smart51
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 08:48 AM |
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My mate's Jag
A friend of mine has an XK8 with an engine problem. He drove home one Friday in September (!) and all was well. The following Monday it
wouldn't start. It turned over but wouldn't fire. No coughing or spluttering, nothing. He tried all sorts of things following advice
from internet forums but nothing would make it fire. He checked the spark, It had proper fuel pressure. The electrics were all good etc. etc.
Anyway, this week he took his wallet out of the safe and took the car to a garrage. It now runs beautifully. They said all they did was pour oil
down the spark plug holes, refit the plugs, turn it over, refit the fuel relay and try to start it. Then repeat for 5 hours (!!) each time it
spluttered a bit more until finally it would start first time, every time. He can't believe that's all they did. I can't see the
mechanism by which this would work. How could doing this make it work?
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Davegtst
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 08:56 AM |
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Because it was flooded. Did he start it then switch it off very soon after? It's quite common for big engined jags to flood if they
aren't warmed up before being switched off. Easiest way to get them to start is remove the engine cover and disconect the injectors then crank
it to get the fuel out (you may need to do this a few times). Reconect the injectors and start it up.
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smart51
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 09:12 AM |
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He's aware of the V8 flooding problem. If you crank them with the throttle fully open, they don't inject fuel. This is the reccomended
method of clearing a flooded engine. Also, he tells me, he never starts the engine without letting it warm up properly before switching it off, even
if he's just putting it into the garrage.
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 09:23 AM |
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I was always told the cure for a flooded Jag V8 was to remove plugs, turn over for 20 seconds with wot, refit plugs and go.
My sisters yaris had similar symptoms a few weeks ago and the only way i got it started was with easistart. Gave it a squirt and it was spluttering a
bit but wouldn't start. Each time i repeated this it was a bit better until it started.
[Edited on 5-1-12 by speedyxjs]
How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?
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the constant builder
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 02:31 PM |
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What year is the car, pre 2000? If so it might be a nikasil issue, but hopefully not.
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smart51
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 02:35 PM |
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It has a Nicalsil engine. A problem with that would be bad. It passed its MOT today so he's a happy boy, even though he doesn't believe
the oil in the bores explanation of how it was fixed.
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Minicooper
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 04:06 PM |
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I've had several xk8, and have seen this procedure done on my drive by the RAC man, the oil restores the compression so it will start, the
flooded engine washes away the oil which seals the pistons
Cheers
David
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 07:58 PM |
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Oil wrecks the cat though (no problem if it doesn't have one)
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Minicooper
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 08:32 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Oil wrecks the cat though (no problem if it doesn't have one)
It's just a couple of drops in each cylinder, either way it worked and it didn't need a cat
Cheers
David
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smart51
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 09:39 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Minicooper
quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Oil wrecks the cat though (no problem if it doesn't have one)
It's just a couple of drops in each cylinder, either way it worked and it didn't need a cat
Cheers
David
I was concerned about the cat. The guy was putting 7ml in each bore each time. 56ml per time for 5 hours could get rid of a bottle of the stuff
quite easily. It passed its MOT, which is nice, but I wouldn't want to guarantee the life of the cat. Or the spark plug hole threads.
What will have happened then? Bore wash taken all the oil off the liners? Does it really need that much oil to seal?
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Minicooper
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 09:57 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by smart51
I was concerned about the cat. The guy was putting 7ml in each bore each time. 56ml per time for 5 hours could get rid of a bottle of the stuff
quite easily. It passed its MOT, which is nice, but I wouldn't want to guarantee the life of the cat. Or the spark plug hole threads.
What will have happened then? Bore wash taken all the oil off the liners? Does it really need that much oil to seal?
That's how it was explained to me, I had the car for several years after the event and it never did it again, also no longer term problems with
the cat. Although my car just needed a couple of drops after which it started straight away after a splutter and a cough
Cheers
David
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mark chandler
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| posted on 5/1/12 at 11:42 PM |
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Mine did that a couple of times, if its fails to start immediately you are in trouble as they flood so easily, as above they have flood start mode,
i.e full throttle when cranking = no fuel injected so once its stalled leave for a couple of minutes to settle down, foot flat on the throttle and
crank, this usually works.
Still failing then its dig out the plugs, a few drops of oil into each bore and it will fire.
Mine had the original engine, this is not a reason to condem it as the sulpher that erroded the bores is long gone now from petrol, if it had not
suffered from this 10 years ago then do not worry.
While about it invest in some nice new plugs at the same time 
I found the best way to start was not to touch the throttle BTW, just ignition on, pause for a few seconds to allow the idle control to set itself
then turn the key, once running a couple of blips and off you go.
Regards Mark
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