Hi All,

Yesterday, my 1989 XJ-S US Spec late 89 model with 36,000 original miles just died on me..... She has been a "garage queen" her entire life. This happened one other time. I was driving from St. Louis to Kansas City and 50 miles into the journey, I stopped and fueled up with gas. When pulling out of the gas station, she just died. An hour later, she started back up and I never had that happen since. Last night, I had just filled up with gas. I was driving along, and she was running perfectly. I was so amazed because she had been sitting in storage for a little over a year, and every cylinder was firing, temperature was great, and she was just running great....then she suddenly died! I tried to fire it back up after an hour or so. Nothing. I tried starting it again this morning. Nothing. I replaced the fuel pump because it was easy to get to and I had a brand new one. Nothing! I pulled the fuel pump relay and cranked it several times to see if it may be flooded. Nothing. I checked the inertia switch. It is fine. I'm thinking possibly the fuel filter could somehow be clogged, but I replaced it 2 years ago just after I bought it. I haven't put 1,000 miles on it. Anyone have any ideas?

 

This article, listed at the top of this forum, gives you an idea of what can go wrong. Can you hear the fuel pump run for a couple of seconds when you first turn the ignition key to on without trying to start it?
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...he-v12-178286/

 

Thanks so much!!

 

Hi Childeric

Could be the Front Crank Sensor underneath the Fan

If the Gap gets altered maybe by heat (Hot Climatic Conditions) or got hit by something, then the engine will die like you just switched it off!

Gap has to be less than 0.042

Alex

 

6 coffees in, so here goes.

Since you are up there, and year model;s etc can get very screwed up, and since 1989 is a change year.

Count the HT leads, ALL OF THEM.

13 = Lucas Ign System
14 = Marelli System.

It matters HUGELY, as each system has its oddities, and faults.

That fuel filter sitting in fuel like you state, is possibly knackered, they are design for flow, and some sitting. The Paper Medium clumps up, and reeks havoc.

If the car "sputtered" to a stop, fuel is my go to.
If the car stopped, AKA flick a switch, then electrical, and/or the fuel pump and its control system/s.
OR, that sensor Alex mentioned, IF, its a Marelli system.

Simple.

Give us the info so we can get it back to life.

 

Hi Grant,

It has the Marelli ignition. I replaced all of the HT leads and spark plugs a year or so ago. I also replaced the Dizzy cap and rotors. Thanks!!

 

Oh, I forgot to mention.... It didn't sputter, I saw some lights flash on the dash, and looked down and the RPMs were at 0. It was like someone flipped a switch, as you said, and she was done. I used the fuel pump relay from my other 89 XJS that is running. No change. I also checked the wires that attach to the relay, and they appeared to be good and tight in the socket. I checked the little wires on the battery cable (I replaced the battery with a new one 2 days ago) they were tight. Battery is charged. I tried to start it using a jumper in the coolant temp sensor socket near the thermostat on the LH side. No change. I have not yet pulled a spark plug to see if they are wet. I DID try to start it several times with the fuel pump relay out, to clear any potential flood. No start.

 

GOODO.

How many HT leads. We need to know Lucas or Marelli to get real specific answers, please.

 

14 Marelli ignition for sure.

 

SWEET.
Orangeblossom, AKA Alex, is the Marelli Jedi, as I know NOTHING about Marelli, seen one, a very long time ago, and thats it.

He is good and knows his stuff, even though he resides in the UK.

Systems outside the engine management, Marelli, are the same as Lucas, mostly..

The fact it stopped as you stated, has me at the sensor, as he mentioned, or the rear one.

He will slide by soon and give up what he knows.

Good luck.

 

[QUOTE=Grant Francis;2779750]SWEET.
Orangeblossom, AKA Alex, is the Marelli Jedi, as I know NOTHING about Marelli, seen one, a very long time ago, and thats it.

He is good and knows his stuff, even though he resides in the UK.

Systems outside the engine management, Marelli, are the same as Lucas, mostly..

The fact it stopped as you stated, has me at the sensor, as he mentioned, or the rear one.

He will slide by soon and give up what he knows.

Good luck.[/QUOTE

Yeah, OK, so I have the Palpetine Sith V-12 going on here, talk to me Goose (to use multiple 80's references).

 

Does the fuel pump run when you turn on the ignition? (It will only run for 2 seconds so listen carefully).

Does the fuel pump run when the engine is being cranked?

Cheers

Paul

 

Do you have a spark?

 

I also have a 1989 garage queen with 17,000 miles. Same thing happened. to me. It was Vapor Lock. If it happens again press the accelerator all the way to the floor and turn ignition on. Should start.

 

It does when I turn on the ignition. Not sure if it does while being cranked.

 

Not sure. I'm going to check that today.

 

I have checked for both. it runs for 2 seconds when the key is turned to #2. When cranking it runs for a second or two, then stops.

 

I took the hose off of the fuel filter (the side running to the engine, not the one coming off of the pump. When I took the hose off, I got a burst of air, and a little gas trickled out. This doesn't seem right, does it?

 

Hi Childeric

From what you've been describing, its beginning to sound as if the Engine isn't getting Fuel, or at least nowhere near enough to keep her running and so the first thing I would do would be to Test the Fuel Pump, in a way that you can see what's happening, rather than to Try and hear it Clicking

Although before we get into that, at the beginning of your Post you say you Changed the Fuel Pump for a New One!

Now this may take some believing but depending on where the Pump was made, there have been incidences where the Positive+ and Negative- Terminals on the Fuel Pump have been incorrectly marked, so in effect the Fuel Pump is trying to run in reverse!

The Fix could be as Simple as swapping the Positive and Negative Wires over

But don't do this inside the Boot/Trunk do that Test with the Fuel Pump out of the Car

If it turns out that the Positive and Negative Terminals on the Fuel Pump are Correctly marked, then we can eliminate that as being the Cause of the Problem

So next Check out the Relays: The Relay in the Red Holder is the Main Relay and the Relay in the Black Holder is the Fuel Pump Relay, they both have to be working or the Fuel Pump Relay won't work

These Relays are not interchangeable, as the one with the Stripe has a Diode and that Diode is there to protect the ECU in case the Battery Wires have been incorrectly fitted when Changing the Battery and so you may have accidentally Blown that Diode, when trying to Jump Start her

As if the Relays are a bit Suspect, then that could be the reason why she's not getting the Fuel

As Cranking or Not, that Fuel Should come out like a Fire Hose and so I am now thinking that the Relays could be the Problem, so could be worth trying some New ones to eliminate those as a possible cause

How to Test the Fuel Pump so you can See if its Working rather than to try and hear it Clicking plus where to Find the Relays and see which one has the Diode as they are not interchangeable

 

I'd also pull that filter and change it. Although only 2 years old, the 2 incidents you've described have both been after putting fuel in. This may have disturbed sediment in the tank which has then blocked the filter after 50 miles.

Good luck

Paul