Hey, I own a 2002 Jaguar X-type and it has been sitting for a while. I purchased a new battery and some fresh gas, but when I go to start the car it just cranks and sounds like its just about to start. My dad sprayed some flammable gas inside the engine when I started up the car and it turned on for a few seconds. This seems to be a fuel problem, any idea what I should look at?

 

Andis28, I would venture to guess that your fuel pump has bitten the dust and is not pumping up the pressure like it should. I would start with getting a fuel pressure gauge and connecting it to the schrader valve on the intake. When you put the key in the RUN (II) position, the gauge should rise to 50-60 psi. As you are cranking the car, it may fall a few pounds, but should remain fairly high. Should the engine start, it should drop to 40-50 psig. I think you are going to find that you are only going to see say 30 psig (maybe less) and that won't be enough to start the car. If you are seeing 0 psig, then I would be looking at fuse F81 in the passenger compartment fuse box as it is most likely bad.

One other trick you can try is to get into the car and turn the key to the RUN (II) position (do not go to START), let the car sit there for 2-3 seconds, then finally roll the key to the START position. What this does is allows the fuel pump to build up pressure to hit that 50-60 psig range. Then, once the engine is running, it can then keep up.

The last trick that I know of (and this is a long shot in your case) is to jack up the right side of the car. If you look on the under side of the car just in front of the rear wheel, you will see the gas tank there. if you look, there is a half moon indention in the gas tank. This is where the fuel pump sits. As you are cranking the car, give the center of that half moon a good thump with your fist. Sometimes this will jar the fuel pump and cause it to start work.

 

Hey Chris,

Funny...sounds like the old electric diaphragm pump in my 1963 Austin Cambridge (B series 1622).....the one that sits int eh boot and has the confounded points system that gets sticky when they site for too long.
Nice to know the solution to fuel pump problems hasn't changed in 60 years!

I'm going to be starting my old Cambridge up again soon to bring it over to my new house so I can get the repairs and maintenance caught up on it again.
I'll definitely be taking my ball pein hammer with me along with the crank handle. ;-)

 

I had a similar issue with my 3.0 gas x-type. It had sit for several months with less than a 1/4 tank. Thinking the ethanol evaporated and left a residual and clogged line, I added ethanol dry gas treatment and several gallons of premium and let it sit for a day. Much to my relief, it did start the following day.