a neighbor of mine died recently and had a pristine 1985 xjs HE. it only has 40k miles on it and not a scratch. it sat for about 4 years the kids of the old man were going to junk it because they didnt want to deal with selling it. i said if there going to junk it id gladly save it from the crusher. i was told they started it every now and then to keep it running. i got it home today and the battery was junk, i put a new batt in it and went to start it.

it did nothing, i first checked spark and that is fine, i sprayed some starting fluid in it and it ran for a second and then died. i have no power going to the fuel pump but did jump it out and got the pump running, i tried to start the car with the pump running but just cranked away. im going to put a noid light on it tomorrow but i didnt hear the injectors pulsing. any ideas?

 

You might wanna check the "main" relay. It should be above the battery to the right, behind a plastic (or perhaps carpeted) panel...sorta by the trunk lid hinge.

It'll have brown, black, pink/black, and wire wires.

Brown (terminal 30) constant 12v
Black (terminal 85) ground
White (terminal 86) switched 12v from ignition
Pink/black (terminal 87) 12v output to injectors and fuel pump relay


If it needs replacing note that this relay has two "87" terminals as opposed to the more common configuration using an "87" and "87a" terminals

Cheers
DD

 

Ok checked it. There is 2 big brown wires and the ones you said. One brown wire has power.when putting the key on the other brown wire gets power but that's it. The relay on the red plug next to it did click so I switched them around and the sesond brown wire didn't get power and the relay didn't click

 

All solid brown wires should have 12v at all times, key on or off.

Swapping relays won't do anything until you get 12v on the white wire (key "on") and a ground (black wire) to *operate* the relay

I don't suppose some rodents have been chomping on wires? It's odd that out of all the wires mentioned only one is testing correctly.

Cheers
DD

 

I didn't see any damaged wires towards the back. There was signs of rodents under the hood but didn't look like any wires were chewed

 

It runs!!!! It was a bad ground and a bad main relay. Thank you so much to point me in the right direction. Now just have to finger out why the power windows,wipers,and blower motor don't work hahhaha

 

let me know any info you may find on your wiper blow problem. i have many issues with my and would be ver thankful for any info what wires are what ect

 

Doug mentioned the fuel pump relay having 2 #87 terminals.. i pulled mine because i can't get my xjs to start either... i noticed someone had jumped the 2 terminals with a small piece of wire..

 

1986 xjs is it a 'D' Jetronic fuel injection system, or is it V12 'P' fuel system? My jag manuals show both types, wasn't able to pinpoint using diagrams or vin.. I'm thinking it's the 'p' thanks... Doug

 

Yes, "P" type. Sometimes referred to as "Digital P".

Cheers
DD

 

Jumped the two "87" terminals together? They're already "jumped" inside the relay itself.

If so someone was obvious trying to "fix" something :-)

Cheers
DD

 

Hey Superjeep! There are some wild similarities between our stories. I, too, came across an XJS due to a death. My cousin passed away about 5 years ago and his XJS sat since then while relatives figured out who would get it that had the resources to get it running again. I ended up the recipient. Between mechanical and paint, I now have about $6500 in it and still have to redo the interior. Oh, mine is a rare '88 XJ-SC (Cabriolet).

I think, based on your user name, another coincidence between us may be Jeeps. I have an '07 Wrangler and a '55 CJ5.