Post by alf on Aug 9, 2023 8:52:34 GMT
About 18 months ago I noticed the Jag's V8 was making quite a "tick tick" sound at idle, but only as I did a few miles very slowly, between hedges, with the windows down (it might always have been there). Although overall the Jag 5.0 V8 seems very strong, forums will always just have all the issues and at the time the XFR forums were alive with people declaring the supercharger snouts were an issue and led to clonking sounds. I pointed this out at the next service (last summer) and the senior service guy laughed and said these engines were bullet proof, ignore forums. Nothing was reported.
Then I had some very irregular (i.e. its only happened 3 times ever) ignition issues, that felt like the coil packs going on the 330i I had, like one cylinder was not firing after a heavy acceleration. A restart fixed this each time, the warning light only briefly flickered one time, but in googling issues with the engine (still making much the same noise) timing chains are for sure a genuine 5.0 V8 issue and seem to get loose around the 70-80k mark (mine is currently on 75k). They can end up making a lot of noise and it can be goodbye engine if they get so loose they slip. Plenty of stuff on Youtube about this, mainly with Range Rovers - they did try to sue JLR in the US but JLR said there was no pattern to the demise of the timing chain tensioners (which to be fair are proving to be a high miles issue in pretty much all modern direct injection engined cars, the timing chains work much harder).
I was worried the noises and occasional misfire were related, but I've satisfied myself now that if a timing chain issue caused running issues (they can slip only a bit) the warning light stays on and you know about it! I switched to Super Unleaded months back and the misfire never happened again (and the car feels better for it, despite what JLR say about this engine not needing it). Its still running perfectly and pulling as much as 35MPG on a run.
I have googled the 5.0 V8 timing chain issues enflessly and watched/listened to loads of videos. Mine is certainly nothing like the various "this is a bad one" videos, and it all comes down to where you hold the damn phone/microphone as to how loud it sounds. There is nothing untoward on startup or switch off, from inside the car with the windows up it still sounds perfect, if you go poking about under the engine bay - and particularly under each wheel arch - there is quite a "tick tick" at idle but if you pay attention to how cars sound from the outside, say in a town, loads of cars make this noise. I'm pretty sure the last XFR did, Tina's car does, etc.
JLR did change the oil spec on the V8 to a 0W20 of a particular brand (allegedly due to this issue) and did change the tensioners before my model year (not that it seems to have helped). Mine has has the new spec oil from the first service, its never got low (in fact this one never needs a top up, it stays at max between services always) and mine has had very few cold starts (when the timing chain tensioners get the most abuse) for the mileage. Unless you go poking around looking for the noise it sounds and drives perfectly, so I had resolved to ignore it, however they did mention a "tapping noise from engine on startup, needs investigation" at the service this summer (after I mentioned it again). And a slight gearbox oil leak (as per the last two times).
Which is where the crap dealer part comes in. At the annual service, would you believe, they don't even check for fault codes (I was interested in what might be showing from the one time the light had come on during the misfire). And with the tapping noise and the gearbox oil leak, they basically said the (£100 a month) JLR extended warranty doesn't cover the investigation, which could be up to a grand or so. I said "so basically I wait for something to catastrophically fail then?" and they said yes. Now I'm worried they have put that note on my service record (which I think is BS as there is no specific noise on startup at all) as a catch-all so that if my timing chain fails, they can claim I should have followed this up, and its not warrantied. The dealer has been great in terms of basic servicing, but as so often with modern cars, they show no interest at all in sorting out issues, which surely they must realise is what exercises the mind of an owner.
As it is, I think my chain is getting somewhat noisy but nowhere near an issue as yet, and the noise is mostly just what all large direct injection engines sound like as they age. In some ways it would be wonderful if the warranty people were to pay to change the gearbox oil seal (and with it the very expensive "sealed for life" oil), and the timing chain (and with it the water pump which is always worth it with the engine open). At the moment its difficult to even start that process as the people you get on the phone are totally clueless and there is no way to email them about it. I may try and find a Jag specialist that can use the "JLR approved" warranty company as I would trust their opinion a lot more.
I'm torn as I absolutely love the car still, but I tend to get rid between 80 and 90k miles, where there is better retained value than going into 6 figures. Which would be next summer. Not sure what I would get next, but would look to something 30k miles ish and 2017 plate ish or less/newer - anything from a SH XJR or Panamera, to leasing an E Tron or Taycan spring to mind (the latter due to my work). Maybe I should try to have a fight over the noises/ghear oil leak and if it all magically gets sorted, I could keep it another 2-3 years. I have had it 5 now though, and have a slight wish to change even though its perfect for me, which I'm sure you guys understand
If you look into it, all cars have some recurring issues, the JLR 5.0 V8 seems overall statistically reliable. It's very hard to know which models are really really low-trouble, I hear of a lot of turbo-V8 M5 issues for example (the car I came closest to buying instead of my second XFR) and basically the internet will amplify any issues, which makes buying a once very expensive, high performance, car second-hand a bit of a worry, as anyone that looks into Porsche threads will know....
