Hey guys, new to the forums. Looking at buying a 2000 XKR vert with just over 100k on the clock. I'm a degreed BSME with 40 years experience wrenching on cars as an enthusiast. Grew up with muscle cars and MB (dad's passion), have been playing wit LR D2's since 2013. I am generally aware of the Nikasil cylinder issue as well as the timing chain tensioner issues on these cars but am not sure either applies to this car. Car apparently is on its third owner. Looks like it spent its entire life in central ohio, they claim has never seen snow. First owner took it to the dealer for regular service up to 59k. Carfax does not show specific but based on mileages it looks like regular 5k oil changes but occasional service so not sure of details. I will call dealer to confirm if I get more serious. No service history form 57k up to 92k where it suddenly re-appears, currently has just over 100k on it. Current owner says the second owner was a female state trooper who was a gearhead, so maybe all service done personally?

So my questions are this:

1. What is the probability this car has nikasil cylinder liners? If high, do I need to do a compression test on this or is it likely beyond the failure point?
2. At 100k, what is the probability it still has problematic tensioners? Assuming the engine does not rattle indicating chains are tensioners are bad, what is the probability the chains are worn to the point where they are about to start making noise?
3. I am going to call the dealer who did the service and the state trooper, what questions should I ask?

I am ok with doing a bit of work on her, but the LR's keep me busy so not really looking to have to do a ton. I would likely start with replacing the entire cooling system and of course the tensioners if not done already. Looks like the verts have a hydraulic hose issue I should look at and maybe a door actuator or window issue to stay on top of. Anything else I should plan on doing right away?

 

The 2000 model year is Nikasil. Nothing wrong with it, they’re superior to iron sleeves in every way and should last the lifespan of the engine.

You have the open up the valve covers to see if it’s been changed. Secondary tensioners must be upgraded or you risk engine damage. Leave the primary chains alone unless you can hear a problem, most of the “cracked” guides shown here have tens of thousands of miles of service left in them.

 

Hi,
buying an 4.0 ltr XKR with 100 k miles on it and being eager for excluding risks is a contradiction. At least you will have potential charger issues additionally.
To fulfill your objections i would suggest to look vor an 4.2 ltr N/A (from MY 2003 on) with no more than 70 to 80 k miles and good service history. The 4.2 N/A has enough torque and is much more easy to service than an XKR.

Fritz

 

Fritz, if he buys the slower non supercharged car, he will have the troublesome VVTs to deal with instead of the supercharger, which rarely has issues. The Mercedes gearbox in the 4.0 XKR is one of the most reliable gearboxes out there, with service items cheap and easy to buy. In terms of routine servicing the supercharged and non-supercharged cars are identical.

I would be more worried about hidden rust on the underneath of the car if its come from a harsh climate, rather than if the supercharger will get in the way if he needs to get to the top of the engine every 20 years.

 

Twice a year should match the facts better. And i have been involved in blower issues (bearings) recently, maybe that drives my statement. By the way, the ZF6HP26 is at least as reliable as the MB tranny.
And yes, the difference in performance is a major disadvantage, specially if you consider US traffic rules.

Fritz

 

Mr. Extinct,
Why not spend another say; $1,000.00 an get a 2003 or above? You will have all the improvements that Jaguar made over the years and won't have to worry about those problems from the past!

You will have the 4.2 Liter Engine and the 6 speed Tranny, plus most of the advanced technology that Jaguar finally put into the X-100 series...I mean after all, the 2003 and above Cars were last built in 2005. That's 15 years ago.....and they shouldn't cost you more than an extra $1,000.00 ......Then you wouldn't have to worry about all those mistakes that were made back before the turn of the Century!!!!

Billy Clyde down in Cinco Ranch

 

I tried to go the route you suggest and struck out. But that was nearly three years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if the. Price difference between the 4.0 & 4.2 XK’s has narrowed since my search.

Additionally, my car was purchased for the bargain sum of $7,900, with the problematic cam chain tensioners already dealt with. That great pricing likely contributed to my difficulty of finding a 4.2 in a close price range.

Z

PS. if my ‘02 died tomorrow it would still be one of the top ten bargains of my car buying career.

 

FIrst, congrats! I am a 2003 XKR vert owner, although my car is in transit so I can't say much to some things, I have done a fair amount of research that may help.

My understanding of the nakasil issue is that it was caused by high sulfur gas, which is no longer an issue here. If the car has made it this far, then it's fine.

There is an issue with the hydraulic system for the top, wherein at the end of the travel as it's locking the header, the pump continues pumping when it doesn't need to, and it builds up the pressure something ridiculous. The best solution I've seen (which I will do if my car doesn't already have it) is a bypass valve that relieves the pressure to avoid blowing the hoses. Here's the link.

There are some other common issues, and probably some things that you need to do at that mileage, but I don't think there's anything right off the bat to be concerned with. Best of luck!

 

Hey Extinct... Welcome Brother... If you are coming into this with 40yrs of experiece, are comfortable and willing to do stuff, you should have no unworkable issues, just the issues one expects when coming into a car that I believe is soon to be something of a classic...

