2002.5 S Type 4.2 Steering free play adjustment?

Hope all Jag-Lovers are well in these trying times.
Does anyone know if there is an adjustment for steering free play on the 4.2 S type please? …and if so, how to do it.
Can’t wait for restrictions to be lifted so I can take my car on the open road again!

Need more information, there are only a few causes for steering wheel play, tie rod ends, and rack mounts, if the problem is with the rack it would most likely be leaking copiously, that said I’ve seen shim and lock screw adjustments on early non power racks, check where the play is have a helper swing the wheel 4 or five inches while you look underneath to determine where the play is keep jogging the wheel to and fro till you see obvious play. I don’t think there is any easy way to adjust rack to pinion clearance it’s be easier to replace it probably from a pull it off yourself yard, again I would expect it to be leaking fluid if it has appreciable play

Thank you for taking the time to reply.
My car needed a lot of attention when I bought it. I’ve done what I can as I can afford.(limited funds) tie rods, wheel bearings, upper control arms, various bushes and power steering pump have been done. There are no leaks in the system. I read that my rack is not adjustable and through lack of knowledge assumed that my problem would be from wear in the rack. I found a local company, seeking a price and availability quote. A very helpful person asked for my registration number , from which he identified my car, I’d given my vin number also. He asked me about the symptoms and asked me if my car had variable steering assistance. I had to confess that I didn’t know. He said that if it did, the “switch” could be the problem. Sure enough, my S does have that feature.
Once the air deflector is removed it is easy to get to the switch ( actuator/transducer ) mine looked ok externally, I removed and cleaned the connector… We can only drive limited distance now due to Covid restrictions, but! it does feel better so far. Could this have been my problem all along? I had left the air deflector off for some time due to other work I’d been doing. Maybe some road spray had got into the connector?
Anyway, The part number is ZF7039442 216 and I thought it wouldn’t hurt to replace it, but they are hard to find. I am waiting for a used part from Europe and will try it for comparison.
Kind regards
Dave
Manual p 535 Pwr steer control valve actuator.pdf (1.3 MB)

The sensor for variable pressure acts to lessen the assist at higher speeds and raises the assist in slow speed and parking maneuvers

| mustavajag Dave Spencer Patron
September 23 |

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Thank you for taking the time to reply.
My car needed a lot of attention when I bought it. I’ve done what I can as I can afford.(limited funds) tie rods, wheel bearings, upper control arms, various bushes and power steering pump have been done. There are no leaks in the system. I read that my rack is not adjustable and through lack of knowledge assumed that my problem would be from wear in the rack. I found a local company, seeking a price and availability quote. A very helpful person asked for my registration number , from which he identified my car, I’d given my vin number also. He asked me about the symptoms and asked me if my car had variable steering assistance. I had to confess that I didn’t know. He said that if it did, the “switch” could be the problem. Sure enough, my S does have that feature.
Once the air deflector is removed it is easy to get to the switch ( actuator/transducer ) mine looked ok externally, I removed and cleaned the connector… We can only drive limited distance now due to Covid restrictions, but! it does feel better so far. Could this have been my problem all along? I had left the air deflector off for some time due to other work I’d been doing. Maybe some road spray had got into the connector?
Anyway, The part number is ZF7039442 216 and I thought it wouldn’t hurt to replace it, but they are hard to find. I am waiting for a used part from Europe and will try it for comparison.
Kind regards
Dave
Manual p 535 Pwr steer control valve actuator.pdf (1.3 MB)

Thanks again. I think that was what was being suggested to me, that I was getting too much assist at higher speeds.
What I interpreted as free-play was the feeling that the car would want to follow any road surface irregularity while in a straight line, and I could feel this slightly through the steering wheel.
At slower speeds and in corners it felt fine.
Just another thought; are you aware of issues with the universal linkage to the rack?
Dave

Oh…See my latest post, Aftermarket Parts.
The problem was aftermarket rear tie-rods !