XJ40 6.0 V12 won't start - any ideas?
Discussion
It was working fine up until yesterday. I parked in a car park, went shopping and came back to find it wouldn't start.
When I turn the key I can hear the electrics coming to life and all the gauges etc. move. The engine repeatedly turns over at what sounds like normal speed, but will not fire.
Pressing the accelerator all the way down makes no difference.
It happens all the time regardless of whether the engine is hot or cold. It is not an intermittent problem.
I know the battery is good and I know there is petrol in the car. Looking under the bonnet does not reveal any obvious problem.
It happened suddenly; one minute it was fine, the next it was dead. This makes me think that a component somewhere has failed.
A recovery operator managed to get the engine to fire by disconnecting one of the air intake hoses and spraying something (can't remember what) directly into the air intake while I cranked the engine. It roared into life and drove absolutely fine, which makes me think that the engine is basically OK. But the starting problem remains.
Any thoughts? Also does anyone have any recommendations for a reliable car transport company to get it from South East London to Hampshire?
When I turn the key I can hear the electrics coming to life and all the gauges etc. move. The engine repeatedly turns over at what sounds like normal speed, but will not fire.
Pressing the accelerator all the way down makes no difference.
It happens all the time regardless of whether the engine is hot or cold. It is not an intermittent problem.
I know the battery is good and I know there is petrol in the car. Looking under the bonnet does not reveal any obvious problem.
It happened suddenly; one minute it was fine, the next it was dead. This makes me think that a component somewhere has failed.
A recovery operator managed to get the engine to fire by disconnecting one of the air intake hoses and spraying something (can't remember what) directly into the air intake while I cranked the engine. It roared into life and drove absolutely fine, which makes me think that the engine is basically OK. But the starting problem remains.
Any thoughts? Also does anyone have any recommendations for a reliable car transport company to get it from South East London to Hampshire?
No expert. It sounds like the recovery bloke sprayed Eezi Start or WD40 into the inlet. If the engine then fired and ran momentarily it means fuel is not getting through and the engine just ran on whatever was sprayed into the inlet. If it started and then ran fine, it suggests that the fuel enrichment (choke) is not working correctly. The Eezi start just got it going.
Sorry I can't help anymore.
pp
Sorry I can't help anymore.
pp
AmitG said:
Any thoughts? Also does anyone have any recommendations for a reliable car transport company to get it from South East London to Hampshire?
If in this area, can I suggest contacting TLJaguar, top man when it comes to JagsHe can arrange to get the car recovered over to his workshop and sort it out for you
His number is 0118-976-2899
Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
Pickled Piper - I think you are near the mark. The stuff the recovery man sprayed in was indeed Eezi Start. I remember he also brought a can of WD40 in case that didn't work. I assume Eezi Start is something akin to neat petrol.
The engine ran fine for at least 20 minutes after that (the length of my journey home) which makes me think the fuel pump is working OK since the car clearly ran on more than just what had been sprayed in. Not sure how the auto enrichment works on these cars but I suspect it's electric and sensor-driven - so maybe a sensor somewhere has failed.
williamp - I can hear the fuel pump humming when cranking, so it's clearly doing something. However, the spark plugs are not wet. Agree it feels like a fuelling problem, and not an electrical or breathing problem.
NormanD - I'll try my usual garage and if I don't get any joy there I'll give TLJaguar a ring.
I'll let you know how I get on. Pics and writeup will follow once I've got it all sorted. Starting problem aside, it feels like a corker. Apart from 2 small (pound coin sized) areas of bubbling, there appears to be no rust whatsoever. The V12 pulls like a train and feels totally smooth. Everything seems original including the wheels. All the gadgets work. It just passed an MOT with no advisories.
It's been a little neglected in the last couple of years due to very low mileage in that time, but a major service and some catch up work should sort that.
Pickled Piper - I think you are near the mark. The stuff the recovery man sprayed in was indeed Eezi Start. I remember he also brought a can of WD40 in case that didn't work. I assume Eezi Start is something akin to neat petrol.
