I have just got my 2001 XK8 out of the garage for summer and it started first time. I washed the car and cleaned the engine bay with a cloth. Since then the car has not started. The car turns over fast and will fire if I spray easy start into the inlet. I have had the car from new and it has only done 45,000 miles.has anyone any ideas?

 

How long was the car in storage? Did you add stabilizer to the fuel in the tank before you put the car in storage? Did the car freeze over the winter?

I would advise to check fuel first (if there's space in the tank, you can always try diluting old gas with new)

Listen if the fuel pump is turning over (just stick your ear next to the front of the trunk).

 

Yes new fuel. Put car away nearly empty and put 3 gallons in before I started it. The car is in a heated garage and on a battery optimizer over winter. As I said if I spay easy start in the inlet it runs but only on the easy start. I cannot hear the fuel pump in the boot but never have.

 

Fuel pumps failing during long storage periods is very common on these cars, especially the older models....

 

Simon,

General rule of thumb is not to store cars with empty fuel tanks (unless you're talking years of storage). Did you run the car during this period, ie on a monthly basis? I note you've had your 2001 XK8 from new and probably stored it with love, care and attention, for years without issues.

Water may have condensated in the tank so you may have a fuel/water problem - that's probably why the engine fires with easy start sprayed directly into the inlet. First up try filling the tank full of gasoline to dilute water traces. Then add a cup of water of meth. spirits which reacts to combine the water/gasoline so it'll pass the engine injectors.

The fuel pump may also be damaged/rusted by water condensation in the tank. It may just have taken until now, 18 years later, to materialise as an actual problem. I would take the trunk liner out and put your ear against the fuel tank and you should be able to hear/feel the fuel pump spinning when you start the car.

 

Have you looked into the possibility of bore wash, especially if the car starter makes it seem like the engine is spinning too fast? If the engine was started for a very short time, un-burned fuel can wash off the piston ring oil seal and make it difficult to build compression for the next start. You can try cranking the engine with the pedal to the floor (this cuts off further fuel injection) in the hope of venting the combustion chambers of the extra fuel. You will likely have to pull at least a few of the spark plugs and drop a bit of motor oil in there to restore this seal and build compression.

And stay away from spraying starter fluid in the PLASTIC intake. If there is any blowback, this intake could easily crack.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

 

When you try Fmertz’s fix for borewash, it’ll lead to a very smokey exhaust. Chill - let the car run. It’ll clear. The priority is to seal the cylinders in the engine so you’ll have decent compression as the piston rings need a seal to get adequate engine crank over

 

Dont forget you can use a wood dowel to hear the pump. One end on trunk's fuel tank, other end on your ear.

John

 

To anyone who said Fuel pump 10/10. Found a Jag specialist only 10 miles away from my home in Woodhall spa Linc's. Guy came trailerd the car fitted new pump and I had change of £400 (very pleased)

 

Thanks for the update. As we have a immersible fuel pump in the tank, the fuel does lubricate and cool the pumps. Good rule of thumb is to store cars with full tanks of gas, right up to the level of the fuel filler cap to minimise condensation. (You've stored your car in a nice heated garage though). Don't forget to add fuel stabiliser.

As you had the car from new, have you had issues with the fuel pumps before? If you haven't changed it before, you got 18 years out of the pump (albeit only 48,000 miles) which is a good life time for the pump.