Hope you guys can help! thinking about buying a 1999 Xj8 that has had the new motor installed by Jaguar and only has 39000 on the motor. Question will the motor have steal sleeves and at 39000 miles when should I replace the timing chain tension blocks.
Thanks
Bill

 

I also wanted to say that the motor was replaced in 2003.
Thanks
bill

 

The only way to tell about the steel sleeves is to determine the engine serial number. Steel sleeves began with engine serial number 0008181043 which corresponds to August 18, 2000 at 10:43 am.

Metal tensioners began with engine serial number 010813xxxx or you could pull a valve cover and look. If the engine has the plastic tensioners they should be replaced. At 46k miles both my tensioners had splits up the body.

The serial number is very difficult to see in place. I have never been able to see mine. If the swap was done by a dealer you should be able to get the serial number from any one of them. Everything is on line. They may not want to or may not know how but it is available.

A replacement engine may have been storage for some time or been fresh off the assembly line. Jaguar considered them equal as far as warranty replacements.