As above, when I hit the fuel dash button the sound stops. Any ideas? It's a 74 xj6. The fuel gage reads empty but I can smell gas in the tanks and the carbs.
Also, I accidentally turned to start and heard a metalic loud almost ding sound. It almost sounds like an old time gas service station bell. Scared the poo out of me. Car hasn't been started in a year or so but was running before that. Thanks

 

That would be the fuel pump. Someone has earthed the relay wire from the reverse pole oil switch direct to earth, hence the pump running with Ign ON.

No idea why it stops when you change tanks, unless the wiring for that tank has been unplugged at the dash switch for some reason?

OR,

The antenna motor is doing its thing, and the planets line up to the stop position, just as you touch the fuel switch.

 

Hitting start and a metallic loud ding could be a bad starter motor also.

 

I forgot about that one.

My S2's had that odd clang/clink at times, and a lazy Bendix throw was my diagnosis at the time. Then that huge S2 flywheel also had a distinctive "ring" to it.

One of them got a S3 flexplate fitted, no more "cling" after that.

 

Carbureted car. Aren't the fuel pumps those old SU pumps that click when they come on? On an xke they run (click) fast until fuel pressure builds up and then they slow down and stop. The pumps in my '75 xjc look just like the xke, but it's been so long ago that I lumped it, I can't remember if they ran the same way. I think they did, if you switch tanks and it stops either that pump isn't working or it has enough fuel pressure.
Just tossing out ideas.
It would be time to pull the access floor in the boot and check the pumps.

 

What would be the remedy for the fuel pump? I'll take a recording of the ding sound after work.

 

Put some congas & steel drums in there with a microphone. Close the boot lid, record the song, make a million. Sorry, my smart a$$ humor could not resist.

 

Fuel pump may be ok, need to determine if there is fuel flow to the pumps from the tanks. Then if each pump is coming on with the dash switch.

The ding sound is a starter problem, just replace the starter.

If it were my car, I would take the large nut off the bottom of each tank (draining the tanks) and remove the plastic filters, then pull the senders out at the rear of each tank (accessible thru the tail light holes), and thoroughly clean the tanks out using water hose, detergent, long sticks with scotchbrite zip tied on, or anything else needed to accomplish a good cleaning. I used 5gal paint sticks from lowes with the end sharpened off like a chisel. Also, this is all only a stop gap measure to drive until you can properly remove and seal or replace the tanks.