FIRST SOME BACKGROUND......

The car is a 2000 xj8 long..have had it about 2 years ....when bought ...speedo had about 109,400 on it . It now has 111, 275. So this is a car that is used infrequently( a problem in and of itself) and in fact not driven over the last two winters.

I have had a few relatively minor issues with the car. One having to do with a turn signal switch not making contact and resulting in loss of cabin lights and back/rear night lights . The other issue which I am currently addressing is a toasted driver side window switch pack which needs to be replaced. I should also mention that I had another 2000 xj8 (sport) so I am somewhat familiar with the year and model/quirks as both vehicles have the same engine.

The problem:

I was getting ready to "shut the car down" and garage it for the winter. So after the car had been in the driveway for about a week....I went to start it up yesterday and noted the battery was practically dead. Maybe I left the lights on who knows. I charged it for a few hours and than tried starting again....the car started very briefly ....bit of a shimmy and than shut down. next tried spraying some gum out through the air cleaner/up to the plate....recharged the battery a bit and nothing......it sounds like its cranking .....but i took the battery up to auto zone to have it checked out. They tested it....i had bought it from them approximately a year and a half ago. It was up about 75 per cent . they said it was ok and just needed to be re-charged to full capacity...which they did...re-connected the battery and tried starting but no dice....

There is a complicating factor to the above ...however, i tried a bit of fuel injector cleaner in the tank but when i did this it was kind of dark out and i did not realize it until the following mourning that there was water that had collected in the goose neck area. I should note we had a major rain storm in the north east earlier in the week......i got the water out around the fill neck and through some dry gas in the tank....I don't believe getting a bit of water in the tank if that's what happened, however, would prevent the car from starting.

The other possibility i am thinking are the plugs and the fact that over the last few weeks it was taking a little longer for the engine to fire up. So before I get the car on a flat bed and get it up to my mechanic.....I am thinking of changing out the plugs.....well of course it could be something else and i know trying to diagnose like this is not easy.....

I am also thinking, fuel pump, injectors, electrical/sensor......when i turn the key it goes through the system check ( i had left the trunk/boot open) and it told me that..., however.....other checks need to be made while the car is running......so I am wondering what could it be?.....and welcome any feedback/suggestions. Thanks so much.

 

Water in the fuel would act just like your problem. And, yes it would keep your car from starting.

 

Two other possibilities are cylinder wash and a failed fuel pump. There is a schrader valve on the fuel rail, looks like a tire valve. Surround the valve with a rag to catch fuel, turn the ignition on, depress the valve. If you get a good spurt of fuel the pump is probably okay.

Cylinder wash is a little more complicated. Cranking an engine that fails to start allows the fuel to wash the oil from the cylinder walls and you lose compression.

Sometimes you can restart by holding the pedal to the floor which shuts off the fuel supply and crank the engine in ten second bursts to clear the fuel. Then lift the pedal about half way and see if it starts.

If that fails remove the plugs from one bank and add about 1/4-1/2 tsp oil to each cylinder. Since you are going to pull the plugs to check for water and put in new, that is a good time to try the oil.

 

Water in the tank will prevent it from starting and considering your decscription, it seems likely your filler drain is plugged and you might have a lot of water in there. You, or somebody, should run a little gas out through the test port into a glass container and see if ther eis water and gas mixed. A convenient way to do that is to use the hose and Schrader valve concector from a fuel pressure test gauge. You need one anyway to test the fuel pump.

 

thanks for the suggestions.....i will wait to hear what others may think as well....i have a mechanic friend who said he will be coming over later this week to check the car out. i spoke to him re the rain water that might have gotten in the tank.....he claims a little water would not prevent the car from turning over....although it would/could run ruff and probably cut out. i will let you know what he comes up with....

i am particularly....intrigued with the possible loss of compression theory.my objective really is to try to make a" differential diagnosis" on whats wrong so that if i have to ultimately take the car to the jag mechanic i use, i can at least tell him what was checked or done. next i am going to check out the fuel pump which seems relatively easy to do.pulling the plugs means pulling the covers...a bit more tedious....but lets see....thanks again....

 

Well, I went by what you said, "it sounds like it is cranking".
The water won't keep it from cranking, but it will keep it from starting, and Jags are notorious for having a large battery drain when sitting. So, if it took even a few extra cranks, the battery could be down.
You also said, "bit of a shimmy and than shut down" which is also consistent with water in the gas.

So, Occum's razor says water in the gas, but since you are not standing by your original symptoms, who knows. A car that does not start and may or may not crank must have several hundred possible problems.

 

sparkenzap....the shimmy and brief start came during my first attempt to start the car...as noted it had been raining quite a bit . the issue re the tank lid/well filling up with water only came to my attention afterwards...a day ...later....when i opened the lid and saw water around the gas cap. i reasoned that because i had put some fi cleaner in the tank the night before (in the Dark pretty much)....when i opened the gas cap some water may have gotten into the tank......i immediately followed up with a can of dry gas/water remover.....but still would not start.

so i definitely need to check the status of the fuel......your absolutely right about that.....also no doubt the screen/drain is clogged.....but would water get in the tank if the gas cap....is on tight.....? as this seems to be what you are suggesting.... i am leaning more now to a fuel/water problem.....also you are absolutely right about the battery....if you are not using everyday or so especially in the winter....it drains down pretty fast.......thanks again.......

 

Don't know if or how water is getting into the tank, (if there is an external source) but temperature changes cause condensation in the fuel tank. Never had dry gas work as a remover, more as a preventative. Others might have had better results.

 

By the failed starts you have created the 'perfect storm' for the bore wash syndrome.

If you're taking the plugs out check the compressions. If you're not taking the plugs out check it anyway.