Head gasket failure on V8

[jagseven]

Latest Chris Slix video mentions a head gasket failure on his SVR…..slightly worrying!
I don’t recall every reading about the Jaguar V8 having this problem so perhaps it’s a one off or certainly very rare…but has anyone else had a head gasket fail?

[Cluck]

Just looked at the US forum and nothing came up on a 'headgasket' search for the F-Type - the only hit was on a V6 engine and even then it wasn't actually confirmed to be the headgasket that went, just suspected. Two other threads popped up but neither turned out to be HG - one was actually a water pump leak causing the loss of coolant, and the other was apparently a service problem where the cap was left loose - but I didn't really check whether they were V6 or V8 engines.

Without knowing what caused the failure it's hard to know whether it's something to worry about or chalk up as bad luck, but my money is on bad luck, given the dearth of reports of HG failures both on here and in the main US forum.

EDIT: There has been a V6 failure reported on here that appears to have been caused by coolant loss. Other suspected HG failures often turn out to be injectors failing.

[jagseven]

Good sleuthing Cluck - I’m sure you are right - I genuinely think the 5.0 V8 jag engine is one of the greats so hopefully not an inherent design problem.
Just read your signature - made me smile!

[simpleR]

Is this not the same crash damaged, modded with smaller pulley, already had a failed/shredded belt car?

viewtopic.php?p=74983&hilit=Svr#p74983

??

[jagseven]

Yep - that’s the one - hopefully not a typical example

[Cluck]

Interesting to note that it hasn't seen an official Jag service since January 2021, especially since it was apparently sold to a Jag dealer that diagnosed it as head-gasket failure (looked it up after seeing the VIN appear briefly in one of his sponsored Car Vertical bits). It's taxed and insured at the moment, with the MOT due to expire near the end of April.

And yes, it appears to be a very uncommon thing on the F-Type, just judging by what SimpleR and scm have said before on this forum when suspected failures have surfaced.

EDIT: On another note, it looks like some SVO paints might get listed as 'Black' on the vehicle database. I noticed SimpleR mention a paint colour mismatch against a car search recently, and this SVR also appears as 'Black' where it has an SVO paint (Velocity Blue IIRC)

[mickjaguar]

EDIT: On another note, it looks like some SVO paints might get listed as 'Black' on the vehicle database. I noticed SimpleR mention a paint colour mismatch against a car search recently, and this SVR also appears as 'Black' where it has an SVO paint (Velocity Blue IIRC)

Cars in SVO colours are often not recorded on the Jaguar database correctly. Mine is input as Osmium Blue, which is a silver blue metallic prior to 2012 used on the XF and never available on the F type. Probably dealer was using a pick list on the system, but at least they chose a blue colour.

[Cluck]

If you do a DVLA check on the car, it is listed on their database as 'Black' . It just struck me as odd that this was another mismatched colour car following the one SimpleR noted the other day and it got me wondering whether it's because it's an SVO paint. It could simply be user error of course.

[scm]

My 2004 XKR was on the DVLA database as (only) an XK8 so when I bought it in 2009 I had an interesting time making sure my insurance was valid! I had to get a letter from JLR stating the car type before DVLA would change the V5C. Initial registrations can be a bit error-prone.

[jagseven]

If you do a DVLA check on the car, it is listed on their database as 'Black' . It just struck me as odd that this was another mismatched colour car following the one SimpleR noted the other day and it got me wondering whether it's because it's an SVO paint. It could simply be user error of course.

Yes - I have the same issue with my SVO paint car - I was told by the Jaguar dealer I purchased the car from that the cars are painted on the usual production line in black (or white) before being taken to SVO paint booth for final colour so V5 can show incorrect colour.