Ha! I just noticed that the original post is two years old! I guess my advice is a little late.

Oh well. Maybe it can help someone else. Either way, I hope you are enjoying your ride!

 

Have a dealer do a pre-purchase inspection. Top to bottom.

And remember, you've gotta pay to play.

 

All of the information and advice on purchasing one of these wonderful, absolutely beautiful piece of art has really helped me. Looks, however, are skin deep. I'm looking at a 2000 one owner XK8. It's a local purchased and owned vehicle with 48,000 miles on the clock. From all the posts, it's had most of the issues resolved (top hydraulic lines replaced/fluid flushed; throttle body replaced) and all the service records along with the owner manuals are with the vehicle. The build label says 1999 so I'm assuming is has the 4.0 has the Nikasil liners? Any problems here? I took 3 years finding my 2005 MINI rag top. The guy wants to swap so I'm in a pickle (not really ready to part with the Cooper but don't want to pass up the opportunity to get a car I've dreamed of). I work on my vehicles so mechanical "corrections" are not a problem. Any additional advise woud be helpful and thanks a bunch folks.

 

Nikasil what is it and why is it a problem. Let me first start by saying that not all Nikasil engines have a problem. You may ask why and you will get several answers, the best I can give you is good maintenance and low sulpher fuels and the lack of short trips will extend the life of Nikasil.

Now that I confused you let me give you a link to the definition of Nikasil Nikasil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and it will also inform you that this is not a problem with one car manufacture although I am doing this to inform Jaguar followers.

Now to be honest with you I am a victim of the Nikasil issue and I can tell you I was not pleased. When I purchased the car I was informed that it was well maintained by a Jaguar Dealership and I continued to do the same. However my engine failed me on starting several times and that is when I found this information on Nilasil Jag-lovers - Jaguar World Monthly articles reproduced with permission . You may be required to get a logon for the web page, do it, it’s worth it. I also got this information that only confirms the Nikasl concerns http://www.racinggreencars.com/moder...J-V8Engine.pdf.

When we purchased the car I wanted to be an informed consumer. What I did find was that the tentioners fail and the water pump and the engine temperature was a concern. Very little on Nikasil .

Now you may have heard of the BlowBy test on Nikasil. . Most of us have heard of it but I must tell you that it is the best kept secret. I checked around and no one had a clue what it looked like and I was unable to find it on the internet. In fact the process was a little vague to many so I elected to try to get that information and have it available for others. I found that the BlowBy test is a real test and in fact Jaguar had the BlowBy tester manufactured. I got my hands on a video that explains the BlowBy procedure and I will make every effort to explain the process to you so you can understand. The video I received is copywrited and I am unable to post it on this page, however I will provide the resources and you can contact them and get your own copy if you wish. I asked for permission but have not received anything yet.

The BlowBy tester was developed to identify excessive bore wear. To do this the secondary breather hose is disconnected and plugged on both ends, the primary hose is then disconnected and the BlowBy tester is installed between the car and the hose. The meter will have a static reading (engine not running), then the car is started with the A/C and all other non essential turned off and it is run for 1 minute and then an additional minute. The results are calculated (I think by subtracting the static from the results) and you get the BlowBy results. Now according to the comments on the tape < 40ppm is OK! And < 30ppm is reason for concern!

FYI:
These facts apply to ALL AJ-V8’s produced between 1996 and 2001, regardless of size or application, (XK 4.0, XJ 4.0 and 3.2, S-type 4.0)

In August 2000 Jaguar replaced the Nikasil-linings with steel linings
The Nikasil cut-off date (18/08/00) is often confused with the date when low-sulphur petrol was introduced into the UK (01/01/00)

To the best of my ability the U.S. Diesel Low-sulphur date was 2006 and gasoline fuel was around 2007 (I did not want to spent a great deal of time on the sulphur issue but 1 hour later this is what I got. Not real good on the searching thing).

EGR doesn't depend on ultra-low-sulphur fuel.(Brief Article) | HighBeam Business: Arrive Prepared
The risk of Nikosil failure was substantially reduced after the 01/01/00 in the UK when low-sulphur petrol was introduced, especially in new and low mileage engines.

Jaguar replaced many Nikasil engines under warranty, so a car built before the cut-off date below may possibly have steel-lined bores (check the engine number).
Nikasil - Cut-off date/number
The first steel-lined AJ-V8 came off the production line In the year 2000 on August 18th at 10.43am hence the engine number will read:
00 08 18 1043 or more precisely:
0008181043

With this piece of information it is simple to discern between a Nikasil and a steel-lined engine as all the numbers refer to the date of manufacture and any engine built before August 18th 2000 WILL have Nikasil bores!

The only way to tell if you have a Nikasil lined engine is to check the engine number, as stated in my document.

CHECK THE ENGINE NUMBER - IT IS THE ONLY SURE WAY OF KNOWING.

