I am devastated guys

[drodina]

I bought a 1999 xk8 with 61k yesterday, starts and drive well. But took it to my mechanic who inspected it to check further innhis workshop about 3 mile drive all round and parked it and when the mechanic tried to start it won't start and after about 5 min started without intervention, drove it home 3 mile and parked and after about 20 min couldn't start again, tried it last night and it started and drove well

When it does not start it comes on ( safefail mode )but otherwise when it starts no warning apart from low coolant which came on drving to the mechanic and has been toopped

Please guys this is heartbreaking

Thanks

[Six Fiend]

Bummer when you've been all excited about your new toy!

Panic not but instead get it plugged into a diagnostics reader and see what codes it throws up. Might be something simple


ETA Simple does not necessarily equate to cheap/easy, but it could be!

[AmitG]

drodina said:

When it does not start it comes on ( safefail mode )

Thanks

Can you explain this - what exactly happens when it does not start? Can you hear the engine cranking? Do the electrics come to life?

If you hear the engine cranking but it does not fire, hold the throttle pedal to the floor and try again - any different?

[NormanD]

You need to take it to a good independant Jaguar specialist that has Jaguar diagnostics to read ALL the fault codes

There are you in the UK, myself or others can point you in the right direction

[drodina]

Thanks guys,it started up nicely this morning drove it to my local jag guy who has looked after my previous jag well for 5 years parked still running and speaking to as he inspected it before I bought it suddenly the fan came on with engine running and then we both standing and watched water pouring down the engine. He checked an said coolant leak and may be the reason for the original safe fail signal, he is now got the car and I trust 110%
would keep you posted

The seller was sympathetic and I hope they would help

[drodina]

How possible is for a lot of water to drip under the engine this morning after a normal drive 3 miles to the mechanic and the mechanic is tried to reproduce the leak without any success.what could be wrong 1999 xk8.I have heard a lot of stories about Nikasil but this car start nicely from cold and drives well good idle, failed to start few times after warming.My mechanic who is very experience is almost certain it does not need compression testing.

The leak seems to have from the little plastic thing near the front of the engine evident by coolant stains but were would a lot of water that we observed would have from( saw it dripping like rain) and what is amazing is that it has not been reproduced after running it whole day on testing


Any thought guys

[Ecurie Ecosse]

The V8s flood with fuel when driven for very short distances.

Nothing to worry about.

Edit - didn't see the bit about the coolant leak.

Edited by Ecurie Ecosse on Friday 30th March 23:14

[drodina]

My main worry is the engine. If it starts cold all the time and drives well , would this reassure one against a Nikasil issue

[XKRacer]

It is not a nikasil issue.....I would start with a water pressure test,then a sniffer test on the water to check for gases in the water, if that is clear change the pressure cap and the thermostat, these are cheap items and easy to do and do cause issues like you are mentioning if they fail.

Worst case scenario is a head gasket gone, best case the pressure cap is sticking and not allowing your atmospheric tank to take on water and is pressurising the system.

Another thing is to join a club like the XKEC, no matter what is wrong with your car, someone has already had the issue and solved it!

[Jaguar steve]

The black plastic thermostat housing is very fragile on the V8 and succeptable to damage. You can buy machined aluminium aftermarket replacement ones.

Check the two small bore pipes to the top of the header tank are correctly fitted. They should cross over close to the tank - which looks wrong - and not run parallel to each other all the way. Incorrect fitting will interfere with coolant flow.

Start the engine from stone cold with the header tank filler cap off. Gently rev up to 2k and back down to idle a few times. You should see a reasonable return coolant flow into the header tank. If not or there's just a tiny dribble suspect water pump impellor failure, that's a known V8 problem on pre mid 2000 cars.

When all fixed replace or back up the sprung clips on the radiator hoses.
The original clips loose strength over time and have been known to let hoses blow off under pressure.

Nicasil failure is highly unlikley now, especially as your car will only have been exposed to the high Sulphur content fuel which caused the problem for a very short time. Sulphur content maximum limits were reduced by law in January 2000.

If a car starts promptly from cold, has a smooth idle and there's no evidence of either excess crankcase pressure or heavy oil deposits in the inlet trunking or throttle body then you don't have any Nicasil issues.

All V8's tend to flood occasionally if not allowed to at least warm up to the temp gauge coming off the cold sector before swiching off again. Flooding and subsequent bore wash is nearly always the cause of poor starting and is best cured by taking the plugs out and drying off then injecting a drop of engine oil down the plug hole before refitting.

You can continuiously crank the engine whilst modulating the throttle with the fuel pump fuse removed but that's very hard on the starter motor and battery and is IMO not recommended.

Edited by Jaguar steve on Saturday 31st March 07:26

[drodina]

I would show my mechanic these,he is a very reliable and honest friend and very experienced, I think you may be right, as the original problem in chronology below .

Last main dealer service at 59800
All previous main dealer service
Current mileage 61700.

