November 20th, 2009 |
Published in
Cooling System, Drivebelts, Troubleshooting
XK8 / XKR Drivebelt Configuration
Noisy accessory drivebelts seems to have become a common Jaguar XK8 and V8 trait in recent years. This can be due to the general ageing of the belt but also to the belt having been soaked in coolant. Also check the teeth on the inner side of the belt for general deterioration. In my case, I removed the cap of the header tank too early and the long life coolant sprayed all over the engine compartment and onto the drivebelt. Coolant can also soak the belt if you are changing the water pump and / or the thermostat. The only reliable fix is to replace the belt together with the tensioner and a revised idler pulley. This is recommended to ensure a quiet operation. The work is quite straightforward and can all be done as a job on its own or as part of a water pump / thermostat change or general cooling system overhaul.
When purchasing the accessory belt, we recommend the genuine Jaguar XK8 part. If an aftermarket belt is used, it must be exactly the same length or the wear indicator built into the tensioner will not work properly.
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