XK8-XK8

Hi, good luck with the purchase. Let me know how it turns out. I am now wondering if a standard 4.0 xkr would fit the bill😁

Hi all..I thought I would give short update on proceedings....It seems that the 'Corona Virus' lock down restrictions and the potential job losses etc are having an effect on businesses, which may benefit the consumer....Further, to the quotes that I received for replacement/rebuilt 4.0 engines, I have received two new ones....the first is from one of the companies who originally quoted me to for a replacement engine...they have lowered their asking price from £4000 to £3750....and secondly I have received a quote from a new company....they are asking just £2500!...what a bargain!...although I must admit, at that price I would have some concerns about the workmanship/standard of finish etc....but on the face of it, very tempting!...but, for now, I will stick to my original plan of fully investigating the current engine. Bill

Hi all...I just thought I would give you all an update on the situation of the 'low oil pressure' 1997 4.0 XK8....I haven't investigated the car itself any further, but I have been doing some research into possible avenues...I intend to follow the advice of Trevor ( given above ) as regards taking readings of oil pressure, compression etc and I will do that before I commit to any work or expenditure on the car.... What I have done is taken the worst case scenario and investigated it...the scenario being that a replacement engine is required. 1..I started at what I consider to be the base or cheapest option....and that is of buying a used engine with no ancillaries....they seem to be available from £500 upwards....there is no history with them, no warranty is offered and they need re-fitting with ancillaries and re-installing....I have determined that fitting the engine is in the region of £500-£1000...the overall cost is in the region of £2000+ 2 I considered a complete engine with known history, and approx 6 months warranty available for approx,£1000...again fitting is in the region of £500-£1000...so the overall cost is again, in the region of £2000.. 3 I looked into having an engine fully rebuilt....I came across either a website or search engine ( im not very computer literate so I am not sure what you would call it ) which allowed you to 'tender' a job and have different companies submit a quote....I received a total of 3 different quotes....they each offered to EITHER provide a fully rebuilt engine or fully rebuild the existing engine...two of the quotes provided for the removal of existing engine, the removal of all ancillaries, the supply and fitting of a rebuilt engine ( with all ancillaries re-attached ) with the existing engine taken on an 'exchange basis'...they were both offered with a 12 month warranty with the following work carried out: • Brand new service parts (Oil Filter & Engine Oil) • Piston Rings • Main Bearing • Con-rod Bearing • Oil Seals • Valve Stem Seals • Head Gas kit • Camshaft Inspected • Timing Chain/Belt Kit • Liner Polishing • Crankshaft Regrinding • Oil Leaks Tested • Crankshaft Front Seal • Crank Shaft Rear Seal • Rocker Cover Gasket • Inlet & Exhaust Manifold Gaskets • Cylinder Head Pressure Testing & Skimming Both companies quoted £4000 total. The company which quoted for a rebuild of the existing engine offered the following: ⦁ Engine will be stripped and all parts cleaned in a chemical bath, engine block will be honed if needed. ⦁ All piston rings are replaced ⦁ Where required; crank is re-polished and re-ground and refitted with new bearing shells (both big end and main) ⦁ The head is pressure tested and skimmed, valves cleaned and re-seated, new seals fitted ⦁ All head and engine gaskets are replaced ⦁ New timing belt or chain fitted (please note extra cost may apply if your vehicle has more than one) ⦁ New water pump (Electric pumps will be charged extra if required) ⦁ Injectors cleaned and tested ⦁ Where applicable; turbo will be removed, tested and cleaned ⦁ Radiator checked and flushed ⦁ Coolant replaced ⦁ Oil and filter replaced Again, a 12 month warranty was offered and the price included the recovery of the car to their premises. The price quoted was £3800. The funny thing is I received a second email from one of the two companies quoting for a rebuilt engine on an exchange basis, and they lowered the quote from £4000 to £3300! I guess they were eager to have the business. Personally, I think either option is good value. If you are going to spend £2000+ on an engine with no or little guarantee of the internals, an extra £2000 or so for what is essentially a brand new engine seems like a bargain to me. Looking at it over the course of 10 or 20 years, it is not a vast amount of money. I shudder to think what 'Jaguar' would charge for a brand new 4.0 XK8 engine. I estimate £10000 plus. Having said that, I could not necessarily justify spending £4000 on the blue XK8. It is not pristine, has no service history, and I only paid a meagre sum for it. On the other hand, should my red XK8 require an engine, I would consider it. It has relatively low miles (114k), a full main dealer stamped service history, lots of receipts and a rust free body and chassis. For now, I plan to carry out a full investigation of the blue XK8's engine and will proceed with 'something' once I know the full picture...I will keep you updated 🙂 Bill

