Tensioners -- yes but when?

[RichardSEL]

See from Lance Widnall's article describing his project to change timing chain on his XJR (Jaguar Enthusiast June 2015 vol 31 no6) he refers to his car being a "later car supposedly with uprated tensioners and non Nikasil engine, one of the reasons I went for a 2001 car". My main reason too for my choice of XJ8 '01MY.
But that phrase of Lance's suggests that there was a known VIN or engine number which indicates non-plastic tensioners. Or perhaps a manufacturing date?

Am still searching this board and scanning thru the X-308 back issue articles, but haven't found reference to any cut off date or numbers.
Anyone know?

[davidr]

I was under the impression that the best one to fit is the later one from the 4.2 engine. This is what I did with my 2001 XKR which is post-Nickasil.
Yours being a 4.0litre won't have been fitted with those at the factory.
I think there were several attempts by Jaguar to get this right and so at least 3 different types so you may well have a newer type fitted from new but I still don't think they are as reliable as the ones fitted to the 4.2litre.
I'm sure others will be along to back me up or shoot me down!

[RichardSEL]

Thanks for the reply, David. Mine's the '01MY XJ8 3.2L just three weeks into ownership.
With 120k on the clock I'm hoping the tensioners were the uprated ones at manufacture or changed soon after. But who knows, and apart from taking down the cam covers, how to check?

[J44EAG]

David is correct. There are no "get outs" of any kind.

My MY02 S-type had third generation plastic tensioners fitted. At 44k miles there could be no getting away from the truth. They were cracked and about to let go. The only option was to replace with the ali final solution replacements as fitted to the later 4.2 litre V8. Cam cover removal will reveal what is currently fitted.

See X308, S-type and XK8 engine Bulletin Boards. All hold details of this one time issue which became near to epidemic proportions. The vast majority of 4 litre cars will have had this final modification done or will now be near to total explosive failure! Peruse all BB V8 sections to gain more detailed knowledge.

This is the best reference article written by our very own Brake Buster. In fact its a near definitive on the issue.http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=3324

See also these links.http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=193&t=4727
http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=193&t=5187

Mike K

[RichardSEL]

Yes, your advice does concur with others I've asked -- after all noone would suggest: "leave them they should be alright" in case they do go pop with all the catastrophic consequences that follow.

From what I have managed to find out ferreting around there was no recall for this design blunder. So it was up to the enlightened to try and sort the problem for themselves. And by warnings in the forums for the rest of us.

Which is why the XJ8 Forum in Jaguar Enthusiast February 2010 p78 filled me with hope. Not a reply by David Marks but just marked up as Editor's Comments: "As Cliff doesn't identify the age of his car, [a low mileage 3.2 litre XJ8] so future action is difficult to diagnose. Firstly, if the car is a post 2000 model year car, the it should already be fitted with metal tensioners and therefore not a problem. If, however, it is an earlier example, then I would suggest returning to the dealership who did the check on the condition of the tensioners, to determine what they found. If plastic, they should really have suggested a change to the later metal type..."

I'm a ships' radio & radar technician by original trade, so the maximum mechanical level I got involved with was electrical motors, and radar scanner gearboxes. Hardly qualifies me for this level of work. Especially as I'd be in the street, i've only a flat nowadays. So, I'd be getting a Jag indie to check, and advise at ~£300. One indie said that if I hadn't noticed any chain slap by now (120k miles) then the tensioners must be doing their job and so must be metal. Hmmmm

[davidr]

It doesn't take very long to pull one of the cam covers off to at least have a look - it's worth it for the peace of mind. You might well find that a knowledgable previous owner has had it done and then you can rest easy!

[Brakebuster]

wow , thats a blast from the past, lol, over 10 years ago i wrote that

as for ' metal tensioners in a 2000 car ' , then I'm afraid thats not the case, there were

1,original tensioners in plastic ( AJ26 1997 to early1999)
2,revised second edition tensioners in plastic ( AJ27 1999 onwards)
3,revised third edition tensioners in plastic ( AJ27 )
4, metal tensioners fitted to the 4.2 from new only , ( 2002 onwards ) engine series unknown to me ?


some cars got ' new tensioners' of second or third edition , and were sold as ' having the tensioners replaced ' and though this was accurate as a statement, it wasn't replacing plastic with metal versions that everyone knows is what is needed

anything built before 2002 would have had original plastic tensioners of edition 1, 2 or 3 , metal tensioners were only available to buy after 2002 ,

if you don't have definitive evidence that your tensioners are metal , then budget for metal replacements from the later 4.2 V8 AJ engine

there was some chatter that the vey last AJ27 engines in 2002 got the 4.2 metal tensioners, but that was very few very late in production

hope this helps

BB

ps, I'm a simple electrician , and i did it on my drive in late December while full of turkey and stuffing.............

[Tintin]

There is a v useful summary at www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=195961

Robbie

[ptjs1]

Robbie,

That's a useful article but be very careful as it implies that a car with 2nd gen tensioners does not have much to worry about. That's clearly not true as we have seen how they can completely fail as well. You MUST have the metal 4.2 tensioners fitted before you can feel comfortable.

Paul

[RichardSEL]

Right, all understood, I must have the metal 4.2 V8 AJ engine tensioners fitted before I can feel comfortable.

Unfortunately our JEC-friendly dealership in Sidcup has closed (calculated on having them as backup as part of my purchase decision) so need a good indie shop as there's probably ATF & filter to change, brake fluid flush & refill to do, coolant ditto. At least oil and filter was done in April.

I'm simple too , but don't even have a driveway nowadays.
Anyone in Kent region know one I can book with?

[ptjs1]

Richard,

I'm also in Kent. 2 jaguar independent specialists that I can thoroughly recommend are:

- Our own Keith Parrington at XJ Restorations in Eastbourne

- Ray at Surrey Jags in South Croydon

Although possible slightly more expensive, I also get very good service from my local Jaguar Main Dealer - Guy Salmon Jaguar at Aylesford. They will also give discount to JEC members. You could source your own fluid and sump / filter and then pay them to do the change. They have always been happy to do work on my cars in this way.

Feel free to drop me a PM and contact me if you want to chat about the car.

Cheers

Paul

[J44EAG]

Not used these guys myself but their web site and garage forecourt look as it should be. Might be worth phoning them for a chat. Tensioner changing is straight forward for a specialist Jaguar maintenance operator. Most will have seen and done the job a thousand times before.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... y16j6gNKfA

Mike K

[RichardSEL]

Read so much about the tensioners' debacle now that I'm paranoid about driving it.
Which I what I want to do

Will contact Ray at Surry Jags. and Collier St. Thanks for the heads up
-- anymore very welcome

[J44EAG]

Drive gently between now and the time you get the car looked at. BUT, if you get a rattle on start up, switch off immediately and don`t attempt a restart. Call a tow truck.

With luck, you may find the ali tensioners have previously been fitted.

Mike K

[ptjs1]

Richard,

I'm guessing if you're near Sidcup then Surrey Jags is quite an easy run for you. A number of us have used Ray for maintenance work. He's very good. Tell him that Paul Sinnott sent you.

Good luck

Paul