The XJ8 wont start again!
Discussion
Nick,
I've not seen the short run problem with my X300, I thought it was only a V8 problem. I've only once had a problem with it flooding once and whilst the previous run had been only a couple of miles it wasn't the sub 20s sort that shows up on the 308s. In the summer my X300 is often started, driven off the drive and parked on the road, to let my 150 go out to play. I know this isn't good for her, but she's never complained about it.
Ken
I've not seen the short run problem with my X300, I thought it was only a V8 problem. I've only once had a problem with it flooding once and whilst the previous run had been only a couple of miles it wasn't the sub 20s sort that shows up on the 308s. In the summer my X300 is often started, driven off the drive and parked on the road, to let my 150 go out to play. I know this isn't good for her, but she's never complained about it.
Ken
As far I as understand it its a V8 problem only and so long as you are aware of it it should never actually be a problem.
Mine does it 50% of the time if I start it and shift it a short way and 0% of the time if I let it run for a minute or so - o I just let it run.
Its probably happened 10 times to me in 6 yrs - 8 of those before I knew why it hapened. Once when my wife moved it and once when the key slipped in my hand and it stalled on starting
Mine does it 50% of the time if I start it and shift it a short way and 0% of the time if I let it run for a minute or so - o I just let it run.
Its probably happened 10 times to me in 6 yrs - 8 of those before I knew why it hapened. Once when my wife moved it and once when the key slipped in my hand and it stalled on starting
nickinkent said:
This post has now got me worried. I have a 3.2 X300 and surely enough if I move the car 10ft off the crive, move the lawnmoer and then put the car back on the drive and turn the engine off when I come to start it next morning it goes cough cough splutter and then refuses to start for a good hour or two. I then have to come back and try to start it with the foot on the floor, after a few minutes of desparate cranking and usually just befoer the battery is about to go flat it coughs reluctantly into life - I can live with this because I know about it now its happened a few times.
We have now covered 130k and are still adding about 2,000 miles per month, the rumbles from the diff and the general wheel/rolling noise is getting louder - although gearbox is quiet when warmm and engine is lovely. The other problem is I cant get the whole family in since there is only a lap belt in the middle on the back seat.....
So I was thinking of upgrading to an X308 - however if the above is common I am now really put off! My X300 has taken me 35k miles since I parted with £1,800 for her and I have never had any mechanical breakdown so I am really happy with my 3.2. I can even live with the lower performance since if you use the J Gate and get the timings correct and use the top end of the rev range it moves rapidly enough for a busy A road.
If I were to look at a X308 what are the most reliable models? I have a breathed upon XJS for fun times so this is more a work and back and family holiday car.
Nick
Find Broardbean747s post on here - this covers all the V8 concerns in great detail.We have now covered 130k and are still adding about 2,000 miles per month, the rumbles from the diff and the general wheel/rolling noise is getting louder - although gearbox is quiet when warmm and engine is lovely. The other problem is I cant get the whole family in since there is only a lap belt in the middle on the back seat.....
So I was thinking of upgrading to an X308 - however if the above is common I am now really put off! My X300 has taken me 35k miles since I parted with £1,800 for her and I have never had any mechanical breakdown so I am really happy with my 3.2. I can even live with the lower performance since if you use the J Gate and get the timings correct and use the top end of the rev range it moves rapidly enough for a busy A road.
If I were to look at a X308 what are the most reliable models? I have a breathed upon XJS for fun times so this is more a work and back and family holiday car.
Nick
I have heard that the X300 can also have a cold start flooding problem - but have never experienced it on either my 300 or 308.
The 308, although much nicer to drive, is not considered as robust as the 300, but reliability and running costs will all depend much more on finding a really good example and maintaining it well.
The 2000 on models will have the later waterpump and have steel lined engines, but earlier examples of the well documented problems wilth Nikasil bore errosion are all likley to have occured by now.
You will need to have the secondary timing chain tensioners changed for the latest metal bodied design on a V8, and possibily all the chains as well. It's essential to have the "sealed for life" gearbox oil changed, and I'd recommend you have the diff oil changed too, as well as ignoring Jaguars 10k service intervals for oil changes and go for 5 - 7k (using either semi or full synthetic oil) intervals instead.
Expect similar fuel consumption from same capacity V8 but much better real world performance.
A good XJ8 is wonderful, a bad one is a nightmare money pit. Another post on the PH Jaguar forum mentioned somthing we all take for granted - just what a beautiful, and last of the line car the X308 really is.
Have had my N reg X300 for ten years. Have twice driven off drive and switched off and both times it failed to start. Both times soughted with foot to floor and a lot of cranking. Other than this has been an ultra reliable car. However I do change engine, gearbox and diff oil on a regular basis.
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