Hi all....Today, I thought I would give some attention to the recently acquired 1997 4.0 XK8 that I bought for a very reasonable sum approximately four weeks ago...I purchased it on the basis that it was a non-runner but would turn over..I started by checking oil and water....the water was fine but there was no oil i it....I had in the garage 5 1/2 litres of semi synthetic Castrol. so I filled it up...I am not sure it was enough as the dip stick showed barely any oil, but I thought it was a reasonable amount to add.....I attached a good new battery to it and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it fired up!....it seemed to idle ok.....but I noticed the rev counter was sitting at 0, and the 'check engine' light was on, so I turned it off....I then re-started it and it fired up and I seem to recall that the rev counter was now registering revs but it then cut out....the oil gauge showed no pressure...I was wondering if anyone could offer some insight?.... i am in no hurry to get it running but I am happy to have a tinker as best as my limited mechanical skills allow! Bill

I have been looking and have came across two sets of very interesting seats....the first are light weight Recaro Aston Martin seats....£7500 or best offer...and a pair of McClaren light weight Recaro seats...£5000 or best offer...very expensive but both sets look amazing...

Hi all...I was wondering if anyone has any experience of the Recaro seats that were fitted as an option to some XKR's....I think they look quite smart and more interesting than the standard seats...I have read somewhere that they are not as comfortable as the standard seats....I wondered if anyone could offer some insight, and estimate the cost for a pair ( both in good condition and a pair requiring restoration )...Bill

I have also found a set of 3 x 20'' Detroits...one wheel has apparently been recently refurbed...two come with tyres, one Pirelli and one Dunlop....I don't value the tyres much, as I would buy a matching set of new or nearly new Pirellis...I would have to source a fourth wheel ( front )....and I am not sure I prefer silver over gold....however, from the pictures the wheels look in far better condition than the sets advertised for £1200....the vendor is asking £700 or best offer.... I will keep an eye on them.

I have been looking at wheels that are for sale and I came across these....I believe the style is called 'Customs' and I remember when I first saw them on an XJ many years ago....I thought they looked fabulous....they are 19'' and 8j all around....they come with good used tyres, Pirelli P Zero Asimmetrico 255 40 zr 19 96 y, and the vendor is asking £700 or best offer....he states that they have been recently restored, checked and balanced and are fitted with new centre caps....they are from a 2006 XJ and from the research I have done I think they will fit my 1999 XK8.....the only issue I can think of is that they are not staggered front and rear...otherwise, I think they are a bargain....they just don't have the cachet of 20'' split rims...but then they are so much cheaper...I will bear them in mind

Hi, do you still have these? thanks Bill

Hi all...I am having a bit of a clear out at home and I have some items which may be of interest to someone.... I have for sale a metal framed , plastic fronted, felt backed, lockable message board. It measures 50 cm x 62 cm x 4 cm. It is brand new and unused. It has some scratches from storage. It comes with a key, fittings and instructions. I have a further 3 which are also brand new and have never been taken out of the box. From what I can tell, these usually retail from between £50 and £75 EACH. I am asking just £25 each. I would prefer collection but can post at your cost. These are priced very cheaply just to clear. I welcome any questions/enquiries.

Hi Peter As regards the XJ-S alloys, it is just me in anticipation of buying another XJ-S.....I have an XK8 but I miss the classic feel/look/drive/romance of the XJ-S....there is something very special about the V12 engine....anyway, in respect of my XK8 ( 1999, Phoenix Red ) I am looking into acquiring a set of 20'' split rims...I think I prefer the Detroits to the others....I am trying to work out the best course of action... To my mind, there are three possible routes, each with a different cost: 1. find ( if I can ) a set of original immaculate wheels 2. find a set of immaculate re-furbed wheels 3. find a set of wheels that require repair/re-furbishment 1. I have not as of yet been able to come across a set of original immaculate wheels. I am not sure if there is a set out there. I realise that the wheels are around 20 years old, so it may not be realistic to expect to find a set. I just think that the original Jaguar finish is worth paying for. In my mind, such a set would probably be worth around £3000-£4000 ( not necessarily including tyres ). 2. Re-furbed wheels in immaculate condition I have not yet come across 3. Wheels requiring re-furbishment are available at around £1200 for a set. I am unsure of what it would cost to fully restore them. I will keep looking and I will make some enquiries... Bill

