Valve / cam cover gasket replacement, left side, Jaguar XJ8 & XK8 - Auto Repair Series

Valve cover gasket replacement: 1 to 2 hours ($75 / $245 / $400)
Our covers are leaking again within 3 years. Get OEM gaskets.
Right hand cover instructions: • Valve / cam cover gask...
This video shows how I replaced the left (US drivers side) valve / cam cover gasket on a 2003 Jaguar XJ8 with a 4.0 liter motor. It would have taken about 1-1/2 hours if it were not for the coolant line connection that just fell apart on me.
Most of the XJ8's from 1998 - 2002 have worn or damaged timing chain. This would be a good time to replace it if it bad.
Torque Values:
Cover bolts, 9 - 11 Nm (7 to 8 ft lbs)
Coil packs, 4 - 5 Nm (3 ft lbs.)
Coil pack cover, 4 - 5 Nm (3 ft lbs)

[@RayMelville]

Nice work again Robert. Very clear presentation and nicely done. Thank you for not adding the obligatory and annoying background music that a lot of other car videos seem to have.

[@RobertDIY]

You are welcome

[@ML-dw5ol]

You do a GREAT job on clarity, a very rare thing. GREAT Video! thank you.

[@RobertDIY]

You are welcome

[@mattslater2165]

Thanks Robert. I have to change the left side rocker cover gasket on a '99 XK8 and I feel a whole lot happier about doing the job now I've watched your video!

[@RobertDIY]

Awesome!

[@daveyork2506]

Hi Robert, Just replaced the cam cover gaskets on my Jaguar XK8 after watching your video and taking notes. Success! Really like the way you cover everything yet keep it simple. Great job dude! Thanks very much!

[@RobertDIY]

Dave York Glad it helped. Thanks for watching.

[@fab3319]

Excellent video my friend. Just realized my valve covers are leaking. Was hesitant to do it myself but after your excellent explanation I feel confident thanks again

[@RobertDIY]

You are welcome

[@rodneytod7141]

You make this look easy! Very comprehensive,. We Jag owners REALLY appreciate this video. Well done!

[@RobertDIY]

You are welcome.

[@picwick57]

I find your videos very informative to tackle many jobs , Including the need to replace top left tensioner on my 01 4.0l. Thanks for taking the time to post your know how!!

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks for watching.

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks for watching.

[@dancole5991]

Robert you are a genius I could listen to you all day !

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks for watching.

[@brandonherrera2891]

Forgot to say thanks for this!! Took my cam cover off to see what tensioners I have, and luckily I have the 3rd gen metal tensioners. Very easy project to do if anyone needs to take them off.

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks for watching.

[@wisaac6502]

By the way what year is your jag that has 3rd gen metal tensioners?

[@andrewconstant6747]

What a great video Robert. Tools, parts list, accurate instructions, even torque values. Most excellent. I got all the way to torquing and snapped off a bolt in the head. Damn! I should have remembered I did that on the other side last year! Bummer for me. Great video, you are a great source.

[@RobertDIY]

+Andrew Constant ouch!

[@dylanhale7300]

Thanks for the clarity, I want to get one of these in the next couple years, and these valve covers seem to be a common failure point in colder climates

[@RobertDIY]

I can imagine.

[@FixUup]

Man I feel ya. I had to change the valley heater line on xk8 along with a couple other things.. Broken vacuum lines broke the plastic egr line like you did your radiator line. Cheap parts but a $50 job turned into a$341 job real quick when the the cheap plastic sensors kept breaking and the vvt clip broke off in the vvt solenoid plug. Ended up having to pull the valve cover thanks for the video that dip stick was my issue. Great video

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks for watching

[@zx8401ztv]

I bet your the first to look at those gaskets in years, looked like that tube was well past its sell by date lol, dam plastic crap. Spark plugs look millions of years old as well, youve done a smashing job robert, the owner should be happy as larry :-))

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks man. Yes, I'm sure this car is gotten the "gas and drive" treatment for years.

[@lrmodranoel]

Robert, as always, your videos are extremely helpful. Thanks.

[@RobertDIY]

+Leonardo Rivera thanks for watching.

