts is sometimes a symptom of excess negative camber from wishbone bush or ball joint failure rather than excess toe out. There is a subtle difference in the two wear patterns with excess toe out usually causing a even slope across the tyre and excess camber more likely to show a sudden step up in wear on the inside 25%. Slight and even feathering inside and out is normal on the front tyres.
308s are very sensitive to wheel and tyre imbalances or damage, typically you'll feel a steering wobble between 50-70MPH and possibly vibration through the seat from anything over 45MPH if there are any tyre problems or buckled wheels. A Hunter Roadforce wheel balance may help diagnosis. Incorrect tyre pressures and knackered or faulty tyres will severely influence handling and ride. Most X308s exhibit a faint exhaust harmonic around 50 and another one at 65MPH. You might possibly experience a hint of driveline vibration through the body too. Don't expect too much in the way of the legendary Jaguar ride quality either - it's acceptable on touring (black shocks) suspension and 16" wheels but sport suspension cars (green shocks) have higher damping rates and have a thicker front anti roll bar and one fitted on the rear too which when combined with larger diameter wheels and lower profile tyres gives a hard crashy ride on poor roads. CATS suspension may be fitted as an option to any X308. CATS has electronically controlled valves in the shocks to vary the damping rates depending on driving style. Identify CATS by the presence of a plastic cover over the top of the front shock absorber with a lead going into it.
ELECTRICAL/OBD2 DIAGNOSTICS
Electrical systems are generally pretty robust. As with any old car you might have the odd problem so check absolutely everything works. X308 is OBD2 compliant and a £20 code reader plugged into the socket in the driver’s footwell will help diagnosis a lot. Electric aerials are easy to damage but easy to replace, there are occasional O2 sensor, airflow meter and brake light switch failures. Non working key fobs usually need nothing more than new batteries, a clean and easy DIY reprogramme. 308's need a strong battery to avoid random error messages appearing on start up. If you get one – usually TRAC FAIL – the battery is on its way out or needs several days on a trickle charge to bring it back up to full capacity.
BUYING AND LIVING WITH AN XJ
Generally the 1997-2002 XJ8 is a strong car and capable of big mileages if maintained well and not abused or neglected. It's mostly easy enough car for a competent DIYer to work on and parts are pretty reasonable and in good supply from several independents and the Jaguar Classic Parts scheme. The few specialist tools required can be hired from the JEC.
Expect around 26/8 MPG on the motorway or touring, between 20 and 24 around town and mid teens or less if you're nailing it in a n/a car, the supercharged versions typically use more. Quality tyres start around £100 a corner in 16" diameter size. Early cars fall into a cheaper VED bracket then later ones. Servicing schedule is annual or 10000 miles. 70k service is the expensive one on n/a cars
3.2 does 0-60 in 8.1s and the 4.0 is a second quicker.
Shortening intervals between servicing and using a genuine fully synthetic oil is worthwhile IMO. It’ll help protect the timing chains and give a small improvement in fuel economy. Keeping oil topped up to the maximum mark - both my V8's have used a little - is a plan too as it reduces stress on the oil and both reduces the possibility of oil starvation on rapid cornering and seems somehow to make a subtle improvement in refinement. A through rust proofing and full fluid change is a benefit too if you want to preserve the car. Waxoil has the effect of lubricating suspension components and a good soaking - not anywhere near the brakes 'tho please - will subtly improve the ride quality.
Keeping the inside of the throttle body and the elements of the airflow meter spotlessly clean as well as the 2.5mm calibrated bleed hole in the breather system will stabilize and improve throttle response and consistency especially at small openings. Again it's a subtle but worthwhile improvement. Any leaks in the air intake or breather system need fixing.
Providing the suspension components are all OK and the tyres are reasonable a occasional Hunter full 4 wheel laser alignment geometry check and reset will improve feel of the car dramatically. Small changes in tyre pressure have a unusually big influence on how the car drives too.
