Greetings all,
I have a 95' VDP XJ6 with 81k miles that I've been driving for nearly a year now. Originally I had a coolant sensor code on when buying the car but I also had nearly every code so I went one by one replacing everything including coolant sensor, which turned out to not repair the issue. The car ran rough with low gas mileage for a bit and even had shut off at idle every now and then at a light, turned out that code was still there as the sensor I swapped it with wasn't correct even though rockauto had it. I went back to the original and the code went away. Turns out the faulty sensor was running the car rich overflowing my engine with fuel. After going back to the original sensor the problem stopped and the car drove better for a while. Recently the car had a couple rough starts where it started then lost power after a moment, recently it happened in my driveway and for a few days now I haven't been able to get it started. I suspect heavy bore wash from the rich driving and all that fuel washing away oil. I checked the top oil cap and the oil is much darker than when I changed it a couple months back and having only put another 1-2k miles on it, sign of it being burnt or dried up?

Things I've Tried
1. Pedal to floor starting in different ways as I swear I've read like 3 different ways now and wanted to be sure I was doing it correct. Hold pedal down 10 secs before key insert, keep pedal pressed and crank. OR Insert key, turn to battery, hold pedal 10 seconds, release, crank OR Just holding pedal on crank, and also not holding pedal at all. intermittently, and day later.

2. Pulled spark plugs, added table spoon of oil to each cylinder

3. Then changed spark plugs

What I'm thinking
The car had sat before I purchased it for at least a year, maybe over this year the fuel filter just got too clogged from old particulates that it gelled up? I just don't want to waste the time waiting for a new fuel filter and draining some of my tank for nothing and would rather get the car running and do that later if I could help it. I'm going to change the oil tomorrow in case there is a lacking or a ton of deposits. Otherwise I'm at a loss, when reading about bore wash it seemed exactly what happened to me but now I'm no longer sure. Pretty sure the fuel pump is the newest part that the seller has replaced before I bought the car so I'm doubting it's that. May look to get compression test kit if I can find one. Any help is deeply and greatly appreciated, this is my only car at the moment and I have a sick father to tend to and money sure is tight!

 

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You have 2 power sources / relays to close that power the engine ECU that can be intermittent and swappable with other same relay's on this X300

Place your finger on the right engine bay fuse box relay in the corner as considered # 9 and the right large # 5 ECU controlled relay

You should use your finger as other clicks sounds in the area

There is a Jaguar Doc that others have on a rotating starter compression test numbers as factory new , who knows what in service numbers are minimum ?

 

Thank you kindly. Tomorrow once I change oil I will be doing the relay test when I have someone else around. What doc are you speaking of if I may?

 

The compression test doc I no longer have as on a old broke computer but others may have

 

The x300 is 11.5 to 1 compression, shouldn't be a problem....
Cylinder wash plagues the Nikosil v8's, not the six cylinder cars

The problem is electrical

 

The 11.5 to 1 is a math ratio of the built in changing volumes and has nothing to do with a compression test as is a determination of leak beyond limits ( sustainable combustion conditions )


Sorry to be harsh, , but the misunderstanding is important

Bore wash can still and does from reading others effect the inline 6 , just minus the cylinder wall erosion on the V 8 ( no steel cylinder sleeves )

 

I agree, ive read too many posts regarding the inline having this issue rarely. Makes sense to be bore wash to me since i know my car was running rich due to fuel sensor having been incorrect. Changing oil now, going to test relays too.

 

Spent yesterday changing the oil & filter, got some starter fluid and got it to START TURNING OVER finally hearing things catch and wanting to start but by that time I have already drained the hell out of my battery. Having not had a decent battery charger I just bought one that's arriving in a few hours. Hoping to god this all gets it started, seems that it is just a really insane case of bore wash.

Have I done any damage to my engine? If so what and how would I find out?

 

I was able to get the car to turn over with starting fluid, and even "started" for a brief 30 seconds lol. I tried numerous times and I couldn't get the engine to stay on. WOT, alternating, etc. I ended up getting a good video of a couple failed cranks and one "successful" one so anyone can hear what's going on, please watch & listen closely. Also my engine was physically jumping and sporadic every couple times, maybe timing is off, sensor bad?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VmJvkbHW3qtpBEyF8
Deeply needing assistance today, kind of at a deadline & may just fold and call a true mobile mechanic for once but I don't have the money for it nor have had any luck with local shops before. On my old XJ8 a local shop changed a valve cover gasket, ended up leaving with it in limp mode just to find out they left HALF the coils unplugged. Another shop when installing a fuel sender when I was newer to all this left the ring unscrewed so when I filled up at the gas station fuel started pouring out the back

 

Do you see 300 rpms on starter rotation ?

There is a certain point of voltage ( 11.4 ? ) on a drained battery that the engine ECU does not function ( fuel injectors come to mind as specificaly )

In the beginning on engine start the fuel pump will come on for 3 seconds only and then off . the 3 seconds will charge the fuel lines and supply enough fuel for sustained combustion beyond X number of seconds after key rotation

The fuel pump will come back on from a signal ( based on engine rotation ) from the crankshaft position sensor for the rest of your drive , safety design

So the need to observe the Tach gauge

Full gas pedal depression will stop the injectors from putting fuel out , purposely designed this way

 

Yes, I see 300 rpms on starter.
Regarding voltage I've made sure to keep the battery hooked up to a maintainer the entire time between multiple sessions of attempted starts.
What is a Tach gaige?

Here is a video of start, showing ECM. https://photos.app.goo.gl/QpzSEZBaUXHNSE6SA

 

Inertia / Crash Switch Reset ?

 

This is someone's pic of a right hand drive , the switch will always be on the cars right side

The switch is fickle and trips easily and does not always reset , remove connector and place paper clip between the 2 white wires

 

Hadn't heard about this, trying now!

 

My computer Battery is almost Boom Boom

 

Jumped it, replaced switch, attempted, still failed to start. At a loss ;-[

 

Give me some time to summarize your post and videos

 

Tested # 5 right large ECU controlled relay , the relay position can be mis placed as they will hook into any position

 

Relays seem good. Just going to end up taking it to a shop tomorrow, this is the first time I've given up on a repair as I've done the entire suspension, some electrical, and pretty much every singe maintenance step in my god forsaken driveway but this has just gotten too aggravating with no real signs of reasons or what is going on

 

Do you have a large voltage sag on the instrument gauge on starter rotation ? 1/2 volt normal

There is an battery cable terminal and nuts on the cars right very low as the cable run goes from cabin to right wheel well on it's way to the engine compartment side as a different terminal post and nuts , this does not show on the wiring guide but was pointed out by Watto700 in his work going through all battery cables

You have to have enough voltage left to correctly power the engine ECU

Wiring pic coming , 3;2 or 4.0 liter as there is a difference in starter circuit even though you have starter rotation

For the 4.0 you have this