Then I had some very irregular (i.e. its only happened 3 times ever) ignition issues, that felt like the coil packs going on the 330i I had, like one cylinder was not firing after a heavy acceleration. A restart fixed this each time, the warning light only briefly flickered one time, but in googling issues with the engine (still making much the same noise) timing chains are for sure a genuine 5.0 V8 issue and seem to get loose around the 70-80k mark (mine is currently on 75k). They can end up making a lot of noise and it can be goodbye engine if they get so loose they slip. Plenty of stuff on Youtube about this, mainly with Range Rovers - they did try to sue JLR in the US but JLR said there was no pattern to the demise of the timing chain tensioners (which to be fair are proving to be a high miles issue in pretty much all modern direct injection engined cars, the timing chains work much harder).
I was worried the noises and occasional misfire were related, but I've satisfied myself now that if a timing chain issue caused running issues (they can slip only a bit) the warning light stays on and you know about it! I switched to Super Unleaded months back and the misfire never happened again (and the car feels better for it, despite what JLR say about this engine not needing it). Its still running perfectly and pulling as much as 35MPG on a run.
I have googled the 5.0 V8 timing chain issues enflessly and watched/listened to loads of videos. Mine is certainly nothing like the various "this is a bad one" videos, and it all comes down to where you hold the damn phone/microphone as to how loud it sounds. There is nothing untoward on startup or switch off, from inside the car with the windows up it still sounds perfect, if you go poking about under the engine bay - and particularly under each wheel arch - there is quite a "tick tick" at idle but if you pay attention to how cars sound from the outside, say in a town, loads of cars make this noise. I'm pretty sure the last XFR did, Tina's car does, etc.
JLR did change the oil spec on the V8 to a 0W20 of a particular brand (allegedly due to this issue) and did change the tensioners before my model year (not that it seems to have helped). Mine has has the new spec oil from the first service, its never got low (in fact this one never needs a top up, it stays at max between services always) and mine has had very few cold starts (when the timing chain tensioners get the most abuse) for the mileage. Unless you go poking around looking for the noise it sounds and drives perfectly, so I had resolved to ignore it, however they did mention a "tapping noise from engine on startup, needs investigation" at the service this summer (after I mentioned it again). And a slight gearbox oil leak (as per the last two times).
Which is where the crap dealer part comes in. At the annual service, would you believe, they don't even check for fault codes (I was interested in what might be showing from the one time the light had come on during the misfire). And with the tapping noise and the gearbox oil leak, they basically said the (£100 a month) JLR extended warranty doesn't cover the investigation, which could be up to a grand or so. I said "so basically I wait for something to catastrophically fail then?" and they said yes. Now I'm worried they have put that note on my service record (which I think is BS as there is no specific noise on startup at all) as a catch-all so that if my timing chain fails, they can claim I should have followed this up, and its not warrantied. The dealer has been great in terms of basic servicing, but as so often with modern cars, they show no interest at all in sorting out issues, which surely they must realise is what exercises the mind of an owner.
As it is, I think my chain is getting somewhat noisy but nowhere near an issue as yet, and the noise is mostly just what all large direct injection engines sound like as they age. In some ways it would be wonderful if the warranty people were to pay to change the gearbox oil seal (and with it the very expensive "sealed for life" oil), and the timing chain (and with it the water pump which is always worth it with the engine open). At the moment its difficult to even start that process as the people you get on the phone are totally clueless and there is no way to email them about it. I may try and find a Jag specialist that can use the "JLR approved" warranty company as I would trust their opinion a lot more.
I'm torn as I absolutely love the car still, but I tend to get rid between 80 and 90k miles, where there is better retained value than going into 6 figures. Which would be next summer. Not sure what I would get next, but would look to something 30k miles ish and 2017 plate ish or less/newer - anything from a SH XJR or Panamera, to leasing an E Tron or Taycan spring to mind (the latter due to my work). Maybe I should try to have a fight over the noises/ghear oil leak and if it all magically gets sorted, I could keep it another 2-3 years. I have had it 5 now though, and have a slight wish to change even though its perfect for me, which I'm sure you guys understand
If you look into it, all cars have some recurring issues, the JLR 5.0 V8 seems overall statistically reliable. It's very hard to know which models are really really low-trouble, I hear of a lot of turbo-V8 M5 issues for example (the car I came closest to buying instead of my second XFR) and basically the internet will amplify any issues, which makes buying a once very expensive, high performance, car second-hand a bit of a worry, as anyone that looks into Porsche threads will know....
