Hello fellow Jaguar enthusiasts,

Well Ice7Burg44VDP has returned to the Jaguar forum for more EXPER5 ADVICE, COMMENTARY AND SHENANIGANS. Well, after a LOOONG courtship with my STILL NOT ROAD READY 2001 Jaguar Vanden Plas I have received news from my latest mechanic shop about the car. 1st he called today to tell me how the oil lipstick had a milky cream on it, I'm guessing it was from the condensation of the coolant from the car sitting up waiting to he repaired. This is something I had previously heard about. He warned it could be a blown head gasket and if so the engine was done. Then a few hours later he calls me back to tell me the engine was seized up and not turning inside the motor. Has this happened to anyone else, and is it common as an interference motor that something could be hitting against something else, causing the engine to have seized. At this point is it best to replace the engine or is their a way to UNSEIZED the engine with a rod or pole poking internal components? I'm sure someone has some knowledge to share..

 

Milky oil is moisture in the oil. Sometimes it can build up if the motor isn’t getting hot enough to boil off condensation. Most common cause is frozen upon Thermostst. If very bad, can be head gasket…

But, it’s strange that the motor wasn’t seized when you brought it to the mechanic…

 

OK yes that's what I thought about the milky oil, as for the engine seized; I did have it repaired previously by another shop and they put on timing chains/pensioners, however this repair was short lived as the car ran hot and dies on the road. I thought it was a bad fuel pump because I smelled hlthe odor of gas right after topping the tank off, but also my starter was weak and the electronics were surging from high to low voltage. After getting the car towed home, I did replace ignition coils
and spark plugs and it TRIED to crank but kept running rough and would shut off without giving it gas. This is when I began to feel it was the fuel pump/filter and starter. To me it was like the car wasn't getting enough fuel and or the starter didn't have sufficient power for the car/battery and or spark plugs oily causing misfire. Appreciate any feedback from ALL the KNOWLEDGEABLE Jaguar enthusiasts out there as I have owned this car for 3 years and driven it LESS than 3 weeks. Tired of something ALWAYS BEING WRONG WITH THIS CAR

 

Remove the spark plugs and use the 24mm bolt on the crankshaft pulley to rotate the engine in a clock direction only when viewed from the front of the car. DO NOT rotate the engine in an anti-clock direction or damage to the main and rod bearings is the result. The engine should rotate freely using a breaker bar and 24mm socket..

If the engine does not rotate in a clock direction using a 1/2-inch drive breaker bar and a 24mm socket, spray some engine oil or transmission fluid into each cylinder through the spark plug hole and let it remain in position overnight. Make another attempt to rotate the crankshaft and report back.

 

First, what part of the Carolina Coast?

Run your finger around the end of the exhaust, do you have an oily damp finger, perhaps smells like antifreeze? Did you have any smoke out the exhaust before taking it into the shop?

NBCat, do you think the chain/tensioner repair possibly went south... thus to be careful trying to turn the crank? Maybe pull the cam covers first before turning the crank? This way if the crank turns he can check to see if the cams lineup for a possible jumped sprocket or such.

Wait for what NBCat responds with and then maybe this. When was the last time you did an oil change? If it's due, drain it and let it sit overnight or til the end of the day to see what the settlement reveals. Remove the oil filter as well and inspect it for milkiness.

 

If the cam covers have not been removed thus far, it's a good ideal as Highhorse mentions to go to that step to verify the cam timing is not the cause of the engine not rotating. For reference, the exhaust cams can jump three teeth without causing the exhaust valves to impact the pistons.

 

Ok 1stly, I'm from the Carolina Coast between Charleston and Hilton Head Island Island if you're familiar with that area. Secondly, I haven't had the car cranked since last taking out the previous shop in 2022. That was when the timing chain/pensioners were "repaired" and the car was running rough possibly from a misfire, dirty spark plug, bad fuel pump/filter, leaky radiatior or otherwise. At the time, there was a sputtering idle, white/dark blue exhaust but MOSTLY a gassy smell that lead me to belive it was the fuel pump going bad. When I did have it towed BACK to the shop that day to get some of my money back (yeah, right) and COMPLAIN, he DID ACTUALLY turn the engine crank a few times and J remember wondering 🤔 "OK why is he doing that?" He also had some green fluid mixture attached to the top of the engine I guess trying to see if the engine had burned out or something. He was an "experienced ' ex Ford mechanic but he could have been doing more "TRYING" than "FIXING".

