2nd or 3rd Gen Tensioners fitted in 2005

[Hadleigh007]

This is a real shot in the dark, but you never know who will be reading I have recently purchased a late 1999 XJR and it's absolutely beautiful, I love it. My question is this: The car came with a receipt for New Tensioners from a company formely called NMJags now called Used Jags, it is dated 26th March 2005, is it likely that during this work the 2nd generation stronger but still plastic tensioners were fitted or the 3rd Generation Metal ones? I have done the obvious and phoned the garage concerned however unfortunately due to the change in name there are no mechanics from 2005 left that could reliably answer the question.

Then the second question would be, do we open up the engine to find out or wait until it makes the rattle noise - if it ever does.

[daveji]

Seems to me the only way to find out with absolute certainty is to have a camcover taken off and look.
You could always write to NM Jags and ask them.
David

[Hadleigh007]

Is that a quick and easy job or is there a bit of work involved in taking the cam cover off? I also need to have the water pump and thermostat changed, would these form part of this process?

Perhaps the most taxing question, can anyone recommend a Jaguar specialist in or near the Lake District?

[Brakebuster]

as yours has a supercharger, then its a little more tricky to just have a look under the cam covers,

the water pump and stat have nothing to do with taking off the cam covers, but its a case of ' while ur in there '


buy the pump from jaguar , they are only £50 or so, also the correct thermostat

i would highly recommend getting the modified thermostat tower made of metal rather then the original Jaguar plastic, as the original ones tend to go brittle, and sheer when being worked on

as for your tensioners, Jaguar were installing the metal 3rd then 4th gen ones into the 4.2 V8 from 2002 onwards, and if the parts were bought from Jaguar when you say, then they should be the latest version at that point, ie, the metal ones , as they then selves suggested using them

you will also need a new set of cam cover seals and the later AJ27 spec spark plug seals ,

FYI

tensioner history

1st gen plastic ones used on AJ26 engine to 1998
2nd gen plastic fitted to AJ27 1999 to 2002
3rd gen metal fitted to 4.2 V8 2002 onward
4th gen metal used from 2003 onwards ( the ones i have fitted to my own car over two years ago...

if you buy them from Jag, you get the very latest version to fit your car..... as they dont stock the older ones.....

[Hadleigh007]

Hi Brake Buster,

Thanks for your information that’s very helpful, by 2005 the tensioner issue was therefore clearly recognised and dealt with by the various revisions, presumably the metal ones must have been fitted.

On the forum and in one of the recent magazine articles bottom or lower tensioers are mentioned as worth replacing and there was also talk of a new improved design of guide for the lower tensioers.

The invoice says both primary and secondary tensioners were changed, does that mean upper and lower or are there two sets of upper? Also are the new guides necessary. My car is Sept 99 with 101k on the clock.

[daveji]

Check out the Recommended Suppliers directory via the link lower left on the Member Zone page for your nearest recommended Independant.

[Brakebuster]

Hi Brake Buster,

Thanks for your information that’s very helpful, by 2005 the tensioner issue was therefore clearly recognised and dealt with by the various revisions, presumably the metal ones must have been fitted.

On the forum and in one of the recent magazine articles bottom or lower tensioers are mentioned as worth replacing and there was also talk of a new improved design of guide for the lower tensioers.

The invoice says both primary and secondary tensioners were changed, does that mean upper and lower or are there two sets of upper? Also are the new guides necessary. My car is Sept 99 with 101k on the clock.


your invoice indicates the full set has been changed

there are two ( one for each engine bank ) primary ( lower ) tensioners with guide slippers, and two secondary ( exhaust ) ( upper ) tensioners

the upper exhaust ones are the troublesome ones , if you read my sticky post on the other Jag sites, you will se what they look like , and how i changed them

click this link... http://www.jaguarforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11332

BB

[Hadleigh007]

That's great news, I guess I don't have to worry about it then, I didn't fancy the tensioner job myself but is is the water pump and thermostat a diy job or still better left to one mechanically gifted?