So today it rained a lot, and I had to drive my Jag in a bunch of water of semi flooded roads. No issues on the way home, no weird behaviours, got home and parked by the curb.

Got back home and went to park the Jag on the driveway, started fine but made a weird clunk noise, kinda loud. I put in R, then D to manouver and parked just fine. Decided to try and start it again to see if the noise would happen a second time and it doesn’t start. Oxygen Sensor comes on when trying, like the car is in gear or something. Played with the gear selector, which was in P all the time, and no change.

What could have happened? I’m pretty confident all that water damaged something, for sure.

 

Engine cranks but won't start?

Or...no crank, no start ?

Cheers
DD

 

 

The neutral safety switch does seems like a good possibility. It might need adjusting.

On early-ish Series III XJ6s the switch is mounted at the gearshift assembly. It can be adjusted by loosening the tiny screws and pivoting the switch.

Later cars...after 1984 or so, I've never known the exact changeover point.....the switch was moved to the left side of the transmission. It's a combination neutral switch and back-up light switch.

This describes adjusting the switch for the back-up lamps but the same process can be used to adjust it for neutral safety function:

Adjusting Backup Lamp Switch, Series III XJ6

Some of the later switches don't have an elongated hole to allow adjustment. In that case you'll have to remove the switch and enlarge the hole.

Cheers
DD