replacement tensioners on my 98 xk8

[mickmoor1]

hi there my name is Mick (some call me Mick Jagger )
This is my first entry into the forum as i have just purchased a 1998 xk8 convertable, i am looking for a bit of guidence on having the tensioners replaced, i recently rang my local Jaguar dealer Sturgess in Leicester for a price to have the work carried out after seeing the item in the magazine.
I mentioned to the person on the service desk that it was as a precautionary job, " well "" she told me that they had never done any and was nothing to be worred about , but after reading several postings i am having second thoughts???
The car has done 82.000 miles with 2 owners and F J SH, the thing that i am concerned about is a ticking noise when cold is this the sign that they are wearing out??????
I have been a jaguar owner for 15 yrs or so with XJS V12/4.2 ETYPE that i restored over a 5 year period/ XJ40/ X300/ XJ8 4.00 (just sold)
Now my wife has a Stype 3.0, and i have my super car. by the way its a toy i have bought for my pending retirement after a life as a plumber and heating engineer ,

[GrandTourer]

Welcome to the forum and Bulletin Board, Mick.
Congrats on your choice of retirement toy, I hope you have as much fun with it as all of us.
Now, tensioners
I also had my secondary chain tensioners replaced last year, just as a precaution and after many months of research.
My car is a MY00 and had 69Kmiles at the time. I have now owned the car just over two years and added about 24kmiles in that time. It runs superbly and has given me no problems other the the odd quirk, like one of the rear lights not always coming on, needs a tap, etc.
Although, I live in Leicester, I generally use a main dealer in Coventry, who have always looked after me very well, which I can't say about my local dealer.
Having sat through a number of JEC seminars, I got to know of David Marks, Nottingham and always heard good reports about him.
So, I asked him about the tensioners and he gave me sensible and practical advise, without any pushing for the work. In the end the decision always is yours, wether you want to take the risk or be procative.
Although, I had no indications of any problems with the tensioners, no noise or anything else, I decided to have them done for piece of mind.
It cost £ 350.00 including all parts, tensioners, new gaskets, seals, bolts and 3 hours time.
Dave has done many of these in the past and the present and I would not hesitate to recommend him, whatever the distance you need to travel. For something like this you can wait for it (and will most likely get a cup of tea). Nice people to do business with.

With the noise as you describe, I would only recommend, take a trip up to Nottingham. Dave is also our Technical Support Guru of the XK8 forum and you'll fing his contact details in the JEC magazine (his tel no: 0115 982 2808).
Hope this helps and you can get this sorted soon - you'll sleep better as well

[mickmoor1]

Hi Karl

Many thanks for the reply so soon
Thanks for the information on David Marks, yes i do know of him as i recently ask for some help on how to replace a headlamp module for my wifes Stype as a pheasent ran in front of her on a trip to Newark.
Unfortunately they had never had to do one, so i got it done locally.
I will have to get the tensioners sorted, as you say i will be able to sleep a little better ,and i intend to go touring Devon and Cornwall late june,
i have also been looking at some other postings on the water pump replacements as well,I ts a bit worrying so i suppose i will have to get it all sorted a the same time, ah well looks like some of the money from my xj8 i have just sold looks earmarked, more money out of my pension fund haha BYE MICK

[gasman1003]

Hi Mike,

David Marks automatically replaces the water pump if he does the tensioners.

Jaguar are now on about the 4th generation one and it now seems to cost only around £50. False economy not to have it done.

I am planning on having tensioners done next month and will definitely ask for a pump.

Enjoy the car, they are fab

[GrandTourer]

Good advise, Gasman. Waterpump and also the thermostat at the same time. I was not aware of that issue when I had my tensioners done or I would have had both done at the same time.
Well, my car is now reaching 70Kmiles, so I think both of these items will be done soon by David and I will also have my transmission oil changed, even if it is supposed to be a sealed-for-life unit. David Marks also recommends this in one of his seminars.

[mickmoor1]

Hi gasman
Thanks for the info, I have been today to have my car booked in at a local family run independent jaguar repair and service garage , the boss showed me round and it seems a good setup ,with all the diognostic equipment req,
as a matter of fact he was carrying out a repair to an xj8 so he showed me what can happen when they are left to long the chains were in fact running on the metal as all the plastic sections had broken off, what a mess it was?? the chains were all worn.
He seems a nice chap, he offers a pickup service and delivery back as well into the cost , as you mentioned the pump is to be replaced as well at the same time perhaps as you mentioned i will have the thermostat done as well so at least i can go on holliday and breath a sigh of relief.
PS I wonder why you are called gasmas are you in the same trade as me i am a corgi engineer, will keep you posted on the type of job i get although they came highly recomended by other xk8 and jaguar owners
mick

[GrandTourer]

Hi gasman

...........
PS I wonder why you are called gasmas are you in the same trade as me i am a corgi engineer, will keep you posted on the type of job i get although they came highly recomended by other xk8 and jaguar owners
mick

well Gasman, that comes from choosing such a fantastic forum name , but then, what do I know. Whith all the 'gas' you keep pouring into your tank, you might as well be 'corgied'

