First car: an XJ6 manual
Discussion
A brief update: everything is fine with the car, alls going well apart from when it wouldn't start for a couple of weeks. This was due to lack of use, and I suspect moisture in the engine somewhere. It started alright, and hopefully it is now ok.
The timing chain/belt is still rattling/speaking upon start-up and I hope to replace it. However, I have been advised that it is a stupidly expensive job, and if it is then I won't bother. Does anyone have any knowledge on the cost of the job?
The timing chain/belt is still rattling/speaking upon start-up and I hope to replace it. However, I have been advised that it is a stupidly expensive job, and if it is then I won't bother. Does anyone have any knowledge on the cost of the job?
Is it a chain or a belt? Timing chains don't necessarily NEED changing, they just get a bit noisy, as you say.
Timing belts on the other hand DO need doing, every 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever is sooner. Don't change it and you risk it snapping and completely ruining your engine. It's not really optional.
Timing belts on the other hand DO need doing, every 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever is sooner. Don't change it and you risk it snapping and completely ruining your engine. It's not really optional.
samj2014 said:
Is it a chain or a belt? Timing chains don't necessarily NEED changing, they just get a bit noisy, as you say.
Timing belts on the other hand DO need doing, every 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever is sooner. Don't change it and you risk it snapping and completely ruining your engine. It's not really optional.
I have no idea: all I do know is that my trusted garage man says that it's not worth doing Timing belts on the other hand DO need doing, every 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever is sooner. Don't change it and you risk it snapping and completely ruining your engine. It's not really optional.
YoungRestorer said:
A brief update: everything is fine with the car, alls going well apart from when it wouldn't start for a couple of weeks. This was due to lack of use, and I suspect moisture in the engine somewhere. It started alright, and hopefully it is now ok.
The timing chain/belt is still rattling/speaking upon start-up and I hope to replace it. However, I have been advised that it is a stupidly expensive job, and if it is then I won't bother. Does anyone have any knowledge on the cost of the job?
Nice car, I have an XJS 3.6 Manual as my daily driver and its a great car. The timing on these is done by chain but the squeeking on start up will be one of the auxiliary v-belts on the front of the engine. Should be relatively cheap and easy to do yourself The timing chain/belt is still rattling/speaking upon start-up and I hope to replace it. However, I have been advised that it is a stupidly expensive job, and if it is then I won't bother. Does anyone have any knowledge on the cost of the job?
The AJ6/16 Jaguar straight six has a timing chain. A rattling noise at start up may well be solved by replacing the upper chain tensioner. It isn't a particularly big job on these cars if the fault is the upper one, since it is accessible with little dismantling. The lower one is a much bigger job, but from what I have seen on line, timing chain noise seems often to be cured by replacing the upper tensioner only.
A squeaking noise is more likely to be the serpentine belt at the front of the engine which drives the water pump and alternator, or the belt which drives the air conditioning compressor.
A squeaking noise is more likely to be the serpentine belt at the front of the engine which drives the water pump and alternator, or the belt which drives the air conditioning compressor.
Mine used to have a sharp little rattle on start up for a couple of seconds until oil pressure built up when it had been stopped for a while (36 hours or so), and it didn't cause any problems for 50K or more. I replaced the upper timing chain tensioner in 45 minutes or less and it cured it but I gather it rarely causes actual problems. From memory the part was £50 and two bolts.
YoungRestorer said:
Ok, its not really a rattle, more a squeak: I will try and record it today when I start her up. Hopefully this will help people diagnose the problem (I've never even heard of a serpentine belt!)
It's just the name for a belt that drives auxiliary stuff like alternators, air con, PAS pumps etc. I think the serpentine bit is one way to distinguish between that belt and the cambelt and may reflect a complicated route and number of pulleys and tensioners. They can cause problems in some cars with cambelts as they can break or come off of the pulleys and interfere with the cambelt putting out the cam timing and may lead to valves interfering with pistons. I have always thought a Serpentine belt has a number of groves in it (IIRC 5 on a Jaguar) and is used to drive several components and often take a circuitous route, whereas a 'V' belt lacks the groves and is designed only to work one component - thus they need to be staggered when more than one item needs to be belt-driven.
These are the belts on the front of the six cylinder engine fitted to the X300:
http://www.jaguarclassicparts.com/uk/jaguar-xj-x30...
I assume all X300s have air conditioning?
The OP's car will have belts 1 and 2 if it has air conditioning (for belt 2 - the 'compressor' is the A/C pump). If it does not have air conditioning, then it will only have belt 1 (alternator and presumably water pump).
Only the XJR has belt 3 which works the supercharger, so your car won't have this.
A faulty water pump bearing can also cause a rattling noise, but not really I squeak, I would have thought.
These are the belts on the front of the six cylinder engine fitted to the X300:
http://www.jaguarclassicparts.com/uk/jaguar-xj-x30...
I assume all X300s have air conditioning?
The OP's car will have belts 1 and 2 if it has air conditioning (for belt 2 - the 'compressor' is the A/C pump). If it does not have air conditioning, then it will only have belt 1 (alternator and presumably water pump).
Only the XJR has belt 3 which works the supercharger, so your car won't have this.
A faulty water pump bearing can also cause a rattling noise, but not really I squeak, I would have thought.
Right! So I popped the bonnet, started the car and waited, camera rolling for the squeaking to commence. It did not. I turned around and drove off (after putting the bonnet back down!)
Less than 5 metres down the road, it starts again. I now have a video: but have no idea of how to share it. I'll upload it when I figure out how...
EDIT: Here we are! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyPmsVBOJ0A&li...
Less than 5 metres down the road, it starts again. I now have a video: but have no idea of how to share it. I'll upload it when I figure out how...
EDIT: Here we are! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyPmsVBOJ0A&li...
Edited by YoungRestorer on Tuesday 16th December 16:31
I'm going to wait for dbdb to reply, but a competent garage should be able to sort it. I don't think that sound indicates a 'Not worth fixing it' response. I've adjusted a belt on an Audi with a length wise fitted engine and done a belt in an original Mini and I usually break things instead of trying to fix them.
YoungRestorer said:
Jaguar steve said:
A puff of talcum powder will stop the noise straight away if it's a squeaky/creaky belt.
Chances are it'll get noisy again after a while but if it does stop you'll have proved that's the problem.
Talcum powder directly on the belt? I'll give it a go...Chances are it'll get noisy again after a while but if it does stop you'll have proved that's the problem.
Literally a 2 minute job to alter the tension on the serpentine belt.
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