XJ40 ( XJ81 ) 1986 - 1994

Ahhh...The Smell Of Gas???

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 8, 2010 | 07:41 PM
  #1  
daddylogan's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 230
Likes: 19
From: North Dakota
Default Ahhh...The Smell Of Gas???

Hi folks~

Well, I know I have posted a few problems before and thought I had them all worked out. Was going to be taking my Jag into the shop this week to get a vacumn leak fixed that was part of my start-up idling problem and that would be it.

Well, today unfolded a whole new nightmare. I get in my car and start it up and it makes a weird noise...almost like a starter going bad noise. What I noticed was that it took a few milliseconds more for the car to fire up then usual and that is when this noise occured. Then almost immediatley I started smelling gas which I have never smelled before. I couldn't tell if it was from me or the cars at the stop sign next to me (BTW...I live on a corner by a stop sign so I had not taken off yet). Still the car "seemed" to be running fine, however when I took off it had that feel of a cylinder not firing to it...where ya give it gas and you know it should be going faster but yet ya kinda tug a little slower along. Well, the more I drove the worse it got and finally to the point where the car was idling but sputtering around 2800 rpm...so it felt like it was going to die but didn't. I managed to get her home. I called the shop and he said to have it towed into the shop in the morning and not to start it again.

Any ideas before I take her in??? I am so bummed because what was going to be a simple $150.00 vacumn line repair now might snowball into a fortune. Can anyone offer some peace of mind to me??? I sure need it right about now....help

peace out,
daddy

94 Jag XJ12/40
 

Last edited by daddylogan; Jun 8, 2010 at 07:43 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 9, 2010 | 12:15 AM
  #2  
Grant Francis's Avatar
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 28,805
Likes: 11,279
From: Adelaide Stralia
Default

It is a fine smell indeed.

On a V12, if you smell fuel, STOP, and I mean NOW, shut it down, DO NOT start it again until you are 100% you got it fixed, unless of course you have steak for the BBQ which is about to erupt.

On the 6ltr you do not have the fuel hose isues to the injecors we 5.3 ltr people have, but there is an o/ring at the end of each injector, that could fail. There are fuel hoses to and from the fuel rail, inlet and return hoses that could/will fail eventually. Your fuel pressure regulator is different to ours also. it is the new generation "mini" stlye, and also "plugs in" with o/ring seals I think.

A simple look around under the bonnet, OK hood, should reveal raw fuel quite quickly. You may have to turn ON the ignition to get a fuel "prime" happening, but dont start it.

If the fuel smell is from the exhaust. then you got other issues, and the 6ltr boys and girls will give better advice than me.
 
Reply
Old Jun 9, 2010 | 02:09 AM
  #3  
Translator's Avatar
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 12,704
Likes: 1,236
From: Brittany France
Default

No expert here, but is not the reason possibly in the first line of your post?

You are going to the garage to get a vacuum line fixed. In my experience all engine vacuum lines will have an effect on the running of the engine, from lumpy idling to miss and backfires together with a good chance of petrol fumes due to unburnt fuel from faulty engine management.

A little unburnt fuel can cause a heck of a stink. (if you have ever left a sealed lawnmower petrol can in the boot/trunk on a hot day you will think that something is ready to explode).

As above check for visible leaks first, unlikely., use your nose to try to smell where the odour is strongest.

Which vac line is broken?

Also in your sig line you have XJ12/40 I can't remember if yours is a 12 or a 6 cylinder engine. If it is a 12 then follow Grant's advice before running the engine again.

As regards escalating costs, get the garage to stick to the vac line repair, then estimate for any other work that may arise.

It is going to be difficult for anyone to be able to diagnose anything other than a visible leak, when you have a known broken vac line. (which may well be the root of your problem anyway).

Good luck, and please post up your findings later.
 
Reply
Old Jun 9, 2010 | 05:06 PM
  #4  
daddylogan's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 230
Likes: 19
From: North Dakota
Default

Cracked head...worst possible news. Waiting on an estimate but it is more than likely the end of her for me. Might sell her for parts. Totally bummed right now. Didn't even have her a year...

peace out,
daddylogan
 
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2010 | 07:11 AM
  #5  
Grant Francis's Avatar
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 28,805
Likes: 11,279
From: Adelaide Stralia
Default

Bugga.
 
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2010 | 08:38 AM
  #6  
Translator's Avatar
Veteran Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 12,704
Likes: 1,236
From: Brittany France
Default

Oh merde!

Are you sure, how?
 
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2010 | 09:09 PM
  #7  
daddylogan's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 230
Likes: 19
From: North Dakota
Default

I had her towed in to my mechanic and he diagnosed it. He said it happened while the car was idle. It must have had a small crack started which is why I wasn't keeping water so well, and then when I last shut the car off stuff expanded. That is why when I went to start it the other day it made a funny "clanking" sound when I started it...then I drove it and made it worse. Anyhow the estimate today was the low estimate which was 2800.00 so I passed. I was driving a nice car on a beer budget so there ya go....

Anyone who lives close to me, it is up for sale if you want to fix it or buy her for parts. The price is $1,000.00 and you must tow it away also. If anyone is interested let me know and I can provide you pictures. I have it up on craigslist and have already had 6 responses today which was unexpected.

Thank you all for your time, answers and friendship. It was a pleasure being here at this forum :-)

peace out,
daddylogan
 
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2010 | 10:14 PM
  #8  
pdog2000's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 547
Likes: 49
From: miami
Default

i have the fuel smell in my 1985 XJ6 and i think it is a blocked line in or out of the charcoal canister...it drives my wife crazy...
 
Reply
Old Jun 11, 2010 | 01:38 AM
  #9  
Cadillac's Avatar
Veteran Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,393
Likes: 649
From: Planetarium
Default

Hi daddy,
Sorry to see a brilliant piece of enginering machine is ending up like that .Alternatively , you can post a thread on Private / Classifieds Forum
You can still drop by here and post messages whenever you like it
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
aode06
XK8 / XKR ( X100 )
43
Jul 28, 2023 02:26 PM
hkmcmast
XJ XJ6 / XJR6 ( X300 )
7
Nov 29, 2015 06:56 AM
workworkwork
XJS ( X27 )
46
Oct 23, 2015 10:26 AM
NathanDD6
XJ6 & XJ12 Series I, II & III
12
Oct 6, 2015 11:20 AM
Spazzzzzzzzzy
XJ40 ( XJ81 )
7
Oct 5, 2015 04:05 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:43 PM.