[@keiths9483]

Thank your Robert. The top firewall side bolt on each cam cover are not orphans. Mine had them as well. They are gold and look different than the other bolts. While the remainder of the bolts (13 of them) should stay in place when you remove the cam cover, the top firewall side bolt will not stay in place and should be removed prior to pulling the cam cover off. Per the repair manual, a bead of RTV is applied in a vertical line along the joint where the engine block meets the front cover. Take your time and be gentle and this job will be no problem.

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks for sharing.

[@The1972Cutlass]

you dont have to put any sealant at the back of the cover near the coolant reservoir is? only near the front of the cover where the tensioner is?

[@throwback19841]

The gold bolt is meant to be there, it is supposedly non-magnetic to not interfere with the cam position sensor at the back of the block. Whether it makes a difference or not, remains to be seen. I just put mine back together with that bolt in the wrong place, so I have decided to proceed with it as is and see if it has any effect. Hopefully none.

[@_TRON_]

Thank you for making these videos.

[@RobertDIY]

You are welcome

[@Biggles]

This video is really excellent in the level of detail given, and helped my massively with my XJR. Thank you!

[@RobertDIY]

You are welcome.

[@vetteluvnh]

Biggles, I'm about to do this job on a 98 XJR I just bought last week. Were there any major differences or extra steps between what Robert showed on his XJ8 and what you experienced w/your XJR? Thanks in advance.

[@Biggles]

Dennis Tucker Hi. It’s mostly the same procedure, but removing the cam covers on the XJR is a little harder because the supercharger is in the way a little.

[@trulysick86]

thanks for the vid. Going to have to do mine asap. They leak pretty good once they go bad

[@RobertDIY]

+trulysick86 this is true.

[@astraltraveler257]

Great Video! Just the facts. Very helpful. Thank you and hope you are well.

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks for watching

[@kingfisherdecor5533]

Thank you for this great informative video Robert. Made doing the job on my xk8 a breeze.

[@RobertDIY]

Glad it helped

[@craigkeller]

You have the patience of a saint! Great video.

[@RobertDIY]

Thanks for watching

[@joseiglesias7430]

great video thank you Robert for taking your time to teach how to due the job and save a lot of money . thanks joe.

[@RobertDIY]

You are welcome.

[@CrockettTy]

Robert, you're the greatest! Thank you for the great info.

[@RobertDIY]

+Ty Crockett you are welcome.

[@joseiglesias7430]

Robert I follow your instructions job done thanks. thanks again it was a tusk they did that job before me and they have broken screws you named but is done. thanks again. joe.

[@RobertDIY]

You are welcome.

[@FILMCREWProductions1]

Him breaking the radiator clip is so typical car pain... I giggled a little.

[@RobertDIY]

😜

[@stevehamilton9390]

great info. thanks. going to try it on mine once i gather the parts.

[@RobertDIY]

Steve Hamilton Thanks for watching.

[@gewuerzkontor-muenchen]

Thank you very much for this great tuorial! perfect

[@RobertDIY]

You're very welcome!

[@bobcarey8671]

good job Robert.

[@RobertDIY]

+Bob Carey thanks.

[@randallcornelius925]

and here I thought it would be relatively simple and not having a lot of experience at working on a foreign make I will have to watch it again and maybe I will feel comfortable in doing this, I know if I have it done at the shop it will not be anything less that a couple hundred dollars,,

[@RobertDIY]

For sure

[@josenevesneves7880]

Hello the owner of a jaguar bought some joints but it was leaking well in the front and rear head, all in the LOW part ... the others were with silicone and very tight which I found very Strange, I saw that a little glue passed in few parts

[@RobertDIY]

Interesting

[@josenevesneves7880]

@@RobertDIY obrigado

[@johnhagianis4581]

Thanks for your help. the vidiow was good. how did you get to the bottom back screw?

[@RobertDIY]

I don't remember

[@sosah24D]

Nice video! How much would a job like this on a 2000 Jaguar VDP v8 to replace gaskets would cost

[@RobertDIY]

My rough estimate of cost is in the description area.

[@miguelena40]

Robert thank you very much is amazing how you take some of your time to share with people , I want to ask you for advice, I have a jaguar xj8 2004 4.2 engine is leaking oil from the timing belt cover , this car have 108 k miles , it is worth to fix it and how much can be a fair price to fix it this is the one that you have to take off the valve cover gaskets too someone told me that ,do you think this cars can be reliable with 120,140,160 thousand miles ? or is going to be a nightmare ? any comment will help me

[@RobertDIY]

120 Million miles? That seems excessive. It's up to you. If it is cheaper to fix it than replace it, fix it. If the car is trashed out, replace it.

