Those Tensioners Again

[Billroot]

I've been comparing prices for the tensioner job. I'm not brave enough to take it on as a DIY, though hats off to Wullie. Quotes are coming in at £1200 - 1600 which is a lot of cash. My 2000MY XK8 coupe has now done 67k miles. No sign of distress from the engine so far.

One of the independents has assured me there is no need to change the bottom tensioners which makes the job much cheaper. I quote:

"Complete waste of money unless very high mileage. The bottom tensioner is of steel construction & has no history of failing. The design fault was with the top tensioners which were made of plastic & do break up & can cause top chains to snap. They have been re-designed in alloy to cure the problem.
Other garages may tell you to replace all chains & tensioners but i cannot in all honesty say that it is justified as it costs around £1200 for the whole job & there are no known faults with the bottom tensioners. Some repairers seem to scare people in to doing the whole lot just to make extra money!
I'm happy to do the lot if you want but i have given you my opinion so i will leave it up to you."

Comments would be welcome from anyone especially if you have experience of bottom tensioner distress.

[GrandTourer]

Bill,
I was in a similar position with my MY2000 Coupe about two years ago. Wondering if I should have the tensioners done, even when the engine run smoothly and quietly. My mileage was 59K at the time.
After seeking advise from David Marks ( one of our Technical Advisers) and having seen some damaged tensioners during one of the XK8 seminars, I decided to go for having the top tensioners (secondary chain tensioners) replaced, for piece of mind and consider getting the bottom ones done when I get to, say, 90K - 100K miles.
The work took 3 hours and the total cost was £350.
My chains looked in perfect condition and the tensioners had just started to crack down the shaft, but the running surfaces were hardly worn.

I should say, this was a purely preventative measure and I was pleased I had this work done and felt the cost was worth it. Of course, I could have both of the tensioner sets replaced complete with chains, but did not want to spend that amount of money at the time. I feel I have reduced the risk to an acceptable level, at least for me.
But with so many of these things, in the end it is your assessment of the risk and what you feel is acceptable to you. Nobody can advise you for sure. Of course, if money was of no consideration, I suppose I would have gone for the whole hog, but, alas, I am not in that position.

Let us know what you decide, Bill, and whatever it is, enjoy the car - its a short life

[MarkyM]

My local independant (in Somerset) quoted me £900 inc for for primary & secondary inc chains gaskets and labour. At that price I thought it wiser to get everything changed out for peace of mind.

Regards

Mark

[binghama]

I have a posting on this elsewhere if you look back thro the archives...all chains and tensioners replaced +water pump and stat drive belt g box oil renewed and both front footwells repaired(£180) for £1200...75k on a 1999 both top tensioners were cracked

[binghama]

I have a posting on this elsewhere if you look back thro the archives...all chains and tensioners replaced +water pump and stat drive belt g box oil renewed and both front footwells repaired(£180) for £1200...75k on a 1999 both top tensioners were cracked

[WULLIE4567]

Hi Bill
I would go for the top end only with your car at only 67k, the primary tensioners / guides etc will probably be ok, the primary tensioners on your car are not steel they will be of the tuffnell material same as the top one's. but don't usualy give any trouble. My primary chains /tensioners/guides were near perfect condition very little wear, the top tensioners were starting to crack but the chains were in good condition, and thats with 90000 miles. If I knew that before stripping the whole thing I would just have done the top end. . But you must do the water pump and thermostat at the same time. You can then sit back and sink the welly without worring. happy driving.

Cheers
Wullie. .

[MikeDoggart]

Actually you may not need to change the water pump. Bob Bates wrote an article about this in the Dec '06 JEC Magazine and it is only early XKs that have suspect pumps. If your car is after VIN 028000 you will be OK. If it is before that you need to check the part number on the pump which necessitates removal of the pulley. If you need details I'm sure that the club will be able to help you; one of Bob's points was that many people have had the pump changed as a precaution when there was no need to do so!

[WULLIE4567]

Guys
Your right enough Mike but at £50 and your in there anyway, whilst doing the job, then you have absolute peace of mind.

cheers
Wullie. .

[Billroot]

Thanks for all the replies to this well worn topic. I had the top tensioners replaced yesterday. They were both cracked. The RHS one was cracked over 50% of the barrel length, the LHS one about 25%. So worth doing although who knows how long they would have survived like that? Everything else looked in good nick.

Cost? £280 from PSG in Farnham Surrey. The proprieter, Paul Voller, even let me watch and was happy to explain as he went along. I'm glad I did not attempt it as a DIY what with special tools to hold the camshafts and tricky gaskets. Paul is obvioulsly very experienced but nevertheless even he looked relieved when the torque wrench clicked on retightening the camchaft sprocket bolt - its done up mighty tight for such a modest size!