Not used much last 12 months
Start well cold and idle brilliant
Drive well and no problems with power
No evidence of oil use excessive

Showed low coolant first driving to mechanic
Got there parked 3 mile drive
He tried to start and surprisingly at warm temp won't start
Tried a few times doing all the flooding trick
Each time it cranks nicely but end up with message failsafe mode

Started after standIng for about 30 min
Ran well again
Poured coolant in to full with car off and covered
Drove home without any further coolant message
Drove home 3 miles with no further messages
Tried to start again with engine in warm temp but showed the same as before

The next morning started perfectly from cold no smoke
Idle perfect
Drove it mechanic 3 miles
AC on
Left it running idle whilst talking to him

Suddenly both of us heard the fan come on and turned and saw a gush of water from somewhere middle of the engine
Really pouring and left a puddle
The pouring stopped fan stopped

The mechanic checked and found evidence of coolant leak Around the thermostat plastic housing
Showed me a track of coolant stain along the base of engine tracking back of the engine

Seemsto be stain over the coolant tank


He has since tried to reproduce the leak the whole day and repeated
He said that there was a lot of air
He is going to do a pressure test


I would change the recommended thermostat and pipes as suggested


My puzzle is this what was the gush of water all about and why hasn't repeated itself
Since my 10 years as a doctor nothing has puzzled me as much as this

Thanks in advance,

[X100]

Water leak- pressure build up = leak at crack in thermostat housing = pressure drop = no more leak. Coolant temperature can be as low as 180 degrees and as high as 210 in normal operation. At the higher end there will be more pressure., ie. in hot weather sitting in traffic. That's why the fan comes on.

No start- cranks but no start, with "engine failsafe" displayed in mil.
This is not a typical flooding event if failsafe is up.
Likely electrical fault associated with gear selector or transmission harness connector.
Try moving from park to neutral if it fails to start. The indicator must be illuminated corresponding to lever position.

[Davel]

Trade or private sale?

[drodina]

Private sell!!!!!!!!!

[xkrG]

Im no jag expert

But my first thought is that you overfilled the coolant and it spat a load out when you let it run up at the garage.

If you want to create it again, overfill coolant and go for a drive. My TVR used to do this all the time, i used it to know when the fluid was at the right level !!

However this doesnt help the hot start issue, first reaction would be fuel starvation or evaporation.

I think the "failsafe" could just be the battery getting low after all the attempted cranking over.

Question - If you start from cold and drive 50 miles, what happens ?

[drodina]

I haven't had a chance to drive that long but from how the car drove for few miles I think it would have driven for 50 miles without a problem, I think you are right about overfilling because thAt was exactly what happened. The pool of water under the bonnet would have been air-condition I guess because I put it on full blast on my way to the mechanic. He seems to have every confidence in getting these problems right. And once I have full confidence in my mechanic.

I would like someone to confirm that a puddle of water after air-condition can happen bearing in my that my last car in the last 5 years was also an Xk8 and did not ever have a puddle although the sitcom had mot been cooling for a few years on the old one.

[Jaguar steve]

drodina said:

I haven't had a chance to drive that long but from how the car drove for few miles I think it would have driven for 50 miles without a problem, I think you are right about overfilling because thAt was exactly what happened. The pool of water under the bonnet would have been air-condition I guess because I put it on full blast on my way to the mechanic. He seems to have every confidence in getting these problems right. And once I have full confidence in my mechanic.

I would like someone to confirm that a puddle of water after air-condition can happen bearing in my that my last car in the last 5 years was also an Xk8 and did not ever have a puddle although the sitcom had mot been cooling for a few years on the old one.

Incoming air is cooled to below dew point to lower it's humidity before it is re heated to the cabin temperature selected by the driver. This happens even if the cabin temp selected is above ambient and heating, not chilling is called for. Moisture in the air condenses on the cold dryer plate and drains out under the car.

Normally this'll be a few drips per minuite. If the humidity is very high, coupled with a warm ambient tempearture then it will be more. Condensate will normally only appear when the system is running but if ice has formed on the dryer or surrounding pipes then it can drip for some while after the system is swiched off and the ice melts - hence the puddle on the garage floor next morning.

BTW. If you want to save some fuel turn the a/c off 15 mins before your journey ends. There will be enough residual chill in the system to keep the cabin temperature down without running the compressor.

At journeys end turn the temp and fans right up to max a couple of mins to dry out the system. This clears residual moisture that bactreria thrive on from the entire system and will stop your a/c smelling like a wet dog.

Even if you don't use your a/c all the time then run it every week for 10 mins. Doing so circulates lubricant contained in the refrigerant keeping seals supple and the whole system excercised. If you're as tight as me - I doubt it but you never know - and resent the extra fuel used when you don't actually need conditioned air then hit the a/c button only when you are slowing down or descending hills on a closed throttle.

[drodina]

Thanks very much I do appreciate your explanation . Would try your tips

[xkrG]

Good luck with it

I'm sure in a couple of weeks you'll look back on this differently. Its unfortunate that it happened sraight away but I had the same. Took mine to a specialist a week after i bought it and left with a bill for £1000 as i am a perfectionist. Dont expect a used car dealer to change things that I would (although he did pay for all the brake pipes)

The car will be fun, just enjoy it.......next week

[drodina]

I would hope you r right, cause car to bits and can't the sound of the engine our of my head, I am going to see the car today, it feels like going to see someone in hospital wish I could some fruits and good thick oil for her.

I will update you guys