Jaguar xk8 Swap advice

[2 putt]

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]

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]

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.