[@miguelena40]

LOL I mean 120k 140k 160k thanks for the advice

[@pnh9040]

Well done, Nice work may I ask if the car has a supercherger (XJR) does the super cherger unit has to come out?

[@RobertDIY]

No supercharger on this one.

[@pnh9040]

@@RobertDIY Hi, yes on this car there is no supercharger, if the car had a supercharger, does the supercharger need to come out before removing the valve cover?

[@RobertDIY]

Sad to say, I have no idea.

[@chesleymccoy9590]

Thanks for that video. I have a 2011 jaguar xjl and it appears to be leaking oil from the valve cover. Any chance you will be doing a video on the xjl anytime soon?

[@RobertDIY]

No.

[@rodneytod7141]

You said to get OEM gaskets. What is the best source to go to? Jaguar Dealers?

[@denkha9468]

Great video Robert. I have a question do you have to replace the valve cover bolt grommet seals those tiny seals that each bolt uses or you can reuse them?

[@RobertDIY]

I replace them.

[@SS-uq6wv]

Hey Rob, does the gasket itself just fit into the surrounding or do I have to glue it down?

[@RobertDIY]

Fits.

[@chubbrockstar187]

hi I have Jaguar S Type R with oil leak from left side cam cover also with 4.2L.. but its very hard to get to remove the cover due to tight space in engine bay....what do u recommend

[@RobertDIY]

I apologize but I have never worked on one of those. The people on the Jaguar form seem to be very helpful, you may want to check with them.

[@RobertDIY]

I apologize but I have never worked on one of those. The people on the Jaguar form seem to be very helpful, you may want to check with them.

[@tainchains]

Did you have misfires where the oil had leaked into the wells?

[@RobertDIY]

No

[@The1972Cutlass]

Hey I'm having problems removing the oil dipstick bracket piece it's the only thing I have left holding it on u used wire cutters to cut yours? Also will it cause a leak with it being cut

[@RobertDIY]

What did the video say? I don't remember.

[@The1972Cutlass]

@@RobertDIY hey I got it removed just snipped a piece of it off

[@The1972Cutlass]

for some reason Its still smoking after replacing the valve cover gasket was one I purchased on eBay, I didn't clean the surface that good but just did with wire brush, hope that fixes it

[@The1972Cutlass]

hey the the pcv black tubing that goes on mine broke in half would it be ok to tape it up

[@59sttrackplayer80]

Thank you helped a lot do you use sealant all around or just the dabs? I got a s type I assume is really similar

[@RobertDIY]

+johnathan lopez dabs.

[@59sttrackplayer80]

+Robert DIY do I dab the whole engine head or just those certain spots?? You the man bro this video helped me a lot to figure out where a lot of gaskets go your a OG foreals

[@mds2465]

Jaguars are notorious for oil leaks. lol they've always been that way!

[@RobertDIY]

I believe you. I got a call from a lady about a month ago, her mechanic told her that her new Jag had 4 or 5 leaks.

[@mds2465]

That doesn't surprise me either. They're made by Tata now which I'm sure you've heard of the little Tata nano car that they make in India. They don't sell them in the US bc they don't meet our vehicle safety requirements that we have here in the states. Tata also bought land rover as well. So I really don't think Jaguars or land rovers are gonna be getting any better anytime soon.

[@marketingformoney]

Hey Robert great video, but man I have to ask you what tool you used to remove the lower bolts from the driver side camshaft cover. I can't even get my hands into that area.

[@RobertDIY]

You may need to magnetize a tool. May be God's way of forcing you to have some young skinny guy help you. lol

[@bencouyoute]

Hey Robert my 97Volvo 850t5 is leaking oil but idk where its coming from what should I do and can u make a video on how to replace the engine seals in a 850t5

[@RobertDIY]

Oil leaks are usually cam seals, crank seal, or oil cooler lines. Rare leaks are turbo return tube and the panels on the back of the motor. Is your PCV system clogged? You need to find the leaks then fix them. Volvo PCV System Check, 850, V70, S70, and others - Auto Repair Series

[@jackmwansa3110]

Hi The shop quoted me on the right and left kits. How are they used and how can I know which is right or left. Which part of the engine is right or left

[@RobertDIY]

+Jack Mwansa if you sit in the driver's seat.

