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Steel or Nicosil liners on my car?

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11K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  P700DEE  
#1 ·
My car is a year 2000 (March) W reg XK8. How can I tell if it has nicosil or steel liners? I was led to beleive that all cars after 1999 had steel liners but is there a guaranteed method by the engine number or suchlike of knowing?

thanks,

Martin
 
#3 ·
A search tool is available -

Jaguar V8 cars built with a Nikasil engine can be identified by the VIN number.
If the last six characters begin with an '8' the car was fitted with a Nikasil engine.
If the last six characters begin with an 'F' the car was fitted with a Steel lined engine.
From a previous post of mine a while back.
When searching enter the criteria and restrict your search to the forums where you would expect to find the details. Cuts down the number of hits and you should find what your looking for.
Your may may not have original motor (if it was nikasil) in it though! Many were replaced with a reworked block (steel lined).
 
#7 ·
http://www.go-lpg.co.uk/More_X308.html

and another site
Jaguar, and a lot of other car manufacturers, decided to use Nikasil in their engines in the mid to late 90's as a way to line a cylinder in an alloy block to avoid the expense of steel liners. This decision turned out to be fatal for more than one engine and Jaguar XJR's, because of their superchargers and higher compression, have had their share of issues. Nikasil turned out to be less than expected in the durability category and when this coating wears out, compression drops and significant power will be lost.

Alloy engines usually require steel liners in the cylinder wall to prevent excessive wear. This is because alloys tend to be soft and cylinder walls take a lot of abuse. Alloy is much lighter than steel though and has been an attractive weight saving material for years in racing applications.

It is important to know which cars were affected because not ALL Jaguar XJR owners need be concerned. Jaguars built between 1998-2000 were the only ones who used Nikasil so if you own a 2001 or newer model, you are in the clear. In 2000 Jaguar began to switch to steel liners to rectify the problem. Cars with 6 digits in their vin# at the end have Nikasil, cars with 5 digits at the end of their vin# have steel liners. A lot of the Nikasil Jaguar XJR cars had their engines replaced under warranty, but there are a lot out there who missed out.
and another
Some sources will tell you that if your VIN starts with a letter (for example F) then you will definitely have steel liners. This is incorrect. There are several examples of XJ owners with FXXXXX VINs who have had their liners inspected and found the liners to be nikasil.
Cars registered before September 2000 will probably have nikasil liners. Cars registered after September 2000 will probably have steel liners.

Cars registered before 1st January 2000 are a higher risk purchase than those registered after 1st January 2000.

An interesting thought is that cars registered between January 2000 and September 2000 will have nikasil linings but they will not have been exposed to high sulphur fuel. It is possible that these engines will be harder wearing than the steel lined engines and owners of such vehicles will benefit from nikasil in the longer term. I rather like this idea......my XJR8 was registered in July 2000 :)
 
#8 ·
mef said:
My car is a year 2000 (March) W reg XK8. How can I tell if it has nicosil or steel liners? I was led to beleive that all cars after 1999 had steel liners but is there a guaranteed method by the engine number or suchlike of knowing?

thanks,

Martin
The only definitive way to tell if an engine has Nikasil liners is by engine number. Jaguar fitted Nikasil and non Nikasil engines side by side for a limited period, until all the Nikasil stock was used. After all, they weren't going to throw away perfectly good engines were they? If a car had a replacement engine fitted under warranty, prior to September 2000, it would, in all probability, also be a Nikasil engine. The first steel lined engine was engine number 0008181043. This is a date code and translates to 18th August 2000 @ 10.43am. All engines from that number onwards are steel lined.
 
#11 ·
Hi Martin,

The August date switch in 2000 is correct. I know even of a car build in October 2000, that got an engine from before august, thus having a Nikasil engine. I have checked mine, car build end of June, and my engine in ealry May 2000, and it has without any doubt niksail liners.

So if you have your original engine in, you have a Nikasil engine.

Andre.
 
#12 ·
OK, so I have to assume that mine will be nicosil....presumably not a problem though as all the petrol with the added sulphur was discontinued before my car was made in April 2000? In fact I think I read somewhere that it's actually a benefit as they will last longer, is that true?

Martin
 
#13 ·
Yes, a good Nikasil engine will be better than a steel lined one. Don't forget that high sulphur fuel wasn't the only cause of Nikasil failure. Overheating caused by dodgy water pump, stuck thermostat etc cna also damage the Nikasil lining.
 
#15 ·
Overheating caused by dodgy water pump, stuck thermostat etc cna also damage the Nikasil lining.
Can damage any alloy engine not just a Nikasil lined one :wink: Nikasil is heat and age hardened so it is not the temperature that kills but any bore damage as the lining is thinner than a steel lining.
1998 Nikasil engine , 105K miles and going strong :D
 
#16 ·
Hi....

If an xjr was first registered early November 1997 is I likely to be a steel lined engine or nikasil..?

The reason I ask is I've read a few articles that say nikasil engines were first used in 1998..

The car in question seems to be a very early model as I understand the x308 started September 1997.

Cheers

anth
 
#17 ·
anthmurphy said:
Hi....

If an xjr was first registered early November 1997 is I likely to be a steel lined engine or nikasil..?

The reason I ask is I've read a few articles that say nikasil engines were first used in 1998..

The car in question seems to be a very early model as I understand the x308 started September 1997.

Cheers

anth
Def Nikasil, loads of posts on this subject. If you have the green badge it will have been swopped out by Jag, engine number is stamped near the thermostat housing, easy to see on NA cars, trickier on the R.