One last thing. A software error means its a very bad thing to start an X308 from cold and then switch off again straightaway or before allowing the temp gauge to move off the cold section of the scale. There's a chance are it’ll flood when you next start and wash all the oil of the bores and it’s a right PITA to get it running again.
Now that is what I call a contribution!! I am indebted to you. JS X308 Buyers Guide
OVERVIEW
To avoid model confusion between the XJ models the 1997-2002 V8 engined XJ8 can be referred to by its factory designation as the X308. The all new at the time V8 engine in the 308 has similar architecture to current cars and is available in a 3.2, a 4.0 with VVT and a supercharged 4.0 and all versions are 5 speed auto only.
Engines were revised in the late 1999 model year from the original AJ26 version to AJ27. A XJ8 fitted with the revised engine version can be identified by a VIN number ending in five, not six digits. AJ26 engines suffered with weak water pumps, weak secondary timing chain tensioners and throttle body failures and had a Nicasil coating applied directly on the cylinder bore walls rather than using conventional steel liners pressed into the block.
ENGINE NICASIL
Some Nicasil coatings eroded due to a combination of high Sulphur content fuel and repeated short trips. Sulphur maximum allowable levels in petrol were lowered considerably in Jan 2000 so any pre 2000 Nicasil coated engine that you know for sure is OK now should not be any concern. Several Nicasil engines were changed under warranty so you may find a pre 2000 car with a later steel lined engine fitted - identify this by the presence of a green tag on the head buried at the back of the RH bank and the engine change should also be recorded in the history. Symptoms of bore erosion and loss of compression are fast cranking, poor cold starting, a lumpy idle and heavy oil deposits in the breather system and air intake. Crankcase pressure will be high too – a quick check for this is to undo and slightly lift the oil filler cap at hot idle. There should be little or no internal pressure or fumes escaping. Jaguar dealers can perform a blow by check to determine engine condition. A good condition engine will show less than 20l/m anything over 30 l/m is shagged.
ENGINE COOLING
Impellors on AJ26 water pumps can disintegrate giving a loss of efficiency leading to overheating and potential head gasket failure. An early pump can be changed to the later version with a metal, not plastic impellor. The temperature gauge is software driven and is not always an accurate refection of actual coolant temperature.
For an indication of water pump efficiency, remove the coolant header tank cap when the engine is absolutely stone cold, start up and gently increase engine speed. If the water pump is healthy you should see a strong stream of coolant into the tank from the thin black pipe that runs from the top left of the radiator to the header tank.
You may be able to identify the later type of pump by the presence of a black plastic, not metal gasket, but the only certain way is to remove the pump and have a look. Spring type coolant hose clips can loose tension and let pipes blow off and some plastic parts on the hoses, unions and thermostat housing are very delicate. Check all over the engine compartment for evidence of coolant leaks, particularly around the thermostat/filler cap tower and coolant (valley) pipes underneath the inlet manifold as well as around the expansion tank hidden under the front of the nearside wing. Leave the engine idling to make sure the cooling fans kick in. Sniff around too as hot coolant has a distinctive smell. Auxiliary heater pump failures cause loss of heat output in the cabin at low engine RPM. Two types of coolant available for the XJ8 - don’t mix the later orange long life one with the earlier green one.
ENGINE THROTTLE BODIES
AJ26 throttle bodies all ought to have been changed to the later design under a factory safety recall. Some of the early bodies suffered from failing actuating motors causing to the engine to cut out completely on a high speed overrun. The later design should have been factory fitted to all cars from VIN 043775 onward.
SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS AND CHAINS
The only post AJ26 revision engine issue that remains is the secondary timing chain tensioners. These were replaced by a mk 2 version in Oct 1998 from engine no 98102106XX but the mk 2 type still had a plastic body which can crack or break up leading to slipped or broken chains. Mk 1 tensioners are actuated by engine oil pressure and failure can often be identified by a sharp rattling noise similar to a bicycle chain dragging on the chain guard on a cold start. The mk2 type is permanently tensioned by an integral spring instead which means it’ll usually fail silently.