Engine number on V8 is under the black plastic cover, stamped on the top of the block to the right hand side of the front of the engine, near the lifting bracket.

Whether or not there is a fine line between the readings given by a compression tester and blowby tester, cannot say, but at least now you know more about the topic.

Thanks to:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia , Jag-lovers - the Jaguar Enthusiasts' premier Internet site , Racing Green Cars - Jaguar and TVR specialists for South East England , Xclusively Jaguar - Home Page - For all your Jaguar needs.... Jaguar Cars, Used Cars, Classic Cars, Jaguar, Daimler, Cars For Sale, Parts, Automobilia, Accessories, Buyer's Tips, Newsletters, Information, SS & Pre-war, 1950's Sports, 1960's Saloons, , http://www.jec.org.uk/jec-new/index.php , News, research, and information libraries trust | AccessMyLibrary - Promoting library advocacy

This is a good read RE: Nilasil Machining New Metals - Nickel Silicon Carbide Coatings: Engine Builder

A little additional reading and updated information on Nikasil Nikasil

 

Gus, thanks for all that information. I used and printed a couple of the links as well as visiting the jag owners site. Great information. I've decided to look for a "newer" XK8 in maybe the 2002-2006 body styles at a later time. I can't give up my Mini since it was such a long process finding it in the first place. If I start looking for the XK8 of my dreams now, maybe I'll find it in a year or so. Thanks again and I'll keep coming back to the Jaguar forum as I search.

 

Very nice looking car. You will enjoy it for years to come ..

 

All that great advice, I really liked. I have a 99 XK8 coupe which I love. A really great clue about Jag owners is in the JeffreyGreen message where he outlines all kinds of technical stuff about his choice and then he says "and most of all, it was the color combination I wanted". You have to see the love hidden in that remark.
I have had a warranty on mine since I bought it used in 2000, the Jaguar Extra Mile-Exclusionary Coverage. They wont renew it any more. There are some important things about managing our warranty. One is be ready and able to challenge any refusal to cover. When that happens, if you think it should be covered, call them, argue and then talk to a supervisor. Read your contract carefully.The warranty company representatives will not fix a faulty request. For example, if your dealer representative says the part is a "hose", which is not covered, make sure it really is a hose, maybe its called a hose but is something else. Also, the warranty will cover a hose if it has to be changed to fix something else. Get educated on this and you will be able to get coverage when it is first refused. Keep in mind the dealer rep doesn’t make the decisions and he/she isn’t really trying to get coverage for you, you need to be ready and able to sell your position to the warranty company. Also, point of interest. When something is covered you will get a statement from the dealer showing what you would have had to pay, but the dealer actually got less than that from the warranty company. For example they will charge you for parts an amount well above MSRP, but the warranty company will only pay MSRP. Also, if you use an independent, you will get screwed by the warranty company, I don’t know the details, but when I used an independent, it was never fully covered, but when I used a dealer, it was always fully covered. But the contract makes no such distinction and the prices are always much higher at the dealer. Does anybody know how this is all worked out?

 

I'm in the process of buying a 2001 XJ8 and have been leery of the early XJ8's because of the Nikasil issue. I'd like to get another X300 (someone hit mine and totaled it) but sadly good ones are getting very difficult to find.

The car is in a different state and I haven't yet had the guy check the engine number. However, how likely is it that a 2001 with VIN ending in F37192 would have a Nikasil engine? Also, did all XJ8's after Aug. 18 have steel-lined engines?

 

if its close to the manufacture date for nikasil -> steel, then you'll need to research the engine build date from the VIN. I'm afraid there's no magic in the numbers, you'll have to see if you can find a Dealer with the time to look it up...perhaps stop by and check out the parts department, meet a service writer (in a slow period of the day), then ask about the engine.

 

The .pdf Owners Manual is here, in sections:

http://topix.jaguar.jlrext.com/topix...jm18021420.htm

The Vehicle Care Manual is here, in sections:

http://topix.jaguar.jlrext.com/topix...jm18161420.htm

 

anyone add to TestPoint's list of items to watch for on xk8?, that was 6 years ago

 

Welcome to the forum pphear,

This is a 6 year old thread with a latest post before yours made 4 years ago.

You will find plenty of information on 'items to watch' in the FAQ's at the top of the thread list. Here's a direct link:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ts-data-29800/

For your model, lookout for information on plastic tensioners, transmission fluid changes and cooling system. These are the three major problem areas on the early XK8/XKR. Next to that, word suspension is the next most regular thing to concern owners.

Graham

 

Be afraid...be very afraid...of becoming absolutely, positively obsessed and possessed by the car. It will creep into the very depths of your soul and make you do crazy things. You will be focused on the car, running perfectly or not, during everything that you do, every waking moment will be spent, in some way, thinking about the car. You will have entered the secluded world of Jaguar ownership.


ALL HAIL THE INFINITE POWAH OF DAH GROWLER!!!