SEAN: Let me be more detailed. 2000 Vandenplas base, moved from front of house to driveway, ran engine about 30 seconds. Hurricane came and went, tried to start next day no dice. Changed plugs, half a teaspoon of oil in cylinders, all fuses and brown relays in good condition, moved transmission shift park to neutral and back , shift lights ok, battery checks out at 14.6 at advance auto store. Tried peddle to the floor, than half way pressed. Car turns over , Schrader Valve, gas comes out when pressed. Think I’m not getting spark, also wondering if ECU or ECM NEEDS TO BE RESET BY friendly mechanic shop. Best Regards, J.R.

 

A half-a-teaspoon of oil will likely do NOTHING to get compression up if the bores are 'washed'.

A few TABLESPOONS would be more appropriate and then crank it with the plugs OUT to move the oil around and 'spit-out' any oil from the cylinders if they are too full. Reinstall plugs/coils and CRANK!!

Move the car OUTSIDE if possible and calm the neighbors down when the car smokes like it's on fire!!!!!!!!!!!!! when it starts.

bob

 

Water may have gotten into fuel tank through fill cap . Jaguar does not have a anti - siphon fill tube if I remember correctly so a $ 10 dollar bulb siphon will work to get most of the fuel out .

 

There is a 'roll-over' close valve at the end of the fuel fill tube in the tank. It is a spring-loaded plastic valve so the siphon hose cannot go all the way into the tank. You should be able to get some fuel out but not the bottom 5 or 6 inches.

The fuel level sending unit can be removed (1998-2000MY cars) to get all the fuel out once the fuel level is below the sender.

bob

 

 

Thanks for providing closure, I'm sure it will help another searching in the future !

 

UPDATE: car running ... again .... only 72,160 miles on VDP
After Dealer having car 2 weeks, then sending it back with missing bolts, burned-up starter, and broken spark plug coil cover...

FIRST: Replaced starter burned up by dealer... 25 minutes installation time for rebuilt starter (Cost: $40 Not $1265 as quoted by same dealer that burned-up starter)

SECOND: explored poss nikasil..
Remove all plugs on one bank... clean plugs with brake cleaner or acetone.
Next inject slight amount oil each cylinder.
using a piece of 1/8" clear plastic tube (24' long).. i used refrigerator ice-maker tubing because it is semi-transparent, small diameter, and slightly stiff & easy to find.
Mark tubing about 1.5 in with marker. So, oil amount will be somewhat same for each cylinder.
Why 24" long? .. long enough to create suction, hold, and blow oil into cylinder , without ingesting motor oil.
.. Started... ran rough, but started.
I removed plugs 3 times, cleaned off oil and reinstalled same plugs... before changing for new iridium plugs

THIRD: vacuum leak solved ... Brake booster vacuum line
Thought that rough idle must be caused by a larger vacuum leak and booster line is large. My booster line was loose and not connected to throttle body adapter.
Brake booster vacuum line attaches just below throttle body into a "o" ring seal and brass fitting with tube retaining clip (part# C2S15816) at throttle body adapter.
I could not find a parts sheet that showed this part for 2000 my xj8. Part is listed as a S-type or XK part 2001my or newer.
REPAIR NOTES: Hard too see connection below throttle body. No need to remove throttle body. To remove brass/ o-ring seal, I created a "puller" using a bolt with nut attached. Using 6' extension and socket "tapped" brass fitting with 2.5" cap-screw bolt with nut attached; then tightened nut up to brass fitting to make firm connection: next, pulled bolt with brass fitting still attached out to leave a clean, opening for new brass fitting with "o" ring (C2S15816). Installation: easy using same bolt.. however ratchet nut almost to end all, allowing 1/6" of starter thread to be revealed. Next, by using socket w 6" extension to "press" brass fitting back into aluminum throttle body adapter. Grandson took photos of "puller" and extraction operation.. will attach later.

Thanks for all your concern & help...
Hope this UPDATE will assist other Jaguar owners
Regards & thanks again... BAL