Thomo5150

I am looking for a replacement ride for my daily driver, 2008 Holden Caprice. I'm not interested in spending $60,000 again so I have looked around for a replacement car that meets what I want. A Jaguar XJ8 ticks all the boxes except for the engine. They are down to around $15000 for a one owner with service history car here in Australia. They have the small 3.2 V8 so that will be the first thing to go. Reading about Jaguar timing chains etc... the LS2 swap will keep the car fresh and reliable.

First thing I did was a search online to see if this swap had been done. I got on too the Jaguar Forums with people asking about it, then you see 20 replys saying can't be done. Only the early model series 3 and XJ40 Jags.

Before I even buy my Jaguar, I've sat down and made a plan. Conversion time 12 months.
The key to any sucessful conversion I believe is research and pictures. Like what I did with my One Tonner ZO6 drivetrain the more questions you can answer the better and cheaper the project will be.
Warning this will be a long thread I am going to post alot of parts pic's and explain issues I believe I will have with this swap......

Thomo5150

Some pic's of 2 cars I am looking at now......

Thomo5150

So for non Jaguar guys I posted pic's of the Jaguar AJ27 V8 engine. This is the Jags engine bay and pic's of the Jag V8 engine........

jeffs93z28

Sounds pretty cool. What is a holden caprice? I guess it is like an impala but made at the holden plant?

Thomo5150

Ok so the question will a LS engine fit the the Jaguars engine bay. These pictures will answer the question. Most of the guys here will tell you the LS engine will fit in anything. Its the finer details which make the swap a good or bad swap. The engine bay and the front crossmembers. Look at the engine mounts I think a front sump GTO engine with factory mounts will come close.

Thomo5150

Same as a G8 but with a longer wheelbase and more luxury I guess.
Sorry only pic' of my car on my computer.

jeffs93z28

Does it have the g8 engine? THose are pretty fast arent they?

Thomo5150

This has an LS2 with a 6 speed auto, they are heavy but the move along pretty well.

jeffs93z28

Sweet. I love the g8's because i have kids and they still have the get up and go. Nice car man. So, you put a z06 engine in a one ton truck? Cool!

Thomo5150

The hole ZO6 drivetrain, suspension brakes gearbox, then a Kenne Bell supercharger just in case it wasn't quick enough. This Jag project will be an every day driver.........

Thomo5150

When I looked into the LS Jag swaps I found a guy in the USA who was putting in an LS motor and a 4L80 transmission. I remembered he had to belt the tunnel to fit the box. These have the ZF gearbox in them, I could do a custom bellhousing adaptor and fit the LS engine to the factory box. But the ZF's are expensive on parts.




Before this model Jag X308 there was the X300 model. I remember reading they are the same body platform, different interior. I also remember the XJR supercharged had some sort of 4L??? series gearbox. Quick search and yes they did, so a 4L65-E trans will fit in the tunnel. The supercharged box below.

Thomo5150

Now for the fun part this will be the hardest part of the swap, but if planed well it will be ok. The XJ8 has a seperate engine and trans harness. Even the engine bay harness can be unpluged and is quite compact. Pic's of all the computers and harness.............

Computer and engine harness






Transmission computer



Engine bay harness

Thomo5150

So here are my plans.

Brand new LS2 create motor



4L65-E, I have one already.



The Jags factory radiator mite be able to be used.







The Jag pedal box, will need to adapt a drive by wire pedal



The factory diff is a 3:06 ratio, good highway economy

bonecrrusher

iTrader: (1)

Question - is that Jag from the Ford Jaguar era? Is that a 3.2L a bastardized 4.6L modular motor that they had here in the States in the Mustang?

Irish350

iTrader: (14)

sure looks like it. I was gonna say, an ls wouldnt fit but that massive (yet small ci) one does?

Your works really impressive man, very unique and the speed youre doing it with is inspiring. Whatre your plans for the ol caprice? Im a fan of the interior on those jags, but moreso of the holden stuff, any reasons youre going with this instead? (aside from cost)

Thomo5150

Cheers guys yes the same motor was in a Lincon in the states as a 3.9. Yes they are the Ford, 1998 to 2004 era. I love the style and the quality of the interiors even in a 10year old car they don't look dated. The owners look after the cars a lot more, mainly cause they where $100,000+ new here in Australia. The Caprice I am bored with and to be honest not that impressed with the quality. The new Caprice is an update of this model I have now and they now have the cylinder deactivation on these engines for economy.

With the right power I could see myself driving this for a few years. Denso EFI computer, Bosch transmission computer, looks easier to swap in an LS loom. Need a good factory wiring diagram for the Jag.

They are very wide and tall engine like a Lexus 1UZ V8...........

A US interior shot, luv it......



Jag V8 Short motor and sump.

Thomo5150

A side note.

I came close to doing a mid 80's Bently or Rolls Royce. The suspension and cost of parts put me off. So the Jag has got the thumbs up.

Jag XJ8 around $15000
LS2 swap budget is around $10000 using a brand new engine and transmission.

dpd069

iTrader: (1)

Andrew at Jaguar Specialties in Ca says he's done one. Give him a call

www.JaguarSpecialties.com

Thomo5150

Cheers, I've seen his site he is doing the earlier models there is a big difference between the XJ40 and the XJ8. The XJ40 was a dog of a car with the very poor electronics. Personally I would do a series 3 over any XJ40.

I will ask him about the XJ8.

KENS80V

iTrader: (16)

Your crate motor looks more like a LS1 then a LS2.