Nikasil ate my hamster
Discussion
Actually, not strictly true.
I knew my old '98 XJR had a a nikasil block and, based on the 'net chat (and the science) I would often lie awake panicking about it. no trouble in 15k miles.
What didn't realise was that my '98 E39 528i probably also had a nikasil block. Again, many miles, no issues.
I'm now after a new 5 series for about £2k, which puts me in nikasil teritory. What I'm wondering therefore is not, 'should I buy a nikasil car?' Question is more along the lines of, how many folk on here have been unlucky enough to have a high mile (say > 100k) nikasil engine let go in the last couple of years?
I knew my old '98 XJR had a a nikasil block and, based on the 'net chat (and the science) I would often lie awake panicking about it. no trouble in 15k miles.
What didn't realise was that my '98 E39 528i probably also had a nikasil block. Again, many miles, no issues.
I'm now after a new 5 series for about £2k, which puts me in nikasil teritory. What I'm wondering therefore is not, 'should I buy a nikasil car?' Question is more along the lines of, how many folk on here have been unlucky enough to have a high mile (say > 100k) nikasil engine let go in the last couple of years?
PaulZR said:
Actually, not strictly true.
I knew my old '98 XJR had a a nikasil block and, based on the 'net chat (and the science) I would often lie awake panicking about it. no trouble in 15k miles.
What didn't realise was that my '98 E39 528i probably also had a nikasil block. Again, many miles, no issues.
I'm now after a new 5 series for about £2k, which puts me in nikasil teritory. What I'm wondering therefore is not, 'should I buy a nikasil car?' Question is more along the lines of, how many folk on here have been unlucky enough to have a high mile (say > 100k) nikasil engine let go in the last couple of years?
I thought this issue was ended now the low sulphur petrol is ubiquitous ? I knew my old '98 XJR had a a nikasil block and, based on the 'net chat (and the science) I would often lie awake panicking about it. no trouble in 15k miles.
What didn't realise was that my '98 E39 528i probably also had a nikasil block. Again, many miles, no issues.
I'm now after a new 5 series for about £2k, which puts me in nikasil teritory. What I'm wondering therefore is not, 'should I buy a nikasil car?' Question is more along the lines of, how many folk on here have been unlucky enough to have a high mile (say > 100k) nikasil engine let go in the last couple of years?
Sorry, should have said nikasil bore lining rather than block...
I understood that although high-sulphur petrol has been absent from forecourts for the last decade, it was possible that nikasil bore linings could be 'weakened' (for want of the proper technical term) by the higher sulphur content petrol available in the late '90s.
To be fair, the majority of opinion on this site seems to come down in the, 'if it ain't broke now, it ain't gonna break' camp. Just curious to see what the response was.
I understood that although high-sulphur petrol has been absent from forecourts for the last decade, it was possible that nikasil bore linings could be 'weakened' (for want of the proper technical term) by the higher sulphur content petrol available in the late '90s.
To be fair, the majority of opinion on this site seems to come down in the, 'if it ain't broke now, it ain't gonna break' camp. Just curious to see what the response was.
PaulZR said:
'if it ain't broke now, it ain't gonna break'
This. Unless you find some kind of ridiculous, minty mint example which has done stupid low miles but hasn't had the engine replaced (by some miracle). I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you 
Concentrate on decent or recent suspension/exhaust, as they can be pricey and tedious.I had a '96 BMW 323i (2.5L, 6cyl but the same block as 2.8 IIRC?) that had a Nikasil coated block, at 4yrs and around 60k it had to have a new (cast iron lined) block fitted due to excessive oil consumption and occasional starting woes (no compression) BMW did it FOC and gave a 100k warranty.
Not sure if they still do them FOC but surely most that needed it doing will have been done by now?
IIRC BMW 'mark' the engines that have been replaced somewhere on the block and I'm sure they would have a record of which were done or not.
Not sure if they still do them FOC but surely most that needed it doing will have been done by now?
IIRC BMW 'mark' the engines that have been replaced somewhere on the block and I'm sure they would have a record of which were done or not.
Edited by catso on Wednesday 7th July 22:36
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