I have read over and over again that engine with Nikasil liners are to be avoided like that plague, as they all (if they were in the US) would have been exposed to high sulfur gas until at least 2005. However, all gas now sold in the US is required to be low sulphur.

So, my question is: if i am looking at buying a nikasil engine, and it passes a blow-by test now, does that mean it is home free? It survived the years of high-sulfur gas, and now runs fine? Or will it's exposure to sulfur come back to haunt me later, even though it is no longer being exposed to sulfur?

It seems like any nikasil engine that did not have problems WHILE it was being fed high sulfur fuel, should be fine now that it is not, and even last LONGER than steel lined engines because nikasil is a harder material?

Thanks! I'm just trying to clear this all up, and i appreciate your help...
-Graham

 

Well here is what I have found on the issue so far:

"Nikasil offers superior lubrication, reduced friction, and improved wear characteristics when compared to
traditional cast iron bores. Other benefits are that the Nikasil allied to aluminium provides substantial weight
savings over cast iron liners and this combination is also very efficient at dissipating the heat generated during the
combustion processes.
Where Nikasil was not fully tested, however, was in relation to cheaper fuels where the relatively high sulphur
content allied to short periods of use of the engine caused the surface coating to break down. This breakdown in
the Nikasil coating was due to acids being created through the combination of sulphur and water in the combustion
process and was exacerbated if the engine did not achieve normal operating temperature. In severe examples the
compression is lowered through leakage past the piston rings to the point that the engine will not start. Current fuels would probably have meant that this problem would never
have become apparent."

What I have read and understood about the issue is it was a big problem if the car was run using cheaper fuel (i.e. regular instead of premium gas), but if it passes the blow-by test then you are in the clear. Ive heard that with modern fuels it should no longer be an issue.

Stick to the good gas and if it has not been a problem in the past it isnt likely to become a problem with modern fuels.

Something else to check is to make sure that it is for sure a nikasil engine. If it has an engine code of 0008181043 or higher then you are in the clear.

A way to decipher the engine code is:

00 08 18 1043 (the 00 is the year, the 08 is the month the 18 is the day and the 1043 is the specific time)

So if it passes the blow-by test then you wont have a problem. Above 40ppm is okay and around 30ppm is reason for concern! So if you are close to the 30 mark you can always have the engine honed and sleeved.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Alex

 

Okay, i guess that makes me feel better. I just want to make sure that i won't but a car that passes the blowby test now, only to feel the effects later...

 

I suspect, for a Nikasil engine that is still on the road, it was most likely not affected and the threat has passed.

 

And I believe it is not an issue of "cheap" or regular fuel vs expensive or premium, but the sulpher content, which is not correlated to the octane additives.- It was high in some markets and low in others.

 

I had a '00 with a Nikasil engine and at 106k miles it had compression readings equal to original factory specs. Asked around several Jaguar dealers and none had ever had 'blowby' test equipment. Apparently few ever made it to the US. They always relied on compression testing.

 

I have a Nikosil Engine: 99 4l xj8 #3 Cyl is reading 30psi
also 1 cyl on opposite bank is reading 60psi The rest are at 150.

What are my options to repsir existing engine? or am I better off with an engine swap?

Keeping the car original for value is not a concern here. Just want a good running daily driver. Or possibly fix it and get something different.

Mark
Destin Fl
99 XJ8 4L

 

This is my information on Nikasil
My First Findings; http://www.gusglikas.com/AutoRepairNikasil.htm
My Second Finding on the nostart related to Nikasil http://www.gusglikas.com/AutoRepairNoStart.htm
My Last Post on Nikasil; http://www.gusglikas.com/AutoRepairNikasilSulfur.htm
A Nikasil block is not a bad thing, it is a matter of knowing what to do and why when it act up. Nikasil from what I understand is on its way back into a few newer cars and I think Porsche is one of them. I hope my information might help!

