If fuel is spraying that is a good indication but not a positive one you need to use a pressure gauge to be sure.

The pointed tip of the plug suggests that they are Platinum plugs.

With removing the cam covers I am not sure I would go that far unless you plan to replace the tensioners if they need to be changed. However, if you plan to do this have a new set of gaskets to reinstall and be sure to do a hard reset after all the work is done.

If it were me I would read the codes, check for fuel and spark and add oil to each cylinder to get it started. By the sound of your start attempt you have no compression and a compression check would verify this. Read the link provided it covers cylinder washing!

 

Thanks Gus!

With regards to doing a full reset, I actually put the "-" wire on the "+" terminal for 30 seconds and this is okay, no risk?

I read over the cylinder wash link. One thing I don't understand yet is, if I follow the oil-cylinders procedure, get the car started, and warm it up to normal operating temperatures - will the issue be resolved after that? Or am I just confirming that cyl-wash is the issue and I'm looking for a new engine after that?

BTW I got the valve covers off and confirmed that all the top end is working okay. I just put in new gaskets last weekend so I'm thinking I can just put it all back together and reuse the new gaskets. Here's a video of how everything moved, LHS first, then RHS...
I'm glad I took it a part actually, as I found oil leaking into the spark plug recess of the #8 cyl from a leak around the #8 inner gasket (LHS, cyl closest to the firewall). I didn't follow the correct torque ordering when I mounted that cam cover as I was missing a couple of bolts and was waiting for them to come in at the jag parts dealer... I need to be more meticulous.

I ordered a fuel pressure tester with the schrader valve today from NAPA, should be in tomorrow along with new plugs, but I'm going to try the oil procedure asap to see how that goes.

Again, thx so much to all of you.

 

Soul, I guess no one is going to comment on the tensioners. You need to change to the newer metal ones, sorry!
Everything sure looks clean and the wash will be fine once you get it started, just don't start it and cut it off after a short spell, as in moving it down the driveway.


Wayne

 

Adding oil to the cylinders is to increase the compression on each cylinder to get it started. Remember if you are missing one of the three compression, fuel and or spark the car will not start. As for a long term fix for cylinder washing we found the proper use of Restore has helped many.

 

Did not look once at the tensioners! As for the short trips the proper usage of Restore has helped many not to be concerned with short trips.

 

Okay, I'm getting the vibe that I need to do the tensioners while I'm in here. I've read up on that procedure now as well.

How do I order the 3rd gen tensioners with the correct part #? Are the one's on ebay okay or should I order them from Jag directly?

ebay link: Jaguar V8 1997 2010 2 Upper Secondary Timing Chain Tensioners | eBay

I tried searching this forum for the part # but I'm not finding it - sorry if its obvious somewhere!

Scott

 

Those should be fine as they come with the shorter bolts that are needed for them.
Have you checked the compression yet? Hopefully your problem is just from cylinder wash. If thats the case you may have more than one problem. if something else originally kept the car from starting back up all the efforts to get it started unsuccessfully could have been what caused the cylinder wash from all the unused fuel being dumping in. So putting some oil in each cylinder will hopefully bring the compression back but there may have been another cause that kept it from running originally.


Dave

 

Hey guys, I ran the compression test and spark tests on all eight cylinders.

Tested all eight wiring harness points and all eight coils with spark confirmed all the way around.

Compression results were all over the board. I've attached a picture depicting the results.

I also smelled fuel throughout the compression test so as Dave said, I just keep adding to the likelyhood that I have wash.

Next up is the oiling procedure.

 

Those are really low but its odd the inner cylinders are worse. But the starter fluid may have gone mostly to the inner cylinders.
I doubt the cylinder wash was the original problem as it wouldn't have started up initially.


Dave

 

Cylinder wash!

 

That keeps bugging me too, Dave, why did it start up and then die, then behave like wash immediately after? I definitely drove it all the wrong ways, having to move it to the street or my driveway to make room for other cars and bikes, and also really short trips to the local grocery and back.

I guess I'll find out tomorrow. I did the oil proc today but after I put everything together and got ready to start it I decided to re-read the directions... I realized I poured way more than a tbl spoon of oil into each cyl (more like a cup in each) so I'm letting it sit overnight and tomorrow I'm going to try to use a vacuum pump to pull out as much oil as I can from the cylinders. I'm afraid to try to start it right now, worried I might cause more damage with too much oil present.

Its tough being a shadetree mechanic My big brother was always more mechanically inclined while I'm a musician and write software, but this has been an interesting and challenging experience and will be extremely rewarding if I actually get the jag running again.

 

If you pull the fuse to the fuel injection and spread rags on top of the valve covers, you can blow the last of the oil out by turning the engine over. Using the vacuum pump sounds like a good start.

 

If you hold the pedal to the floor that will turn off the fuel to the car when cranking. Depending on the amount of oil you put In I would not be concerned. If it was like a table spoon I would say give it a try the results would be a larger amount of smoke out the exhaust.

 

If there is a cup of oil in each cylinder that could cause damage with the plugs in when it tries to compress the oil when it spins over. It can also fowl the plugs if there is to much oil. A tsp is all thats needed. Definitely get that excess oil out of there.

Dave

 

Yes thats way to much oil, when we use this trick to boost compression on small garden machinery we put a little squeeze from an oiler feeder then pull it over slowly then put the plugs back in, you dont need much.

 

Yes I agree a cup is way too much! I do believe you will need to siphon it out. Please take the time to read the attached on how to do this before you cause other problems.

Link JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

 

w00000t - my XK8 is ready for her 2nd life now! Thanks soooo much to everyone who contributed to this thread. I appreciate all of your assistance and thanks for putting up with my questions!

After I siphoned out the cylinders I figured there was enough residual oil left to do the job, so I put everything back together and did the last three steps....

1. Press the gas pedal to floor and engage starter for 15-20 seconds
2. Press the gas pedal 1/2 way down and engage starter
3. Back the beast out of the garage and open all the garage doors to air out the oil smoke

Here's the money shot!

 

Glad its back from the dead! You should treat it to a nice long drive to make the ECM happy again! And don't forget those tensioners!


Dave

 

We'll no more Mosquitos in that neighborhood.

 

Well done, you have to be happy. Team effort here was what gave Soul the confidence. What a great forum.


Wayne