The Nikasil is a smart and good first question - mght be the only unworkable thing if bad. Yup. Somewhere in the 2000my is the cut off. See HERE. The engine number (if the date of manufacture doesnt give you confidence) I believe can be found on the left hand side of the front of the engine,,, its tucked down near the back of the thermostat housing and engine side of the coolant piping. Stamped into the steel/aluminum. I have a 2000my engine I will SOMEDAY swap into my 2002 and I got lucky - post nikasil. Still I did a compression tests and the compression is fine. The engines are amazing in these cars,,, the one I am driving (and want to replace with the 38K engine I mention) has 213K and onced warmed up runs smooth and quiet.

The tensioners are a thing and not a hard job. The crappy bit has to do with removing and replaceing the harmonic balancer and getting the VVT completely retarded when buttoning up the job. The VVT can be tricky, both are well documented. Remove the passengers side valve cover and seee what you see as far as tensioners. Get the tools to lock the flywheel and cam flats. They also can be gotten cheaply...

Another issue,,, and I will need to replace mine at some point soon, for older high mileage cars is the subframe (maybe just a SOAR spot for me). The connection point for the upper control arm can wear. Its a poor design where the shaft bolt (pivot) is steel which runs thru the upper of the ALUMINUM subframe... Its thousands of miles of steel on aluminum and the diameter of the aluminum pivot point begins to enlarge and is all downhill from there. Slop leads to play and play leads to slop,,, a cycle. Tough to explain. Maybe the photo will help. At least to me, the entire front suspesion is probably the worst aspect of this car when NOT 100%... When its good its good. As you might be able to imagine once the wear begins, over time, it can only get worse and worse. Some have suggested having a machine shop drill out the worn hole and then inserting a STEEL sleeve to accept the steel/pin shaft - but I cannot afford that. Not sure what I am going to do. Replacing the subframe with a used is an option BUT whats to say that the "new" one,,,, well - you get the idea.

Then there is other stuff. Its all doable. Electrical issues and a very fussy CAN electrical system is no fun when its no fun...

I will say that ANYTIME you are doing electrical work, especially stuff that is tied into the CAN system - disconnect the battery. Reconnect when test your work and disconnect again when continuing. The CAN CAN - spazzz...

Its all good. The convertibles are LOVELY cars! When they are lovely.

I also did the simple fix and preventative of the TRANSGO trans valve for the XK8. If you google you will find. Super straightforward and can save a lot of pain if not already done. 50bucks...

Stupid design as far as I am concerned...

 

1. They used Nikasil liners most of the 2000 production year. But you should not worry (to much). Look for (lots of) blue smoke at cold startup, and do a compression test if you can. IMHO it was a problem with the gas that are fixed many years ago. Many other cars had and still has Nikasil liners that no longer is an issue. (I worked on several VW / Audi TSI/TFSI engines with Nikasil)
2. Your car has 2. generation tensioners that has a much longer life span the 1. BUT they will crack and can make a disaster without making any noise before the big bang. Mine has 95k miles with the original tensioners and still works but has cracks and will be changed next spring.
3. As mentioned: Timing chain and tensioner, convertible hydraulic hoses, front suspension bushings and springs, steering column (the original rattles, was changed with no charge from Jaguar if the owner complained when the car was fairly new) and of course battery and tires.

Good luck!
I bought my 2000 XKR convert this summer and has changed front springs, bushings and convertible hoses. All doable DIY but not the funniest jobs on a car!

 

I drove a 1991 Corvette ZR-1 for 10 years with those nikasil liners...much harder than anyone would push a Jag. No problems ever, at over 100K. Keep the good oil clean. I used Mobil 1 100% synthetic always. Mostly the same for my XK8, but I have tried Pennzoil for awhile, Any premium synthetic high mileage or extended life oil is good, especially when used with a high quality oil filter.

The CCTs MUST be updated if they have not been. Chain is your choice. CCTs are mandatory. The TRANNY needs to have had a FULL SERVICE.

 

^^^^^^ +1

OP, keep in mind that the 4.0 XKR has a different transmission than the 4.0 XK8’s. The 4.0 XKR’s transmission (model 722.6), was sourced from Mercedes Benz, and is a very stout transmission with few problems. But it does need servicing despite the early assertion that it was “sealed for life”. Just clean fluid will often clear up many shifting issues.

The recommended ATF is also a difference between the two models. Generally speaking, the XKR’s transmission is not as problematic as the XK8’s, but at the this age and mileage, you will likely find the maintenance history is going to play a huge role in determining how trouble free your 4.0 XKR transmission actually turns out to be.

Regardless, as oldjaglover points out, one of your first moves should be a complete transmission service with the proper fluid going back in.

your transmission shop may want to replace the plate that holds the solenoids, and there is nothing wrong with doing that. But make sure the replacement parts come from a reputable vendor, like PelicanParts
https://www.pelicanparts.com/

don’t buy anything off of eBay. I made the mistake of doing just that. The seller claimed the parts were genuine Mercedes-Benz. They weren’t. Just a substandard Chinese knock-off complete with a poor copy of the MB logo. I’ve had nothing but trouble with the Chinese knock-off transmission plate, like false “high transmission temperature “ warnings on the dash display, sometimes even when the engine is stone cold (the transmission temperature sensor unit is imbedded in the solenoid plate)


Z