Hello and thanks in advance for any help on this.
Ok so I bought my 1996 xk8 on e-bay without any history hence why it was cheap. Took it in today to get the new timing chains etc. installed and noticed that not only is the engine block covered in this flaking goldish type paint but also the timing chain cover.
My mechanic seems to recall this was done to refurbished engines. I'll ask him more about that tomorrow as we were busy trying to get the pully wheel off which has become seized to the crank shaft, the bolt is out but wheel is stuck on.
Anyhow, just wondering if anyone else has come upon this flakey gold paint on the engine block or chain cover?
Was this something Jaguar did to replacement engines, doesn't sound right to me but I could hopefully be wrong?
I get the feeling the engine may either be original and was refurbished or it is a refurbished replacement from who knows where as Jaguar have no service record of an engine replacement for this car from before 2010 as they say their records only go back that far?
Any light shed on this issue is a great help, cheers

 

It may just be that the damper is stuck tight on the split collar - although the early cars are slightly different.

This thread of Markel's may give your mechanic some pointers. There's also a post in there by motorcarman with a relevant TSB attached:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...3/#post2283842

FWIW, neither of the Jaguar reman. motors in my car had been painted.

 

Thank you for you reply michaelh, always a help.

 

The "official" refurbished Nikasil engines were painted grey and had a tag attached but this often goes missing. The gold paint could have been applied by an independent working on the car or a PO.




Jaguar didn't refurbish the exchanged engines at the Bridgend Engine Plant as it would have disrupted production but had this done by outside specialists.

Jaguar Heritage will have the build records for you vehicle which will show the original engine number:
https://www.jaguarheritage.com/archi.../certificates/

They do charge a rather outrageous £50 + VAT for this service.

Graham

 

Thanks, Graham:- I had to go and check.

Current occupant:- Clearly didn't take enough notice as I guess it could be silver/grey paint. It still has its green tag:


My apologies for the dud information

 

Thank you both for your wealth of information. Above and beyond is what I love about these forums, good guys.
My mechanic managed to get the pully wheel off and changed the chains, guides, tensioners and water pump. I asked to see the old guides etc and they were falling to pieces, not just cracked but plastic parts were missing from the guides. This leads me to the conclusion that although this is a recondtioned engine it was done along time ago.
I don't have the old parts back yet as my mechanic is going to put on an upgraded thermostat and housing next Monday and after that I will put some pictures up of the guides etc. Scarey considering I have put about 500 miles on it with broken guides in there, he said the chains were very loose too.
Quite a reasonable price in my opinion at £520.00 all in plus he paid for the cam locking kit and reset all the bits and bobs to the specified torque settings as I requested and retapped a camcover screw hole which was stripped. I would have been pulling my hair out at the stuck pully wheel and it would have taken me a few weekends to get it done. very pleased this little saga is now about over.
Next job may be finding out more about this refurbed engine. I do have one photo from the chain cover I took today which reads 97JV-6059- mean anything to you guys?
see pics and thanks again. The cover has been cleaned up a bit but it had the same flakey pale gold paint on it as the engine so presuming they came at the same time

 

If you have bits missing from the primary guides, I'd suggest you ask the mechanic to drop the sump and give it a good clean out. The detritus from the decomposing parts can end up in the oil pump strainer: See this post of Terry Young's:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...1/#post2112274

You wil find the engine number (and hence its build date) on the top of the motor on the RHS (looking front to rear) of the thermostat tower. See this post from GGG:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...34/#post868184

£520 seems very reasonable for labour.

 

Thanks again and again and again michaelh. Sounds like a job I could manage myself. Am I right in thinking it would be ok to drive the car home even with debris in the sump pan? Thinking it hasn't got into the engine thus far so should be ok for a few more miles home.
I have done an oil change recently and there were no pieces of plastic in the old oil but that doesn't mean they aren't in the pan.
cheers

 

When asked a question like this, I always think: would I do that?

In this case - yes, but gently...

 

Hello, bit confused as to why they want engine number from my car if that is what I am trying to find out from them and I quote.
Applicants are required to supply all the original numbers from the vehicle, including the chassis/VIN and engine, body and gearbox numbers,

regards