Yesterday I started my '98 XK8 for the first time in a couple of weeks. It didn't start as smoothly as usual but it was no real problem. However when I put my foot on the clutch there was a clicking sound from the J gate and other click when I lifted my foot. I repeated the move a couple more times with the same result. Then I put the car into reverse and pulled out of the garage - no problem. Put it in drive and pulled back into the garage - no problem. Repeated that a couple of times - no problem, but the clicking sound occurred every time I depressed or released the clutch. When the engine is off there's no sound when I touch the clutch. I've put the car on the trickle charger and will leave it for 24 hours. I'll try again and if the problem persists I'll get my code reader out. I just wondered if anyone had encountered this with their car and/or has any ideas about what might be going on.

 

Clutch? I think you mean brake and the time to worry is when you don't hear the click

 

There is no Clutch on the XK8 so you must mean the Brake pedal.
There is a solenoid within the J-Gate selector that actuates when you depress the Brake pedal.
This must be the click you hear but there is no apparent failure mode in your description?
The click is the unlocking of the shifter so you can select a gear.

 

You mean that clutch pedal I’ve been pushing all these years is a brake ?

No wonder the car won’t accelerate with the clutch pushed in !

Z