Hi everyone I was looking for advice on my 88 XJS. I had the car stored over winter where I would open the gerage and start it up than let it run for a bit every 2 1/2 weeks well around the last month of snow it would no longer start and was fighting to turn over. I just recently got around to taking a look at it and replaced all 12 of the plugs with NGK plugs all pre gapped (and I manually double checked to the right gap of .025 for the lucas ignition system)I than replaced all the hoses tightened the belt and replaced the cruise control acutator which dosnt work anyways but figured i might as well. Anyways now I went to start the car all the bells and whistles come on but when I go to turn it over and it just goes *Click click click click* no turning over and nothing I suspected the alternator or the starter or maybe the battery just dosnt have enough juice to turn it over after sitting for 2 long Im gonna replace the battery first but after that Im out of ideas. So if anyone else can give me any advice id be very appreciative. Thank you very much.

Alec

Submitted by north_sider_@h… on Wed, 10/13/2004 - 14:55

Hey again well I got the full run down on just EXACTLY what he menat by the fuse box not getting any power. Apparently power is getting to the starter, lights, everything else except to the fuel pump or from the fuel pump back to the fuse box. Anyone have any ideas if its the fuel pump is shot after being stored for the winter and if this would cause there to be no power sent through that to the fuse box? If any regulators could possibly be blown I'm a bit over my head with all of this so ANY advice is great and I thank you for all of the stuff you have already posted.

Alec

Submitted by NE52-32043 on Mon, 10/04/2004 - 13:59

As Peter suggested, check the ground end of the battery cable to the chassis. Ground cables are notorious for corroding. Check the engine ground as well, and the ground on the starter along with the wiring to the starter and solenoid. Try by-passing the starter relay and see if it will kick the starter over. Sometimes the relay will go bad.

Steve Weinstein, JTC-NJ
'70 XKE FHC
'69 XKE OTS
Former '89 XJS owner

Submitted by fccm.sw@cox.net on Fri, 10/01/2004 - 19:30

Alec,

Get a new repair guy. Your symptoms say you are getting power to the fuses "All the bells and whistle work" and "the starter goes click" It is obvious from all the way out here that you have power to your fuse blocks.

It sounds to me like you either have a loose connection between your battery and the starter solenoid or the starter solenoid to starter motor is loose. Barring that you have a bad connection from the starter relay to the starter solenoid. If it isn't a bad connection then one of those three items has failed you.

Mike Smith
90 XJ-S Convertible
79 MGB LE

Submitted by north_sider_@h… on Fri, 10/01/2004 - 16:20

Well changed the battery as well still no start so I decided Id bring it to a repair guy. Turns out no juice is even getting to the fuse box and chances are the wirings corroded, he guesstimated anywhere from 500 to 2grand on having it rewired or fixed and recommended taking it to Jaguar in Minneapolis. Anyone have any experience with this any idea of how I could do this myself or even how much it might cost? Thanks again for all the help youve already given me and I just hope I can get the Cat running again instead of turning it into a parts car.

Alec

Submitted by NE52-32043 on Mon, 09/27/2004 - 10:51

Alex,

It doesn't sound like the starter. It sounds like the battery to me. Have you tried jumping it from another car? Or pull the battery and have it tested. I bet you'll find that it is weak. It's a big engine and needs a lot of juice to turn it over.

If it really is the starter, the best thing is to just have it rebuilt. Or you can pick up a rebuilt starter from some of the usual suspects like Coventry West, Terry's Jaguar, Welsh Enterprises, etc. (usually with a core exchange). There may be a modern high torque starter conversion available as well. It did that with my old '72 E-type V-12 and it made a big difference in starting.

Before you go to the expense of a new starter, I'd have the battery checked. Don't trust the fact that it appeared to take a charge from you home charger. It's worth a trip to Sears or another similar store that carries good quality batteries to have it tested. Buy the best battery you can since you are not driving the car often and want it to hold up.

Regards,
Steve

p.s. Make sure that you get a battery with the right kind of vent and vent it properly, or get a sealed battery. Check your owner's manual.

Submitted by north_sider_@h… on Fri, 09/24/2004 - 18:08

Thanks Steve, One other thing I had some questions on. I got it to actually take a charge and try to turn over but know when it does it just does the revolutions very slowly and dosnt fire. Just turn the key and it turns over slow for about 3 or 4 seconds and than quits. Im thinking Starter any other ideas and if it is the starter wheres the best place to go for one?

Alec

Submitted by NE52-32043 on Tue, 09/07/2004 - 14:34

Alec,

Did you charge the battery before you tried to start it? That "click, click, click" is characteristic of a low battery. Normally, when you store a car like this, you should disconnect the battery. It's also a good idea to keep a "trickle charger" connected to the battery to keep it topped up.

Try charging the battery and then give it a try again. I'd suggest disconnecting the battery to charge it fully (make sure you have the code for the radio, otherwise you'll have a problem). Assuming the battery is okay, it should start the car once it is fully charged.

BTW, with my former XJS (an '89 Coupe), when the battery got low and I got the clicking, I found that I had to disconnect the battery in order to get the solenoid to reset/release. I installed one of those twist knob battery cut-offs in the boot so I could turn the battery off when the car was not being used for a long time.

When you put the car away, did you add stabilizer to the gas tank? Over an extended period of time (a few months to a year or so, depending on the gas), it will tend to break down and form varnish in the system. This can clog up the fuel system, injectors, etc. If you didn't add gas stabilizer, once you get it running, get fresh gas into it soon.

Steve Weinstein, JTC-NJ
'70 XKE FHC
'69 XKE OTS
'84 Ferrari Mondial QV