Proud owner of a two owner triple black 1999 XK8 convertible, base, with under 50k miles. Replaced my battery about a year ago with a premium $225 battery. Last week, I got into my car and it wouldn't start, .


Waited a few seconds and tried again and NO START, just a spin of the engine that I hadn't heard before. No dash alerts or lights, just NO START. I removed the air breather tubing from the TB and squirted a short blast of a starting fluid and it started immediately, only to die just as quickly! Started googling the possibilities and didn't like what I was getting, and it scared me, everything from 'cylinder wash' to the dreaded cam chain tensioner fail and valves hitting pistons and ruining the engine.


I did my best to remain calm and think it through and came to the conclusion that my fuel pump had failed. The pump itself is not expensive but a bit of a challenge to actually replace, having to pull the tank at least part way out. So, in somewhat of a preparation to buy the pump and make arrangements to use a friend's garage to do the work, I hooked up a good battery charger to restore the battery to a full charge, as I had been leaning on it and the starter for about 1/2 hour.


About an hour later I got into my car with the intention of turning my key to the first position and listening for the fuel pump cycling and wasn't sure I heard it but instinctively turned the key to the START position and she STARTED RIGHT UP!!!


I got out of my car and sat at top of my carport and just went through everything in my mind as to what just happened.


Here's what the deal was. I pretty much drive my car to McDonalds in the morning for breakfast and then return home, just under 4 miles ROUND TRIP. As it's dark outside when I start at 6am, I have the lights on, rear window defroster on and the radio on. Starting the return home, no lights BUT I do have the rear window defroster on and the radio and sometimes the fan blower motor on, blowing some cool air as it's been very hot, 75 degrees in the early am.


My point here is: i'm driving about 4 miles ROUND TRIP, tops, and AM NOT CHARGING MY BATTERY!


I'm probably lucky I haven't been stranded at Walmart or elsewhere and that my NO START happened while parked at my house!!!


So now, I keep my battery on a nice, albeit inexpensive Battery Tender so that I have the correct VOLTAGE running to my engine. The ECU's in these cars are voltage sensitive and was the reason for my NO START.


I hope this little narrative helps others who might experience a NO START in their XK8. CHECK YOUR BATTERY and please, GET YOURSELF A BATTERY TENDER, HOOK IT UP and PLUG IT IN once you're in for the day. Simply disconnect it when you start out, and you're GOOD TO GO!


I LOVE MY XK8 and am very proud to own her.

 

every once in awhile if the shifter doesn't fall all the way into park the same thing will happen and when getting back in the closing of the door will jolt things just enough to make things fall in place and trigger the safety switch so that the engine will start. also you may want to consider driving a little extra so that the condensation in the engine oil from sitting has a chance to be burned off by the engine heat (usually takes about 1/2 hr for the oil to get to operating temp) so as to not damage the nikasil sleves from to much moisture in the oil.

 

Welcome to the forum stetson1,

Jaguars should have a warning label on the dash about the effects of a low battery - the cause of many regular issues.

Please follow this link New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the New Member Area - Intro a MUST forum and post some info about yourself and your vehicle for all members to see. In return you'll get a proper welcome and some useful advice about posting to the forum.

Graham

 

Update to my original NO START post. My xk8 left me stranded this past Monday afternoon. Stopped at a stop sign, it just died. After 30 minutes of start attempts, I had it towed to my house.


I consulted with auto mechanic friends and these forum pages and checked the FP relay/fuse/connectors/inertia switch, still NO START. Cranks like a champ, just NO START. Pour a capful of gas into TB and it starts quite smoothly, so, it surely is a fuel delivery issue. Checked power to the relay and have power.


So, bought a new pump/strainer and a new fuel filter. Towed it to a NON Jaguar shop that does work on Jags and they quoted me $202 for the fuel pump R&R. Total for adding the fuel filter and a small piece of hose to my coolant bleeder hose, was $269, including taxes and I paid $40 for the tow.


Note: after my car had been at the shop for about an hour, the technician called me and asked me who told me it was the fuel pump and I informed him that it was me that concluded it was the FP and he informed me that there WAS NO POWER to the FP! WHOA!!!!! My heart did a summersault and all the numerous issues that it COULD be, flashed before my eyes, in a split second!!!


The tech called me after another hour & 1/2 and told me that my jag was running & ready to be picked up! He told me that one of his associates didn't get the connector that goes to the FP completely connected and that was all that it was. Boy, what a relief!!!


Just goes to show that we all can make honest mistakes and sometimes the story has a happy ending.

 

Good Ending and sounds like a pretty decent price for them to pull the tank etc and replace pump..

 

Today I am in the middle of doing exactly that, replacing the in tank pump after a no start.

What a filthy place where the hoses go into the tank, also the rubber gasket underneath the tank is in your way and pushing the release tool into the hose lock is next to impossible.

I am full of tar in my hands, cut to shreds and to make things more interesting got a shampoo of gasoline in my hair.

My wife has allready sugested looking for other accomodations tonight. She suggeste I take the &*#@$ Jaguar with me.

Well worth paying $280 to your mechanic.

Arghhh hate smelling of gas.

 

jamdmyers, absolutely! I went by the shop about 45 minutes after dropping it off and they already had the new fuel pump in and putting it back together! But I must say, I had the new Dremel saw in my lap when the shop manager called and gave me that quote. i was going to cut a flap in the metal package tray and service the pump from the inside.


Looking back, I kind of wish I had went ahead and cut that flap, just for the experience. I had my camera ready, with a notepad/pen, to document the work.

If my pump ever goes bad another time, i'm going to cut that flap!!! To borrow an old baseball truism: Ya can't steal second with one foot on first!