Hi guys. Ok, all week I've had no luck getting my wifes car started. She drove it home and parked it in the driveway unsuspecting of anything being wrong. The next morning she couldn't start it. I concluded that the fuel pump and/or the link lead was bad, so I replaced them both for good measure. Now we've got fuel, makes it all the way up to the fuel rail, but seems like thats as far as it goes. Can't get the thing started. I did a few times for a few seconds but thats after trying and trying (esentially warming up a cold engine). The car cuts off as soon as it starts (when it starts). Seems like a fuel problem still. I can't find a cut-off switch that [hopefully] was tripped. I had a few messages in between disconnecting the battery: 1st 'fail safe' or something to that effect, and 2nd 'Stability Control Fail' and I don't know what either of them mean. So far I'm out about $500 and a weeks worth of work. This sucks, I'm hoping for some really stupid quick fix to this, but if thats the case I should probably play the lottery too. Any ideas guys?

 

have you ever had a cylinder wash occurrence? If you start it and shut it down before coming up to temp, the walls get 'washed' with fuel, and the car loses compression...it feels like its just whirring up there...w/o any resistance. Is this the case? If so, there is a procedure to get it started again...go to the XK8-xkr subforum, look in our stickied FAQ thread, and find the cylinder wash thread under the engine section. That might be all your problem is. Naturally, it can take days, or weeks for the cylinder wash to resolve itself (and that's w/o trying to start it in the meantime).
g'luck

 

Thanks for the suggestion. This is all I could find on the forum about cylinder wash:

The 1997 to 1999s had a serious problem with this exacerbated by fact that the cold start fuel cell algorithm was programmed overly rich.

First, you have to make sure that the battery is charged up so it doesn't die in this process. Next, try to start the car with the accelerator pedal held to the floor. Do short 20/30 second tries, letting the starter rest 30 seconds in between and continuing to hold the pedal to the floor.

Holding the accelerator fully opened shuts off the fuel delivery so you don't continue to wash oil from the cylinders which destroys compression.
It should eventually start (maybe 4/5 tries). This is a factory approved method for cylinder wash, a well known and documented condition.

There are (actually) two processes used to revive an AJ26 from cylinder wash, one factory approved and one developed by the shade tree mechanics. The proper way is to hold the gas pedal to the floor which shuts off the fuel, then cranking in small increments until cylinders dry out and compression is restored and the engine will eventually fire. The improper way involves removing the spark plugs, adding oil to each cylinder reinstalling the plugs then hoping for a start, but this method can have detrimental effects on the cats from the unburned oil pushed into the cats.

AJ26s had a poorly programmed cold start fuel cell algorithm when under certain conditions, would overflood the cylinders with too much fuel. This caused the oil to be washed off the cylinder walls and caused a temporary loss of compression. Without the oil coating the engine would not start, but fuel would continue to be injected into cylinders making the situation worse. Jaguar never fixed the problem in the AJ26s, but by the time the AJ27 came out the ECM had a corrected cold start program. Cylinder wash occurs when the AJ26 is cold started then shut off before the engine warms up.

Any time an AJ26 cranks but doesn't start, this is the first and easiest process to perform. It will save a lot of wasted time chasing fuel or ignition problems that very seldom are the cause. In my shop I see this condition several times a year - customer calls which I describe the restart procedure over the phone.

 

I tried it more than 4-5 times, like whats said here, you think it could take days to just sit and then it will work? What if I change the spark plugs, will that speed up the process (drying wise)? I wonder how compression would be lost in the 1st place also. Thanks.

 

I went and bought a fuel pressure gauge, I'm not getting any pressure at the fuel rail.

 

Hey man, you got about three threads going on this. I am not the etiquette police but.....

 

I really don't. I found other people with similar problems and tried to combine ideas. I'm looking for whatever help I can get from whoever I can. Obviously there are different people commenting on other posts, this is the only one that I've started. And I am getting different answers from different people. Along the way I've also been helping others, posting videos, sharing threads etc. I didn't think there was any rule about only talking to people on one thread.

Once I get the car running again I will post the problems/ solutions and hopefully that will help others too. In the meantime I appreciate any help I can get, thats why I'm here afterall.

 

I agree with Ross, just pick your favorite thread and post all responses here, if you get something from someone on the other threads (yes, there are two others) just quote them, and reply here. Coolio?

 

Ok, but actually a continuous dialog rather than a bunch of random ideas lead to the most likely efficient solution. I know you realize that troubleshooting is a proces.

As to the fuel pressure, you either have no electricuty to the pump (fuse, relay, signals) or you have a bad pump, or you have a plugged inlet folter, a blown off hose or a plugged fuel fiilter. Since you changed the outlet fiilter, that ain't it. I would go for checking the voltage at the fuel pump to tank connector. It should run when moving the key to #2 position for a few seconds. Do you hear the pump? Do you have the schenatic> Do you need any help in reading it and following the signals?
There are several of us pretty good at leading through a problem like this, but its hard to follow the info in a bunch of places.

 

sorry, posted in wrong place... someone please delete this!