I will bring bare block to machine shop.
I would like to know if it makes sense to buy dead XK with bad nikasil cylinders. Is it possible to install 4.2 engine instead of 4.0? Or should I find 01 steel engine? What is the best way to deal with dead nikasil engine? thanks.
I am pretty sure I can find 01 engine from XJ8 pretty cheap. Will it fit xk?

 

The XJ8 engine will work, but it's important to know what year XK8 you are looking at. The AJ26 of 97-98 has a different VVT setup that the AJ27 of 99-02. A 4.2 swap would be much more complicated. No clue as to cost of installing liners.

 

About15 years ago I had steel liners installed into an early AJ27 nikasil block. A machine shop charged $60 per liner and I gave him the pistons to match the bores.
(I got the engine for no cost as I worked at the Jaguar dealer and the insurance company did not want the old engine core)

I still have the engine and it is assembled. It is much more difficult to 'turn-over' than the nikasil block. The piston rings need to be changed as the original engine uses different ones.(higher tension) I have the engine sitting in a crate in the corner of my shop but I never needed it because the 1999 and 2001 engines in the cars I own never failed!!!!

The things that will damage the nikasil liner are HEAT and high sulfur fuel.

The high sulfur fuel has been banned for a long time now. HEAT will kill the engine but the owner is to blame. (shut it down when the engine temp is too high!!!!!)

Someday I would like to install the engine into a car to see if the thing will run!!!

Salvage engines are a better deal than attempting to rebuild. I worked at the Jaguar dealer and just saw this as a challenge more than a cost effective alternative. I also knew the machine shop owner and asked if he wanted a challenge.

I have less than $1000 in the engine but I still want to hear it run before I die.

bob

 

In my younger days I was a serial destroyer of straight six Jaguar. engines in my XJ6's. I soon learned that a used engine from a breaker is far lower cost than a rebuild - usually costing less than the parts let alone any specialist labour. This applies even more to the V8.

When Jaguar were replacing nikasil engines under warranty, they didn't rebuild them at the Bridgend engine factory - the work was contracted out but I've never been able to discover the identity of the contractor(s).

Graham

 

Interesting discussion. My engine is a late 2000 and should not be using nikasil sleeves, but I already plan for a future rebuild. It has 127 000 km on it by now and still runs fine with none or next to none consumption of oil. But when it comes to cylinder sleeves, do they come in different specs? Is it possible to fit thinner sleeves and matching bigger pistons to have the displacement increased?

 

XJ8 go dirt cheap and it is possible to find one in running condition for 1000 with body damage.
Do nikasil engines have some mark on them? When did Jag factory stop installing nikasil?

 

The mark on the nikasil engines is the engine number (manufacture date).

bob

 

I believe nikasil production ended Aug 13, 2000. Some 2001 cars could have nikasil engines.