I found a 1998 XJ8 that has been beautifully maintained. I want to buy it. While the car has 70,000 miles on it, the engine was replaced at 30,000 miles odo in the year 2000 by Jaguar. The compression was insufficient for an engine of that early age - most likely a failure of the Nikasil liner coating. I am not sure, nor is the owner, if the new engine installed in 2000 would be Nikasil or cast iron sleeves for the bores, and not sure whether or not this new engine would have included generation II timing chain tensioners instead of the failure-prone ones installed in engines in 1998. Not sure also if the water pump with the new engine would have the improved impeller that would prevent the vanes from breaking off, causing engine overheat.

Anyone have any idea what engine characteristics came with engines installed for earlier cars in year 2000?

Thanks!!

Davde

 

Wow! Thanks for the information so quickly!!

I will buy the car in Florida - would you consider it safe to drive it home to upper Michigan as is then replace the water pump and tensioners?

There are no dealers or mechanics within 250 miles of me, so I will work on it myself. I know I will need some special tools to replace the tensioners - cam and crank lockdown tools, etc. Should I just replace the secondary tensioners, which, it seems, is less laborious, or both primary and secondary?

Thanks very much again!

Dave

 

Thanks again for the information. The car is in St. Petersburg. Belongs to the brother-in-law of a fellow who lives near me.

Looks like almost 200 miles between that and your meet.

Not sure when I will go pick up the car yet - have to arrange my schedule, but either this weekend or the following.

Good to know it is steel sleeved.

Would the tensioners be the second generation type on a 2000 engine? I know the latest are third generation and are aluminum.

Once again, would you recommend replacing primary AND secondary tensioners and guides, or just the secondary tensioners?

Thanks so much!

Dave