Afternoon all, my 99 xkr wont start. I believe this to be down to me letting the car run on tickover in the garage over the winter, all was good when i put her into hibernation. I took the plugs out and they were wet so i cleaned them up and put a drop of oil down the cylinders. Couple of days later i went for a start and didnt get much, puff of smoke and a bit of a stumble but wouldnt run.
Ive now taken the plugs out again and aswell as being wet they were foulded, from the oil i presume.
I have spun the engine with the plugs out and im about ready to try again.
Question is; should i drop a bit of oil in before i put the plugs back? And if so should i turn it over with the oil in but the plugs out first? Or do i just put the plugs back and go for a normal start?
Any assistance as always gratefully recieved.

 

The oil you put in the first time oiled the cylinders sufficiently. No need to keep adding more oil.

Z

PS / once spark plugs are gas fouled or oil fouled, no amount of cleaning will restore the plugs. I know it’s an unwanted expense to change the plugs. But at this point you’d be better off to have new iridium plugs.

 

I here what your saying buuuut, these plugs have hardly done any miles ( less than 500) so ive cleaned them and will try again. Not a cheap do anymore. They are iridium though.

 

With what you have done consider you may have caused bore wash. This makes the car very difficult to start. Bad idea to start and idle the car. Always take it for a drive of at least 30 minutes. You want everything in the car to get some use.
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Yes i agree borewash. Ive always run them over winter but might reconsider now.

 

As said above, once you start an X100 you must let it get up to temperature before you shut it down again. Idling will never achieve sufficient temperature so it is best to do nothing if you can't get her hot.

Clean the plugs with petrol or spray cleaner and, ideally, pop them in the oven to get then nice and hot and dry and then try to start the car again. Don't use any throttle as that will just cause more flooding. If she doesn't show any signs of starting after a few attempts, fully depress the throttle and turn her over with the throttle fully open. Make sure the battery is fully charged before you start.

Richard

 

Thanks richard. Will bite the bullet tommorow i think.

 

Sorry to disagree but this advice is wrong. If you want to run it during the winter months, by just idling and stationary, this is pefectly OK
BUT to prevent borewash, on the 4.0, it is advisable to let it idle for at least 30 minutes to get the engine fully up to operating temperature, also make sure the temperature gauge reading on the dash is at normal operating reading.

 

Here we go again.

There is nothing to be gained by idling more than a few minutes. The engine will get up to correct operating temperature much faster by driving vs idling.

No manufacturer recommends idling long enough for the thermostat to open. They do (universally) recommend driving off after a minute or two, but refrain from spirited driving until full operating temperature is reached.

 

+1
That is my view also. Idling won't get everything truly up to temps enough to boil out condensation.

If you're storing the car over winter, etc. then fill the fuel tank, change the engine oil, and attach a battery tender.

Perhaps turn the ignition on every so often to exercise the fuel pump.

 

ZRay and Michael are bang on the money. It's nothing to do with bore wash as that will resolve itself after a few minutes of idling.

The issue is that you can leave a big engine like the Jaguar idling until the cows come home but you will never get the oil hot enough to remove the water from condensation and initial start-up and you will never heat the exhaust system enough to remove the water which has built up inside the silencers and resonators from combustion.

Richard

 

I dont think this has anything to do with you let the car idle a while back. The bore wash problem comes if you start and stop several times or has several starting attemps.
Check the obvious; spark, fuel and compression.