X308 Keeping cutting out without warning.

[slippery]

My car is a 1999 3.2. With increasing frequency (now almost daily) and under varying driving conditions, the engine is now stalling without warning. This does not happen when stationary. It happens whilst driving along and is at best embarrassing and at worst potentially very dangerous.
Full engine braking appears to be in effect when it occurs, the car certainly isn't coasting and it's made worse if I floor the throttle in an attempt to get it going again as kickdown engages making the engine braking quite violent!
The message 'engine stalled' comes up on the display. As soon as it happens, I put the hazards on and pull over (without PAS or servo assisted brakes!) and once I have either stopped or nearly stopped, the car can be started again in neutral quite normally and behaves as if nothing has happened.
It has also started holding onto the gears longer (particularly third), even when not in sport mode. I wasn't sure if this was just the gearbox learning my driving style or may also be linked to the other problem, but it sometimes seems quite reluctant to change up. If I switch to sport mode when it is doing it though, it often does then change up. Ideas anyone? Obviously the stalling engine issue is the bigger worry!
ETA: From doing a bit of searching on the web, it appears it may be a faulty throttle body. Is this the likely problem and if so, how much am I like to end up paying to get it put right?

Edited by slippery on Saturday 6th March 13:29

[BigNige]

It just might be a loose negative cable on the battery, worth checking anyway.
They need to be fairly tight and also make sure the earth on the bulkhead is ok too.

[slippery]

BigNige said:

It just might be a loose negative cable on the battery, worth checking anyway.
They need to be fairly tight and also make sure the earth on the bulkhead is ok too.

Thanks Nige, just checked and it's not that, but as you said it was worth a go.

[jas xjr]

try some throttle body cleaner. mine was doing exactly the same thing. remove the plastic trunking at the tb end and spray it in directly. not missed a beat since.

[jimattfield]

"ETA: From doing a bit of searching on the web, it appears it may be a faulty throttle body. Is this the likely problem and if so, how much am I like to end up paying to get it put right?"
There was a service note which detailed the engine (VIN) ranges affected and there was a big recall which IIRC finished late last year. Worth checking though.

Jim

Stop press: only affected 1998 XJ8's (non-supercharged) from VIN 819772-853935.

Edited by jimattfield on Saturday 6th March 15:18

[oldboyswithtoys]

the most common problem that causes stalling on these is a blocked engine breather .pull the breather pipe off on the left hand cam cover and clean out the hole going into the camcover using a 3mm drill bit then clean out the throttle body . this should sort it out.

[slippery]

Interesting. I had that pipe replaced as it had become brittle and cracked and was filling the car with fumes. Assuming it is the breather pipe in question.

[slippery]

jimattfield said:

"ETA: From doing a bit of searching on the web, it appears it may be a faulty throttle body. Is this the likely problem and if so, how much am I like to end up paying to get it put right?"
There was a service note which detailed the engine (VIN) ranges affected and there was a big recall which IIRC finished late last year. Worth checking though.

Jim

Stop press: only affected 1998 XJ8's (non-supercharged) from VIN 819772-853935.

Edited by jimattfield on Saturday 6th March 15:18

My car fits into the above chassis number range. I see throttle bodies are available on ebay for about £70. How would I know if they are of the modified type?

[NormanD]

slippery said:

jimattfield said:

"ETA: From doing a bit of searching on the web, it appears it may be a faulty throttle body. Is this the likely problem and if so, how much am I like to end up paying to get it put right?"
There was a service note which detailed the engine (VIN) ranges affected and there was a big recall which IIRC finished late last year. Worth checking though.

Jim

Stop press: only affected 1998 XJ8's (non-supercharged) from VIN 819772-853935.

Edited by jimattfield on Saturday 6th March 15:18

My car fits into the above chassis number range. I see throttle bodies are available on ebay for about £70.
How would I know if they are of the modified type?

I think I have a NEW one with the mods that will fit your car

A bit more than £70 but a lot less than the £1,000 that Jaguar will charge

[slippery]

NormanD said:

slippery said:

jimattfield said:

"ETA: From doing a bit of searching on the web, it appears it may be a faulty throttle body. Is this the likely problem and if so, how much am I like to end up paying to get it put right?"
There was a service note which detailed the engine (VIN) ranges affected and there was a big recall which IIRC finished late last year. Worth checking though.

Jim

Stop press: only affected 1998 XJ8's (non-supercharged) from VIN 819772-853935.

Edited by jimattfield on Saturday 6th March 15:18

My car fits into the above chassis number range. I see throttle bodies are available on ebay for about £70.
How would I know if they are of the modified type?

I think I have a NEW one with the mods that will fit your car

A bit more than £70 but a lot less than the £1,000 that Jaguar will charge

I will check with Jaguar tomorrow to see if the recall has been done. I strongly suspect it hasn't. With a car worth about £2k, I will certainly not be giving them £1k! Feel free to PM me with details NormanD, if the recall hasn't been done and the garage confirm that the throttle body is the problem when it goes in on the 17th for a service, I will have to get something sorted.