1999 xj8 rough running no faults showing?

[paulxj8]

Hi everyone I'm new here, I recently purchased an xj8 project, 1999 xj8 3.2 with a running fault. However, I've scanned the vehicle, it had coil faults, lambda faults, knock sensor faults, all of which I replaced one by one. So now I have no codes but still rough running. Which makes me think it's a mechanical error. Does this sound like a worn chain to you guys?

Paul.

[LDK]

This sounds very similar to what happened to my XJ8 3.2....had it in a garage and they couldn't find any faults, took it to Jaguar specialist "unfortunately chains had slipped 1 tooth and I was very lucky" chains changed and all good except for empty pockets :)

Apparently the n/s side of my engine showed no spark so was not working, but I drove it 15 miles fine....lumpy but ok. Sorry it's not great news but could be worse.....good luck hope you get it sorted ok.

Liam

[paulxj8]

Oh ok I might aswell bite the bullet and put a kit on then? I'm a mechanic anyway just that I wasn't planning on fitting one so soon. I do believe you can take the rocker covers off to check cam alignment? Is this true?

[LDK]

I really don't know, I just booked it in and got it done, I was going to do it anyway just like you.....but the Jag beat me to it and forced my hand, I love my Jag but it's been a bit of a pig to me......still!! "Not worth anything if it's not working" that's what I say to my wife every time it goes wrong. It's good if you can do it your self :)

[Old Peter]

Hi Paul, and welcome to the club.

 

It is very good to have a mechanic as a member, and you will be of great assistance to many older members who know a bit about  the older type of engine but much less about these wonderful new fangled electronically controlled ones.

 

Regards,

 

Peter.

[paulxj8]

Thank you, modern engines are pretty straightforward. The old jaguar engines are the proper engines, the last good ones being the straight 6 jaguar x300. This is the model I actually wanted. Not the one I got now.

[Old Peter]

Hi Paul,

 

When I said old engines, I was thinking about the side valve engine that was the engine we first had when I did some night school courses 50 odd years ago.

 

I was quite proficient in cleaning carburettors, replacing bits like water pumps, fan belts, plugs etc, changing Oil and filters, but 29 years of company cars which had to go to a main dealer for servicing got me a lot out of practice.

 

Modern engines need experts, and nowadaysI don't get my hands dirty. 

 

Regards,

 

Peter.

[paulxj8]

Right then. Update on the xj8, I almost gave up on it having saw in the bottom of the expansion tank some gold glitter residue. This indicates k-seal coolant leak repair has been flushed through system rather than fixing any leaks. Any how with my misfire, no codes, and residue finding I assumed it had head gasket trouble. so I slept on it and this morning carried out a check on all cylinders for compression. Most read at 165psi which is good, one at 150 and another at 130 so I poured Oil down the cylinders, and spun engine over to line the bores with Oil again as they possibly suffered bore wash. I put it all back together after cleaning the plugs and hey presto it's firing on all cylinders. Doesn't seem to be a lot of pressure in cooling system or overheating issues in the half hour I drove it and left it running.

next task in hand is to repair the leather seats to make them look like new again, with help from dynamix dyes. Colour matched to the jaguar agd trim.