Thanks Dell.

I have 4 keys for this car. Some are new. They all cause the same symptoms.

I do see that they can “rebuild” the lock. I guess that will be my next step, but I will probably look around here in Houston first.

I don’t mind throwing parts at the car because I have no plans to get rid of it. But I would prefer to not have to do so, obviously. If the cylinder doesn’t do it, then it’s on to the instrument cluster, wiring, and so on I guess.

This unpleasant episode has reminded me that in my 1995 XJS (same type of tibbe key, no transponder) I was having a problem with the ignition thinking I had left the car in position 1 or 2 and draining my battery. I changed that ignition switch to no avail, and some whilte lithium silicone grease is what finally did the trick there no new tumbler needed, and still fine 6 years later. So I carefully put some of the same white lithium grease in my key for the X and see what happens. Being left handed maybe I wreck the ignitions cylinders with my non-dominant hand.

 

Hey Mark,
Seeing you have the column opened up and you have some spare keys, I am wondering if you can temporarily remove the security ring assembly from the lock barrel/ignition switch cluster, the goal being to have it still plugged in but physically away from the switch.
If so, then using one of your spare keys, operate the key barrel and switch as normal but have one of your fobs securely positioned with the re positioned security ring.
Hopefully that way you can isolate whether it is the switch/barrel causing your intermittent issues, or if you are having a security fob reading issue.

Simplest and fastest way to find an answer to any problem is to cut the possibilities in half each time.

 

Just a small clarification on this:

The tumbler engages a rod on the right side of the column, which engages the ignition switch on the left
side of the column. It does not engage the switch directly :

 

Seems like it’s definitely key-position related as the car will more often than not start if I pull the key away a little, but I will still try this tomorrow when I remove the tumbler for (hopefully) local servicing

 

Tried to remove the cylinder as in the video- no luck.

I was able to test that the key does in fact move the rod that in turn moves the ignition switch. So it certainly seems like the key is turning the cylinder correctly .

what was not consistent was the way the rod sprung a little further out when the key was interred and removed/…

My problem may be the rod inside the column not popping in and out properly. Now, that may be because the cylinder is somehow malfunctioning, but I don’t know until I can figure out how to get that cylinder out.

I may even buy another ignition switch to make sure I didn’t get a bad one out of the box

 

I know my question may be redundant but, with 4 keys, you have tried the others with the same results?

 

yes. All of them give them identical result

 

I noticed in that locksmith video even he has a little trouble initially in getting the "release" button(?), screw(?), whatever it is pushed in to let the cylinder loose. And btw he has a BUNCH of videos on locks stuff on YouTube, so he's pretty adept.

Again never having done this and not understanding in depth the precise mechanical engineering actions involved, just reading between the lines of your explanation. It sorta sounds like maybe there is a correlation of the "rod" moving towards or into the ignition switch female connection as the ignition key is turned from off to position 1 (& further)?
Could that in fact be a function of the tumblers/wafers in the ignition barrel forcing the rod to the left into the electric switch and that worn ones do not move the rod appropriately and decisively to the correct position/pressure?

Spitballing here!

Guess you could check that by taking the covers off again, hooking up a meter (continuity? Volts?) at the switch and rolling the key and seeing what the meter says at successful and failed starts.

 

I keep going back to the above video and that locksmith doesn't even think about or consider the ignition switch. He immediately says it's the tumblers, although that car is constant no start not intermittent.
Is the rod a component that can be lubricated? Can it hang up and stick?

 

well, I didn’t want to sound ungrateful for his video but tbh, he’s confused. The tumbler has nothing with what he calls a “communication” error. That’s the transponder receiver. So the “comm” has zero to do with a worn out or damaged tumbler. The tumbler is simply turning the rod that turns the switch. That’s it. There are no transponders or electronics inside.

 

Yeah, got that but my question I think is still valid and would like to know your observation in practice with having it apart.

 

I got ya.

yes I need to remove it and see how it actually works and what “wafer” exactly sets of the rod further out, if that is actually the case.

 

Well, the car died again. As I was slowing down somewhere. 4th time it dies the same way ….Sounds like a TPS failure as it happened in my AJ16 XJS conv and also my first 2004 X type.

I have the “later” throttle position sensor. Not the earlier ones.

Could a bad TPS be causing a no start condition too?

 

Bad TPS
dies = yes (fuel starvation)
won't start = yes (fuel starvation or less likely flooding or car thinks it's flooded like putting gas pedal all the way to the floor and no gas is let in)
Car bucks and shakes = yes ("seeking" correct fuel/air ratio) so much so it possibly causes motor mount and transmission mount damage.
Not letting car turnover = no
​​​​​​OKAY EDIT:
Found this =

What sensors can cause a car not to start?

A bad Crankshaft Position sensor is a common cause of no starts. The signal from this sensor goes to the PCM or ignition module that switches the ignition coil(s) on and off. If you have an RPM signal, a bad ignition module or PCM may not be switching the coil(s) on and off.

 

Thanks again.

Idk if the CPS will cause stalling at low speed and idle, but I am at that point as of today. Of course, no codes have emerged.

I think I am going to totally change gears here, and start focusing on the TPS, Throttle body and the wiring. Unless I have two separate problems, things are pointing in that direction now. As matter of fact the car would do it’s no start (again, no cranking, just dead silence), and I tapped the TPS with the metal shoe horn I carry in my car, et voila, it started normally after that.

Hopefully this is not another dead end

 

So, still leaning towards the TPS. I thought I would test by unplugging the TPS and see if the car starts, and it does. With an error code, but seems to start. I plugged it back in and got no response at all on one occasion.

 

In addition to not starting, the car is dying randomly upon slowing down more. Not pleasant. Sadly no codes whatsoever to point me in the right direction. When she does, it’s like a blackout. Everything resets. Wipers start operating on their own

The OEM TPS is expensive, so it’s not like throwing a 200 dollar starter or 50 dollar ignition switch. It’s 800 so it’s a more expensive experiment. They sell rebuilt ones for 300 and used ones, but why would I introduce another variable like that into the mix? Makes no sense to me.

 

I recall a member some years ago posted how he removed, cleaned, reinstalled and calibrated his glitchy tps.

 

I have the “later” TPS that looks like this eBay one:

 

So the crank sensor is a reasonable experiment.

Could a crank sensor cause “no crank” situation? I would not expect it to. But I have seen similar failure mode in the archives.


https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x-type-x400-14/engine-shuts-off-while-driving-214689/