I have a 98 XJ8....

I've read the forums on the fuel pump issues and replacement procedures but before I take on replacement of the fuel pump, I wanted to ask the experts if there is anything else I should try.

Done the basic stuff...
Checked fuel rail pressure - 0 PSI.

No noise coming from tank when key 1st turned (disconnected cd changer to avoid confusion)

Swapped relays around,shorted relay, checked fuse and verified current was running through the relay.

This has happened intermittantly in the past but seemed to resolve itself when I changed the fuel filter (done it twice so far in a year). Probably a coindience....

Any other advice for confirming the issue before I take the fuel tank out?

Is there a fuel pressure regulator that could cause a problem?

Thanks!!!

 

Try tapping on the fuel tank with your fist or a rubber hammer while someone cranks up the engine. If it is the fuel pump, 50% of the time the engine starts when you do the tapping on the tank and you'll know it needs replaced.
Good luck!

 

I'll give that a try... I have tried rocking the car side to side pretty violently to see if that would do anything - it didn't.

 

Try tapping hard but don't brake the tank and have a second person do the cranking while you hit the tank.

 

I've done the tapping the tank thing on my old Chevy, not on the Jag. You won't break the tank here, its solid metal, but if you don't hear the pump come on when you turn the key to the number 2 position, its probably either the pump or the link lead (wire from the pump that gives it power, its also inside the tank).

I just replaced my pump on my 99 this week, as well as the link lead. I think my pump was probably still good, the wire was in bad shape, but I didn't feel like taking the tank out a 2nd time so I did them both. The original link leads go bad on these cars for some reason, I think if the pump is on its way out the lead gets to hot and thats what does it in, so replacing both just made sense to me. $100 for the pump at advanced, and $140 for the link lead at the dealer ($170, he gave it to me whole sale).

Easy way to test if the pump comes on, disconnect the neg on the battery, put the key in the 2nd position, back to the trunk and reconnect battery. You should hear the pump come on right away and then shut off.

If you do replace the pump, or anything in the tank, be careful taking it out. I accidentally disconnected the line from the tank to the fuel filter cause I pulled it out too far. Not knowing, I turned on the car and pumped fuel all over the ground with the new pump.

Anyway, I reconnected everything, got it all together, new pump and lead work, but still not starting. I'm wondering if there is a auto-fuel-shut-off? I looked all over ofr a switch to no avail. I did have a 'safetyfail' message on the dash after installing the new pump, don't know what it means and I tried resetting the computer but all that did was erase the message, car still won't start. I'm hoping someone here can point me to the next step. Hope some of that info helps you too.

 

Oh BTW, the thing on top of the tank that you may think is the pump is just the evaporator flange. The pump is completely separate and bolted to the bottom of the tank on the inside. Careful not to break the evaporator flange (cheap plastic), the dealer sells them for $220 and you can't get them anywhere else.
I found this great video on youtube after I did my job, but I'm sure you will benefit from it:

YouTube - 98 Jaguar XJR Fuel Pump Repair

 

It's more than likely it is a bad pump, that does happen on those cars. The reason it ran better with the new fuel filter is because jaguar fuel filters are pretty good, there's yet to be one I have taken off that gas didn't come out of it black or brown. With the new filter the pump didn't have to struggle as much to push fuel through the dirty filter. if you need any advise on how to change it feel free to ask. Hardest part will be pulling the lines from the back of the tank(accessed from the under side of the car)

 

Yeah, I think I know what I am in for regarding removing the stupid fuel lines from the bottom of the tank.

I am just wondering how the Jag regulates fuel pressure. My train of thought here is what if the Jag thinks the fuel line is fully pressurized to X psi and is not running the fuel pump because of it.

Of course, I guess it wouldn't be trying to flip the relay on if that was the case... just thinking aloud :-)

 

Oh, yeah, watched that video a couple of times already but what I really wanted to see in there was disconnecting the fuel lines from the tank - complete with expletives and curses upon Jaguar/British engineering :-).

Where is the plastic flange? It is right on the top? Since I don't have the $1000 special tool , I plan to use the old screwdriver and hammer trick to get it off.... What should I watch out for?