[@hattessa]

Hi Robert. I have 1995 Jag Vanden Plas, but the problem, when I start it, the engine is running around three to five minutes then the car is shake it, so do you know why?..

[@RobertDIY]

+foalima lemalu Sounds like it is misfiring.

[@trulysick86]

its having trouble idling. Usually its an air hose somewhere, but could also be spark related, or fuel related

[@claudeguedj5970]

hello robert, is it possible to have the reference of Victor reinz's attached kits? thank you in advance

[@RobertDIY]

I would NOT use them.

[@claudeguedj5970]

is it better to install the original jaguar seals?

[@harpersamuel3]

I am doing this job right now. how do you get the lower rear bolt in the valve cover?

[@RobertDIY]

small tool

[@hpt08]

Robert, how about an O2 sensor change video for the xj8?

[@RobertDIY]

Will try to remember to do that.

[@hpt08]

+Robert DIY the hard side as well as the easy side, but take it easy on those torx screws on the heat shield... they can be a nightmare

[@RobertDIY]

OK.

[@jackmwansa3110]

Robert I have a jaguar X type 2000 with a oil leak chassis number saj-kc52m31xco7802. I can not seem find gasket kit. where can I find these parts. can you help? I am in Zambia, Africa

[@RobertDIY]

+Jack Mwansa a couple of websites will have them. If you can find out the main part number you will be able to Google it. The guys on JaguarForums.com are very helpful with stuff like that. The seals that I installed lasted about 2-1/2 years and are leaking again. This time we are going to install the seals from Jaguar, about $350 us. Rather do that and have them last 8+ years than need to replace them every 2-1/2 years. RockAuto probably sells them. You can also check PartsGeek.

[@sidenotex1336]

Hey Robert i have an 03 xj8, do you know where i can buy performance parts for it? Also where can i buy a dash kit, to install a new radio?

[@RobertDIY]

Crutchfield is a good source for radio stuff. Not sure about performance parts.

[@jamesmaslowify]

Where can I buy a Valet Key for This Jag.Besides the Dealer.

[@RobertDIY]

Kendall Maslow I don't know because the key may be chipped.

[@santiagohernandez422]

is this video similar for a 2000 SUPERCHARGE XJ8 VDP?

[@RobertDIY]

+Santiago Hernandez probably.

[@santiagohernandez422]

Robert DIY thanks

[@jordanlemon1178]

Hey, where did you buy the Gaskets? I can't seem to find them online anywhere

[@RobertDIY]

+Jordan Lemon Rock auto I think. Also, Parts Geek should sell them.

[@RobertDIY]

+Jordan Lemon I think I ordered a Lincoln kit. It was recommended on the Jaguar forum.

[@LegitL3mon]

+Robert DIY Hey sorry I hate to be a bother but I just bought a 1998 Jaguar XJR and found oil all over spark plugs when I was changing them, so im trying to do gaskets with your guide. I'm new to the Jag forums & I'm digging through it but I can't find a reference to the kit you have. I see just the left and right valve cover gaskets for $52 on ebay but none of those other smaller seals, is it possible you could help guide me to this set or do you think I should just go for the ebay option, thanks for your great tutorials!

[@RobertDIY]

Did you read the previous comments or my notes in the comment section?

[@mozarross9960]

Hi LegitL3mon, did you ever change your gaskets on the XJR. I need to change mine too and I have a few questions.

[@santiagohernandez422]

what website did you get the cover gaskets from?

[@RobertDIY]

I don't remember. May have purchased it locally. www.FCPEuro.com sells parts for Jag's, also www.RockAuto.com

[@MiamiZombie2012]

So much plastic. Damn.

[@RobertDIY]

Yes it stinks. Thanks for watching.

[@dougthomasmusic]

Well done! I now have the confidence to do this for my friend. Thank you so much! His is a 2004 it looks the same? 🎸🦜🎶🏖

[@RobertDIY]

Awesome!

[@jackmwansa3110]

Hi Your comments on which side is right or left did not finish. You stopped in between

[@RobertDIY]

+Jack Mwansa ok.

[@otwist5]

Would this be the same for a 96 jag Xj6 ?

[@RobertDIY]

Pretty much.