Hi...not to worry...I have found a company and emailed them....I explained what I wanted and hopefully they will know what to do

Hi all...I need a little information...I have a set of 15 x 6.5j XJ-S lattice alloys that I wish to have restored to 'as new' standard....they are not cracked/buckled etc but the paint has lifted...I am not sure what I am supposed to ask for...I have heard of 'painting' , 'powder coating' , 'diamond turning' but I don't know which is required...can any one advise please?...Bill

Hi all...I am new to this forum, and the reason I joined is because I have an XK8...but in the past, I was a huge XJ-S fan....I have owned 5 in my time.....the first was a 1990 3.6 auto....the second was a 1986 5.3 HE V12 auto....the third was a 1980 Pre He V12 auto...the fourth was a 1986 3.6 manual cabriolet.....and the last one was a 1989 3.6 auto.....I always hankered after a 6.0 V12 but never got round to buying one....now, the prices are ridiculous....anyway, the reason for my post is because I am after some clarification..... I want to know the technical specification ( engine/suspension/brakes/gear box/exhaust ) of the following cars: 1. 1988 XJR-S Le Mans Celebration, 5.3 V12 2. 1988-1989 XJR-S 5.3 V12 ( non Le Mans Celebration ) 3. 1989-1992 XJR-S 6.0 V12 There is much conflicting information on these cars... ..I bought my first Jaguar when I was 21 ( im now 40 ) and I have a collection of around 400 classic car magazines which I always used as a reference ...I gained much of my knowledge of classic cars from them....In respect of the above cars, I was led to believe the following: 1. 1988 XJR-S Le Mans Celebration 5.3 V12 : standard V12 5.3 engine ( approx 291 bhp ) ,standard 3 speed auto gearbox, uprated Bilstein gas shocks and stiffer/lower springs, bigger anti roll bars, quick steering rack, standard exhaust, standard brakes apart from vented discs at the front,. 0-60 approx 9 secs, top speed approx 140 mph. 2. 1988-1989 XJR-S 5.3 V12 ( non Le Mans Celebration ) same spec as Le Mans Celebration 3. 1988-1992 XJR-S 6.0 V12: uprated 6.0 V12 engine ( 318 bhp ) , faster shifting 3 speed auto gearbox, uprated Bilstein gas shocks and stiffer/lower springs, bigger anti roll bars, quick steering rack, I am unsure of the exhaust, standard brakes apart from vented discs at the front, 0-60 approx 7.2 secs, top speed approx 154 mph. The confusion arises because I have seen some references to these cars with conflicting information. Wikipedia states that the 1988-1989 XJR-S 5.3 V12 produced 318 bhp. It further states that the 1989-1992 XJR-S 6.0 V12 produced 333 bhp, having a modified air intake system and special low loss dual exhaust, resulting in a top speed of 160 mph. There is a 1990 XJR-S 6.0 V12 for sale on Ebay where the vendor states the same, 333 bhp and 0-60 in 6.5 secs. All XJR-S cars were produced by 'Jaguar Sport' which was a company owned 50% by Jaguar and 50% by TWR. They were NOT 'TWR' produced cars, which were heavily modified non-production cars, which may well have had power outputs in excess of the production 'XJR-S's'. As far as I know, only the 1992 onward facelift XJR-S produced 333 bhp and did 0-60 in approx 6.5 secs and had a top speed of approx 160 mph. I did visit the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust website but they are unable/unwilling to give out information regarding technical specification. I just wondered if anyone out there could shed some light on the issue...:) Bill

