Dumb question?
 

I see that my '76 XJ-6 has 2 gas caps...do I have 2 gas tanks or does each gas cap lead to the same tank?

Thanks!

You have 2 separate tanks, I think each holds around 10 gallons. When in the driver seat look at the switches in the center and you'll see a switch to change to whichever tank you desire. You can switch tanks while driving at anytime. In my series 3 one tank becomes more full then the other after switching which is a problem in the system somewhere I think the return valve sticking open and causing fuel to go to the wrong tank so I just been using one tank for the meantime

Um, my Glove Box Owners Manual states the tank capacity is 12 US gallons.

However, once, in an effort to find where 'Empty' really was and what my effective driving range might be, I started out with less than 1/4 in each tank, put a 5 gallon can of gas in the trunk and drove around for a few days, until I got bored basically.

When I filled up, I put 11.8 gallons in one tank and 12.3 gallons in the other. No, it hadn't started sputtering.
(';')

Your right Lnr as my book shows 10gal imperial which is 45.5 ltr, however 1gal US equates to 3.8 ltr........this means roughly 12 U.S gal per tank.
.........or something like that

yes, each tanks holds about 12 gallons.

think of it as an airplane, you switch tanks every 20 miles to keep the wings balanced and level.

this also serves to keep the changeover valves and lines exercised and "lubed". Use the Switch, it is there for a reason.

Yeah, an interesting system???


I buy gas at $ value. Sixty bucks, please. Cash as I and the card system on the pump don't get along. Then, I pump half into each tank.


I alternate tanks as I drive. Been a while. still thrashing. and, when I get to about 14 on each, tank up.


Side bars:


1. A lister on another forum posted a picture of his car stopped in the center and fueling from two pumps!!!!


2. Early on in our lives with the Jaguar, dear departed wife and I were on the way to church one bright morning. In the middle of a busy intersection, it stumbled. wow, I realized what was up and punched the selector switch. Correct, it resumed and all was well. Well, after church, before customary brunch, odd to the gas station!!!


My 85 Ford F150 had two tanks and a selector switch. But, if one tank went dryh, it continued on the other.


UGH. fridge Is on the blink. Not worth fixing nowadays!!! Sears web site cluttered with popups. But, good enough to select one. Ordered old tech by phone. Some guy, probably in India or some other off shore place. Gotta go get some ice bags.


Jag issue on hold. Other fires to put out!!!


Carl

Thanks.

So does that mean the Jag has 2 separate fuel pumps as well?

the Series 3 XJ has 1 pump for both tanks, ( 1980-1987 )

the Series 2 XJ has two pumps. ( 1973- 1979 )

"Series 1 is 1969 to 1973
Series 2 is 1974 to 1979
Series 3 is 1980 to 1987, V12 Series 3's were produced and sold into Canada until 1992. "

Some people choose to go with a set up like this when the old pump goes bad.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...9804039cca.jpg

I need to see if my drivers side tank even holds gas. If it does I will "t" it to the pump so it just pulls from them both.

That's how mine is set up. There's a "T" just forward of the tank, inboard of the right rear tire that allows the fuel pump to draw from both tanks at once. It has worked well.
(';')

It is not a dumb question if you don't know the answer, it's just dumb if you know the answer and still ask it.

Yeah, the conversion kit I got from Johns Cars way back in 2001 included a "T" to join the two tanks and eliminate a lot of plumbing, I still have it in my "left overs" bins.


OK on flat land. but, if one lives or goes to SF or similar and parks sideways on a hill with a good load of fuel, an issue will arise.


The fuel from the high side tan the low side. If it's capacity is exceeded, overflow.....


Carl

I think locrao pt is having a lend of everyone here, if you have an xj6 you'd know S1-2-3 they all have 2 tanks, if they didn't know they should step away from the car & hand the keys to someone who does..............

DON"T use a pump like this. they go out rather quickly. you'll be driving along a couple months later, start to have fuel issues and you wont be thinking its that new pump I just put in. go thru all the BS and find out it's your new pump is bad.
Has happened to me on a few different occasions. Now I will only put one of those on if I know I am going to sell it soon.

bit harsh tom, not everyone is a car person and even less old jag oriented.

I'd have to agree. that is a bit harsh. Don't take his keys, help them out. I didn't know squat about cars and motors due to the fact that my dad was an ass, but regardless I was a master at asking questions and being made fun of for my mistakes. But there was something inside of me that didn't care what people thought. I wanted to be seen driving a cool car or truck. No education, no work experience, hell I didn't even read anything until I had to start carbs and motors. I've owned shops and built probably just under 100 hot rods and driven thousands of cars.(can you guess what I have now?...LOL). I m trying to figure if I want to build my next rod with a jag or not.
100% self taught and I'm proud of myself,
and at the same time embarrassed at some of the stupid mistakes I've made and had to replace.

Amaezing:


I sure have no issues with guys/gals trying to learn. My Dad was all right. he had his issues, but all of us do. And his mechanical skills were very limited. So, all he could counsel was, "ask someone that knows". I met a kid early on. A year or two older than I. He had a great 27 Ford T roadster pickup. His second T. Gotta have one!!
I found one at max budget, $25.00!!! Circa 1946, it was a derelict 23 roadster piclup, sans tires and rims. It began there. Got it running and it morphed intoa quite hot, albeit still T powered fenderless 27 roadster. all that remained of the original car was the frame, rear spring and the steering column, mebbe.


In another forum, various guys helped a guy that built a Faux "woodie". Powered by a carb'd 4.2 Jag engine. Great workmanship. And more than a few bucks.


And, the gal at the PO told me her current boy friend was building a "hot rod" based on an early Austin frame!!


All kinds of stuff to mess with.


And, some or is it all gotta start somewhere. Why n ot an early Jag?


Carl

Thanks for the reply guys. As to xjtom's remark, that's fine - I'm a big boy.

I am a car guy, but my interest & experience in cars has been in muscle cars of the 60s and Japanese supercars of the 90s. Essentially I purchased this car on a whim based on its condition for a 40 year old car.

In the process of test driving it, I determined that there were no major issues & dropped off the car to my mechanic to tidy things up.

With the fuel tank(s) issue, the thing that threw me off was the fact that when the "Fuel" button is depressed, the fuel gauge will actually move, but when released, the fuel gauge will show "E". In addition, during his assessment my mechanic commented "someone ghetto-rigged a fuel pump replacement" without further explanation.

Anyways, thanks for the help guys & I think the car is in a good spot for now. Next she simply needs a new headliner & the following electrical work:

Turn signals stopped working yesterday
Center console power window controls only work for the driver's window
Water temp gauge does not work
Fuel gauge when "Fuel" button is released does not give a reading

locrao_pt,

don't worry about asking dumb questions, that is what the forum is for, we all have to ask dumb questions at some time. There are no know-it-alls here, some of us know a lot about something, and little about other things.

the best solution to any problem is to keep the car original, as designed by the factory, they knew what they were doing. Trying to out-guess the factory usually results in problems and consequences. Listen to what amaezing said about the fuel pump.

Jose,

So the "right" way to handle the fuel pumps is to set it up as 2 separate fuel pumps, vs. the T-fitting that seems to be the shortcut method?