Hello All! I recently purchased a 67 MK2 3.4l it was sitting in a garage for over 30 years. Put a new Battery and lights turn on, but when I press the start button, nothing happens. All the advice is greatly appreciated!

 

Is it an Automatic?

 

yes sir, it is.

 

Read the last few pages here. Likely the selector interlock/inhibitor switch. But covers everything to check. Will only start in neutral & park. You likely have a BW 35 auto box.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...160663/page14/

 

Thanks for the info.

 

See edit above.

 

Appreciate the guidance, where are the inhibitor switch/wires located?

 

OK, so on Park and Neutral it makes a clicking noise from the engine compartment but doesn't turn on. I have a new 34R group battery installed

 

The clicking noise is probably the starter solenoid engaging but the starter motor doing nothing.

First thing to try is get to the back of the starter motor and there should be a piece of the shaft sticking out that you can turn with a spanner to see if the motor is stuck or turning. If its turning then try manually using the solenoid by pushing the button on it (solenoid located on the bulkhead above the middle of the engine).

The other thing to check is that the engine will turn, take the spark plugs out and put a spanner on the bottom pulley nut and see if it will rotate.

 

As above from Homer with one addition.
Check that you have a good earth. The fact the lights come on is not an indication of a good earth when put under load. Try hitting the starter button and when it clicks do the lights go out or dim? Check the connections on the battery from the solenoid on the bulkhead through the battery to the earth. Jaguars tend to rust around the hinge attachment area ad the earth from the battery is normally attached to one of the bolts holding the hinge in place. Also check the cable to the starter from the bulkhead solenoid is good. Some people have put a thin cable here which does not carry the correct current to the starter. Lastly check the earthing strap from the engine block to the body. This is normally situated going from the front left (When sat in the drivers seat) of the engine block to the engine mounting point on the inner wing. Without a good earth either on the battery or the engine block you will hear a click but the starter drawing so much current will not turn over.

 

Check the solenoid switch itself, just because it clicks doesn't mean it has continuity.
I've had them break internally and some times there is so much corrosion it can't carry the current.
You can test this easily by simply shorting the terminals with a pair of insolated needle nose plyers, make sure it's in park and the hand brake is on.

 

Yes, the light do dim when I press the starter.

 

By "Good Earth", earth meaning good ground/grounding (in US terms)? Thanks!

 

Try all of the above & report back, I have nothing to add. Hope the engine is not seized & it's something easy or starter motor. At least we have progressed beyond the Auto selector inhibitor & Park & Neutral for trying to start. Some current is getting to the starter motor.

 

Were it me, I would try to turn the engine over manually via a breaker bar and socket on the front crankshaft pulley before throwing all the torque of a new starter on an engine that may have its piston rings stuck to the cylinder bores...

 

...as S-type owner plus with the plugs removed and even the cam covers off to check the valves are following the cams. And if doesn't move then, some light oil through the plug holes and leave it soak for a few days before trying again.

 

Also put some light oil on the lifters as well, the ones that are not under a lobe should turn easily by hand.
Lifters and valves have been known to stick, rotating the engine by hand will show this and keep the valve train from being damaged.

 

How do I rotate the mk2 engine by hand? Any videos pr pictures anyone can share please. Thanks!

 

Really difficult. On other cars you can get a socket on the front pulley nut, remove the spark plugs and rotate the engine using a ratchet on the socket. With the Jaguar and I can only speak of my S Type there is just no room between the engine and the back of the radiator to get anything in there.
So there are a couple of options all involve removing the spark plugs first.
First you could remove the radiator which will allow you to get to the front of the engine. A pain but it only takes half an hour truthfully to remove it. Two hoses and four bolts then the radiator slides up out of the car. If you have a shroud around the fan you will have to remove this before the radiator comes out. Tip if you do this slide a piece of cardboard down between the back of the radiator and the fan so you do not damage the fins of the radiator with the fan blades.
Before doing this try taking hold of the fan blades and turning the engine over but this will only work if your fan belt is tight and the car out of gear. A lot of the time the fan belt slips on the pulley and you can't do this.
Lastly if you had a manual you could have put the car in first gear and then rocked the car back and forth trying to turn the engine over using the movement of the rear wheels. As you have an Auto this method is not possible.

 

It's been a while, but from memory, I took the locking plate off.
And I don't think there is a enough room to get a ratchet in there, so I used a breaker bar.
The breaker bar is shallow enough with a socket.
The socket is put in place first and then the bar is inserted into the socket.
I think there is enough room just to get the socket off and on to rotate the engine once the tool is in place.

I have done it to time the ignition _ I know I have, and I certainly would have remembered if had to take the rad out.

I did from down below on my side with the car jacked up a bit.