Scenario first, then the resolution.


















Last Monday I went out to start my car before work. It fired briefly then nothing, the engine spun and it sounded like the starter wasn't engaging the engine, only louder. After work (drove the wifes car) I hopped on the forums and started searching for "No start", and what I found was exactly what I had done. I had moved Kitty the day before, started it up, drove five feet to make room for the ladder (Christmas lights) and shut it off. The result, after reading the forums and comparing scenarios, BORE WASH.


The resolution-You will need a long socket extension, a spark plug socket and some very thin tape. A regular socket wont be as helpful as sparkplug sockets have a foam insert to grip the spark plug, and trust me, you want to grip the spark plug. Use the thin tape to tape the socket onto the extension to hold them together. You must use thin tape, not packing or masking tape because the plug wells are snug with the socket. If you skip this step, you will be fishing the socket out of the plug well with needle nose pliers after you reinstall the plugs.


This is what I did, following the instructions in the forums, disconnect the battery, positive and negative terminals.




1) On the drivers side, I removed the coil pack cover, which is the cover on the valve cover with the word "Jaguar" - 8 small bolts. Remove the bolts and using a screw driver, pop the cover off. The two bolts closest to the windshield are the hardest, but not difficult, just a tight spot. Place the bolts in a secure container.
2) Pull the threaded coil pack wiring harness retaining clips away from the valve cover. There are two of them on the upper edge of the harness that hold the harness to the valve cover. They are attached to the harness so you cant loose them.
3) Each coil pack has two bolts, remove all and place them in the same secure container. They are longer than the cover bolts so you can't get them confused.
4) Beginning with the left coil pack working to the right, pull all the coil packs away from the sparkplugs, but don't pull them away from the engine yet. Once you have them all loose, pull them away and drape them over the top of the engine. No need to unplug anything (1999 XK8 anyway)


5) Remove the spark plugs and squirt a teaspoon of oil inside of each cylinder. The plug wells are fairly deep, and the sparkplug hole is a good 6 inches down inside. You will need either a long tube, or what I have, which is a lever pump oil can with a flexible spout. I recommend the oil can as you can pump the oil into a teaspoon before hand to determine how many "pumps" it will take. In my case, 6 pumps.
6) Replace the plugs and coil packs. don't replace the cover yet just incase.
7) Reconnect the positive battery terminal and then touch the negative cable to the positive post for ten seconds. This will perform a "hard reset" required (?) after removing the battery cables.
8) Get in the car and place the key into the system check position and press the accelerator fully to the floor. This is the default "shut off" for fuel if the car isn't started. With the accelerator to the floor, turn the key and turn your engine over for 10 to 15 seconds and turn the key off. (accelerator still to the floor) wait 10/15 seconds and repeat 3 or 4 times. You should hear the compression building in the cylinders.
9) At this point, turn the key off and lift your foot off the accelerator, turn the key to the on position and push half way down on the accelerator, and turn the key to start the car in 15/20 second intervals, resting the starter for 10/15 seconds. You will hear the car begin to "stumble", trying to start. After about 4 cycles of doing this, the car will start and white smoke with come out the exhaust, caused by the oil in the cylinders. Feather the gas to keep it running if required, and after it starts, hold the RPMS at about 1500 for 10 seconds or so, and slowly left off the gas.


With the car running, replace the coil pack cover.



I ONLY removed the 4 spark plugs on the drivers side, didn't touch the other 4 on the passenger side...





KITTY IS ALIVE!!!!!

 

Good job!

 

May be worth being a Sticky?

A guy on the UK forum suggested 3/4 throttle once it tries to start.

I'm guessing you hear compression being built by having windows down and engine spins slower?

 

Actually, the windows were up and the hood closed itself (rather violently I might add, it's been cold so the struts were a tad week)


When I say you can hear the compression building, the engine goes from the bore wash sound of "whrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" to "whrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrwhrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrwh rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrwhrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrwhrrrrrrrrrrrrrwhrrrrrrrrrrrrrwhrrrr whrrwhrrrwhrwhrhwrwhrwhr"
where every "wh" is the sound of the engine with compression.


Sorry, sounds and looks silly to type it out, but that's the only way I could describe the sound.

 

Now that you have it started I would recommend using Engine Restore as a preventative to limit the possibility of experiencing the same cylinder washing from reoccurring again.

Kudos to you!

 

 

Quote: 7) Reconnect the positive battery terminal and then touch the negative cable to the positive post for ten seconds. This will perform a "hard reset" required (?) after removing the battery cables

Whaa? Is this a thing. Thats kind of scary... or am I miss interpreting what I read??

 

To perform a Hard Reset: Disconnect the Positive Cable from the Battery. Then, touch the (disconnected) Positive Cable to the Negative Battery Post for 30 Seconds or so. Then Re-Connect the Positive Cable to the Positive Battery Terminal.

 

+1

The idea is to discharge the car. To do it you need at least one cable disconnected from the battery, then connect that cable to the other cable. You're discharging capacitors. Do it all with the key OUT of the ignition (and in your pocket).

 

Marvin - Congrats - that must have been a pain in the neck, glad you got her going.

Gus - Can you please say more about Engine restore? This is the first I've heard of its ability to help prevent cylinder wash. After battleling to change the spark plugs with my fat hands recently, I dread the thought of having to squeeze in there to remove the Jaguar covers again, especially for something like this which is sure to happen when you are in a suit and in a rush to get to a customers site or something important. So if the product helps someone who never had the wash problem please let us know. (watch there will be a bump in sales for Engine Restore this month ).

On the topic of squeezing your hands in to get to the bolts I want to point something out for all - I couldn't have done it without a 2 inch ratchet extension. Not something I've ever used or had in my tool box before so I wanted to give folks a heads up. For the $2 or $3 it costs, this thing is invaluable for getting the cover off.

 

To avoid an accidental short to ground and a melted tool;
To remove a battery - remove negative cable first, follow by positive cable.
To install a battery - positive cable first, follow by negative cable

 

I had never heard of BORE WASH until I got my 97 Jag. I have had MANY cars in my life and never had any issues that the repair shop told me BORE WASH was the issue.
Is this specific to the Jag??

 

This information from my page may help you better understand the issue with Nikasil and cylinder wash.

Link Nikasil Engine Blocks JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource
Link Nikasil and Sulfur JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource
Link Cylinder wash JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

 

Happens to other cars, just not that many of them. To provoke it you usually have to drive only a short time from cold and then shut engine off as well as being a bit unlucky.

 

The early BMW V8s (4.0litre) suffered from it as well. BMW replaced most of them under warranty. The 4.4litre V8 which replaced it had no issues.


Regarding Restore I used to have bore wash problems when I returned to Florida after leaving my car for 6 months - use Restore now and no problems since. I've said it before but I'm totally suspicious of "snake oil" products but this stuff worked for me and intrigued I did as much searching as I could to find out what's in it. It does contain, amongst other stuff, EP additives which are known to have a slight etch effect so I can only imagine that it's these which attach themselves to the cylinder bores and retain a little oil. Only an unproved theory of course.

 

Started my 99 Vdp last week, it ran for about 3 seconds then died so naturally I started having nightmares about cam chain tensioner issues but after a little checking and research everything pointed to a"bore wash " condition so I pulled the plugs oiled the cylinders, installed new plugs and put it all back together put the fuel pedal to the floor and cranked it over, after about two seconds it sounded like it was trying to fire so I back of the fuel pedal and it fired right up with a small amount of smoke and is now purring just like it did before !
Many many thanks to all the people who posted stuff on how to indentify, cure and prevent this issue from happening again , I'm just so happy my cats running again :-)