Sorry to hear about your recent disaster. Although the cause is still speculation until the vehicle has been examined, loud mechanical bangs are usually accompanied by severe structural damage.

There's 3 critical items of information missing from your post:

1. Model and Year
2. Location
3. Technical experience / ability / facilities

I saw you subsequently added Model and Year in a later post. I've now added this information to your forum Signature so it appears automatically with all your posts.

Location is important because it will influence how and where you can source parts or a replacement engine. I can see you are in Switzerland but members cannot access this information.

Your technical ability will influence the descision to repair or replace. If you cannot do the work yourself, the labour and parts cost of an engine rebuild will easily exceed the value of the vehicle.

Regardless of DIY or using a professional, a used replacment engine is the quickest and lower cost option if there is major damage.

Graham

 

thanxs for the help and support

 

Hello everybody, I think that I have found an engine for my car. The engine comes from a 2001 XJR (like mine) but the engine was manufactured in may 2000. That means it has Nikasil lining. I have read a lot about the problem...but my theory is that the engine should be good since high sulfure petrol was banned in europe since 2000. However, there is no way to check if the car suffered heating problems.

What are you thoughts on this ? the engine has only 75'000 km's

Thanxs for your feedback

 

I consider nikasil to be superior. Do a leakdown test or check the linings with a boroscope. It's extra work, but if you remove the heads and replace the gaskets with the 4.2 mls there will be little chance of blowing a head gasket in the future.

This would be a good time to replace the chains and guides, and of course the tensioners if that hasn't been done.

 

Have you determined whether the engine needs to be replaced or not? If yes, what went bang?

 

hi mickey, yes the engine needs replacement. The piston "went through the engine" and pierced it :-( therefore there isn't much that can be done

 

ok thanxs for your feedback. Why do you consider it superior please ? All I read is bad publicity

Yes, if i get the engine I will definitely adresse this issue (tensioners)

 

Nikasil V Steel engines....
Nik are overall a lighter engine because they're coated bores, not steel inserts.
Nik does not wear - so in theory will last far longer than steel.
Nik is used in pretty much all racing engines because of the two points above.

But - the crappy high sulphur fuel didn't just wreck the Jag units, Porsche and BMW had exactly the same issues with having to fit replacement engines, Jaguar had to return to steel because of the petrol offered at that time - effectively Sulphur is Nikasil's Cryptonite.

I've said it before on here and I'll say it again - if there was 2 bare blocks, nik and steel, I would take the nik engine over steel every day because of the benefits which manufacturers quite rightly chose as the better option.

But, care must be taken when buying a used Nik unit, a compression test/leak down test should be carried out before parting with the cash, this is to confirm the linings are good.

 

ok thanxs for your feedback. Very helpful :-)

can it also be checked by looking at the bores (when buying the engine on a transport palet) ?