hi i have just got a shiny red xj8 1998 70000miles lovellllyyyy!!! seems great just getting to know it right now .im in northern ireland enniskillen .

it seems great but it occasionally needs a few turns of the key to start it , it starts perfectly for ten times approx then it needs a few turns to get started next time then perfect for ten times then needs a few turns of the key then perfect for another ten goes approx. it is a little odd (10 good starts then one dodgy start ) it is cranking fine just not firing up...so why is it behaving like this and more important how do i correct it? so far it hasnt let me down but i would prefer it to start first time every time . cold or warm start, time of day , how long its been sitting etc doesnt seem to matter at all . it starts fine for approx ten times then the eleventh needs 3 turns of the key to get going then it starts fine again for ten times ...and so on ...any advice would be great . im a complete novice ...thanks

 

Welcome to the forum Trevor,

The best way to start troubleshooting is to have the DTC's (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) read to see if there's anything stored or pending that can give a clue.

The engine is presumably turning over normally so it's temporarily either not getting spark or fuel when this happens.

Graham

 

i'd wager a fuel pump on the way out.

 

+1 fuel pump. Next time it doesn't start immediately check for fuel pressure at the schrader valve on the fuel rail.

 

Do you wait for the system to check prior to turning the ignition (ie turn key to position 2 when the lights all come on, wait for most of the lights to go out, then fire up...?)

 

+2 Fuel pump. But might be bore wash if the last time it was driven was for a very short distance (re-parking in the driveway, for instance). You might also try cleaning the MAF sensor (lots of threads) and replacing the fuel filter (a dirty fuel filter puts extra pressure on the the fuel pump).

Finally, check for OBD codes: I noticed mine was slow to start as the oxygen sensor began to fade (P1647 code), once replaced, starts first key turn every time.

 

Yes kyle , system check completed, thanks for all the replies so far

 

On a non-supercharged XJ, there is only one fuel pump.

That means it has to be the pump used to pre-charge the
fuel rails before start. That's the buzz you "might" hear
as soon as position two is reached with the key.

See if you can hear it when you are letting the system boot
up.

Very hard to do in the car. So at first failure, open the trunk
and have someone turn the key to position two without trying
to start. You should hear a faint buzz for a couple of seconds.

If you don't hear anything ... you know the story.