The engine ran fine for at least 20 minutes after that (the length of my journey home) which makes me think the fuel pump is working OK since the car clearly ran on more than just what had been sprayed in. Not sure how the auto enrichment works on these cars but I suspect it's electric and sensor-driven - so maybe a sensor somewhere has failed.
williamp - I can hear the fuel pump humming when cranking, so it's clearly doing something. However, the spark plugs are not wet. Agree it feels like a fuelling problem, and not an electrical or breathing problem.
NormanD - I'll try my usual garage and if I don't get any joy there I'll give TLJaguar a ring.
I'll let you know how I get on. Pics and writeup will follow once I've got it all sorted. Starting problem aside, it feels like a corker. Apart from 2 small (pound coin sized) areas of bubbling, there appears to be no rust whatsoever. The V12 pulls like a train and feels totally smooth. Everything seems original including the wheels. All the gadgets work. It just passed an MOT with no advisories.
It's been a little neglected in the last couple of years due to very low mileage in that time, but a major service and some catch up work should sort that.
Another few thoughts:
On my Aston, it injected more fuel at the beginning to help start the engine then when it was running. Does your engine need the same? It seems odd that it runs once started, but wont start. Maybe they designed it to squirt more fuel in at the beginning, and this isnt working.
How much is the fuel pumps working? There should be a figure in litres/minute
You could test the flow rate at the engine, to see if its enough. Again, the engine might need more fuel to start then normal running (which, but the sounds of it, the engine runs fine after its started)
Also, here:
http://www.xj40.com/viewtopic.php?p=36141&sid=...
It mentions two pumps. Are they both working? Again, a flow rate test would help that.
Also read this:
http://www.xj40.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2228
On my Aston, it injected more fuel at the beginning to help start the engine then when it was running. Does your engine need the same? It seems odd that it runs once started, but wont start. Maybe they designed it to squirt more fuel in at the beginning, and this isnt working.
How much is the fuel pumps working? There should be a figure in litres/minute
You could test the flow rate at the engine, to see if its enough. Again, the engine might need more fuel to start then normal running (which, but the sounds of it, the engine runs fine after its started)
Also, here:
http://www.xj40.com/viewtopic.php?p=36141&sid=...
It mentions two pumps. Are they both working? Again, a flow rate test would help that.
Also read this:
http://www.xj40.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2228
It turned out to be a dodgy crankshaft position sensor. It was difficult to track down since the car apparently would start sometimes (and annoyingly, when the garage wheeled it off the recovery truck it started first time). The sensor was replaced, and the car has started perfectly ever since.
While it was at the garage I treated the car to:
- New headlights. Surprisingly these are still available. The old ones had yellowed and were no longer effective; the new ones are not only effective but look really nice
- Replacement front grille since the chrome was peeling off the old one
- New shock absorber bushes and anti-roll bar links
- New fuel filter
- Full wheel alignment
and some other bits. 2 grand
later it's back, and drives as only a well-sorted V12 Jaguar can. I just got in from a hard blast down some country lanes and I can't get that engine soundtrack out of my head...
While it was at the garage I treated the car to:
- New headlights. Surprisingly these are still available. The old ones had yellowed and were no longer effective; the new ones are not only effective but look really nice
- Replacement front grille since the chrome was peeling off the old one
- New shock absorber bushes and anti-roll bar links
- New fuel filter
- Full wheel alignment
and some other bits. 2 grand
later it's back, and drives as only a well-sorted V12 Jaguar can. I just got in from a hard blast down some country lanes and I can't get that engine soundtrack out of my head...XJR500bhp said:
You bought these bits from Jaguar? Jesus H Christ, your a mad man. I have a set of both square and round headlights in my unit. One pair of which is brand new, I would of wanted a 1er for them
Wish I'd known. I might still have the rectangular ones off you if they're brand new, PM me if they're available.In my case the cost of the lights was dwarfed by the cost of the labour required to fit them. The old ones were seized solid and had to be cut out with metalwork etc. being replaced.
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