I'm getting close to purchasing a 2000 XJ8. Very very nice car, impeccably maintained with all records - 90K miles; literally perfect interior (with the exception of a tiny bit of sag starting to happen with the rear headliner.

Anyhow, having read so much about Nikasil issues, I called the local Jag dealer service department to ask if there was a way to determine by VIN if it had a Nikasil engine or not. His words were "they ALL do through 2003." I said, wait a minute I heard they only went part way through 00 but he insisted the Nikasil engines were in every XJ8 through the 03 model year.

But searching this forum I read a fairly definitive post that steel engines had a "F" in the VIN (beginning the last six digits.)

Does anybody know for certain - or has anyone ever seen it in black and white re the Nikasil issue and when it ended?

Sure would like to put my mind at rest.

Thanks

SV

 

Not everyone knows what they're talking about at work! Some people are very stubborn. I'm not a tech so I cannot be certain, but I trust thetechs on here before my local dealership. Where are you located, which dealership? Check tensioners, water pump and thermostat. Anyways if that is more than $8k it's overpriced. Unless you're just very partial to that design, opt for 05+ in my opinion.

I've got an 05 XJ8 (stock basically 9/04 production date) 2 months ago and I love it, so much smoother all around than x308.I still have my 98 but don't drive it much. It's in pristine condition as well, with only 81k from FL.

** Forgot to mention that will need tensioner job done eventually as well, that'd be something you'd want to see anyways. You can see if it got hotthat's at least $1500+ at most places (like $2500+ at dealerships,appears to vary price with location)i'd think all said and done you'd be paying a lot more than you'd like, the ride is 9yrs old.

*** Here is my post earlier this year with my tensioner replacement, like I said before this threadREALLY should be stickied to show how bad these things can get inside the engine! https://www.jaguarforums.com/m_51628/tm.htm

 

Located in San Diego - the dealership is Cush jaguar.

I am partial to the design - but you are correct, $8k would be too much (though they are asking slightly over that) - However I'm hopeful the seller will listen to reason and not be able to walk away from between $6K and 7K

We'll see. Still looking for more input re Nikasil too, folks.

 

It's my understanding that if you have 6 digits at the end of your vin, it's Nikasil - if you have just 5 digits at the end, it's steel

 

The definitive answer, from a current thread on jag-lovers.org, is:
"Forget about Vin #'s, the only definitive way to tell is, by engine
number. The first steel lined engine was numbered 0008181043 which
translates to 18th August 2000 at 10.43am. At that time, Jaguar
still had some Nikasil engines left and continued to fit them as
well. That is why, even if a was produced after that date, it may
have had a Nikasil engine."
________

1999 XJR

 

nikasil engines suffer if overheated...not by sulfer in gasoline as the sulfer has been reduced a whole lot for cleaner air...can anyone concur with this....