Hi everybody I'm throwing this out there could use some advice on a 2012 black XKR with about 90,000 miles on it it's a convertible beautiful condition and sitting in my driveway for approximately a year bought it at auction and found out after the fact that the oil was milky car would start and then up after a few minutes the smoke from the tailpipe would turn white and then it would stall out. I am mechanically inclined but not to that level after some investigation I feel that it's a head gasket from the milky oil. I live in the Northeast in New York City could use some advice as I'd like to keep the car it's beautiful condition can use the mechanic to either fix the engine or possibly replace don't know which direction to go to and who to ask who has experience. It's a supercharged 5 litre seems to be the same engine from the range rovers so I'm not sure if that's possible to use one of those engines or just to get somebody to fix this one while it's sitting in my driveway.
Originally when I bought the car I thought it was just a coolant leak because there was a cracked hose on the back of the engine right near the firewall that was kind of a u-shape look like it came out of one side of the engine and then went back in I was able to replace that with a new part and then put coolant in it and that's when it started to shut down seem like the water was flowing into cylinders making it choke. I kept having to add coolant to the reservoir and that some point look like the water was coming out of the tailpipe.

 

Assume it is is the head gaskets, and open up the motor. Once inside judge the condition of the cylinders. Probably send the heads out for rebuild.
Check the shaft in the turbo for bearing wear Then close it up, and all should be all right. Check the wastegate is operating well. Qualified mechanic is needed incase there are other complications.

 

Since I don't have the expertise or time to do that type of thing can you recommend a New York City mechanic that I can hire? Or should I just look for a junkyard engine I still going to need the mechanic

 

Here's some photos of car in otherwise great condition


Need to find someone to do the job

 

Personally because of the computer's system complexities, I would do a top overhaul instead of a switch. The price of buying a second engine with a few thou fewer miles, could equal the total price of the existing engine overhaul. Costs would be gasket kit, 2 heads overhauled, new turbo bearings, and a good mature mechanic that can estimate his time. All that, plus 30% incase of problems $.

 

Can anybody recommend a private mechanic or someone that knows what they're doing at a normal price in Brooklyn New York City area to do this type of work? Please message me

 

There are lots of mechanics within 50 miles of you. Just advertise in the local newspapers for experience with Jags or Land Rover or FORD. Secondly find him or her, a helper. All would go much faster with 4 hands. Do you have the garage??

 

And that's where we will have to agree to disagree.
In some cases, I am all about outsourcing. And quality typically costs a little more. Of course the value is ownership and responsibility of the fix.
There are some good shops in upper NY state and the shipping of a car is not expensive.

(But it doesn't look like the Triumph (TR4A??) can take on the responsibilities of a daily driver yet??)

As ​​​@sony2000 mentions, I'd go the rebuild path myself too. (In fact I have a few times and have always been happy with the results)

 

Don't have a garage but I have a backyard and a front yard that I can put a tent over it before it gets cold here in the Northeast. wonder how long it would take to do the job?

 

And yes that is a triumph tr4a with rare independent suspension sitting next to it that needs restoration my dad bought it to restore it . Purchase some Italian parts but never got to do any work to it so it's now going to look for a buyer if anybody's interested . maybe even swap it for the work on the Jag .

Rare independent suspension




Looking for a buyer if anybody wants or for work on the jag XKR
It's a 1966

 

I see the wire wheels. Is there the optional heater and optional overdrive?
Do you have the hardtop?

 

Heater and overdrive? I have no idea on the tr4 it's been sitting for a while . There are some rotting floor panels are rotted but I have the new ones I can tell you that it does start and turn over we had it running about a year ago but not in drivable condition as of now it needs restoration any new parts that we purchased will go to the new owner

 

First off let me say that I reset the computer with my OBD tool and when the car is out of cold start it turns over and starts and runs smoothly for about 2 to 3 minutes until I believe the thermostat opens and starts putting coolant into the engine that's when it starts to choke blow out light smoke and then shut down. Maybe this little extra information helps but when it shuts down it starts the misfiring until I reset the computer again and then I will do the same thing over and over again at the most I got it to run is for like 3 minutes.

 

I've seen a guy take off the thermostat and let it run with a block sealer fluid on a Porsche should I even give it a shot? I have not seen any successful rebuilds on this engine .
I was offered one from a crashed car for about $6,500 probably negotiable because it's a wreck with only 30,000 miles.

 

I wouldn't be running it ...

 

Sometimes milky oil is due to the motor not getting hot enough to burn off condensation. Likely culprits, as it’s happened to me, is stuck open thermostat. But if it runs like crap, it’s likely a head gasket. A compression test should be able to identify that.

 

Is it possible to take the engine from an XK if I find one and just swap over the supercharger and other components to make it back into an XKR or is there other internals that I have to worry about?

 

Was it a flood car? bought at auction did you change the oil and see if it happens again do a pressure test

 

Don’t waste your $$$ trying it, too many things.

 

If you find a mechanic of interest, ask him to test for head gasket leak, to show and explain why the start up changes once the thermostat opens. That's very important! Possibly the coolant is getting, in via a different route than the head gasket. Switch oil, even if cheap stuff, for now.