Hello I have a 1999 VDP with 95000 original miles I had the car approximately two years after about a year-and-a-half and I started experiencing chain tensioner problems and overheating I was quoted as saying prices by the dealer and Mom and Pop shops so I decided to do it myself. Everything took a while but I did everything right and replaced all the time you change the timing chain tensioners primary and secondary head gaskets got Heads resurfaced new thermostat thermostat housing alternator starter water pump housing various other things and just really read it everthing time the motor correctly lock down the flywheel I have the Jaguar manual that I got from this for him when I was an unofficial member everything I did according to the book. The entire project because I haven't done it before and I did it through work and throughout the seasons outside as I do not have the garage took me months I just finished it this past week and when I try to turn over the car it will not start it cranks and cranks and will not turn over I have a brand new battery and fuel pump is coming on so it's not that issue I do believe the car is flooded as I took out the plugs and they smell of gas very strongly there's no oil down there at all I took another members advice and took the spark plugs out check them for support they were all fine but a teaspoon of oil down in spark plug well put it back on and tried to crank it back over again with my foot down on the gas and I still will not turn over. I don't know what else to try and do the battery is charged the spark plugs are fine there's oil in the well I'm getting compression but apparently not enough um I'm in the process of checking fuses car head was low on gas I'll put gas in it I don't know how else I don't know what else to do please I need help help help thank you

 

I'm responding mostly to be part of the conversation and to lend some moral support. My 2000 XJ8 was purring as it always had when I noticed a coolant leak. The heater hoses under the intake manifold had deteriorated and needed to be R&R. No problem. Not a difficult job really and had her back up and running fine in short order. Ran well for 2 days and then it stalled unexpectedly on start up. After repeated attempts to restart I felt the best course of action was to retrace my steps on the hoses and found everything was as it should be. I decided to pull my cam covers to take a peek at the tensioner and found them broken and fractured and although I didn't suspect this to be the reason it had stalled I determined now would be a good time to complete this job. So I gathered all the nessasary parts, i.e. ( chains, tensioners, guides, as well as water pump, and all new seal for timing cover, cam covers, throttle body and the like. Confident in the work I was discouraged when it didn't want to start. Sounded like a lack of compression so I proceeded with the spoonful of oil down each spark plug well. Compression came back and fired as if it wanted to start, but no bananas. New plugs, new coils, new battery, and 38lbs of fuel pressure when tested at the fuel rail. I'll be watching this post to see if the Calvary can help us as I continue my saga.

 

When you put the oil down the spark plug holes did you spin the engine over before you put the plugs back in ?

The idea of putting the oil in the bores is to get the oil to coat the bores, thus restoring the compression.

Have you double checked that all the sensors, wiring conections are all plugged in tightly ?

Is it showing any codes ?

 

Yes the motor has been turned over, i have checked all connections that I can manage to see, after I added the oil. It wants to start I can hear and feel it..but it just wont start. gas was low, i added 5 gallons, everything is new, starter alternatoe, battery, and ive been teying thia for thw past 2 days..each day I tale my battery out and charge it to 100% alll night. I live in an apartment so no garage or outlets...so i have the pleasure of carrying the giant thing up 3 flighta of stairs to charge it..fun..lol.

i have checked all fuses in back not in engine bay as of yet.

 

I do not have an OBD2 reader. So unfortunately I cant offer any information. there. I also apologize for all the mispellings and typos, i am using a speech to text software on my phone..and its not working well.

 

I should also note that I am getting error messages, failsafe mode, stability failure, traction etc...is this normal? car has sat with wiring harness and things pulled apart for the better part of 7 months.

 

I understand the reason for adding oil to the cylinders so yes I spun it before refitting plugs and trying to start.
Cell phone cameras make it pretty simple to document everything while diss assembly so nothing gets over looked. And all sensors and electrical connections were carefully scrutinized.
For some reason the OBDll reader I have isn't able to read this car and so I don't have any codes at this time to share.
Again it was running smoothly and then just stalled. Could something be preventing the coils from firing the plugs at the appropriate time?

 

Sorry to hear you are having the same issues, Its just driving me nuts. I repair and rebuild the entire motor practically..and this small issue of whatever it is is preventing me from enjoying my money spent and blood spilt. *sigh* Tried cranking it off and on all day, letting it rest inbetween of course, and nada..fully charged battery is pretty much drained.

Hauled it up 3 flights of stairs, and have it charging now until tomorrow..i will try thos whole process again. Hopefully we both can get some help here.

 

You have new fuel injectors? If so, try renting those code readers (OBDs) at Autozone, (after use get your money back). I am guessing here to help. I am doing a rebuild too with a niksil engine. I freak out not wanting to miss up this rebuild. Keep us updated

 

Assuming you have the same problem, we've had 2 cars towed in within the 5 years I've been working on these cars. Always from another shop that installed used engines. First thing I always checked were engine/trans codes. Secondly I would check the fuel gauge and if there was very little in the tank, I'd check the gas cap area for a clogged drain and see if rain water made its way (saw this multiple times) into the tank and cause a no start. Third on the list is check the engine ground strap. Fourth, would be the engine wiring harness gang plug on the firewall. This is where the 2 times in 5 years comes in. All those pins in that gang plug have to be in perfect alignment when they join together. If not, they fold over and get crushed when the 2 halves get bolted together.

Hope this helps.