Jaguar 4.2L V8 engine: tensioners etc renewal?
Discussion
There are many posts on this forum about the Jaguar 4.0L V8 engine and the need to ensure that the timing chain tensioners are updated to the third generation metal versions. At the same time as this job is done it is usually recommended that the water pump and thermostat are renewed. This is recommended to be done well ahead of reaching 100,000 miles. Surprisingly, there’s not been similar posts about the Jaguar 4.2L V8 engine which, I assume, has the latest metal tensioners anyway.
I have owned my S-Type 4.2L V8 from virtually new. It is coming up to being seven years old and nearing 98,000 miles. So, rather obviously:
1. Should I be thinking of having the tensioners renewed?
2. Should I have the water pump and thermostat changed to?
3. Is there anything else to change while this is being done?
4. Is there a Jaguar recommendation for this and at what service point?
Maybe of further interest is that a few months ago when I was at the JMD I use I mentioned this subject to the service manager and he said that he’d never seen a 4.2 V8 having its tensioners changed and if I did want to go ahead I should speak to him first because he’s aware of the fact that an independent garage will undercut the JMD on price and he’ll do it for the same price!
Any advice, comments etc will be very useful.
R.
I have owned my S-Type 4.2L V8 from virtually new. It is coming up to being seven years old and nearing 98,000 miles. So, rather obviously:
1. Should I be thinking of having the tensioners renewed?
2. Should I have the water pump and thermostat changed to?
3. Is there anything else to change while this is being done?
4. Is there a Jaguar recommendation for this and at what service point?
Maybe of further interest is that a few months ago when I was at the JMD I use I mentioned this subject to the service manager and he said that he’d never seen a 4.2 V8 having its tensioners changed and if I did want to go ahead I should speak to him first because he’s aware of the fact that an independent garage will undercut the JMD on price and he’ll do it for the same price!
Any advice, comments etc will be very useful.
R.
The 4.2 has the later tensioners and guides. They do fail, but not as often and remember it can be the guides instead of the tensioners. I would guess that at 100K miles it might be a good idea to consider a swap as good preventative maintenance. Water pump and thermostat , if you opt to do the chains do them while the engine is being worked on. If not jusy do them when you start to find the fans come on after you turn off. If looked after the engine will last much longer , Jaguar would say 100K is life so not worried if your engine dies after that mileage
Thanks P700DEE.
As a follow up to my original post, I've booked the car in for mid December for 100,000 miles service. I've also pretty well decided to extend my Jaguar warranty for the final year. The cost is about £1,500 which is around the price of the tensioners etc job, and if they do go in the upcoming year they will be covered by the warranty so I was told. So, I pay my money and get a year's mechanical insurance for the car, as it were.
I also have been told that it's a Jaguar recommendation to have the tensioners etc replaced around the 100,000 mark, and that tensioner problems with the 4.2 engine are very rare.
If anyone else has input on this topic I'd be glad to see it.
R.
As a follow up to my original post, I've booked the car in for mid December for 100,000 miles service. I've also pretty well decided to extend my Jaguar warranty for the final year. The cost is about £1,500 which is around the price of the tensioners etc job, and if they do go in the upcoming year they will be covered by the warranty so I was told. So, I pay my money and get a year's mechanical insurance for the car, as it were.
I also have been told that it's a Jaguar recommendation to have the tensioners etc replaced around the 100,000 mark, and that tensioner problems with the 4.2 engine are very rare.
If anyone else has input on this topic I'd be glad to see it.
R.
Here's an update.
The car has had its 100,000 mile service plus new rear brake discs and pads, and its MoT which required replacement of the OS front damper assembly etc. There were also some other minor jobs done all under my extended warranty.
I also decided to go ahead and extend the warranty again for the final possible time.
I reckon I'm in pocket on each of all the warranty extensions I've made.
R.
The car has had its 100,000 mile service plus new rear brake discs and pads, and its MoT which required replacement of the OS front damper assembly etc. There were also some other minor jobs done all under my extended warranty.
I also decided to go ahead and extend the warranty again for the final possible time.
