Another New Guy. 3.2 or 4.0 Confused !!!

[JSoapy0]

Hi Everybody. I live in the very cold and windy North East of Scotland. But when I get in my recently acquired 1997 XJ8 3.2 Executive, in Sea Frost Silver [thought I'd bought a 4.0. explain later] it brings a smile to my face.

Unfortunately I didn't check any online forums before I bought it. Mine has done 87000 miles and the interior and engine bay are like a 2 year old car not a soon to be 12 years old.
The engine starts instantly and quietly, and runs at normal temp. Gearbox is as smooth as silk and when you select the sport button, it pulls like a train all the way to 7000rpm. It has lots of service history but no mention of any Tensioner replacements.

The car was initially registered with Jaguar Cars Press Dept Company Vehicles and wasn't sold to the public until it was 3 years old 40000 miles.

I have phoned the Jaguar Dealer who originally supplied it and gave them the chassis No and Engine No to see if they had any history on the cars Tensioners. He then informed me, my car was a 3.2. I informed him that the V5 stated it was 39986cc and even the HPI check was showing 4.0. Could somebody explain that??? I phoned the previous owner and he was astonished, he had always thought it was a 4.0. I have looked in the engine bay but cannot find anything to confirm one way or the other. So I will just have to go with what Jaguar say and inform DVLA and my insurance.

I've no idea what generation Tensioners/Throttle Body/Water Pump I have fitted and don't know how to check without taking everything apart. Can I presume after 87000 miles they would have been upgraded/replaced???

If anybody has any other info that would be useful to me, it would be appreciated. I'm looking forward to working through the Forum getting all the great gen/experiences that owners have shared.

[BigNige]

There's a cracking post somewhere on Pistonheads which lists all the problems, relevant VIN numbers and solutions etc, it's what I read before I bought my X308 but...being a bit of a dimwit I can't find it now although it came up via a Google search.

[The Leaper]

Hi Soapy,

Welcome to this Jaguar site. The thread you want is as follows:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I think all Jaguar enthusiasts who regularly visit this page feel that Broadbean's post is the definitive source of info regarding purchasing an XJ, particularly the V8.

Good luck with the XJ8 !

R.

[Jaguar steve]

Don't assume all the remedial work has been done. A lot of owners either don't know or have not bothered. You'll have to check that the car has the third generation metal bodied secondary timing chain tensioners fitted and has the revised water pump and a reasonably recent thermostat for peace of mind. The temperature gauge is not always a reliable indication that all's well with the cooling system.

Take off the right hand cam cover and have a look at the secondary chain tensioner - easy to see. If it has a shiny metal body then you're OK, if it's a yellow/cream/orange/discoloured plastic one then get them both changed as soon as poss.

The later water pump has a black rubber gasket, the earlier type is metal.

I'd suggest you spend some beer tokens at a good independent. Get the tensioners checked and have a full fluid change done - the sealed for life gearbox and 'diff can and should have the oil changed if you want them to last. Or if you are reasonably good at spannering it's easy enough to DIY, the V8's are not as difficult to work on as most people think.

Have a read of Broardbeans thread and spend some time trawling here too for more info.

[JSoapy0]

Thanks guys. As soon as it stops blowing a gale and pissing down I'll take the RH engine cover off for a look. Is it simple enough. I have had a quick look. I think if I take the Air filter box and trunking off it should just be a few bolts around the edge of the cover. Is there anything I should be careful with.

Thanks for help so far.

[Jaguar steve]

JSoapy0 said:

Thanks guys. As soon as it stops blowing a gale and pissing down I'll take the RH engine cover off for a look. Is it simple enough. I have had a quick look. I think if I take the Air filter box and trunking off it should just be a few bolts around the edge of the cover. Is there anything I should be careful with.

Thanks for help so far.

Yup, that's about it.

On plug coils need to come off. Be careful with the connectors and cables, they are a bit fragile, and obviously don't drop anything inside the engine. 9 times out of 10 you can reuse the plug seals and cam box gaskets with no problem.

Always remove the right hand cover, the left one is a complete bd to get off as the dipstick retaining lug is cleverly designed not to come away from the mounting stud without removing the dipstick tube as well. I took a sharp drill to mine...and it's not a lug anymore.

[groomi]

Is it possible the engine has been replaced (probably due to either nikasil or tensioners), but has been replaced with the wrong size?

[x200sxy]

Hello,

Where are you? I'm in Aberdeen. There's a cracking specialist for the 6 and 12 cyl. cars near Pittodrie but he will certainly advise and help with the V8 too an dknows theore foibles, he does work on them as I took my XJ8 and XK8 there before I went back to my XJS.

Cheers, Mark.

[JSoapy0]

x200sxy said:

Hello,

Where are you? I'm in Aberdeen. There's a cracking specialist for the 6 and 12 cyl. cars near Pittodrie but he will certainly advise and help with the V8 too an dknows theore foibles, he does work on them as I took my XJ8 and XK8 there before I went back to my XJS.

Cheers, Mark.

