Bought my 2003 XJ8 a month ago for a song. Plan was an LSx swap. When I bought the car it was running in restricted mode. That was fixed by splicing knock sensor wires that a rodent had chewed. Now runs great. Why swap? I want a project.
Now considering XJR engine/tranny swap. There is an 150K mile XJR coming up for auction at a nearby salvage yard. It's a flood car. Water line about an inch above the rocker panels. It runs.
That sort of mileage on an LSx wouldn't scare me. If needed on an LSx, rebuilt parts are cheap.
Questions:
How many miles on an XJR are too many? I know they are not Toyotas, but do these engines go 200-250k miles?
If needs rebuild, are parts prohibitively expensive? I'm guessing no aftermarket parts and everything has to come from Jaguar.
Will any 98-03 XJR engine/tranny go into a 2003 XJ8?
What internals are shared between the SC and NA engines?

 

rebuilding the bottom end is pointless when you can just get a good used 4.2 and convert it. i have 2 untouched 4.2s with 200k. just don't overheat hard and you'll be fine, it's not a m96 porsche where you live in constant fear of something bad happening. pre-01 SC motors blow the old composite head gaskets if you drive them too hard. chain guides wear out on the roller chain cars (before 2002.5) but that's an easy job

transmission on the na car is junk until it's upgraded, you owned an e38 so you probably know that already.

 

Ain't that the truth, I've had bore scoring nightmares.