I just had a 1999 XJ8 gifted to me by a friend. The car has been sitting in his driveway for almost 2 years. I charged the battery and the car fires and almost starts but won't. The gas has been in the car for 2 years. I put all new plugs in it as well. The fuel pump can be heard with the key on for a few seconds. The fuel valve on the rail spits gas out but not spraying way up in the air. The is blueish smoke coming out both tail pipes while cranking and it smells like gas. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Sounds like the classic bore wash to me. There's plenty of threads on the forum about how to sort it out. The easy one is foot flat on the floor to cut off the fuel supply while cranking for 5 - 10 seconds. Do that a few times and then try to start it normally. If that doesn't work, a teaspoon of oil down the cylinders will restore the seal between the piston rings and the cylinder liner. Beware of clouds of smoke when it does fire up.

However, it could be a failing pump giving low fuel pressure if the fuel only spits not sprays from the fuel rail. It should be around 40psi at the rail.

 

+1 on bore wash being part of the issue.

Use the schraeder valve on the fuel rail to connect a pressure tester. Attached is the fuel pressure test procedure for the X308.

 

I shall do that. My only question about the fuel pump is if it was failing would it still have a raw gas smell from tail pipes? Also, I have tried the oil in the cylinders. Maybe I didn't put in enough.

 

Is it possible that it didn't start because of 2 year old gas or a clogged fuel filter or a bad regulator?

 

As NIGELMAY and NBCAT stated you have bore wash. The proof is the fuel smell at the exhaust. Bore wash equals no compression and thus no fire causing the fuel smell in the exhaust.
The best procedure I have found is to Press the accelerator all the way to the floor. Then try to start the car and let it turn over for about 30 seconds. Do not lift your foot off the pedal. With the pedal kept on the floor it shuts off the fuel to the injectors. You need to keep the pedal on the floor and repeat cranking for 30 seconds and resting a minute in between, to cool the starter, for 6 or 8 times. Then cranking it again, slowly raise your foot off the pedal. It will then start to fire, with bad gas, or regulators whatever it may run like crap but it will run.
Another member that I had do this for an XK8 that sat for six months started on the 9th try.
Myself I have experienced bore wash on both my XK8 and XJ8 usually 3 or 4 cycles cleared it.