Hi Mark

I'm in Cruden Bay

My Phone No is 01779 812083, if you could give me a bell and give me the benefit of your experience of owning an XJ8

Regards John S

[x200sxy]

I'll certainly give you a bell before I go to Singapore on Sunday. Is that number just weekends and evenings?

Cheers, Mark.

[JSoapy0]

x200sxy said:

I'll certainly give you a bell before I go to Singapore on Sunday. Is that number just weekends and evenings?

Cheers, Mark.

Hi Mark

I am off work just now so you can phone anytime.

Cheers
John

[JSoapy0]

JSoapy0 said:

x200sxy said:

I'll certainly give you a bell before I go to Singapore on Sunday. Is that number just weekends and evenings?

Cheers, Mark.

Hi Mark

I am off work just now so you can phone anytime.

Cheers
John

Hi Mark

Do you remember the name of the Garage near Pittodrie.

I would like to give him a call.

John

[Gramrugby]

Don't have the phone no but I assume it's David Cunningham Ardarroch Road.
His father started the business years ago and I would imagine has since passed on.
I've never used them but his father was legendary in Jaguar circles.

[x200sxy]

Tis Mr. Cunningham. I'll call with the number soon, don't partuclarly want to give it out here. He's right next door to AW Autotech.

David snr. is still on top form and can be found there must of the time.

Gramrugby said:

Don't have the phone no but I assume it's David Cunningham Ardarroch Road.
His father started the business years ago and I would imagine has since passed on.
I've never used them but his father was legendary in Jaguar circles.

[Gramrugby]

Glad to hear it. He must be a fair age now though.

[x200sxy]

78 I think, nice bloke, smokes and swears with the best of 'em.

Gramrugby said:

Glad to hear it. He must be a fair age now though.

[Gramrugby]

I first met him in the early 70's. He used to work all night and then sleep in a caravan in the yard during the day !.
The night shift boys in blue used to spend a lot of time there drinking coffee etc.

[JSoapy0]

Hi folks. Still haven't managed to get the Cam Cover off yet.
Question. I've found out my engine has Nicasil Bores. Do I spend a fortune getting the Primary and Secondary Tensioners done as a preventative measure and have a time bomb of the bores wearing out hanging over my head.
Does anybody know if there is a realistic limit on the maximum miles the Nicasil bores will do. My car has done 87000 miles and as I stated before is starting and running fine at the moment.
I believe if the bores wear out then I can't get them resleeved so would mean a replacement engine if I could get a good one.
Love the car but don't want to have in my head the thought that the next time I start it, could be its last.
John

[drummerboyXJR]

Do a search for broadbeans authoratative post on the nikasil issue, its all been well covered here. HTH

[Jaguar steve]

JSoapy0 said:

Hi folks. Still haven't managed to get the Cam Cover off yet.
Question. I've found out my engine has Nicasil Bores. Do I spend a fortune getting the Primary and Secondary Tensioners done as a preventative measure and have a time bomb of the bores wearing out hanging over my head.
Does anybody know if there is a realistic limit on the maximum miles the Nicasil bores will do. My car has done 87000 miles and as I stated before is starting and running fine at the moment.
I believe if the bores wear out then I can't get them resleeved so would mean a replacement engine if I could get a good one.
Love the car but don't want to have in my head the thought that the next time I start it, could be its last.
John

There's no need to have concerns about Nicasil linings now. High Sulphur fuel which contributed to the bore errosion problem was withdrawn nine years ago. If it's OK now then the chances are it will be OK for ever.

If the car starts from cold and there's no evidence of oil deposits in the air intake trunking or on the throttle body then don't worry.
As an additional check, when the engine is hot and idling, loosen the oil filler cap and just lift it slightly away from the filler hole. A healthy engine will have a slight internal vacuum and little or no oil mist inside. If there is a cloud of mist expelled or a lot of positive pressure then you may have a Nicasil problem - or a blocked breather pipe - or be badly in need of an oil change.

If that's no help then have a blow by test done at a Jaguar dealer to put your mind at rest.
Nicasil engines are - all other things being equal - likley to last longer than the steel lined ones

The first and second generation secondary tensioners need to be changed because of poor choice of materials and the decision taken to shave ounces off the weight and pennies off the price in manufacture. They have a hard life due to the direct contact with the chain and tensioner and disintigrate with age/heat/wear in various unpleasant ways. The primary tensioners do not contact the chains directly and are not subjected to the same loads.

There have been some cases where all the chains, guides and tensioners have been replaced. This is usually down to either very high mileage, neglected servicing, very cautious diagnosis or an expensive combination of all three. IMO if you really need to change the whole lot then you're looking at a neglected and pretty worn engine that's quite likley to have other problems lurking too.

Change or check the secondary tensioners as soon as you can. Do a full fluid change and use a good quality semi or full synthetic engine oil, changing every 6/7k or so. Try to avoid short journeys and especially the flooding issues which have come to attention (again ) and the V8 is capable of space shuttle mileages.

I've driven a 181000 mile early Nicasil XJ8 that was whisper quiet and went like a train. The reason it was like that is you could hardly get the glove box shut due to the ammount of reciepts for routine servicing and general care and attention inside.