A permanent solution is to retro-fit the later mk3 version tensioner made with a metal, not plastic body from the later 4.2 incarnation of the V8 engine. Jaguar issued a TSB in 2005 advising the fitment of these to the X308. Only way to be sure of which tensioners are fitted to an 308 is to either have a receipt with tensioner part numbers C2A1511 and C2A1512 which are the metal bodied type and the required 4 shorter bolts to fit them on it relating to that particular car or remove the RH cam cover - the LH is a PITA to get off - and have a look. A reddish/orange (mk1) plastic or cream (mk2) plastic tensioner body is bad news, a grey aluminum metal one (mk3) is good.
The cam phasing on the V8 places uneven loading on the timing chains and they can stretch at high mileages or on neglected cars. If this is identified then a full chain and tensioner replacement is required costing up to £1000. If the chains and sprockets and guides are serviceable then it’s a sensible move to fit the mk3 secondary tensioners which is a fairly easy DIY job. Tensioners cost around £75 a set plus a couple of quid for new bolts. Camshaft setting tools can be hired from the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club. Secondary tensioners can also be changed without any setting tools by tie wrapping the secondary chain to the exhaust cam sprocket and jamming the chain on the inlet cam sprocket with a wedge of wood to preserve the timing and removing the exhaust cam all together. Taking the cam out gives just enough room to ease the secondary tensioner away from position and fit a replacement. Chains slipping one tooth – usually on a cold start - will give a very rough running engine, more than one tooth slipped means exhaust valves will contact pistons.
A good general rule of thumb for engine condition is quiet running with just faint injector tick audible and internal cleanliness. Bright shiny metal inside the oil filler cap and dipstick along with clean oil and no evidence of leaks is a good sign, as is clear coolant that does not smell or taste bitter or acrid.
GEARBOX/DRIVELINE
X308 gearboxes were marketed as “sealed for life” meaning no oil changes are called for in the schedule to reduce servicing costs. It's a ZF unit in the n/a cars and a Mercedes one in the supercharged cars. Any hesitation or engagement of Drive with a jerk as the engine speed rises means a potential gearbox failure looming and any gearbox stuck in 4th or 5th or only driving in reverse is FUBAR'd. A very faint gear whine may be heard in intermediate gears but any gearbox issues or concerns are potentially fatal. An oil and filter change might be all thats needed to cure a gearbox malfunction like occasional reluctant or rough changes but thats never guaranteed. Gear changes should be seamless and quiet and you should have instant response using the throttle, Sport switch and J gate selector.
Ideally the gearbox oil and filter should be changed at 50k then at 25k intervals; it's not a simple drain and refill on the ZF box as the final fill has to be done quickly with the engine running and within a narrow temperature range. There is no conventional dipstick for checking oil level.The ZF 5 speed box on the n/a cars requires Esso/Mobil longlife LT 71141 fluid also known as Lifeguard Fluid 5 and not conventional Dexron 3. The Mercedes gearbox in the supercharged version is also sealed for life but the same change requirement apply although you can use standard Dexron 3 in this box and once you have fitted a temporary dipstick its a much less complex job to do. Some transmission specialists offer a flush and change service done via the rather fragile oil cooler pipes in the radiator which also gets most of the oil otherwise retained in the torque converter out.
The same sealed for life marketing applies to the rear axle. Oil ought be changed but there’s no drain plug so old oil has to be vacuum extracted out of the filler plug. Refill with a API GL5 75 or 85/90 oil. Whiny diffs - a high mileage Jaguar specialty feature - can be quieted down considerably with EP140 or even EP250 oil.
