Recalls

[RichardSEL]

Do main agents put a sticker on the spare wheel well for "Campaign Recalls"?
Got the service book for my recently acquired '01MY X308 and there's no recall stamps in it

Was the change from plastic to metal chain tensioners a recall?
How can I know whether it's been done?

Thanks to help in here, I've got the DDW but there's nothing listed there either

[J44EAG]

I don`t know about boot stickers or re-call procedure.

There may have been warranty work as a result of broken tensioners. It took Jaguar three or four attempts before they came up with the ali units. I found plastic units in my 02 S-type V8 and they were badly cracked at 44k miles. I had them changed immediately to the ali jobs. About £100 a pair.

The only reliable way of seeing what is in your engine is to lift a cam cover. I have an endoscope but getting that camera head inside a V8 is impossible.

Unless you have reliable paperwork for your car which clearly shows that ali tensioners were fitted, I would have a cam cover off for inspection. After fifteen years use, any plastic units will be living on borrowed time.

Mike

[PaulGover]

Do main agents put a sticker on the spare wheel well for "Campaign Recalls"?

Not as far as I know, but any Jaguar agent should be able to query their vehicle history database and tell you which recalls have been acted on.

[RichardSEL]

So, assuming the tensioners were a recall, it should be listed then...

My nearest is Lancaster Jaguar (Sidcup, with helpful friendly JEC member inside)
Popped down to have this XJ8 checked out and they're either gone or re-developing

As soon as my V5C arrives will write to supplying / first six years' service dealer. Last I spoke they said I'd have to apply "in person" for it's history. It's grim up t'north...

[BrianG]

So, assuming the tensioners were a recall, it should be listed then...

Tensioners were unfortunately not a recall item. Recalls are for safety issues or potential safety issues. The subject of the last one I had done on my X308 (free by main dealers) was to check/reposition one of the hoses from the power steering pump to prevent possible chafing on the bodywork (mine was OK anyway).

For the chain tensioners - and also later waterpump - I had to get these upgraded by an independent dealer - main dealers were far too expensive. If you need to get 'tensioners' done make sure the job includes a complete kit: don't just change the top tensioners, fit new chains at the same time, plus change the primary chains and tensioners as well. It's important to check/change the water pump to the later metal impeller type - if you still have one with plastic blades it's living on borrowed time and will wreck the engine if the blade(s) break up and jam the waterways in the block.

[J44EAG]

Good links here to the subjects in this thread. Recommended reading.
http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=3324
http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=193&t=5187
http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=193&t=4727
http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=201&t=6228

Plenty more good gen to be had under engine sections of X308, XK8 and S-type boards. Most of this is applicable to 3.2 and 4.0 litre models. Later 4.2 V8 models had these issues resolved prior to leaving the factory and the above issues are irrelevant.

Mike

[RichardSEL]

Had my Sport XJ8 '01MY with engine # that decodes to a build date of 19th January 2001 checked. It did have the steel tensioner --
Have now an Exec XJ8 also '01MY with engine # that decodes to a build date of 20th April 2001

Is it safe to assume that the later engine build date would have the steel tensioner?
There's no tick-tick-tick on start-up from cold from either