Being on a 96 plate and having FBMWSH I'd hope it's had the liner changed! Mine has, but then it's got 'high mileage' which means it's more likely to have been fixed anyway.
True, but, theres a problem,a lot of cars that had new blocks simply had new Nikasil lined blocks!
Week 10 in 1998 is when production changed to alusil blocks. Open the bonnet and on the passenger wing there should be a plaque or sticker with the build date on it. Remember, if your car was registered later, it may have been built earlier so check the date.
As the sulphur issue in UK fuels no longer applys then for the majority of engines, this is nothing to worry about.
There is a brass nut + insert which is installed only on Alusil blocks, and not on Nikasil blocks, which indicates what type of block you've got:
Open the bonnet, stand looking into the engine bay from the passengers side, look down the side of the block and toward the bulkhead and you should see it....assuming you've got a brass one of course ! Otherwise you might have to hunt a bit harder for just the nobled bit (non-Alusil).....depends how dirty your engine is I suppose !
It's really easy to find. If you've got one you can't miss it
Nikasil block.
Ausil block.
Images thieved via Google.
