Hi thank you for accepting me to your forums!
Less than two weeks ago I purchased my first Jaguar a 1997 XJ6 six cylinder 3.2L motor 200,000Klms (British racing green I think) in terrific condition, I reckon it’s been garaged most of its life.
Cream leather interior, wood steering wheel, original Jaguar stereo, no rust at all, great on the road, engine good but has cold start issue. I have booked in with Jag specialist this December (luckily a friend) to diagnose and fix it…will keep you posted on outcome.
The car was personally imported to New Zealand and then brought to Australia at some time. Still trying to determine how many owners but have a feeling very few.
Me; born and raised in a beautiful seaside community on the East Coast of Tasmania then boarding school in Hobart.
From a very young age I was driving any old bomb dad brought home for my brothers to muck around in and was fascinated how they worked (or didn’t lol). At one point in life I worked with a Mercedes specialist for about six years which increased my interest in luxury cars ps I don’t know much so hoping to have some help from this great Forum.
Hope to join in with discussions please stay in touch.
Cheers Linda.




My new “ride”

 

Welcome Linda, looks like a fine example. It is great to see that the reach of the X300 XJ6 extends all the way to you despite the time and distance from its origin.

 

You customer handover video is here :


Never install the battery in backwards . positive post goes in the positive direction of travel or fwd

Never tighten the positive battery post too tight as there is a special nut underneath that can crack in half

In your understanding of your Jaguar before a mechanic is how the starting sequence works

With the rotation of the key the fuel pump will come on for 4 seconds then off

There will be trapped fuel pressure in the fuel line at this point ( 43 psi or 3 bar )

on starter rotation the hockey puck with the little round window on the fwd right side will determine your ignition and fuel injection timing , This is the Camshaft Position Sensor or CMPS with CEL code 340

once the engine fires off and the Crankshaft Position Sensor on the front of of the engine pulley will pick up as the timing source , this is your CKPS and CEL code 335

The CKPS will also " enable " the fuel pump to turn on and run for the duration of your drive

On engine shut down the fuel pressure will be trapped again for days until you start it up again

You can remove the connector from the CMPS and the car will start but with more starter rotations

You will see the CMPS and CKPS on page 77 and 76

The CEL codes are on page 121

Your idle speed is on page 90

Your spark plug is a Champion 71, RC12YC per Jaguar TSB and no other

www.jagrepair.com/images/Training Guides/801S - 2000.pdf

Your wiring guide is here with your AJ16 engine on page 52

yours is ROW ( rest of world ) and the3.2 liter version regulates the same as the 4.0 liter engine

jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepairPhotos/jagxj1997.pdf

The original speakers may have dry rotted and can be easily repaired yourself using the original speakers ( common )

The original Jaguar / Alpine stereo head can be modified yourself to have an extra jack input sacrificing the cassette player , this is different then the old adaptor cassette that you insert version

There are kits to replace the leather on the steering wheel and the finish on the steering wheel and interior wood trim

your interior color code is on the door and looks like oatmeal named color

 

See a fuller set of Jaguar X300 manuals compiled in this link

Repair Manual - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

 

Thank you Richard, it is fine example as you say and well worth looking after.

 

Fantastic, etaent! Always my favorite car since they were introduced. The styling respects the past but moves forward. Can I say, "Welcome BacK" if you were a forum member before I joined? Do you forfeit any seniority if you leave the fold? Regardless, the saying that came to mind immediately was another British car company (forgive me, some of you) Vauxhall: "Once Driven. Forever Smitten." Remember the XJ40 is classified as a classic on this site, and I remember reading a comparison of this and the X300 in Jaguar World magazine where the write up explained how the XJ40 drives more like a classic car, and an X300 like a modern car. I only say that because your other vehicles were quite a bit newer and energetic. Still, I absolutely adore mine, enjoy the weather with the sunroof open and windows down during the Summer on open roads, and all enclosed with the central locking when having to deal with the less than civilized denizens of my world. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!

 

my sincere apologies for not getting back sooner I’ve since moved and the Jag has been on the back burner at repair shop at other end of the state...not far in US terms ie 540 klms round trip lol. Thank you for such clear information and interest. There’s no doubt they are a gorgeous car the motor has a spunky hum when it’s running properly. The update is the repair shop cautiously gave up because they’d exhausted their knowledge (it’s a private reputable “European car specialist”) plus concerned about money already thrown at it. So I spent a whole day going from garage to garage being told each time oh so and so will work on Jags etc. The last place nearly didn’t happen by then I crawled in and the man who has good experience on older Jaguars he’s willing to have a look. FYI The following shows what was done at first garage without result : on the invoice 9 hours labour 😱
To check for not running, carry out numerous electrical checks on wiring harnesses etc, found to be ok, replace coolant sensor, fuel filter, S/H air flow meter, idle control motor, ECU 🫣 injector washers and spark plugs, vehicle still faulting, sub let to auto electrician, unable to diagnose faults, advised owner unable to repair vehicle recommend it be collected. $1600AUD They didn’t charge for the 9 hours labour which I couldn’t believe but very grateful. So that’s it for now until I move car to next repair man which is happening next week. FYI it has a cold start problem where it will start and run smooth then 2-3 mins it loses power and stalls if you persevere a few times like this the temp gauge moves up, then if left a bit it will run…if lucky. I’ve had it 2 years test drive immaculate mechanic check good. I bought it knowing about cold start problem but always positive thinking that machines want to work…right! This car will be fixed I just know it 🙄. Cheers and thanks again ps I think I may have to move chat elsewhere not sure if I’m in right spot cheerio

 

When you first rotate the key the fuel pump will charge the fuel lines for 3 seconds and them off

This is different than priming the cylinders with a squirt

This fuel charge will be trapped in the fuel lines and bled off by injector pulses

Once the crankshaft position sensor sees engine rotation after a certain point the fuel pump turn back on and stay on for the duration of your drive

The single signal from the CKPS is used in different ways and one of the ways can fail to be interpretated and still not give a CEL code PO335



The fuel pump enable can fail but still see tach and have ignition / injector timing

Some checks you can easily do are..............

Tach indication , 300 RPM on starter rotation

Clean the face of the CKPS sensor of grime that interferes with the signal , this is different than connector clean

Jumper the fuel pump relay to run at all times , drains the battery with the keys in your pocket

This will be socket 3 to 5




Inspect the engine ECU connectors

Do a couple of relay swaps

The coolant temp you saw climb is from a single wire sensor on top of the thermostat housing

The coolant temp the engine regulation uses is a 2 wire temp sensor next to the single wire




Editing

 

Just thought of something that may explain the engine fizzling out

There is an inertia / crash switch that when tripped will disable the fuel pump and engine ECU by design

This switch from reading others can be fickle and trip

It doesn't always reset by pressing the black reset button

You can bypass it with an paperclip on the 2 white wires on the 3 wire connector

This inertia switch will always be on the car's right side fwd of the right fwd door hinge

This is a pic of someone's right hand steering model like yours up against the foot wall

 

Rule number 1 with the X300 when faced with any unusual problem is change the crankshaft position sensor. Has this been done at any point?
The failure modes are myriad and usually defy logic. It is relatively inexpensive, and easy to do. Fuel pump relay would be high up my list thereafter.

 

Fortunately , the crankshaft position sensor is a generic part and not jaguar specific and don't have to buy from them so cheap and commonly avail through the local auto parts store

Some keep a spare sitting in their trunk .