Hi Everyone !

I regularly read this forum for some time now, but only just registered. When more time in hand, i will proper introduce myself on the New Member section.
After reading all the posts mentioned in Gentlemen - (No) Start your engines, i could not find a problem similar to mine:

4 years since i bought the car - no major problem whatsoever ( regular yearly maintenance + suspension rebuilt + starter rebuilt + cosmetics etc..). The car is well looked after, sits in a garage. I barely drove 6000 miles, mostly weekend car. No rain over it, so weak chances of water hitting the ECU.

The problem: 2 weeks ago the car cranked fine but would`t start. It`s not the parking micro switch (changed), not an immobilizer alarm problem, not a battery problem. I tried several times, moved the gear lever, disconnected the battery, closed/opened the car, nothing worked. After reading the forum i figured out it is the CKPS. (so i ordered one Lucas OEM part from Britain) - 2 weeks delivery time.
The next day i tried again just for fun and the car fired up instantly and ran perfectly ( 10 min engine running ) before i turned it off. Until the Crank Sensor arrived ( yesterday ) the car stayed in the garage ( 2 weeks ). Received the new Crank Sensor, fitted it myself, fired up the car perfectly. 5 min run to the petrol station, stopped the engine, filled up, car started perfectly and i was very happy with the quick fix.
........then, surprise, after a 20 min drive i arrived at my destination, stopped the car, then after about 2 hours i tried to start it - surprise - the car would`t start. (same crank but no fire).
Left the car over the night, got back in the morning, the car fired up perfectly, got it back home, left it about 1 hour, still no start. ( same crank no fire).

I`m a loss, i would really appreciate any advice on what to do next, what to check... Where i live the are no Jag specialists, so any help would be most welcome.

Thank you!

Alex.

 

A quick thought.

In the RH under bonnet fuse box, is a Blue relay. One of many Ignition relays on the X300.

This one supplies the 12v TO the Crank Sensor Red wire. Mine got hissy, and intermitant, so a new relay, still fine today.

Since you got NO fire at the moment, check that wire with the Ign ON. Should have 12v (or close). Sometimes simply removing and reseating these relays can re-contact them, sometimes not.

Next is a dying fuel pump.

OH, and welcome to the Forum, catch ya in the New Members Area when ya get there.

 

Thank you for your quick answer.
I did what you told me and it worked for now.
I tried to start it, it would not fire, then i jiggled the relay from the RH bonnet fuse box and it fired just fine. I did not check it for voltage since i do not have the proper equipment, but these days i will go down to the local electrician and ask him to check it and probably replace it with a new one.

I will get back to you after that.

Have a nice day!

 

Sadly, it seems like the relay was not the issue.

Today I started the car, took it for a 20 min ride and then i stopped it. After about 5 minute i tried to start it, first time it cranked but no fire ( but after a couple of cranks it looked like it was about to start ), second time it fired right up. I arrived at my destination, stopped the car and after about 20 minutes I tried to start it but no luck. I have tried several times but nothing - just cranking but no start ( not even the slight impression it wants to start ). The battery is fine, it was charged for like 2 days... So I left I there, took a cab to work and I am positive that in the evening it will start right up.

Do you think it is the fuel pump? What is the easiest way to check it?

Thank you!

 

Bugga.

Couple of simple checks that I have used on mine, when it got the hissy's.

1) Whilst cranking, is the tacho giving any reading, or flat out at zero. This should read about 200rpm, and a no read is pointing at the CAS big time, but not 100%.
2) The Cam Angle Sensor, the whizzy thing where a distributor lived in another life, may be out of time. The Engine Management system will eventually sort out the sequence with constant, no stop, cranking, but fogets all that once the Ign is turned off. NOT a common failure item, but many I have looked at over the years are timed incorrectly.
3) Fuel pressure, OK, lots of ways. Simplistic way, crank the engine, just a short burst will do, then CAREFULLY, and I mean CAREFULLY crack the dual nut fuel line fitting at the rear of the rail, and if you get a spurt of fuel, then ya got pressure. No spurt, no fuel, so plan B kicks in. Lots of common sense here PLEASE, and a rag tucked under that fitting to absorb the fuel. You are NOT undoing that nut, just CRACKING the seal.
4) The vertical connector of the CAS, attached to the timing cover, gets FULL of crap, and connectivity with the CAS is lost. Unplug it, that will be a fun exercise, and clean it real good.

That will sort some issues I reckon.

 

Grant, you refer to the CAS and cam angle sensor as two different things. Do you mean what we call CKPS up here when you refer to CAS?

 

YEP.

Aussie CAS is Crank Angle Sensor from the OLD days, then they bought in Cam Angle Sensors, bugga, and our lingo is still catching up, drinks come first, as you all know.

I will have to adopt???? the USA acro, now that will upset the brain.

NAH, maybe stop the acro, and just call it what it is, OOPS, that humungus decision deserves another drink, NO??.

 

Grant, thank you for your quick answers.

1. Whilst cranking, the tacho reads about 200 rpm. ( the CKPS is brand new )
2. The Cam Angle Sensor - I suspect this may be causing the problem. How can I test this to see if it runs properly? If it does not run will it need replacement with a new part?
3. I have lots of fuel coming in

It s so strange that after about 10-12 hours it fires right up, like nothing happened. If I stop the engine, it would not fire until after another 10-12 hours approximately.

Thank you!

 

OK, there is a test precedure, and I have read it somewhere.

I will go wading thru all my stash and reply when I find it.

Someone else may reply quicker.

 

Strangest thing. I visited the local electrician yesterday, told him about the Cam Angle Sensor. He checked if with the ignition on, the sensor receives the proper voltage (around 12 V if I am not mistaking). He said the sensor works just fine and he just reconnected the connector back on, did nothing else. Yesterday, all day, the car fired up after about 1-2 seconds of cranking. ( about 10-15 times during the day), so....it seems that for now the problem is solved ( although it does not fire immediately, it need 1-2 seconds of cranking). I will ride the car today, tomorrow and let you know how it`s performing.

Have a nice day!

 

SWEET.

Sometimes unplugging and replugging fixes so many ailments.

I reckon that now the Cam Angle Sensor needs to retimed, it sounds like it is out a small amount.

Have a read of what I wrote years ago, might help you a tad.

Setting the Cam Angle Sensor on an AJ16 engine.doc

 

Hello again.

Just wanted to post the solution to my problem.

After lots of month of staring at the car in the garage, I hope i found the real problem - and that is replacing the Cam Angle Sensor with a scrap one.
For the moment it starts fine - both hot and cold - hope I don`t encounter problems of this type anymore.

For the record, prior to the Cam Angle Sensor I have replaced the following:

- Crank Angle Sensor (new)
- Battery (new)
- Injector Relay (new)
- Temperature Sensor (new)
- Gearbox selector microswitch (new)
- Fuel Pressure Regulator Valve (sh)
- Cleaned the injectors
- Checked all grounding points
- Checked various relays
- Cracked open the ECU to check for faults (looked like new)
- Spark plugs
- Various checks for air and spark and fuel pressure...

Also due to prior high idle problem I have replaced the Throttle Body Assembly (with TPS and IACV) with one bought from ebay. Unfortunately the idle is still high, varying from 1100 - 1800 rpm.
Does anyone know if it is necessary to do some calibration of the IACV? Or just plug&play? Also, the calibration can be performed by a specialist shop or strictly the dealer? What kind of software is needed? (so I know where to search)

Thank you and hope my experience will help someone