My 88 XJS ran fine when I parked it for the winter but now it won't start. It has fresh fuel. The tank and fuel pump were replaced a year ago when I was finishing up the restoration. The injectors were cleaned at that time. The filter is new.

My problem is it will start the 1st time after sitting for a several hours but only after priming it about 5 times (key on/off etc). Then it will run great for about 1-2 minutes then die. After that it won't start again until after it sits for several hours even if I prime it several times. If I don't prime it, it doesn't sound like it's firing. If I prime it, it fires but doesn't start.

It's definitely fuel related as it will start with starting fluid. Don't see any fuel in the regulator vacuum lines. Haven't figured out how to check the fuel pressure, it doesn't look easy. Looks like it might be possible to put a T fitting in the rubber line going to the left hand regulator.

Any ideas?
Marvin

 

Here is my suggestion: When the car is cold, undo the pressure feed to the A bank (US passenger side) pressure regulator. Get a container and aim the flexible into it. Get a friend to turn on the ignition. Do this a few times, fuel should pump out of the flexible for 2 seconds each turn of the key. If it only dribbles/not very strong, then turn your attention to the boot (trunk).

Remove the spare wheel and the floor carpet and remove the cover under the battery that hides the surge tank, you will see the filter behind the spare. Change it for a new one and repeat the test above. Also there is a filter INSIDE the surge tank that could very likely be blocked. If this has not been changed recently, best to do so. This requires draining the tank, or cutting off the supply from the main tank. Do not rule out a duff pump or a duff filter, filters do plug up, especially new ones, or even poor gravity feed out of the tank to the surge tank for some reason.

greg

Greg

 

After checking just about everything it appears that the supply pipe is plugged. I disconnected the line going to the pickup tank and the fuel just kind of drizzles out. This is after I put 5 gal of gas in the tank. Now the question is, how to unplug it. I took out the sending unit and it looks like the pipe runs inside the tank to somewhere on the drivers side.

 

Congrats on narrowing down the problem to the tank outlet. I suggest you clear out the boot, then get a bicycle brake cable outer (Bowden cable) and poke it up the supply pipe into the tank and see if that helps.

The outlet pipe is in the centre bottom rear face of the tank and is clearly visible. A fixed solid pipe comes out of the tank and runs horizontally towards the US passenger side of the tank for a few inches until it joins the flexible to the small sump tank under the battery.

Greg