As for water pump and thermostat, they will have to wait for another day. I thought I had the new pump anyway having a VIN later than quoted change over in Bob Bate's article mentioned by Mike above. However Paul looked and thought it was the old type - he says you can tell by features on the pump body.

If someone can tell me how to post photos on this BB, I'll post a picture.

[GrandTourer]

Well done, Bill
There is nothing like peace-of-mind.
When you get round to the water pump, remember they used to be over £ 100 but the price has reduced over the last couple of years to just over £ 50.00.
Merry Christmas - enjoy your P&J over the holidays

[WULLIE4567]

Bill
Glad you got that sorted when you did, buy the sound of it the cracks were well advanced. you can post pic's in the gallery area for all to see it's easy, just re-size your pic's to 960x720 pixcels.
PS, as G T say's don't leave your water pump too long, just always keep an eye on the temp gauge.

Cheers
Wullie

[outoftowner]

Hi to All, new member to the forum. I have a '98 XK8 Coupe finished in Topaz with the original Revolver wheels changed to 18'' Milanos, and with a reasonable number, ie. HOT 660, this from a 1935 Sunbeam Motorcycle that was owned by the chap who bought my Aunt's house in Bournemouth. I didn't really think I needed or wanted a 'special' number but thinking abut it for a few weeks thought It was a fairly good thing to own so I went ahead and paid £2000.00 for it, that was about 4 years ago it's now worth approx £6000 so a good investment. When I went to register the number with DVLA I asked the chap what he thought of it, with a miserable look on his face he said ''Allright if you work in a kitchen I 'spose''. I walked away a bit deflated and the (real) feeling that if I had a tail it would have been between my legs. The previous owner of the number told me the other day he wished he'd kept it, I asked him what he wanted to pay for it, no answer was the reply.
The XK8 has now done 68000 miles and so far very little trouble, (I bought it secondhand from a main dealer who apparently had done a great many checks on the car before sale, they didn't mention the fact that plastic chain tensioners were fitted with it's 4 litre engine however.... and I was none the wiser at the time.
I had the car fully waxed underneath a few weeks ago by Phil at Rustbusters in Poole, Dorset, another good investment I think, and shouldn't now get any trouble and expensive rust repairs underneath. He charged £500.00 for the job and it was ready the next day, a slight smell for a little while afterwards, but that's now gone and nothing I couldn't live with.
A couple of shallow dents were pulled out previous to this, this area looks perfect now.
When I first had the car, and driving at night, an ambulance with blue lights flashing came up behind me; in a slight ''panic'' and to let him pass I pulled off the road straight into a building site with tape across, this tape broke the extended radio aerial, the ambulance went on it's merry way.
My cousin backed into the front of the car about a year ago, she claimed she could not see the low front of the car in her rear view mirror, very difficult to argue with a fond relation; anyway, she immediately offered to pay for the paint job, (no denting occured), I feined protest, but not too much, inwardly hoping while I did she would continue to offer to pay, and she did. It worked out quite well as a long scratch which was there before this prang was also done.
I don't use the car a lot, mainly at weekends and to places I am pretty sure it will be safe to be left, it always seems to rain when I use it, perhaps it's jinxed
Didn't mean to include all this, I was going to say that at the cars mileage I should get the top tensioners done, (only, after having read the forum), I've a feeling the garage may say something like, ''Oh No, You must have the bottom set done too''. The car's going in on Wednesday the 4th for MOT so I'll inform of what is said, either way, money will be involved of course : ) Best Regards to All, Tony.

[WULLIE4567]

Hi Tony
Like your number plate, glad you like your jag they are cool, hope you get on ok with your tensioners etc keep us informed. I just fitted a lovley set of 22" wheels , I will need to put a fresh pic in, hav you got one in yet?
cheers
Wullie

[outoftowner]

Hi Wullie and Bleasie, I have got a photo of the car but not sure how I put this on to the site, do I send it by e mail? I'm sure you will advise.
I got the valuation from two reg plate firms about a year ago, they offered the £5000 to £6000 for it, which would be there ''wholesale'' price so to speak, they will then make their profit by selling on of course, no idea what they would ask. Could it really be worth say, £20,000 plus?
Can I ask who valued your plate Bleasie?

[WULLIE4567]

Hi Tony
go into the bulletin board and click on the yellow box at the top, that will take you into the XK8 Gallery and register, follow the instructions to add a pic. have a go see how you get on.
cheers
Wullie