Hello all,
I am new here Randy Hutson from Little Rock Arkansas USA. I just purchased a 1990 Jag XJS V-12 Convertible which has several torn places in the top so it has been inside for about 2 weeks. During this time the battery died so I replaced it with a new one. The car started fine and I noticed that the warning light for low coolant was lit. I shut the car off and topped off the coolant tank. When I tried to start the car again the starter would not turn over. I get a click from the engine compartment but nothing. I can turn the headlights on and try to start and the lights do not dim as they would if the starter was energized. I have read a post that said you could turn the ignition on for 25 minutes and then maybe it would start, I am in that phase now with about 15 minutes left. I don't have much hope that this will fix my problem. Can anyone help me or is it just a bad starter?

 

Firstly WELCOME.

Not sure of the low coolant and relevance, I reckon zero relevance.

The "click" is the starter relay, GOOD.

It is prone to burnt contacts. Open it up CAREFULLY, after NOTING where the wires go. Write that down, coz your memory is not that good, trust me.

One of those wires is a largish White/Red wire. This is the feed wire TO the starter from that relay. Ensure the spade is TIGHT on the relay terminal. Follow that wire down, and somewhere near the RH rear of the engine (where our brake booster sits), that wire has a male/female connector. This connector is a PITA on any good/bad day. It comes unplugged for no reason, and the connectors themselves get loose and that blocks the 'lectrickery.

It will be something simple.

 

Thanks for your response. I was hoping it would be something simple like that. I will get to that sometime later today.

 

While Grant may be right, I have found that the starter relay clicking is often to soft to hear from inside the car. You can test it by pulling the relay, and jumping terminals 30 and 87 in the socket. If the starter engages, the relay is bad.

But I am afraid that the clicking you hear is from the starter solenoid. To replace this entails removing the starter.

 

I was afraid that would be the case, however it is working properly now. I will remove the starter as soon as I can to get the solenoid repaired

 

OK it is a bad solenoid. It worked great for about a week then allowed me to get stranded away from home and get a ride on a tow truck. Will be removing the starter this weekend.

 

Same situuation with my 1999 XJ8. Turn the key and a "click" form the starter. Did you replace the solenoid? Do it yourself or had it done at a shop? Level of difficulty and / or cost?

I am going to check out what Grant suggested first.

 

been busy lately closing down factory where I worked. Getting back to work on starter issues now. I have the car on ramps but cannot find the starter. How many parts do have to remove to get to the starter? I think maybe drivers side exhaust system for starters as I understand the strter is on the drivers side.

 

Say it ain't so, you're never gonna believe this but the Haynes manual says to TAKE OUT THE STEERING COLUMN. Huh? I hope not...

 

Oh man I hope not too that will me a major operation. What then do you access it from above????

 

First, the good news, if your car is left hand drive, you do not have to remove the steering column.

There are two bolts holding the starter in place, both of the heads are on the transmission housing. You will need a 11/16 twelve point socket, a swivel joint, and a long extension. The upper bold is a twelve point head. Do not strip it unless you want to pull the engine and transmission as a unit.

The real issue is removing the starter after the bolts are removed. When I did my 94, I ended up dropping the right hand exhaust so I could pull the starter. My starter was a gear reduction so it only weighed about 10 lbs and is relatively small. I believe you have the old style bigger and about 30 lbs., so I think you will have to drop the exhaust as well. This would be a good time to check and if necessary replace the rack bushings as they get soft with age. I recommend using poly. ( Many people recommend replacing the old starter with a gear reduction). I also dropped the rack (just three bolts) because it was so awkward to get to the down pipe nuts. I would replace the two exhaust donuts while doing it.

Be careful of the wires, the heat has hardened the insulation and it may crack off.

 

This is all from the Haynes manual, I hope I never have to do mine. It says to disconnect trans lines and lower the steering rack, watch there are shims in there, and, reconnecting the trans lines is a mystical operation. Then, remove the exhaust pieces which are in the way, some shields, and, you are good to go. Hopefully, this is NOT what you have to do, if someone replaced their starter, they can chime in. Just getting to the steering pinch bolt requires removing the oil filter, from what I have done. WOW.

 

First, the good news, if your car is left hand drive, you do not have to remove the steering column.

There are two bolts holding the starter in place, both of the heads are on the transmission housing. You will need a 11/16 twelve point socket, a swivel joint, and a long extension. The upper bold is a twelve point head. Do not strip it unless you want to pull the engine and transmission as a unit.

The real issue is removing the starter after the bolts are removed. When I did my 94, I ended up dropping the right hand exhaust so I could pull the starter. My starter was a gear reduction so it only weighed about 10 lbs and is relatively small. I believe you have the old style bigger and about 30 lbs., so I think you will have to drop the exhaust as well. This would be a good time to check and if necessary replace the rack bushings as they get soft with age. I recommend using poly. ( Many people recommend replacing the old starter with a gear reduction). I also dropped the rack (just three bolts) because it was so awkward to get to the down pipe nuts. I would replace the two exhaust donuts while doing it.

Be careful of the wires, the heat has hardened the insulation and it may crack off.

 

Thanks to all, when I read that it was on the drivers side I had forgotten that many of these were right hand drive, I have left hand drive maybe it won't be as bad as I thought. I was to the point that I was thinking about putting her up for sale but I love this car.
and plan to drive her for a long time. Will attempt the repair hopefully next weekend.
Again thanks to all.