I was driving the other day and i noticed that my 86 XJ6 was sputtering espsecially when i would stop and go. It would sound like it was going to die like th fuel just was cut, right as i thought it was gonna die it came back and it sputtered a little and i was on my way. It was low on oil but i put some in and it still has the problem. I pulled into a gastation and i noticed that on my right passenger side gas was just pouring out like facuet. It was comming from a hose right underneath the passenger front wheel well. What confuses me is this hose big enough for me you put my thumb in was just hanging there. I also was using my right tank (it has been repiared and was testing it) however when i switched it to my left tank the problem was still there but it wasnt as bad and th fuel stop leaking. In idle while in park the car is fine and when i rev it in park its fine. I looked it up in my book and it says that the fuel vapor storage device is there...there are no hose connections there that are open. I am really confused to what is going on.

 

It's liitle hard to follow without a map of the fuel system, but that is a common problem. What has likely failed is the left return solenoid, and it is stuck open. When you are drawing fuel through the changeover valve from the right tank, unused fuel must return through the right return soleniod to the right tank: if the left return solenoid is open, the left tank can overfill. Often the fuel will vent out past the fill cap, but fuel also fills the evaporative loss pipes ane eventually the emission control cannister in front of the right front wheel.

You figured out the quick fix, running on left tank first. If the right return solenoid is working, you won't have a problem. When you then switch to right, you'll see that you are using fuel at a rapid rate: you're not, it's just returning to left tank.

The over-rich condition should clear itself out, but by the book the emission control cannister should be replaced. The return solenods are behind a shield in the rear of each rear wheel well. The only other possible failure is thet the changeover valve in the trunk is not switching fully: if it is stuck in mid position, the pump draws fuel from both tanks at once, but correctly operating return solenoids allow it to return to only one tank. So it overfills, and you have the same result. That happens in practice, but much less frequently than the return solenoid failure.

 

Well now it just doesnt turn on, on either tank, the starter turns and it makes a very odd hollow sound when the throttle is open when trying to start it. I can hear the fuel pumps turnon when the key is on.

 

Pull spark plugs and see if they're wet, check compression.

 

So now it 24hrs of sitting. I tried just to be hopeful just tried to start it.....and it turns on....nothing. no leaking no sputtering nothing. I am verty confused.