BODY, PAINT AND CORROSION
Substantially better than earlier Jaguars. But look for corrosion round the rear wheel arches, round the front and rear screens especially underneath the screen rubbers in the bottom corners, bottom of the front wings, sill closing panels, jacking points and most importantly on the inner wing behind the front shocks on both sides. There's a reinforcing plate where the engine sub frame V mount is bolted to the body rail and some cars have corroded badly here. Corrosion around the same area may also be visible in the engine compartment on the top of the body rail around the heads of the two 10mm bolts that retain the top of the V mounts. Corrosion here is an MOT fail and a big welding job if the subframe has to be dropped. Another area to check is the joint between the rear of the front inner wings and the bulkhead. Body and paintwork is otherwise pretty good however some darker coloured cars suffer from peeling lacquer. Darker cars often appear to have slight but consistent orange peel in the lacquer all over the body too but you can use this to spot inconsistencies and start thinking about accident damage repairs. Bumper corners are susceptible to damage and bumper mounting brackets can corrode. Lacquer on the XJ8 is soft and easy to scratch with careless washing Providing you can’t actually feel scratches with a thumbnail and the paint colour underneath is OK it’s possible to restore the bodywork to a glossy finish with a mornings detailing if that's your thing. Stripe down body flanks if car has one is hand painted and not always completely straight.
INTERIOR
Very cozy given the size of the car. Always leather with different levels of trim and seating design. Wood trim clips on and is easy to change to different design. Drivers seat back and steering wheels tend to suffer from wear. Head linings can sag. LWB version is 4" longer and the extra room is in the rear seat floorpan. Check everything and repeatedly cycle the whole climate and a/c system through all vent operations and temperature range and run the interior fans at high speed while doing so and listen for any vibration caused by foam sealing strips coming off the flaps and jaming in the fans.
SUSPENSION, TYRES AND BRAKES
X308s are heavy and can be hard on suspension and brakes. Listen and feel very carefully for any clonking or knocking over bumps and make sure the car comes to a straight judder-free stop under both light and hard braking. Stop the car on the handbrake to make sure it works. A sharp rattle heard and felt through the steering over bumps combined with a little free play in the steering wheel may be a worn crush joint on the lower steering column. A clattery rattle from the rear is likely to be failed shock bushes or worn rear exhaust hangers. A soft clonk from the front might just be anti roll bar bushes. X308s with weak rear A frame bushes or worn rear hub pivots will tend to self steer and wander about under hard acceleration.
Look and feel round the tyres for uneven wear patterns; any suspension wear or bush failure allowing incorrect geometry will cause tyres to feather badly and excessive wear in the inside edges of the fronts is sometimes a symptom of excess negative camber from wishbone bush or ball joint failure rather than excess toe out. There is a subtle difference in the two wear patterns with excess toe out usually causing a even slope across the tyre and excess camber more likely to show a sudden step up in wear on the inside 25%. Slight and even feathering inside and out is normal on the front tyres.
308s are very sensitive to wheel and tyre imbalances or damage, typically you'll feel a steering wobble between 50-70MPH and possibly vibration through the seat from anything over 45MPH if there are any tyre problems or buckled wheels. A Hunter Roadforce wheel balance may help diagnosis. Incorrect tyre pressures and knackered or faulty tyres will severely influence handling and ride. Most X308s exhibit a faint exhaust harmonic around 50 and another one at 65MPH. You might possibly experience a hint of driveline vibration through the body too. Don't expect too much in the way of the legendary Jaguar ride quality either - it's acceptable on touring (black shocks) suspension and 16" wheels but sport suspension cars (green shocks) have higher damping rates and have a thicker front anti roll bar and one fitted on the rear too which when combined with larger diameter wheels and lower profile tyres gives a hard crashy ride on poor roads. CATS suspension may be fitted as an option to any X308. CATS has electronically controlled valves in the shocks to vary the damping rates depending on driving style. Identify CATS by the presence of a plastic cover over the top of the front shock absorber with a lead going into it.
ELECTRICAL/OBD2 DIAGNOSTICS
Electrical systems are generally pretty robust. As with any old car you might have the odd problem so check absolutely everything works. X308 is OBD2 compliant and a £20 code reader plugged into the socket in the driver’s footwell will help diagnosis a lot. Electric aerials are easy to damage but easy to replace, there are occasional O2 sensor, airflow meter and brake light switch failures. Non working key fobs usually need nothing more than new batteries, a clean and easy DIY reprogramme. 308's need a strong battery to avoid random error messages appearing on start up. If you get one – usually TRAC FAIL – the battery is on its way out or needs several days on a trickle charge to bring it back up to full capacity.
