Bought the car last month and it had been sitting at the PO house. PO sold it due to brake issues and "too many cars". They had a Shelby Cobra and 57 Chevy in the garage, for example.

On Sunday morning I sorted out the brakes enough to drive home. The engine ran like a top, very smoothly. Made it over 80% of the way home and the engine started missing/sputtering and the power dropped considerably. I was able to get it off the road before it died. Tried restarting a approx 7 or 8 times but it would only run for a second or so and die.

Called a neighbor to pick me up and he suggested I put a gallon of fuel in it just in case it was out of fuel. Fuel tank gauge showed over 1/4 tank. Put a gallon of fuel in it, made no difference.

Decided to let it sit overnight to see if it would start when the engine was cold. Neighbor took me back early yesterday morning and it did not start, even with the engine being cold. Tried starting it approx 8 times. NO go. Decided to remove the air filter cylinder and it fired up (guessing it was just a fluke but who knows). It was still 'missing' and running rough but after a couple of minutes I could sense that the power had built up to some degree. Decided to take the risk and drive it home. Managed approximately 45 mph with a noticeable lack of power, but made it to the driveway. The check engine light was on during the drive home. Other than that no dashboard lights were ever on while driving.

Any ideas on how to properly trouble shoot this problem?

Does this Jaguar have one of those "plug ins" under that dash where trouble codes can be retrieved?

I don't want to throw good money after bad by guessing and replacing components. Closest Jaguar mechanic is probably 200 miles away, I am fairly remotely located.

It has literally been over 20 years since I've been stuck on the side of the road...I'll have to say, my first day with the Jaguar was not a pleasant one.

Oh, I did call the PO on Sunday night and he said the engine never died on them, they only had the brake problem. I have no reason to doubt him.

Thanks!

 

Fuel filter and stale fuel...

 

Don't know why I didn't think of that possibility. Probably because it drove so smoothly during the first 1.5 hours of the drive.

BUT...the car has only gone approximately 3000 miles in the last 3 years according to the records. And the lady who mainly drove it now unfortunately has cancer. So who knows, that fuel tank may have fuel that is over one year old in it.

 

When cars sit for a period of time and do not have a full tank, you can have issues. I am guessing but I think you need to change the fuel filter and have at least 1/2-3/4 tank of FRESH fuel... A lot of sediment sits at the bottom of the tank and an old fuel filter is not good.

 

Very much appreciate the input, very insightful of you. Gives me hope that I may be able to get it going again. I'll post once I replace the fuel filter and fill up the tank.

Maybe I should siphon out the fuel that's in there first?

Then put new fuel in.

 

The PO just returned my call and said the fuel was no more than 6 months old. In my experience this should not be old enough to really degrade

There have several occasions where I have been out of state and my vehicle sat for 6 months. When I returned they have fired right up without any problems. Don't like to leave a vehicle sit for more than a couple of weeks....but it happens.

I'll change the fuel filter, fill up the tank and see what happens.

 

You can't trust fuel any more. I have been told that ethenol can go "stale" in as little as 3 months. I know I switched to ethenol free for my lawn equipent after having to work on everything at the start of the season. With ethenol free, mower, weedeater, fire right up after 4-5 months of not running.

 

I run ethanol free in my lawn mower etc and my TR6 and XJS.

 

Approximately three years ago I was on a quest to find ethanol free gas in southern Arizona. Called retail outlets and suppliers. It is not available. When I lived in Oklahoma I always bought the ethanol free fuel even though it was more expensive. I'm with you guys....not a fan of fuel containing ethanol.

 

75 Gremlin, the OBD system was put on cars all cars sold in the US in 1996. I don't think your '93 has one but I may be wrong.
Cheers, RagJag

 

I got the code today. It is FF26

Here is what I found on the internet regarding this code:


Fuel Fail 26

As the engine gets partly warmed up, it stumbles and
sets the code. The code will clear when the trouble does, on the next
restart.

Possible faults for a FF26 are :

- Low fuel pressure (plugged filter, weak pressure regulator on fuel
rail, plugged system)
- Intake manifold air leak (vacuum hoses, intake manifold gasket, evap
system hose rot, egr pipe rusted out, problem with air injection
system (leaking valve).
- Ignition misfire, (bad plug, wires, cap, rotor)
- Purge valve stuck open (vacuum leak in evap system)
- Oxy sensor fault (not common)
- Bad maf sensor or connections.

Best to start with the ignition system : If the wires, cap, rotor are
old, replace them, along with spark plugs.

---------------------------------------------

Please let me know if there may be other possible faults.

Thank you

 

The OBDII started with the introduction of the AJ16 4.0 I6 in 1995. The law requiring OBDII changeover was with all 1996 model year cars. I have used my code reader and reset the computer several times with no communication problems. There may have been some late 1994 cars with the AJ16, not sure when the actual switch was.
Good luck and welcome to XJS ownership.

 

Plugged fuel filter seems likely.
I would use a spark tester at each spark plug to see if it fires the tester. The one I like is often called an ST-125, it looks like a spark plug with no electrodes, with a big alligator clip on the side, to clamp it to ground. If it fires that on each cylinder, your ignition is almost certainly OK. Or cheap and easy, but not as accurate, spray carburetor cleaner or something similar into the throttle and see if it runs on that. If it does, figure spark is OK, you are not getting fuel. Back to that fuel filter, possible fuel pump.

 

75Gremlin. I love a good mystery.

Be sure to update us on your progress. I may be having a similar issue with mine.

 

Personally I think that with a car that's being sitting for so long you should do a full once over on it, change oil, plugs, leads, filters (all of them) Dizzy and cap also. If its still running the old twin coil, convert to the newer single style, while things are pulled down look at the wiring see how cooked and brittle it is.
Fuel will cause the similar symptoms but I think its ignition, something has gotten hot and let go, when cooled may just given you enough to get home.
Good luck.

 

another candidate could be the filter on the pickup tube in the swirl pot mounted under the battery , this is in line before it gets to the actual fuel filter

debis collects in this small tank and gradually blocks the pick up filter , and will then fall away once on rough roads etc

worth a look

BB