I reckon I'm in pocket on each of all the warranty extensions I've made.
R.
Hi 6sm,
Apparently, and according to the JMD I use, the Jaguar recommendation is just that, as opposed to it being a service requirement. I specifically asked the obvious question: if I renew the warranty and the tensioners fail during the period covered by the warranty, will the resulting substantial work be covered by the warranty, and the answer was Yes. I realise that I am taking a financial risk in one sense: is it better to pay for the one year warranty or to have the tensioners etc replaced? Ideally I'd like both but that's a lot of outlay all at once and not financially viable in my view. Maybe once the renewed warranty has expired I'll bite the bullet and get them done then.
R.
Apparently, and according to the JMD I use, the Jaguar recommendation is just that, as opposed to it being a service requirement. I specifically asked the obvious question: if I renew the warranty and the tensioners fail during the period covered by the warranty, will the resulting substantial work be covered by the warranty, and the answer was Yes. I realise that I am taking a financial risk in one sense: is it better to pay for the one year warranty or to have the tensioners etc replaced? Ideally I'd like both but that's a lot of outlay all at once and not financially viable in my view. Maybe once the renewed warranty has expired I'll bite the bullet and get them done then.
R.
Wack,
Thanks for the interest.
Yes, £1500 is a lot. I've extended the warranty five times now and always in the past been quids in as it were. This is the last time I can extend it. The warranty is a Jaguar warranty not something like Warranty Direct. I've never had any problems getting work done under warranty and I must say the JMD I use has always been excellent in doing the negotiations etc without any bother with me.
R.
Thanks for the interest.
Yes, £1500 is a lot. I've extended the warranty five times now and always in the past been quids in as it were. This is the last time I can extend it. The warranty is a Jaguar warranty not something like Warranty Direct. I've never had any problems getting work done under warranty and I must say the JMD I use has always been excellent in doing the negotiations etc without any bother with me.
R.
Here's a follow up to my op up above.
There seemed to be only a few responses to my question from PHers so I sent the same question by e-mail to Jaguar World Monthly and I received the following response today:
Your 4.2 V8 should indeed already be fitted with the latest specification tensioners, water pump and thermostat. There is no specific factory recommendation for a time or mileage related replacement of these items – It is hard for us to advise, but if you intend to keep the car for a long period, 100k miles seems a reasonable time for a precautionary rebuild.
The price of factory water pumps has recently been reduced, these are relatively easily changed independently of the tensioner operation.
So, it seems that there is limited experience with failing tensioners in the 4.2 V8 but it would be worth me thinking about changing the 4.2 tensioners etc soon. The mileage has now reached a bit over 99,000. Looks like time to start saving...!
R.
There seemed to be only a few responses to my question from PHers so I sent the same question by e-mail to Jaguar World Monthly and I received the following response today:
Your 4.2 V8 should indeed already be fitted with the latest specification tensioners, water pump and thermostat. There is no specific factory recommendation for a time or mileage related replacement of these items – It is hard for us to advise, but if you intend to keep the car for a long period, 100k miles seems a reasonable time for a precautionary rebuild.
The price of factory water pumps has recently been reduced, these are relatively easily changed independently of the tensioner operation.
So, it seems that there is limited experience with failing tensioners in the 4.2 V8 but it would be worth me thinking about changing the 4.2 tensioners etc soon. The mileage has now reached a bit over 99,000. Looks like time to start saving...!
R.
Interesting one this. My 4.2 S Type had it's main 100,000 service at Hartwells Jaguar last Autumn and nothing mentioned at all about this......and they were keen to let me know about other items I could plan for!
Word from a well thought of indy I know is not worry about it on this engine, it's the 4.0 they are sensitive about.
Duncan
Word from a well thought of indy I know is not worry about it on this engine, it's the 4.0 they are sensitive about.
Duncan
Just to complete on my original topic, the May 2011 edition of Jaguar World Monthly plopped on my doormat the other day and there on page 80 is my question and answer all published. Not only that, it's the Star Question and for that I get a great set of quality socket sets: result! I won't be using them to replace the tensioners etc., though!
R.
R.
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