Well my 1990 xj40 when I aquired it started very easily. Lately with temps cooling down a bit it has gotten hard to start. Often having to crank it for a few seconds switch it off try again while giving it gas. Other times (such as last night in 6 degree F) it started right away. It can be hard to start in warmer weather as well.

Once started it runs fine and normal. Today for lunch (it was cold but had sun on it) it was hard to start but not harder than normal and i was able to go get lunch. When I tried to leave work it would not start. I could hear it trying to start but it never made it. We tried spraying ether into it and that did nothing for it.

Problems with the car: has a slow oil leak around the base of the distrubutor and the suction line on top near the 2nd or 3rd cylinder from the front is broken(the tee broke off of it). My first intuition is the car is not getting enough air.

The spark plugs I checked last month and they looked to be in very good condition. Someone changed them out fairly recently as they were Bosch plugs.

Any advice would be appreuciated.

 

I can give a few steps to perform / Check
1. Temp sensor (check w meter )
2. fuel pressure test / clogged filter / maybe pump on its way out
3. check crank position sensor look if gunk or dirty / or it may be on its way out perfom( meter test)
4. dirty injectors / clean them the next time it starts
clean throttle body go local auto parts can of gumount
5.spark plugs u mentioned Cap /Rotor Wires
I think i covered it all after you should be at least on top of the situation
these the least expensive items
6. air flow meter for last but i feel the culprit
is 1 thru 5
Dimsum29

 

1. Havent checked temp sensor (what temp sensor do I check?)
2. I unhooked the fuel line at the fitting right where the fuel feeds to the injectors and fuel sparayed out with some force, did not measure exact pressure though.
3. I will check tomorrow
4. May be but I ran a can of SeaFoam through the fuel system and another fuel system cleaner through it not to long ago >1000 miles. Also i did remove a spark plug; it and the cylinder from what I could see was soaked in fuel.
5. Removed one plug and it does spark. The car does fire and really tries to start but something is not letting it.
6. Any way to test this?

I also fixed the vaccume line I metioned. I will go get some gumout and clean everything. Would it be adviseable to dismantle the whole intake and clean with gumout?

I also found Errror Code 89 which is "Purge Valve control Circut" going to go look at that tomorrow.

 

1. dont have the knowhow to check the coolant temp.
3. The crank position sensor looked very cruddy, I sprayed it down as best I could with starter fluid(all I had on hand) untill it looked fairly clean. Don't know how to test it.

The timing may have gotten out of whack...

 

You may very well be on to something with the crack sensor. It's a very common problem. Other thing to check is the boots after the airflow meter. They can develop cracks in the accordion part of the hose and make you crazy chasing things.

 

Thanks, I will try and get some better cleaner to spray down on it or try and remove it. I will also look for holes in the boot this comming thursday. I am praying it is just the sensor. I have a slight oil leak around the distributor and it has been getting harder to start so I hope it is just the sensor finally got covered in oil enough to not work anymore.