Dakota here. New to the forum. Have a 2006 XJ8 and was searching the web for help to a problem I am having with the car. Attempted to start the car Sunday morning. Turned the key, starter engaged and the engine turned over a few times as normal in the starting process. Then everything stopped. Turned the key again, starter engaged but no joy. Talked to the VA Bch Jag dealer today. Sounds like starter, but noticed engine is turning over freely. After reading a few threads, sounds more like timing chain. Any ideas?? Thanks

 

Timing chain would be an extremely rare occasion on an 06 4.2. There could be a number of reasons for a crank/no start on this car, the simplest of which is a faulty/intermittent CP sensor. Even then, these MYs are not known for it. It could also be a bad fuel pump, dirty injectors, CAN intermittent failure, wiring issue (break open/short)...on and on. It really has to be seen for the guessing to stop.

 

Thanks for the response. Have it scheduled to go to the shop tomorrow. Will let you know what they say.

 

Wait, the 4.2 has no timing belt? SWEET!

 

No Jaguar engines have timing belts. Jaguars use timing chains as far back as I can remember which is late 70s.

 

Thanks steve11...your first post steered me away from timing and starter. Gave the car a few long hard cranks and it fired up. So not sure why it wouldn't go before, but a least I don't have to pay those dealer shop fees!!! Might have been the sittin for a few days with chilly weather or the low fuel/dirty fuel, who knows. My baby is back on the road. Thanks

 

I had this happen to mine.
tried it again the next day and it started right up.
Been 3 years now and it has not re-occurred.
somehow I think my ECM got confused and locked up.

 

Sometimes if you cold start the car move it a short distance, say to let someone out of a driveway, shut it down then restart a short time later you can get a flooded contition that washes down the cylinder walls. If it cranks like there is no compression then that is most likely the cause. Something to think about with the onset of winter. George

 

Not true for this engine.

You're describing an isolated problem with the AJ26 engine that was produced from 96 to 99. Cylinder wash in that engine occurred because of a bad ECU cold start fuel trim algorithm. This was corrected in the AJ27, AJ28, Etc to date.

 

You must have a rotary XJ!

 

Please explain. George