I have been doing a bit of research and I think I have found something rather interesting.....When I decided to buy my first XK8 ( the red one ) I had no idea of the the variety of XK8/XKR that existed....I knew there was a naturally aspirated version and a supercharged version..but I didn't know about 4.0 v 4.2 , 5 speed v 6 speed, face lift models or special/limited editions...to me, an XK8 was just a beautiful machine that came to replace my one time love, the mighty XJ-S....( of which I have had many over the years ).... Anyway, I started looking at the various cars offered for sale on Ebay, Pistonheads and a few other places and I came across a limited edition that has really grabbed my interest...its the run out edition 2005 4.2 S....It was a limited edition, where they produced only 200 cars, with both naturally aspirated and super charged engines, and a convertible version....both naturally aspirated and supercharged cars have a special bonnet badge , special sill plates, and were offered in just four limited edition colours, with special interior and trim colours..the super charged version comes with Recaro front seats ...both engine models are equipped with stiffer springs , up-rated shocks, bigger anti-roll bars and a 10% quicker steering rack....the ride height is lower by 10mm...the supercharged version comes with 20'' split rims alloys and Brembo discs and calipers.....the naturally aspirated version comes with 19'' alloy wheels but standard brakes....and to top it all off, the supercharged version is de-restricted so it can hit 174 mph!.... It occurred to me that either car would be a special machine, but the supercharged version could arguably be the 'ultimate XK'....It offers every upgrade that I have been thinking about ( apart from lightweight seats and a roll cage ) and to my mind, would be an appreciating asset ( assuming it was maintained properly )....there are about 3-4 naturally aspirated versions for sale, starting at just £7000.....a naturally aspirated convertible for £10000....and a supercharged coupe for £12500....none of which strike me as being priced over the top... For now, I will keep my eye on them....but you never know! 🙂

Hi all...I have just joined the forum and I have a few questions that I was hoping somebody could help with....I have a 1999 4.0 XK8 in Phoenix Red ( pics attached )....It is a standard car apart from having a 'Quick Silver' full exhaust system ( which by the way, sounds AMAZING! )...I am not sure of how much extra power is produced ( perhaps someone out there can answer that? )...Anyway, I love the drive of my XK8...I think its an awesome machine, especially considering how little I paid for it.....however, Its not perfect....I think it could be better....I was thinking along the lines of lowered / sports suspension, poly bushing and fitting larger anti-roll bars.....in addition, bigger discs and calipers.....I also wondered if there was a larger throttle upgrade / performance air intake kit for more power..I also like the look of 20'' split rims...but do they significantly blunt acceleration compared to 18'' wheels?...And then I think is it just easier/ cheaper to buy an XKR instead?....I accept that an XKR is much quicker, but do they handle a lot better than an XK8?... I actually own 2 XK8's...The blue one is a 1997 car which I purchased about a week ago...I got it cheaply but it needs work....My other idea was to keep the red one standard and modify the blue one...I was even thinking about replacing the interior with some lightweight seats and fitting a roll cage....I love the look of it...I believe its 'Midnight Blue'....It has a few reasonably subtle modifications...it has a 'Supercharged' badge on the bonnet..it has 18'' 'Flute' alloys which have been painted black...there is black meshing on the headlights....it has a chrome boot plinth rather than a body coloured one....and it has the later rear lights ( which personally I think look nicer than the earlier ones) So, there we have it....2 cars....lots of ideas...any input / information greatly appreciated 🙂 Bill

Hi all...I have just joined the forum and I have a few questions that I was hoping somebody could help with....I have a 1999 4.0 XK8 in Phoenix Red ( pics attached )....It is a standard car apart from having a 'Quick Silver' full exhaust system ( which by the way, sounds AMAZING! )...I am not sure of how much extra power is produced ( perhaps someone out there can answer that? )...Anyway, I love the drive of my XK8...I think its an awesome machine, especially considering how little I paid for it.....however, Its not perfect....I think it could be better....I was thinking along the lines of lowered / sports suspension, poly bushing and fitting larger anti-roll bars.....in addition, bigger discs and calipers.....I also wondered if there was a larger throttle upgrade / performance air intake kit for more power..I also like the look of 20'' split rims...but do they significantly blunt acceleration compared to 18'' wheels?...And then I think is it just easier/ cheaper to buy an XKR instead?....I accept that an XKR is much quicker, but do they handle a lot better than an XK8?... I actually own 2 XK8's...The blue one is a 1997 car which I purchased about a week ago...I got it cheaply but it needs work....My other idea was to keep the red one standard and modify the blue one...I was even thinking about replacing the interior with some lightweight seats and fitting a roll cage..If I did I would have both the seats and roll cage trimmed in leather...I would also change the colour of the interior from its current cream leather to either red or black ....I love the look of it...I believe its 'Midnight Blue'....It has a few reasonably subtle modifications...it has a 'Supercharged' badge on the bonnet..it has 18'' 'Flute' alloys which have been painted black...there is black meshing on the headlights....it has a chrome boot plinth rather than a body coloured one....and it has the later rear lights ( which personally I think look nicer than the earlier ones) So, there we have it....2 cars....lots of ideas...any input / information greatly appreciated Bill