V8 timing chain tensioner changed - just in time!
Discussion
Hi Chaps,
It wasn't too difficult and a hell of a lot cheaper than taking the 'dealer' option!
64K miles and the near side tensioner was on the way out, the top skid had already lost the nylon cover and the chain was eating away the steel backing plate. Now when it stops raining I will do the off side bank :-)
Alastair
97 XK8
It's intresting that the tensioner is of a better design than the one that I removed, it has an additional spring thus if you have a dodgy NRV you still get tension on the chain at start-up.
It wasn't too difficult and a hell of a lot cheaper than taking the 'dealer' option!
64K miles and the near side tensioner was on the way out, the top skid had already lost the nylon cover and the chain was eating away the steel backing plate. Now when it stops raining I will do the off side bank :-)
Alastair
97 XK8
It's intresting that the tensioner is of a better design than the one that I removed, it has an additional spring thus if you have a dodgy NRV you still get tension on the chain at start-up.
It isn't too expensive, the tensioners are around £50 each and that is all you need, being a modern engine all the gaskets are reusable polymer items. I'll try and post a picture with the cam cover removed if there is a photo area around this site. I haven't been on for ages as I have been out of the country.
Alastair
P.S. The signs were a nasty rattle on cold starts, apart from that I believe that the tensioners are simply a poor design and WILL fall to bits given time, not just MIGHT fall to bits :-) As I say my XK has done 64k, it's an early example and from the internal condition of the engine, has been well looked after (just lightly stained brown). Even so, the tensioners were totally fu@ked.
Alastair
P.S. The signs were a nasty rattle on cold starts, apart from that I believe that the tensioners are simply a poor design and WILL fall to bits given time, not just MIGHT fall to bits :-) As I say my XK has done 64k, it's an early example and from the internal condition of the engine, has been well looked after (just lightly stained brown). Even so, the tensioners were totally fu@ked.
Someone asked about special tools.
Ideally you need the cam timing block and the sprocket holding tool, however you can use the tool for taking the disk off an angle grinder (9" cutter) to hold the sprocket and line up the camshafts using a suitable strait edge on the machined flats near the front of the shafts. (if you were tampering with the primary chains you would most certainly need the JAG timing tools)
The sprocket bolt is a 10mm allen which is very tight to get to, you need an allen key with a ball on the end attached to a torque wrench that will do 120Nm.
Oh yea, if you do it without the special tools you need two people to get the sprocket bolt torqued up again :-)
As it happens I got my dad to get the replacement tensioners from JAG whilst I was in sunny Nigeria (sh@t hole), they had two types listed but only one that matched my VIN, so he got the ones they suggested. Plastic, but with some extra moulded ribs around the shaft and a spring to stop bleed down rattles. I suspect the other one that came up on the dealer parts screen was the later metal ones, but what the hell I should be able to pass the 100k miles mark now :-)
Alastair
Ideally you need the cam timing block and the sprocket holding tool, however you can use the tool for taking the disk off an angle grinder (9" cutter) to hold the sprocket and line up the camshafts using a suitable strait edge on the machined flats near the front of the shafts. (if you were tampering with the primary chains you would most certainly need the JAG timing tools)
The sprocket bolt is a 10mm allen which is very tight to get to, you need an allen key with a ball on the end attached to a torque wrench that will do 120Nm.
Oh yea, if you do it without the special tools you need two people to get the sprocket bolt torqued up again :-)
As it happens I got my dad to get the replacement tensioners from JAG whilst I was in sunny Nigeria (sh@t hole), they had two types listed but only one that matched my VIN, so he got the ones they suggested. Plastic, but with some extra moulded ribs around the shaft and a spring to stop bleed down rattles. I suspect the other one that came up on the dealer parts screen was the later metal ones, but what the hell I should be able to pass the 100k miles mark now :-)
Alastair
NormanD said:
Just had a letter from Jaguar today to say there in
'NO KNOW PROBLEM with tensioners.'
FAILING AFTER 45,000 miles!!!
Hi Norman,
Jaguar's response on that is bo**ocks! You can use this web site and countless others (including one US site with a successful civil claim, I beileve) to prove that timing chain tensioners on Jag V8 is a fundamental design fault. Contact Jaguar customer relations direct, they can be very good
Gassing Station | Jaguar | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff