Latest:

NO ERROR LIGHTS BUT:

Oil seemed like over max but I think thats just a streak on the dipstick... its consistant and dark at min mark and below . Coolant disappearing.

Wanted to also mention coolant is leaking but VISIBLY, ie, its not just disappearing without a trace. I see it around thermostat housing and on top of the engine. I'm not convinced it's leaking into oil. It's also leaked onto the ground before after refill.

I'm thinking it's a thermostat clog or something. The idle is ok and runs ok. Like I've said I had a coolant leak that predated the no start etc which may have very well caused overhead that blew gasket but I think maybe it's cooling system vs head gasket...no other head gasket signs other than overheat but that has been attributed to stuck thermostat on these forums. Exhaust is totally fine.

EDIT AFTER LETTING IT REST for 30 min after 30min drive (still hot): Oil at 'min' like before and dark (but not black dark). Googled coolant in oil and my oil nowhere near that light. It just looks light above the 'min' mark on dipstick where theres some oil but nowhere near at the concentration as at the min mark and below on the dipstick -- feel thats the true level.

Exhaust is 100% normal, NO smoke of any kind and exhaust isn't visible. At least it's that way at startup and idle just now.

So I either have a blown head gasket or intake gasket? Or Could it still be a stuck thermostat + coolant leak elsewhere causing overheating?

I paid $2900 for the car, is it basically scrap at this point? I've heard fixing this will run in that price range I paid for the car. Please someone give me some good news, I feel absolutely terrible right now. The knock sensor circuit malfunction code is maybe hinting at bad heads?


edit



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Went to Walmart to get a new battery after getting another jump this morning.

They tested the battery and said it's good! What?!

Then stopped by Pep Boys for an OBDII readout:

P0335 - CKP Sensor A Circuit Malfunction

Somehow I think this is all coolant leak related. Check engine light came off after ODB test and has stayed off, but "check rear lights" still comes on.

edit:

did some digging on the forums and it seems this sensor connector can and does break due to it's location under the car. I've hit a few potholes this winter so I very well may have smashed it or something! Or it's dirty? That would explain the battery drain.

Tomorrow off to the mechanic.

UPDATE BELOW

I've combed through the previous threads but nothing matches what I seem to have!

The 2000 xj8L will not crank or turn over, just one 'click' from the engine area when I turn the key, which it won't let me all the way.

Electronics all work (radio etc), I get the following messages:

-Restricted performance
-trac not available
-asc not available

I bought it just 3 months ago, 140k miles.

Possible issues:
-intermittent Low coolant light, coolant would slowly leak, I'd fill it back. This time there was some spilled on the engine block, but reservoir was not empty. Engine never ran hot according to gauge.

There isn't coolant in the oil

-Checked oil, it's right at min', but not leaking
-Car has low gas, shows 10 mile range.
-VERY cold out -- I'm in Southeastern PA.

--------------------------------
EDIT WITH THE LATEST AFTER JUMPSTART:

Ok, so had jump start service come out...


The thing would just not turn over at first! We charged it for a while even with the jumper cables (- attached to trunk latch).

Guy thought it was the starter, but eventually after pumping the gas pedal and trying to start it, it turned over and started.

Exhaust was very dense at first, like there was water condensate or something -- was not dark, but steamy sort of.

Right now it starts just a tiny tad bit little rougher than I remember, though it does start.

I now have the "engine" symbol on the dash...ie, 'CHECK ENGINE'.

Not getting any messages on dash though.

Aluminum thermostat housing seems to have moisture around it, like an o-ring is bad or something. Previous owner had it put on 1 yr ago.

Seems like moisture was the culprit? But why a 'Check engine' for the battery or moisture issue?

Took it to get some gas, drove OK there and back.

The engine cooling fans that usually come on after it's parked and off didn't come on though.

UPDATE #2, RESULTS OF STARTS + RUNNING HOT

Tried to start the car a couple of times just to see if the rougher start would go away, here are the results:

1) Check engine light gone, starts but a tad rougher than before

2) engine light still gone, starts. Headlights are brighter when I rev engine. Weird?

3) Trac not available comes on, starts

4) Would not start! just a 'click' like yesterday no cranking even.

5) weak start -"CHECK REAR LIGHTS"

6) regular start but rougher than usual


WEIRD! Slight cabin vibration as well.

Engine is running HOT I think! Heats up faster and cools slower than I remember. Engine fans NOT coming on after turned off! Thinking the thermostat may be sticking...the leaked coolant gets very "gummy"...thick and gloopy. Seemed to have caused overheating issues for other members.

WHAT is going on?

 

I should add that I've gotten intermittent "check rear lights" messages when it's especially cold and occasional "restricted performance" that flashed for a second but had no impact.

 

Welcome to the forum, PoorJag, please visit the new member area and introduce yourself:

New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

You are having too many problems at once, so lets slow down. First is non start, which may be a failing battery. These cars are very voltage sensitive. You need to have it load tested by your nearby auto parts store. If it's good, there are several connections to both the pos. and neg. that could be faulty, the weather is not helping there.
The leak is very important. Try and borrow a pressure tester from a parts store or visit a shop, not a Jag dealer. The temp. gauge is useless, it reads mid scale until it's too late to save the engine very often, and overheating is super serious with the Jags.

 

Oh, and why don't you have much fuel in the tank. And put some oil in. A little over the mark is safe.

 

To conclude, you are on the verge of owning a scrap heap if you don't start paying attention to maintenance. Jags are not extremely expensive to own if properly maintained, but they are demanding.

 

RJ, thanks for responding!

I'm embarrassed about the fuel issue, I had half a tank but took an unexpected drive and didn't get home till late...didn't want to get out of the car in freezing temps and a gas station wasn't on the way. The 14.1MPG didn't help.

