This is a different kind of starter problem than I've read on the site. The problem is intermittent. When I attempt to start the car, I turn the key to acc and wait till all the dash lights go out and I crank the car. Sometimes it cranks and fires up immediately and sometimes the starter just spins.

When it spins, it doesn't engage the fly it just spins. I suspected a bad solenoid in the starter brought it to the dealership and they rebuilt it, yet it still acts up. Now I'm not sure if it's a Jag quirk or I need a new starter.

2002 X-Type 3.0 5-speed

 

I would go to an indy shop not the dealership. I had to have mine replaced as well. If I recall correctly it wasn't too much $

 

I had that exact problem in mine last winter. I think dust from the clutch had just gunked everything up to prevent the gear from moving out to catch the flywheel.

Take the starter off (Very easy, it's on top of the trans, just below the battery box) and with it off see if the gear easily slides out on its shaft. Mine would barely move, but after cleaning it up with some brake cleaner, and working it back and for a couple of times I got it moving very easy. It was caked in black dust which I assumed was from the clutch. I'm not sure if you'd want to grease it since that would likely attract more dust. Maybe a good shot of powdered graphite?

If you can slide it by hand then the bendix solenoid is probably weak, and you would need a new one.

 

Replace the bendix, very simple fix with only a few tools required, the starter is pretty easy to get out, disconnect the battery first, then the electrical connections on the starter, then it is 2 bolts, maybe 3. Then the starter somes apart and it's a simple replacement, the mechanism that pops the gear out to engage the flywheel just weakens.

 

Excellent, thanks for the insight gents.