DIY Servicing

[jeff1954]

Regarding the XK 4.2 is it easy enough to service ie plugs/oil filter/air filter. Is there a cover underneath engine and gearbox as with the S Type and what's it like to remove and replace ( I have a inspection pit so I'm not crawling about on my back.)
Thanks in advance.
Jeff
PS I have self serviced my S Type 2.7 diesel for the last 10 years apart from a gearbox service and cam belt change which I took to a local Jag indipendant.

[mike020150]

The 4.2 litre is standard fare to anyone used to doing regular oil changes etc. The 5 litre is a little less DIY friendly. Mike.

[jeff1954]

Thanks Mike What do you mean by a little less friendly?

Jeff

[ian.inglis919]

Jeff,
I've previously done DIY servicing on vehicles that I've had. I'm unlikely to end up doing much on my recently acquired 2009 XK convertible,that does have the 5.0 litre, but I've been trying to find out what's what, out of interest, nevertheless. Following are a couple of comments that are probably of no practical help to you but maybe of some interest and help disentangle some of the potential confusion between different XK variants and vintages.

The 5.0 litre has two underneath plastic covers; one for the front underneath bumper area and another, (quite a large piece), that joins up with the first and has two bolts and some other fixings. (....this latter was missing on my recently acquired vehicle.. ).

The 5.0litre (in contrast to the 4.2 litre) has the engine oil filter at the top of the engine and is a filter replacement (rather than a metal screw-on cartridge underneath). As well, the 5.0 litre has a small diameter, fixed metal tube just inside the the main filler cap that leads all the way to the bottom of the oil sump. (There's no dipstick on the 5.0 litre, it's an electronic check that is made). The aforementioned small- diameter tube (I think it takes 6mm tubing) at the top of the filler cap is to facilitate vacuum siphoning when making oil changes. Whilst, counter-intuitive, I'm interested now to consider doing my own oil changes this way.. Some Youtube demos of that I've searched look dreadful however and I would want good confidence of siphon operation avoiding either no-siphon action or burst tubes of oil all over the place before going down this route. Seeley seem to have reasonably sturdy, hand-operated pumps that can be readily sourced.

The ZF automatic transmission, on my 5.0litre, has a heavy-duty, plastic oil sump with drain plug. Filling is through a difficult-to-access hex-headed screwhole and requires syringe or appropriate garage equipment to re-fill (and includes sequencing through the gears to complete the re-fill). I'm getting a garage to do this for me in the next two weeks having sourced the replacement oil sump parts and 8 litres of ZF Lifeguard6 transmission oil (it's expensive) myself.
Hope this of some interest to you. Cheers

[mike020150]

Some good advice in Ian's comments. As he says, simple tasks like oil changes on 5 litre cars are designed to be carried out by main dealers with the type of equipment found there rather than in a DIY garage. In particular, you need decent suction kit if you are to take advantage of the tube provided for sucking out engine oil. Proper garage kit makes short work of the task and does a good job. Weaker domestic units risk leaving dirty oil in the sump. Of course, you can still strip off the below engine cover and use the drain plug but it takes longer. It's a similar story when it comes to wear items in the suspension etc. When bushes wear, generally speaking, Jaguar expects dealers to replace whole components rather than bushes because labour time at main dealers is expensive. It makes saving money as a DIYer more difficult especially when specialist tools are needed. Sadly, increasing with every new model, it's the way of the world these days and not just a Jaguar thing. Mike.

[jeff1954]

Thank's Ian and Mike for replies. I've watched a couple of video's about the oil and filter change on both models. The 4.2 seems a better way of doing it if you have good access to the underside, the 4.2 under tray is only four fixings as apposed to my S Type which has about ten similar to the 50 Ltr I have used a Sealey suction pump to change the oil in my differential so it would work fine on the 50 Ltr as you get a couple of different size tubes with it which gives plenty of scope for improvisation. I would prefer to drain the oil from the sump rather than sucking it out as mentioned, but again access would be the problem. Another way would be to buy the oil and filter and take it to a local garage and get them to do it and just pay an hour's labour that way you'd get all the old oil out. You could do this every other oil change, that way the sump would stay relatively clean inside.

Jeff