I'm looking for an XK8 coupe, and based on searching, here are the critical questions about the vehicle, as far as I can tell. The car I'm currently looking at is a 99 with less than 40K miles.

a) Nikasil engine (varying schools of thought on this issue)?
b) Cam tensioners redone?
c) Water pump / thermostat housing redone? With Al replacement parts, not plastic?
d) Tranny serviced per mfg intervals? (does anyone have details on what this means? Is it just routine fluid changes, or is there something more to the tranny maintenance?)

If I take the VIN to a Jag dealer, will they be able to look up the service history including recalls?

Thanks for any additions to the list, or other tips on getting a car that's not a mechanical train wreck.

Mike

 

On the Nikasil get a compression check cold and hot engine.
Throttle body TSB.
Tensioners metal or plastic?

 

Check out the FAQ sticky here:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=29800

under:

'I’m buying a used XK8/XKR, what should I look for?'

On the XK8 ZF5hp24 ('97-'02) transmission, the fluid should be changed despite what mother Jaguar says. 'Filled for life' means the life of the transmission, not yours.

With the VIN in hand you should be able to get any and all dealer 'warranty' service records ever done. Those that an owner paid for have private information on them and without a release from the previous owners you will not get them.

There is a world of information on 'tensioner' there also. If yours are plastic, and they came from the factory that way, they must be changed.

 

Apropos Nikasil there is a blow-by test that Jaguar dealers can carry out which measures the blow-by past the pistons by measuring gas flow out of the engine breather - too much means engine is knackered or about to become knackered. However, as a 99 the car has got to 2010 without problems so it is likely to be OK as the sulfur-laden fuel has now gone out of sale many years ago. The upper camchain tensioners are a much more serious and immediate issue.

 

I did this and received a printout of what the car had ie: type of wheels, color etc but nothing about service. I called the Jaguar dealer that the car was serviced at (found this info in the glove box and also from Carfax). They filled me in as to the brand of engine oil used etc.

 

As much as I like to agree with you sulfur was in the fuel in the US at a rate of 300ppm in 2006. As for the blowby that test has been done away with and they are using compression testing. They may still have one in England from what I was told they were replaced with compression. I have done an extensive research on this and posted my results on my page and on this FAQ. Nikasil is not a problem once you understand the cause and results. I wish I had this information when I got my 99xk8.