Good afternoon!

It's been a while since I posted but I'm always on here reading something!

Ok, here goes....

I bought a 99 XJ8 and found the engine to be seized up tighter than a drumhead. I poured all sports of lubes into the bores trying to break them loose. No joy...so far.

I found, on my local Craigslist, a used engine from a breaker. The guy told me it had low compression and that's all he knew. I got it for a hundred bucks!
I pulled the chain cover and found new upper and lower tensioners. however, neither exhaust cam turned with the engine....the sprockets were a little loose. So, encouraged, I set out to pull the heads and see if there was any damage to the pistons. They look brand new with no evidence of contact with the valves.

So, as I was cleaning the bores to get a good look at the nikasil, I noticed that the surfaces looked close to perfect. For some reason, I got out a magnet and the bores are clearly magnetic! So, I'm a little confused....didn't liners come late in MY 2000? I believe the engine to be a MY 1999 having been built in September of 1998.

Here are the top of the engine numbers:
980908. 1245
22333222

And the numbers on the side:
RPNNJ*CBBB
22333222*CCBDC

And the VIN of the engine label:
SAJHX6043XC856049

So, could this be a replacement engine? I'm thinking of throwing in new rings and bearings.....

Any insight would be appreciated!

Thanks,

 

Nikasyl was used to engine 00081801042. So it is a rebuild.

 

Hi,
just to clarify the question -- does Nikasil have any magnetic properties?

 

I have been thinking about that ever since I posted, and I might have been wrong. Hopefully someone will have a block laying around to check.
While on the subject again, I understand that a nikasyl lined block in good condition is equal to or better than a steel lined block. The days of the high sulfer fuels that eroded the liners are long past.

 

The thing that will KILL a Nikasil block these days is OVERTEMP!!!!

Swelled pistons will scrape the bores.

I have a 1998 XJ8 in my shop that was SEVERELY OVERHEATED and now has almost NO COMPRESSION in ALL cylinders. Oil in the cylinders will NOT help this one.

bob gauff

 

Say Bob,
Is the scrapping on the bore obvious? These bores don't show anything obvious.
Thanks,

 

I'm sure damaged bores will be obvious if the engine was severely overheated.
The pistons might even be loose in the bores if they 'shrank' after cooling.

bob gauff

 

OK, Thanks.

I really don't see any sign of bore damage and the pistons don't move radially in the bore. I'll pull it apart and measure the bores and the pistons to be completely certain. Or maybe reasonably assured..lol.

 

Taking into account Bob's comment and his great experience, Nikasyl is good but you have to be careful. This again reinforces the need for real time temperature monitoring and an alarm system, which both the Realgauge and Ultragauge provide.