Previous owner said the battery is 1-2 years old. When I would drive in snow and get stuck, the headlights would dim as I stepped on the gas. Don't know if that indicates anything.


So you don't think it's the computer preventing it from starting? I was thinking of doing a hard reset but don't know if that's wise. I'm having AAA tow the car tomorrow so maybe they can test the battery or see if I jump would fix anything.

You are right about the temp gauge -- it never rises about roughly 48%.

My worst fear right now is a cracked engine block but no oil leaking so I hope that's not it.

Tried to started it 8-10 times and once with my foot on the break I got a "Pxxxxx T" (forget the word now) message...I googled it when I still remembered the world and it's says it's a possible transmission control module failure. It flashed for like half a second and only appeared once and did not reappear on subsequent attempts.

 

I am a stickler when it comes to maintaining everything usually. With the coolant leak, previous owner was supposed to take me to his mechanic so he would look at it (he put news hoses and aluminium thermostat on) but put me off a couple of times.

He said oil was very recently changed so I was surprised to see min. I have 0w-30 ready to go and only use 93 Oct. gas.

 

All the fault messages you are getting are an indication of a weak battery. It's possible the alternator is not charging properly or the belt is slipping.

A hard reset will not hurt anything, but you may lose some fault codes. Try to avoid jump starting. People have reported damage to modules by improper procedure, which is detailed in the owners manual. Charging the battery is much safer.

Tomorrow may be a better day, come back and let us know how you are doing.

 

RJ,

I've introduced myself as per your advice and will be making the following contributions to the forum in the next month or so:

A video of how to re-upholster a sagging headliner (costs $25 instead of $200+ at a shop, plus only take 2-3 hours)

+ will be making a detailed post of how to restore drying leather seats.


Thank you for your help thus far! I was almost in tears!

 

I'm hoping it just miraculously goes away tomorrow. If not, fingers crossed that AAA charging the battery will do the trick. I'm just surprised the radio, etc. works but it won't even let me turn the key beyond a point!

 

These cars do some very strange things when the battery is not fully charged. Put a trickle charger on it for a few days, or get a fresh good battery before worrying about it any further.

Without having a fully charged battery there is no point guessing about anything further.

And put some good gas in it too

We will help you through this

Welcome to the forum

 

Feeling better already!

Thanks guys!

-Marty

 

That's a bit harsh ........

............. but very true.

Time after time we see newbies having to pick up on PO's neglect or just ignorance about running a Jaguar.

Fortunately it usually doesn't turn out to be too expensive to put things right and end up with a vehicle that's a real pleasure to own and drive.

Graham

 

On this forum, the "weak battery" diagnosis is thrown about for many problems that could not possibly be related to that diagnosis. HOWEVER, in your case, either a weak battery or a bad battery wire connection is absolutely the best first thing to look for.

Whether you use a jump cable, or you charge the battery, be extremely sure you have the polarity connected right. The negative wire is the one that connects directly to the chassis, right at the battery box. I always look for that, every time I mess with the battery, even though I have owned four of these cars.

 

edit in 1st post

 

I'll let the more experienced and knowledgeable people comment on the main body of your post, BUT, if you turn the A/C on, the fans should come on.

You must get a code reader.

 

May have just never noticed this before, but I heard fans (or at least airflow) near the wipers (on the exterior, where I think the cabin air filter is) working to the degree the a/c was (ie, air inside was on high, airflow was louder outside there) . I can't remember noticing that before.

I mean the fan/s at the grill are not running like before.

Hope the car turns on tomorrow...will be going to mech tomorrow or monday...

 

The original RP was likely the result of water getting into the knock sensor connectors mounted there near the thermostat tower or the knock sensors themselves as a resut of the coolant leak. That is a common failure for older knock sensors. It probably was unrelated to the no start.

The lights changing brightness and the various fault messages (as RJ237 said) are still indicarors of a bad, or weak battery or a poor electrical connection at the battery grounding point, the engine ground, or one of the "false bulkheads". Check archives. No amount of charging will fix a bad battery, only a discharged one.

Now, without tying to be an alarmist, your rough idle might be something simple, like a bad coil or plug, or it might be a result of your overheat. I think you originally said the car got so hot, it quit running. If that happened, you may very well have a bad head gasket now. that would explane what looked like vapour when it started, and it could explain the hard cranking.

As Water Dragon said, you really need to get the OBD codes read, and go from there.

 

You may have mixed coolants, the green and the orange don't mix and will coagulate, or however you spell it, it will thicken up and cause overheating, etc. Also, the fans must run with the AC on, or when the engine heats up, if they don't, you will overheat (I can tell you from experience). Sparkenzap and WaterDragon are right, you need and OBD reader for the codes. They don't just disappear. You should get the coolant checked for exhaust gases to rule out a head gasket leak. You should also go over the grounds and power posts scrupulously (another big word). These and a weak battery will cause all kinds of weird things to happen.

 

DID NOT START THIS MORNING! No cranking, nothing! just a click.

The check engine, oil (no oil leaks..I think), and most importantly (as it had never displayed it before) BATTERY lights stay on, along with the restricted performance message.

Will be heading over to mechanic tomorrow after another jump. Almost sure the coolant leak is somehow at the root of all this.

Btw, Idle was OK, just the start that was rough. Car ran perfectly fine the morning before it originally wouldn't start, it didn't fail due to overhead.

I was worried about it being a head gasket issue but don't really see the usual things you would when you get that.

Coolant types not mixed.

Edit: prev. owner now says battery is 4 years old...smh...magically aged 2 years! So off to get a new battery after getting a jump tomorrow, and then to the mechanic for the coolant leak issue.