 

Gus:
Thanks for the continuing update on Nikasil information. While I always run high octane gasoline in my Jaguars, I wonder about the source for your contention that high octane fuel helps protect against Nikasil failure. My research indicates it is a sulpher content issue alone-

 

In better terms it was!

 

That's correct- the sulphur content had no connection with octane rating at all.

 

The sulfur content was and is the same in all fuels, octane ratings are controlled by the refineries and higher octane levels only help the fuel to burn cleaner and manage to allow the fuel injectors to stay cleaner. As for the source of my information it was from a 2 chemist from one of the largest fuel co in the world who have asked not to be mentioned.

 

High Octane petrol, I've always used it in Jag engines, it's more about efficency, particularly in S/C engines, and the stoichiometric ratio they run at, the higher the octane the less chance of lean burn and high temps, and high temps can lead to all sorts of problems, burnt pistons, head damage etc. Throw in borderline coatings, and I guess it can lead to a failed engine if using cheap fuel.
I was told the south American oil used as petrol had high sulphur content. All petrol now has a lower content?
It's such a shame this happened to Jaguar and BMW, the use of Nikasil is straight from Formula One technology, when it works, it far outperforms steel liners. Lighter engines, harder bores, makes a better engine, it just didn't like the sulphur. I'd have a new Nikasil block like a shot if it was a choice.

 

This is more myth and misinterpretation. High octane gas does one thing and one thing only- reduces the tendency of an engine to suffer from detonation (pre-ignition/knocking/pinging). That's it, nothing more.

Other supposed attributes like 'burning cleaner', burning faster/slower, rich/lean, more efficient, are not in any way connected to octane rating or the compounds that are used to increase the ratings.

The gas companies are very guilty of marketing the products in a way that causes people believe that they are some sort of miracle fluid.

 

Stoichiometry (pronounced, STOY-kee-AHM-ə-tree) is a branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships that exist among the reactants and products in chemical reactions.

- or -

In patristic Greek, the word Stoichiometria was used by Nicephorus to refer to the number of line counts of the canonical New Testament and some of the Apocrypha.

Equally Greek to me.

 

I spoke recently to the driver delivering fuel to our local Walmart/ Murphy Gas station.

He told me the fuel all comes from the same base and they add the additives to make the different octain levels.

This being said the sulphur content would be the same in all grades 87 ,89 and 90 octain.

If you want top performance out of your performance auto ( Iguess that is the case or you would not have bought a Jag) Spend a 10c per gallon X 20 gallon: 2 bucks per tank. if it wer 4 bucks. I'll take the performance.

Just my 2 cents worth.
Hope it was helpful.

Mark
99xj8 Destin Fl

 

So is the verdict in??
If you have a Nikasil engine, and haven't experienced problems... you are more safe than not? (as far as these Nikasil failures are concerned)
Is it true, or has it been proven that the levels of sulfur in gasoline has been reduced enough for us loving 99 XJR owners not to hear the ticking of a time bomb underthe hood??

And I must say... I've been a member of this site for a little while now, and I love it. and all of you.
especially those with all that knowledge you just love to share.
It's the best thing that happened to me. Next to buying the XJR, of course.
Thanks!

 

Please understand that Sulfur in today’s fuel IS NOT A PROBLEM! It is presently measured @80PPM and it was at levels of 300PPM up to and including 2006 in the US; however, it was not this way in every state. From what I was told many of the smaller refineries were not compelled to be in compliant at the time the regulations were put into place but were compliant by end of 2006.

As for the qualities of the fuel and the difference between low and high octane and the affects to the engine I leave that up to the experts. As for the higher octane burning cleaner causing a better presentation to the cylinder I will also leave that up to the experts.

The information on my page was given to me by experts and I stand behind what I have posted. A great deal of time went into the research to provide the most accurate information possible.

http://www.gusglikas.com/AutoRepairNikasilSulfur.htm

 

Please take a moment and read the information on my page. http://www.gusglikas.com/AutoRepairNikasilSulfur.htm Please keep in mind that no one can tell you that you will not have a problem with any car let alone Nikasil. Understanding a situation is the key to success!