Tensioner Job - Not Happy Ending...Yet.
 

So this was supposed to be a thread about my indoctrination into the tensioner club. Instead, I am pledging the bonehead club, hopefully I won't get accepted.

So I took my time on the job and got everything cleaned off. The actual tensioner job went ho hum. No drama at all. Buttoned everything back up, pulled the fuel pump fuse to prime the tensioners...and...

I left the half inch ratchet on the front pulley. I believe (it happened fast) that the pulley turned until the ratchet hit the sway bar. The ratchet fell to the floor immediately. But now the engine won't turn over when trying to start with the key. I can turn the engine over with the socket. I am not sure how easy or heavy it is supposed to turn. Doesn't seem like there is any problem inside the engine. There is just clicking from the engine bay, almost pulsing if the key is held open.

Is there something to do with the starter? It seems like it wants to turn the engine over but can't. I don't think anything is bound up inside as I can still turn it over with the socket.

Any ideas?

B

maybe you broke the starter drive, you need to investigate.

Hi,
I am doing the exact same job at moment. I looked at the wrench on pulley yesterday and thought to myself, im going to end up starting the engine with that left on.
I would check that the timming is correct, just as a precaution, check the battery(mine needed charging) and you could remove the spark plugs and turn the engine over by hand just to check all is ok prior to cranking it again.

good Luck

steven

Hi Beep, I can't imagine you caused any harm INSIDE the engine, they are tough and with the starter motor on, it can't be turnng more a couple of revs per minute. Sounds electrical to me, chase down things related to the starter (I don't know where it is, but if it's near where a wrench might take out a connection than definitely start there), including the battery. Clicking relays when trying to start are often just a low battery and you may just have experienced a maddening coincidence of a flying wrench and a battery that doesn't have enough to turn the starter anymore.

Steve

I think if you'd broken anything on the drive you'd get more than a clicking.
As Steve says it sounds like a flat battery.
The other possibility is that the starter pulled a lot of current and that has upset the battery connections - worth cleaning them. I remember the Rev Sam had a wierdo where the crimp connection on one battery lead went intermittent giving the same effect.
If you've got a meter you could measure battery voltage at the terminals while some one turns the key and, if that's OK test at the +12 terminal covered by a rubber boot by the big fusebox under the bonnet. If that goes to 0V on cranking you've got a connection problem.
If the battery is good and drops very low on cranking then I'm afraid Brutal's right. I'm no expert on Jaguar starters but some can jam with the pinion wound into the flywheel gear. On a sensible vehicle there's a square on the starter shaft to put a spanner on and wind them back but this is a Jaguar......

Wow, the 'Steve's' are responding en masse.

Yeah, I do not think anything internal is broken.

I swung the ratchet on the pulley clockwise and did not hit anything until it got to the sway bar.

I put the charger on the battery last night and will try it tonight.

I was just wondering if the starter had too much of a load, if "something" would trip before something inside the starter broke. When I first turned the key, I believe the pulley turned until the ratchet hit the sway bar and fell off immediately. not like it was stuck there for a few seconds.

I will try it with a fully charged battery tonight, and next step is take the starter off.

B

Sound like a good plan.

-Steve :icon_wink:

You have to be called Steve to post on this forum - I don't know how you got past the scrutineers.

There a quite a number of us...maybe we should get our own forum section.:icon_mrgreen:

Quality name == quality car
Surprised Jaguars are prepared to get themselves owned by non-Steves
Anyway hope the non-Steve OP gets his beast cranked up.
We, of course, would not have had this problem.

My middle name actually is "Steven". It must have been a popular name way back when. Are you guys going to let us middle namers in your club? Will we be a clique below first namers?

B

We also have SteveJacks, StevePAA, Bassmania (AKA Steve), FlaSteve, Steve11, SteveM to name just a few that come to mind.:icon_nut:

Look, sorry, you can only be admitted to the Inner Sanctum if it's spelled STEPHEN. We allow Steve as a diminutive but we do require an original copy of your birth certificate (obtainable from Jagsarus.co.uk).
Don't take any notice of the Admin people BTW, they're just our bitches.
(Note to Translator - actually a French term of affection)
Have you got that thing cranked up yet ?

I am slaving away at the office (haven't won the lottery yet). It is still daytime here in the colonies.

I have house projects on the docket tonight. I realized a little late in life that you make more money working on your house than on your toys. I will get to it by the weekend and keep everybody up to date.

(Stephen with a "ph"?!? I do not want to be part of 'that' club.)

B

What an EEEEDIOT!

Yes, it was a battery that wasn't fully charged. After having the charger on it all night it cranked right up. Everything purred under the hood. Tensioner job done with a happy ending. I will get another thread up with the requisite pics of the tensioners.

OK, so I get my tensioner badge and a demerit for not checking problem #1 first.

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry to waste everyone's time.

B

You may feel like an idiot, but I'd certainly prefer a weak battery over a broken starter or other problem you could have had.

Bet you'll inventory all your wrenches before startup next time!