Hi all

I have been a member for some time and have enjoyed this forum. Been driving my 1999 4 litre S type for 2 years. It has 80,000 miles on the clock. Last week I parked it in the garage after a 11/2hour journey. Next time I went to start it, no go. I called the road assist and they tried to start it, same result. It was towed to a mechanic with a scan tool and he said nothing came up on the tool and did a compression test. Zero on a couple and 70 - 80PSI on others. Don't want to pre-empt anything but to my knowledge it hasn't had the timing up-grade. I have limited experience on these engines but from the forum I gather it is a Lincoln engine with minor differences. Is there a manual for the Lincoln? Has anyone got any thoughts on what may be the problem.

Pete

 

The V8 is a Jag engine but it was used in the Lincoln LS. I think we need some more information: Does it turn over? Any lights? etc...

 

It could be bore wash. If it is, cranking won't help. You need someone who knows his stuff (shouldn't be rare but some techs these days don't deserve the name).

Most no starts don't set codes.

 

Hi
Thanks for the replies, yes it turns over freely, lights OK, but early in this problem we had to use two batteries in parallel to get her cranking fast enough. Spurted some injector cleaner through a loose hose clamp on the air intake( I loosened the clamp). It sounded like it wanted to go but there was a lot of cranking. JagV8, do you mean if the timing chain had broken, it wouldn't show a code? I don't know what bore wash is but is doesn't sound good.

Pete

 

A scary number of things can cause a no start on any car, especially a modern car - the jag is just another, so if you plan to DIY you need to be reading and using Search on here and google. It's not a case of people here talking you through a couple of possibilities.

Almost all no starts can't set codes. You need to go back to basics for any modern engine and there are many. Sorry, but that's how it is. If it seems too hard, get an expert

 

Thanks JagV8, I've a hunch it is timing.

Pete

 

Hornet, I find it hard to believe that after driving 11 1/2 hours without incident the timing is involved in not allowing her to start the next day. Avoid squirting strarter fluid into this engine to try to start her...that was for the carbureted days. You mentioned using batteries in parallel with slow cranking. This won't work well in getting the Jag's starter to speed and supply enough ignition volts/amps to start her. Have the battery checked for weak/dead cells, and check the cables going to the battery. How old is it? Pop in a new battery and see what happens. 11 1/2 hours of driving on an already weakened battery will cause her to be "dead" in the a.m.

 

I think he said 1 1/2 hours.

Having zero compression on some cylinders and 70-80 on the others is significant. I think I'd be reluctant to try cranking it any more in hopes that it fires. If those numbers are accurate, it's time to dig deeper into the engine and not worry about codes and fuel delivery.

 

I hate to say it but you have a very old S Type and you might be suffering from the dreaded Nikasil problem. See this link. It matches your symptoms pretty close.

Do you know if your engine has had the steel liners installed??

Jaguar XJR- Is Your Motor A Nikasil Victim?
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Yes the Lincoln LS 3.9 is the same as the Jaguar 4.0 BUT the Lincoln did not have VVT until 2003 and up and I "think" the Jaguar had it from the beginning. You will need to check on this because the VVT differs between the Lincoln version and the Jaguar version.

You would use the Lincoln long block and most if not all your original accessory’s. Now if the VVT is a problem you would use the short block from the Lincoln and use the Jaguar heads.

I would have to think at this time a 1999 model would not be worth dumping that much money into??
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Yep...The OP returned from a 1 1/2 hour journey (the 1's were not spaced). I don't get it...One minute the car runs well, the motor is shut off, then won't start the next day? I even bet the mechanic errored on the compression test. He sprays starting fluid into the intake and she almost kicks over....Battery...fuel filter/pump?

 

There was a long-running thread on the UK forum where it turned out to be bore wash. It's not the only possibility. It's not DIY for people who don't put effort in, either

If the mechanic failed to measure compression properly - surely scary if he failed! - the list of possibilities grows a lot. CKP sensor, quite possibly.

 

The OP did not mention using 'starting fluid' or that it was a mechanic doing this while taking a compression test.

The zero/low compression results needs to be the focus of the discussion.

 

Again the symptoms are very much what happens with the cylinder wall problems I mentioned above. The engine has no ring seal so it's very hard to start. Once started the combustion pressure helps force the rings against the cylinder wall which will keep the compression high enough for the engine to run.

Many cars were running fine and then were never able to start again because of the Nikasil problems. I am only guessing since just about all the cars with this problem have been fixed or junked by now. Jaguar stopped using Nikasil process sometime in 2000.

Bore wash is another term for the same problem. You have less ring seal with a cold engine. That’s why the factory instructions want you to do the test on a warm/hot engine. When you do the compression test ALWAYS do it first dry and then squirt oil in the cylinders to see what difference it makes. A good engine will see little to no compression increase with the added oil. If it makes a big difference you have some kind of piston ring/cylinder wall problem. It's a good way to determine if low compression is due to valve problems or cylinder problems.
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