Hi, recently purchased with problems (Like a bit of a challenge) Was told by previous owner car idled rough. Parked to prevent damage. last cranked in Feb 2010. New batt April 01 after would not crank. Would do no more than click. I have checked and brightened all connections between battery and starter except at starter itself. Rocorded this short video to give you some idea of what I'm experiencing.http://s646.photobucket.com/albums/u...1270929930.flv
I will take the battery and have it checked today and replaced if necessary. Your thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

UPDATE! Took the battery out this am, it checked good: 12.71V 772 cca of 850 cca. Checked codes, results :P0327 - knock sensor, P0327 PENDING, P1111 Fuel air metering, finally P1637 Man Control aux input/output. That said I cleared the codes (attempted) P1637 and P1111 remain (wouldn't clear) Cleaned MAF Sensor (flushed with cleaner). Added gas as it was at E. Still nothing. No fire...not even attempting to fire!...Thoughts?...Thanks.

 

P1111 isn't fuel air metering, it's a 'tests completed' code - you may have the wrong codes here.

Off out now but I'll check back later.

Jim

 

I don't know if this is how I should respond...but....Thanks for your reply. I used a code reader from autozone for the read

 

The code #'s may refer to something else on the Jag - different from what the auto zone reader tells you. the Jag OBD codes are listed somewhere here in the forum, or a google search will find them.

It's hard to tell what's going on from your video, all we hear is about 1/2 of a revolution of the engine - where you holding the key in start and the engine would only turn 1/2 rev, or did you let go of the key at that point?

 

Sorry the video was so vague....however at this time it no longer applies as I have brought the bqattery up to full charge and now the motor is spinning like a champ! As I said before, I flushed the MAF sensor....it looked clean to start with which just about kills my hopes of that being the reason for its rough idle as cited by the former owner. Next, I flushed the throttle body (quite dirty) hit it with a shot of starting fluid to see if I could get any response...nothing. It acts as though the plugs are getting no juice at all. Thanks for your interest and thoughts. Hope to get this kitty breathing again soon! Any Ideas?

 

Sorry the video was so vague....however at this time it no longer applies as I have brought the bqattery up to full charge and now the motor is spinning like a champ! As I said before, I flushed the MAF sensor....it looked clean to start with which just about kills my hopes of that being the reason for its rough idle as cited by the former owner. Next, I flushed the throttle body (quite dirty) hit it with a shot of starting fluid to see if I could get any response...nothing. It acts as though the plugs are getting no juice at all. Thanks for your interest and thoughts. Hope to get this kitty breathing again soon! Any Ideas? Before I go, to answer your question Yes, my wife cranked, stopped, then cranked and stopped again.

 

Here's a few things to check, this is from my own recent experience of a non starting XJ8.

1. Ensure there are no cracks in the plastic trunking from the airbox to the Throttle Body. Especially check the small breather pipe that joins the trunking just north of the MAF sensor. This is easy to crack when changing the air filter. Any cracks or breaks in this area will make the car throw a wobbly.
2. Unplug and clean the two electrical plugs and sockets to the Throttle Body. Use electrial spray cleaner.
3. Stick your head in the trunk, get someone else to turn the ignition key to position II. Unplug the CD changer first, then listen to hear if the fuel pump starts up. If not then investigate why not, starting with the fuses.
4. If the fuel pump runs, take off the fuel input pipe to the TB and see if fuel is getting through. If not, change the fuel filter, then try again.

If all the above check out then it's probably the throttle body that is faulty or one or both of the electrical plugs and connectors to the TB. I'm sure there are more things that you can check but these are the basic steps that I used on my car after having multiple and I mean, multiple fault codes.
The fault codes will throw up the worst case scenario, like "throttle body", when it's just a loose or corroded wire in the throttle body connectors, so just take your time and work through all the possibilities starting with the simplest and most basic stuff first like wires and fuses.
Good luck.

 

Thanks so much for the good advice. I have checked all fuses...all good, checked the inertia fuel shut-off switch, properly tested fuel pressure, I have a question about that though. The pressure came up to 49psi when attempting to crank car., not when switching car on. I was under the impression that the system would be pressurized before the motor actually began to be started. So yes, I will clean those connections on the TB first thing in the am. The blow-by feed is a bit loose. If I'm not mistaken I think that it had an O-ring that I can replace to tighten that connection up a bit. My next move was to apply a bit of oil to each cyl, as it sounds like it has little compression...sat 3 or 4 months, 154k miles. Again, thanks friend for the suggestions. I will post my progress.

 

Time for a quick update. Removed plugs last evening, #8 horribly fouled. I can see now that I will be replacing valve cover gaskets. So, new plugs, Marvel Mystery in each cly overnite. Installed new plugs this am..everything back as it should be..Still nothing. That brings me to a couple of questions. Can anyone tell me if there is more than 1 Inertia switch? I've been told there is one in the trunk. Next Should I have fuel rail pressure before car is being cranked? (key switched to start but not cranking) I have no pressure reading at this point. I do show 40psi as the car is being cranked. Thoughts?

 

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  GEORGE IS GETTING ANGRY!!!!! Ok..so I left the plugs out all night long after having sprayed carb cleaner in each cylinder to help dry them out. put all back together this am,..... cranked the car,....STILL NOTHING!! SO I floored the accelerator, I'm smelling raw gas...continue cranking and slowly release accel, then slowly depress the accel, the cer "hits" a couple of times,,,then more nothing. Growing weary folks, but I'm determined to get this car up and running...My only other thoughts are bad gas as it has been in the car for four months,..like I said earlier, I added about a gollon of fresh gas to that. I guess I will have to see if the timing might have "jumped" after that, I'm totally out of ideas....

 

That fuel is not old enough to cause a problem from my experience. I had fuel in my jag for almost 9 months and it ran ok.
Have you done a compression test on the cylinders ? May possibly reveal something.

 

VICTORY AT LAST!!! Finally cranked this afternoon. Tried this am...same ole hit and miss routine...would catch outrun the starter then that was it. SO,....thought,...maybe crank or cam sensor problem,....took plugs off off sensor, flushed with cleaner. when I got to the one on the passenger side, there was quite a bit ofoily build-up in the area and as you might imagine...the plug was no exception. The flush flowed out very discolored...oil. let it sit for awhile..I had run the battery down trying to crank it earlier, so it really didn't have much zeal turining over....turned slowly,...hit...hit again....outran the starter....STARTED AND RAN!!! Now its onto addressing the codes that have popped-up. HOWEVER, my biggest concern is the low oil pressure warning and associated clicking toward the front of the engine. I will be checking the pressure with a gauge and getting back to this forum with the results....

 

Hey, I want to thank you for your continued input....see my latest post..

 

Any luck since your last post? I have a thread going with what sounds like the same issue. Re: fuel pressure, I get a spike to 42 lbs on my fuel rail fitting when the key goes to ignition and it settles down to about 40 and stays there.

My plugs are not fouled, just a coating of dry black carbon. I started off getting a rough wobbly attempt at starting and now just get cranking with no ignition at all.

I plan to take Dinger's recommendations next and try a compression test, as well.

I will update you if anything breaks good in my case.

 

OK, now I see you finally achieved ignition. I will likewise clean those sensors and see if it works as well for me - Thanks.

 

My XJ8 had the same issue and I purchased under the same circumstances. My mechanic found it to be 3 relays. After replacing, the car has been started and runs smoothly.