 

It's actually a quick disconnect fitting. You can pick a set up from an autostore for like $10. The hardest part is pushing them in all the way to get it tO release the line. I use a pry bar and push the fitting in if I can't push it in by hand. As to it location, when your under the car stand right behind the diff, look up towards the trunk at about a 60 degree angle. You see the two lines entering the tank, if you cant find them. Locate your fuel filter and trace it back to the tank, it will lead you right to them

 

It is possible to change the pump without disconnecting the lines, you just have to be real careful. The easiest thing to do is disconnect the line that feeds into the fuel filter from the fuel filter and leave it connected to the tank. This gives you as much room as you could possibly need to change the pump with the tank in the trunk. I can't believe nobody has thought of that. I figured it out by accidentally pulling the hose from the back of my tank. At that point I had no choice but to disconnect from the fuel filter, but it was a piece of cake from there.

 

What is this link lead? It's got to be one swell piece of wire for that price.

 

The link lead is the wire inside the tank that gives power to the fuel pump (actually two wires, with what looks to be a sealed inline fuse). Cars with 2 fuel pump have 2 link leads. Believe me I did not expect it to cost so much either, but rigging things in the gas tank ain't such a great idea either.

 

I'm not sure if I follow this... If disconnect the fuel filter line that would take care of one of the lines going into the tank but don't I risk pulling the other one out?

Looks like I am going to have to move the fuel tank around before disconnecting the lines anyways as I cannot get my siphon hose down into the tank from the fuel port. Going to try and move the tank a little and take the evap flange off so I can siphon all of the gas out.

Guess there is a some sort of anti gas theft thing down in there?

 

A couple answers-
The mechanical fuel regulator regulates the pressure. It does not stop the pump. However, the pump has a sequence on startup. You should hear it immediately after turning the key to the second position. The thing in the fuel filler is not anti-theft. It is left from the days of leaded and unleaded fuel. It prevents a leaded pump nozzle from entering.
I found that with my big hands, i needed a tool made from a piece of pipe, with a slot made by slitting it lengthwise to push the quick disconnects in. I also found that lowering the entire rear end assembly - about 6 bolts- (scary but really pretty quick was worth the effort). resilts from others vary, I am sure! Good luck.

 

Thanks...
I wasn't referring to the little flapper valve or the size of the fuel port, it is just when I tried sticking my siphon hose down there in there it would go so far then stop... Couldn't seem to get it past the part where the filler neck is welded to the tank.

I regret wasting time on this approach though... Taking the evap flange off, pull it up a little (while the tank is still in the car) and running my siphon hose down through that big hole is only way to fly... Sucked the tank nearly dry (and manged to top off my other 2 cars :-) ).

Now for the unpleasantness... getting those stupid lines of the tank. I am interested in a previous posters suggestion to just disconnect the fuel filter line but I am worried about damaging the other line that is still "fixed" relative to the tank.

 

JTIS tells me this...

"The IFS switch is located in the right-hand side footwell behind the footboard carpet. When activated the switch isolates the ignition system and fuel pump, releases any locked doors and disables unnecessary electrical systems. The system can be reset by pressing down the flexible cover on the top of the switch."

 

The reason I say you can just disconnect the fuel filter line from the fuel filter is because the other line is much longer and doesn't quite bend around like the fuel filter line does (more slack). If you angle the left side of the tank out and leave with the fuel line disconnected (leaving the right side mostly in) you should have plenty of room to get your hand inside the tank and remove the fuel pump (one bolt and one hose connection).

 

I'll look around my floorboards for an IFS switch, at this point anythings worth a shot. Someone else told me it may be that I need to do a cylinder wash, tried that (hopefully correctly), but so far nothing. Maybe I just need to let it sit for a few more days, but realistically when does that ever work? They sit, we wait in hope, in the end its usually waisted time (in contrast to doing something wrong and fastly screwing it up I guess). Good luck with your pump, if any other questions I can help with let me know. I check back periodially.

 

I have tried this today, my forearms are too big to disconnect the lines.

Basically, with the fuel filter line disconnected I can swing out the left side of the tank more than right side but not even close to get the evap flange off such that I can get access to the inside of the tank. Basically I can get the tank just to the "ledge" of the spare tire well - but not on top of the spare where I need it to be. I am afriad to pull any harder since if I damage the ports on the fuel tank, that is probably going to be an expensive mistake.