BUYING AND LIVING WITH AN XJ
Generally the 1997-2002 XJ8 is a strong car and capable of big mileages if maintained well and not abused or neglected. It's mostly easy enough car for a competent DIYer to work on and parts are pretty reasonable and in good supply from several independents and the Jaguar Classic Parts scheme. The few specialist tools required can be hired from the JEC.
Expect around 26/8 MPG on the motorway or touring, between 20 and 24 around town and mid teens or less if you're nailing it in a n/a car, the supercharged versions typically use more. Quality tyres start around £100 a corner in 16" diameter size. Early cars fall into a cheaper VED bracket then later ones. Servicing schedule is annual or 10000 miles. 70k service is the expensive one on n/a cars
3.2 does 0-60 in 8.1s and the 4.0 is a second quicker.
Shortening intervals between servicing and using a genuine fully synthetic oil is worthwhile IMO. It’ll help protect the timing chains and give a small improvement in fuel economy. Keeping oil topped up to the maximum mark - both my V8's have used a little - is a plan too as it reduces stress on the oil and both reduces the possibility of oil starvation on rapid cornering and seems somehow to make a subtle improvement in refinement. A through rust proofing and full fluid change is a benefit too if you want to preserve the car. Waxoil has the effect of lubricating suspension components and a good soaking - not anywhere near the brakes 'tho please - will subtly improve the ride quality.
Keeping the inside of the throttle body and the elements of the airflow meter spotlessly clean as well as the 2.5mm calibrated bleed hole in the breather system will stabilize and improve throttle response and consistency especially at small openings. Again it's a subtle but worthwhile improvement. Any leaks in the air intake or breather system need fixing.
Providing the suspension components are all OK and the tyres are reasonable a occasional Hunter full 4 wheel laser alignment geometry check and reset will improve feel of the car dramatically. Small changes in tyre pressure have a unusually big influence on how the car drives too.
One last thing. A software error means its a very bad thing to start an X308 from cold and then switch off again straightaway or before allowing the temp gauge to move off the cold section of the scale. There's a chance are it’ll flood when you next start and wash all the oil of the bores and it’s a right PITA to get it running again.
Sadly, XKR was nowhere near an even sensible condition. It looked good in photo's and was a great example of a beautiful car that has been neglected for years. I'll continue to search and my knowledge of what to look for and what the problems are is massively enhanced.
Cheers
Try looking in the Jaguar Enthusiast and Jaguar Drivers Club classifieds.
What you need to find is an enthusiasts car that's been well looked after and not a shagged and stone rashed pile of crap some motor trader is flogging on that he's has just picked up at auction or as a main dealer p/x.
Chances are any supercharged Jaguar will have been used hard - otherwise why pay the premium to own one?
What you need to find is an enthusiasts car that's been well looked after and not a shagged and stone rashed pile of crap some motor trader is flogging on that he's has just picked up at auction or as a main dealer p/x.
Chances are any supercharged Jaguar will have been used hard - otherwise why pay the premium to own one?
A slightly sarcastic answer but couldn't resist. In answer to the original question:
a later 4.2!
On a serious note the previous posts cover cover pretty much everything you need to know. As the owner of a 4.2xkr that is used daily, I'd say go for it. I have come to the conclusion recently that the lambda sensors on mine at least must have had a life span of around 100k, as in the last 12 months all 4 have ended up packing up and needing replacing. They have done it one at a time though and left a few months between each one. it was as though the car was missing the garage!
a later 4.2!
On a serious note the previous posts cover cover pretty much everything you need to know. As the owner of a 4.2xkr that is used daily, I'd say go for it. I have come to the conclusion recently that the lambda sensors on mine at least must have had a life span of around 100k, as in the last 12 months all 4 have ended up packing up and needing replacing. They have done it one at a time though and left a few months between each one. it was as though the car was missing the garage!
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