Hi Mick,
I would be interested who your local independant garage is.I too live in Leicester and local knowledge of good support services are always welcome.
Hope to see you soon on one of the Fun Runs

[gasman1003]

Hi gasman
Thanks for the info, I have been today to have my car booked in at a local family run independent jaguar repair and service garage , the boss showed me round and it seems a good setup ,with all the diognostic equipment req,
as a matter of fact he was carrying out a repair to an xj8 so he showed me what can happen when they are left to long the chains were in fact running on the metal as all the plastic sections had broken off, what a mess it was?? the chains were all worn.
He seems a nice chap, he offers a pickup service and delivery back as well into the cost , as you mentioned the pump is to be replaced as well at the same time perhaps as you mentioned i will have the thermostat done as well so at least i can go on holliday and breath a sigh of relief.
PS I wonder why you are called gasmas are you in the same trade as me i am a corgi engineer, will keep you posted on the type of job i get although they came highly recomended by other xk8 and jaguar owners
mick

Hi Mick,

No I'm an anaesthetist, I'm afraid.

Karl, may be correct in thinking it also has something to do with how much gas I put in the car.

Good luck with yours.

Mine has gone in today to have a minor bumper repair, by a guy who restores E types and runs an XK8. He is top notch, but I am still anxious when I can't see my car nestling in her garage.

Sad, isn't it

Regards,

Steve.

[mickmoor1]

Hi Steve

Now i see the connection with your name and your job as an anaesthestist, i have seen enough in my lifetime for major surgury that i have had so you do a grand job.
I am sure the garage will give your car enough body relaxing drugs so its a painless repair ha ha, no its not sad, its a love of a car :

[mickmoor1]

Hi Karl
My car will go in on thursday they are picking it up for me as part of the service , that saves all the hassle of getting the wife to pick me up etc ,
i am having the pump done as well.
The garage is in Glenfield and is called Farriers independent jaguar service, there are 2 brothers both Jaguar trained ,so they know there stuff. they are on
i am shure if you rang Jeremy Lloyd he would send you one of there brochures with servicing prices etc ,by the way they have told me they use all genuine Jaguar service kits and parts. they are on 0116 2322211
I wish i had found out abt them some time ago after spending £1500 on replacing all the suspension parts on my wifes Stype, trying to get rid of a dreaded clonking noise only to find at the end it was mainly down to the anti roll bar and bushes and was a manufactuing fault, the bars were made oval not round and caused rapid wear on the bushes, all later cars now have all modified suspension, so beware any future Stype buyers buy one after 2001
Mick

[GrandTourer]

Thanks for the info Mick. I will keep them in mind, but would appreciate a short follow up post of how it went after you got your car back.

Steve, I am sorry to hear of your repair requirement. Hope it is not too bad and you get your P&J back soon. Its always nicer looking at it in your own garage than in someone else's .

[GrandTourer]

Hi Mick,
I contacted Farriers and they sent me their brochure - very professional.
I passed by their Garage today, so called in to check the place out. I saw Jeremy working on your car and by the looks of it, you got the tensioners changed just in the nick of time. Could have been nasty AND expensive.
So you have the satisfaction of knowing you took the right decision to have this done.
It looks a very nice clean place and I had a good chat with Jeremy and his brother. Seem really nice people.

I think I will get my water pump/thermostat and hoses done by them, just to get some experience with them.

Anyway, let us know how you felt your repairs went.
Bye for now.

By the way, watch this forum, you may shortly get a chance to try your car out on a good run

[mickmoor1]

Hi karl
Glad that you have been to the garage i thought they were very professional in the set up.Jeremy told me that you had rang.
Well yes, it was the right decision to have them done, Jeremy brought the car back and also the old parts that had come off, i couldnt believe the state of them , i only just touched the plastic and it broke off also both of them were badly cracked all the way down where the centre push rod goes, i also had him put in a new stat just and the pump very pleased with the job.
He did give me a bit of bad news as on the way back to my house he told me the aircon was not working , i was unaware of this as i have never tried it as yet , ah well its back there for a re-gas next week ,he is doing me a special deal, I have even thought of taking photos of them and posting on the forum so as to warn others not to dilly dally just get them done all the best mick

[GrandTourer]

Hi Mick,
what really bad luck about your air con. Hope that gets sorted and you have no more 'surprises' for some time.

I would recommend you keep any old parts, they are always useful for showing other members at meets, etc or of taking photographs.

You might even get around to writing an article for the magazine - I got one of mine published in the JEC mag, May Issue, page 80/81.

[gasman1003]

Hi Steve

Now i see the connection with your name and your job as an anaesthestist, i have seen enough in my lifetime for major surgury that i have had so you do a grand job.
I am sure the garage will give your car enough body relaxing drugs so its a painless repair ha ha, no its not sad, its a love of a car :

Hi Mick,

Got the car back within 24 hours - superb result

BEFORE:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/S ... C00788.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/S ... C00789.jpg


AFTER:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/S ... fixed3.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/S ... fixed5.jpg

Brilliant work and he is a true Jaguar enthusiast.

If any one in the NW would like his contact details please feel free to contact me.