Hi! I'm Lisa. My beautiful gold 2001 XJ8, which I love, is having a series of problems I can't figure out.

Sometimes, if I idle it and rev the engine a couple of times, it will lug down and almost stall when I pull out. If I keep driving it, the lugging stops- it also did this on an incline one day without revving.

The other day I left it running in a parking lot with the air conditioner going for about 12 minutes while waiting for someone, and it almost overheated. It never overheats just driving it.

Sometimes, my 'lock doors' button will not unlock the doors again and I would be trapped inside if I did not have my fob, because it also refuses to let me pull up on the locks. Other times, it works great and just unlocks.

It also makes a sound when I first start it- my mechanic says it sounds like a bearing, but he couldn't pinpoint where it was before the sound stopped. It stops and doesn't happen again for that day, usually. It's only when it first starts.

Last, the cd changer says there is no disc when the changer is loaded.

Before I bought it, it had already had all four chains and tensioners replaced, the water pump, the engine had been rebuilt, piston rings, main crankshaft, and rod bearings replaced, front shocks replaced, sway bar and upper bushings, fuel pump replaced, and filter, transmission replaced, coil on # 7 cylinder, valve cover gaskets, air mass meter, power steering pump and hose, with flush, fan assembly on secondary engine fan, expansion tank, and thermostat assembly. I have had the relay replaced to fix an 'evaporative system leak' code, had the steering wheel's lock fixed, the passenger side door lock activator replaced, replaced a fob and key, and had a seat leather repair. Most of the earlier things were repaired some time ago, and worked well without a problem. I am about to drive 600 miles in it and need to figure out these last things as inexpensively as possible.

I love this car; I haven't had as much fun with a car since I was 17 and had a pristine vintage superbeetle to go-cart around in.

Thank you for any information.

 

Hi Lisa


Nice looking XJ.

I'm afraid I can't help with your most urgent issues but I think I can with the CD changer.

I had the same with mine. Full cartridge yet 'No Disc' message when cd's were selected. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures while doing it but there is a small motor in one corner of the changer unit with a worm gear on it. The worm gear has probably worked its way down the motor shaft and is jamming the cog it turns. I just pushed the worm gear back down towards the motor and it worked fine. You need to remove the Changer, pull out the rubber bungs and remove the springs and unscrew the case but that's about it.

This post details the fix and has a picture of the motor location
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...k-stuck-46943/

This post details the strip down.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...ial-fix-71824/

The only other thing I can offer re electrical issues is to check the battery. These cars are particularly fussy about battery voltage.

I hope you find fixes for your other issues.

 

Let's see if I can get you started and maybe some others will chime in with refinements.
1. Stalling condition, my first look would be to change the fuel filter. I would also have the fuel pressure checked after the filter change. Bogging down is a condition of LEAN fuel just not getting enough juice to the injectors.
2. Overheating: Warm up the car with a short drive and park it. Let it idle, you should have at least one fan come on. Then while idling turn on the air conditioning to max, you should see the second fan come on. If that doesn't happen I would check fan fuses and relays. A last resort is if the secondary fan doesn't come on when the AC is running it is probably a bad fan control module. If the first fan didn't come on it may be a bad temperature sensor not telling the fan control module to start.
3. Door: When the button doesn't work for you have you tried pulling the door handle to unlock? Does it open? You should be able to unlock the doors from the inside by pulling on the drivers or passengers door handle. If it is acting sketchy I would say your drivers door cable is frayed and is sticking. You will need to change the cable.
4. Rattle: I am going to have to look into JTIS Manual on this one but off the cuff there are 2 distinct possibilities. A. One of the new secondary tensioners is not holding and needs to pump up. B. The Variable Valve Timing is rattling.
3rd generation tensioners used a spring to stop having to pump up. That being said when I changed mine the passenger side tensioner would still rattle on start up. Have the tensioners rechecked.

I will let you digest that for now and look forward to others chiming in.

 

On 1 : I would try cleaning the inside bore of the throttle body, and then the MAF sensor. You could also check that the two breathers are clear on both valve covers.

On the noise : I would suggest recording it with your phone or whatever, and uploading it to Youtube.

The X308 temperature gauge is processed to read N over quite a range of temperatures. Just because it isn't going over N most of the time does NOT mean it isn't suffering from chronic overheating, which can be quite damaging in the long run. I would confirm with an OBDII reader, or something like the Ultragauge, what your temperatures are.

 

Lots of good answers to help you chase down this laundry list of issues.

Cleaning the MAF sensor and throttle bore and plate paid big dividends when I first got my 01, which had the almost the same issue. I am also a believer in occasional use of fuel system cleaner (Lucas, Gumout, SeaFoam, BG 44, et al).

For the door locks: once you have determined whether the battery is good or bad, have the tech do a hard battery reset. Posts down the page tells you how (title includes PLEASE).

I am going to grab my CD player and see if #2 will fix my "no disk!"

Push comes to shove, find your way to Bob Gauff's shop, nearby Dallas. Maybe the most informed (of many) pro Jaguar techs and he is close.

 

Jim:
What the heck does that mean?

 

Given the number of parts replaced on the cooling system, has the system been bled properly to remove any trapped air pockets? The procedure to bleed the system is outlined in JTIS, which may be downloaded from this forum at no charge.

If the system is properly bled, perhaps the thermostat is not fully opening causing the engine run warm.

 

Ross: sending her to this thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...please-160043/

 

OK, now it makes sense

 

Sounds like the radiator fan motors are not functioning correctly (or at all!!)

You don't need a radiator fan if you never slow down or stop moving.
Air needs to be moving across the engine heat exchanger (radiator) for it to work.

bob

 

I will go through these suggestions one by one and post back later- there is a fan going that I can hear when I turn the car off, and I believe one that goes while it is at idle, but I will double check that with the air conditioner going. I will go through the records and find out about the bleed, too. That there is a link about the cd changer is great. I really hope the bearing sound is not a tensioner issue. I don't think the mechanic thought so. I am in contact with the previous owner, so I can ask anything I need to know about the history.

Thank you for the wealth of information- my husband and I will go through it carefully.

 

Lisa, The official color name for your car is TOPAZ. I have a 1999 that color.

bob

 

Is it? Thank you! It is a beautiful color. I will change it in my signature, then.