Jaguar xk8 Swap advice
Hey Guys,
Posting this on behalf of a friend,.......he has a 99 XK8 that may be a candidate for a powertrain swap. (engine and transmission) Engine is probably toast from a broken timing chain/ bent valves etc,....and other design issues from the early 4.0 V8 Transmission was groaning/clunking and slipping before the engine let go. Looking for some ideas and advice from the best fabricators I know of. We have been in contact with Andrew at Jaquar Specialties regarding his LS KIT,......Andrew was very helpful,.......the kit looks great but can't see doing that for less than 9 or 10k.....and even that may not be enough. This is a nice cruising car,.....but driven by an older gentleman,..... he needs an automatic,....9 or 10k is a little steep,......any ideas how to get this thing going for 5 to 7k. Looking forward to any ideas. Thanks, Darrell |
DiDueColpi Fred Key West coast - Canada (1365 posts) Registered: 05/14/2010 03:06AM Main British Car: I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now! |
Re: Jaguar xk8 Swap advice
With Andrew's kit and some careful parts shopping 7k should be do-able for the LS swap.
The Jag engine and trans combo is available used for a fairly reasonable price if you shop around. Some considerations are, Will the swap be legal for insurance / emissions compliance in your area. If the car travels, it might be hard to find someone to work on it away from home. Is fuel mileage a concern. How will the swap impact the vehicle value when it's time to sell. Engine swaps are a blast and done well are an excellent way to personalize a vehicle. Just make sure that you are aware of some of the compromises involved. If maintained properly the Jag drivetrain is very durable in my experience. So I wouldn't be afraid of the stock setup. Whether you do the swap or leave it stock.Check out "car-part.com" . It's one of the better used part searches around. Cheers Fred |
joe_padavano Joseph Padavano Northern Virginia (156 posts) Registered: 02/15/2010 03:49PM Main British Car: 1962 F-85 Deluxe wagon 215 Olds |
Re: Jaguar xk8 Swap advice
X2. The least expensive option will be a good used replacement engine. Any swap has collateral damage issues that will increase cost and labor. On a newer computer-controlled car the computer interface can be a problem, as they are more and more integrated into the systems of the vehicle. And as noted, local emissions requirements may dominate. Most states do have a "newer and cleaner" requirement. In other words, you can legally swap a 1999 or newer engine into this car, so long as all the emissions equipment from that motor is also installed.
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