My dad is looking at getting a Jaguar XK, preferably the naturally aspirated 5.0L, instead of the 4.2.

I've warned him that if there's not proof in the service history of the timing chain guides being replaced, he needs to budget £1,500 for it, based on some of the threads I've seen on here from the FFRRs.

The vehicle has been serviced at Jaguar main dealer all its life but when I called the dealership with the chassis number, they couldn't find history for the vehicle because in that time they've been taken over, so they weren't able to verify if the work has or hasn't been done for me.

Am I giving sound advice to my Dad here or did the Jaguars not suffer the issue to the same extent / the work less expensive on the Jaguar? Are there any particular warning signs ahead of failure?

Thanks! 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

£1500 is on the cheap side unfortunately. In an RR it’s 3 times that!

Have a look on jaginfo.org there’s a lot of info over there.

I’ve got a 5.0 XFR and a friend of mine has a 5.0 NA XK and is very pleased with it. I can confirm the 5.0 engine is superb though.

Timing chains can give problems but it’s not a problem on every car. If you find the car you want, I’d not rule it out if it’s not had the chains done, just be aware that they may need doing and factor that into the price you pay.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior
2013 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Black Edition in Santorini Black with Ebony Interior

How do you tell a car that might need it or might not? 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

Listen for a rattle when starting from cold. You’ll get misfire codes too as they tend to let the timing out of scope slightly rather then causing damage. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior
2013 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Black Edition in Santorini Black with Ebony Interior

Ok, I shall listen for the rattle and take the IID with me. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

5.0 engine is exactly the same as in the L322

Timing chains do wear
Water pumps leak for fun
Have also replaced a couple of oil coolers
Supercharger couplings wear, causing a knock
High pressure fuel pumps are not common, but have been known to fail



I've also got a 5.0 XFR, though only a 2010 model. It's a proper bipolar car. Nice, comfortable and smooth car when you want it to be
Stick it in Dynamic mode, and you can very quickly get yourself into trouble

The only thing I would change, is to make it 4WD. Traction is a bit of an issue

That’s one of the things I love about it

Sedate and quiet when the wife is in the car and a hooligan when you’re on your own. For a 4 door saloon it really is quite impressive the way they pick up speed.

Agree with the 4WD bit! That’d make it one hell of a capable car!

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior
2013 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Black Edition in Santorini Black with Ebony Interior

We took ours up to Inverness and the surrounding area for a week. Nice burble cruising up the A9 at 60/70mph on average speed cams

Then scaring the locals and tourists hooning down alongside Loch Ness

Even averaged 26mpg over the 400 miles. Couldn't complain at that


The 4wd F Type is a beast. We've had a few in for various bits and pieces

The way it launches is something else

Ok so, I went and had a thorough look round, a really lovely and honest owner ... even went to the trouble of telling me the 12V socket didn't work (which turned out to be the fuse).

The car was in such good condition, with 15 main dealer stamps in the book that I bought it. 2 owner car (most recent owned it since 2018), 2 keys. Brake fluid tested fine, coolant looked relatively fresh and the power steering fluid was done last year and nice and clean. Battery tester showed the battery cranking at just under 600A at 12.0V instead of the 800A rated (plus a little more science to it). It did recover on the drive to my house and was reading 12.6V this morning, but given the owner had never changed the battery in his ownership, I expect there's around 1 year remaining in the battery. Rocker covers were all clean and the bell housing is spotless so, no sign of any oil cooler issue. No rattles starting from cold and no misfires in the fault log on the IID (thanks for the above advice on this).


It's not the supercharged (I think that's the XKR) but my my, the 5 litre naturally aspirated in a car that small (and a smidge over 1,600kg) is a bit of a handful and plenty enough. The L405 has 600kg on the XK and the L322 has over a tonne on it...both the aerodynamic qualities of a house brick..
so, you may need the supercharger but certainly not on the XK.

Before handing over to my Dad, I've sorted the 12V socket, have refitted the passenger seat belt because it had been bolted on twisted, changing the interior lights to LED and giving it a service. I note the air filters are a pain because you have to remove the wheels and wheel arch to get to them.

The one issue (after consulting with the local Jaguar specialist, apparently happens on all XK cars and some XF cars is that, like most JLR vehicle, if you let the battery get too low, the seats trip a fault and need the seat reprogramming feature run by diagnostics otherwise, the seat back will not incline). I did email GAP and asked if this is something available if I pay for an extra VIN but in the meantime, have ordered the SDD kit recommended on the Jaguar forums. The specialist charge £50 but apparently it can happen when you disconnect the battery too so, thought it best to try an owned tool first. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8