I got a 86 xjs and yeasterday it died and acting like it doesnt have fuel the pump is running. I thought maybe it a filter as I had to call a tow truck after a while and when the truck got there it started and I drove it home. Then today its just starting then dying then if I pump it i sputters and then dies. Does anyone know where the fuel filter might be.

 

Behind the spare tire.

Was the car sitting unsued for a long time before you bought it?

Cheers
DD

 

ok thanks. and yes i beleive it was sitting for awhile

 

ok so I replaced the fuel filter. that wasnt it. It started and I took it to the store and it died again on my road and wont start up again. any ideas I need to get this car going its my wifes daily driver.

 

I can think of about 50 "could be" things to check on a non-starting V12 XJS. We need to narrow things down a bit.

Do you know how to check for spark?

Do you have a fuel pressure gauge? 12volt test light?

Was the old fuel filter badly plugged?

Cheers
DD

 

it has spark if I go out and pump the throttle it will sputter, no I dont have afuel pressure gauge. and yes I do have a light tester. When I took of the old filter I could barely blow in it but clean fuel was coming out. I tried blowing in it backwards and it was a black yuck of gas. I was reading another post you replied on about the screen in the little tank. Should I try that next and do I need to drain the tank first

 

That's as good a place to start as any.

Make sure to plug off the feed line from the main tank or else you'll have a flood of gasoline when you open op the surge tank.

I had a somewhat similar problem once and (long story short) it ended up being the inlet fuel pressure regulator...which can be bypassed entirely. This is where a pressure gauge comes in handy.

For now we'll follow thru on the contaminated fuel angle and see what happens.

Cheers
DD

 

i think I fixed it. last time the car was in the shop the guy told me to find a way to fasten down the harness for the computer as it was loose. I wiggled it and the car started up and I wiggled it and the car died. So we well see. In doing so I found a plugged off vacuum hose in the truck coming from the passenger lower portion of the wheel well whats this and where is it supposed to be hooked up?

 

thanks for your help on this hopefully that fixed it. On a separate note the mechanic had to put a rubberband on my fuel pump relay. when i bought the car it wasnt running and I actually taped down the relay to get fuel to it otherwise it wil run for about 1 minute then the relay releases and the car dies. He said its not hurting anything and that there was to much power going to the relay?? If you dont mind giving your input do you have any ideas on where to start on this one.

 

That sounds like it might be the vaccum hose from the engine to the ECU.

There's a barometric sensor in the ECU that plays an important role of fuel metering. You might wanna hook it up and see what happens

Cheers
DD

 

I want to thank you so much Doug. My car is running like it never has since I owned it. It has always had a sluggish take-off and if you get on it hard it would put out a smoke screen. After hooking up the ecu vacuum line Wow it doesnt do the sluggish stuff anymore and I havent seen any smoke at all. I just got a few more little quirks to figure out like the driver window but its like a new car thank you I would have never thought that the ecu even had a vacuum

 

Glad things turned out OK

Cheers
DD