HERE'S a RUNDOWN of ALL Repairs done:

Expansion tank (1st shop)
New Head Gaskets both sides (2nd shop)
Timing chains and tensioners (2nd shop)
New fuel pump (I did)
New fuel filter (I did)
New air filter (I did)
New Radiator (I did)
New ALUMINUM thermostat tower & thermostat (I did)
New Ignition coils (I did)
New spark plugs. (I did)

So the reason I put the car in the shop this week was to FINALLY get her ROAD READY. I was getting a New Starter put on and my oil changed. Now after consulting with you Jag Gentlemen, I will let the mechanic know NO I DONT NEED A NEW ENGINE JUST BC ITS SEIZED CURRENTLY. I will instruct him to remove the cam covers and check things out on the inside, then tey the method of lubricating and turning the crank shaft to UNSEIZE the engine.Also DRAINING OUT ALL THE OLD OIL AND MOIATURE FROM THE OIL PAN, OIL PAN SCREW AND EXCESS WATER/OIL/MILK.

OK, how does this sound to you guys??

 

In my entire history of working on just about every kind of automobile
engine, I have never seen a "seized" engine. (crank won't turn) that
didn't need something major. That's not to say that something might
cause that symptom that could be a minor fix, but I've not seen it.

 

I've seen a seized alternator (or poss power steering pump) that stopped an engine turning by hand but that's the only one I've seen that's been an easy fix.

 

It's AMAZING ​​​​​, how I can come on this forum and share my ups and downs as a Jaguar owner with strangers and some people be "SO EAGER" to speak doubt, negativity and skepticism on MY CAR. Like if YOU DIDN'T HAVE A SIMILAR SITUATION YOUR YOUR JAGUAR,, then PLEASE STFU!! I don't NEED to hear from you about how my car isn't going to crank or SOME seized engine nonsense. I ALREADY had someone who has been through this sort of thing with a Jaguar give me some VALUABLE ADVICE about lubrication and how to get the engine turning again . BEFORE I EVEN have a chance to try this method there's ALREADY 2 PESSIMISTIC PRINCESSES coming on my thread to share their "positive input"... BEAT IT!!

IF YOU DONT HAVE ANYTHING CONSTRUCTIVE OR RELEVANT TO SAY OR EVEN BEEN IN THE SAME OR SIMILAR SITUATION WITH YOUR JAGUAR , I really don't want to hear it and won't entertain it. I've been the 1 going through shop after after, part after part and hoping it's FINALLY FIXED. I don't need from some know-it-alls who don't know **** happy that my car isn't running and SO EAGER TO SPEAK DOWN ON THE PROSPECTS OF FIXING THE ISSUE.

 

So people with experience of working on these cars & others are telling you it sounds like bad news & you think we shouldn't say it because you don't want to hear it?

That's fine, don't ask for comments & advice if you don't want comments or advice. Although I'm not sure what you expect to get from a forum except comments & advice from other owners of similar cars.

 

duuhhhh, I SJMPLY SAID IF YOU DIDNT HAVE A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR JAG, SPARE ME THE NEGATIVE TALK. THATS IT. IF YOU DONT WANT TO GIVE ANY ADVICE OR HAVE ANYTHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO SHARE, THEN FINE. J REALLY DONT CARE ABOUT ALL THE NEGATIVE NANCYS ON HERE. IF I HAVE TO REPLACE My ENGINE then I'll CROSS THAT ROAD AFTER ALL OTHER SOLUTIONS. SOME OF U ON HERE GO STRAIGHT TO, THE ENGINE IS SEIZED, IT'LL NEVER CRANK OR RUN AGAIN. NO I DONT WANT TO HEAR THAT ****, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DONT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OR A NEW ENGINE. I RATHER LISTEN TO SOLUTIONS THAN PROVLEMS. THEN IF IT CANT BE FIXED, CAN CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES. SO NO, I DONT WANT TO HEAR YOUR SOV STORIES IF GLOOM AND DOON WHEN YOU NEVER SAW MY CAR, DID A DIAGNOSTIC OR REPAIRED JAGUARS FIRSTHAND. THAT IS FOR WHOEVER ITS FOR SO MISS NE WITH THE PANTIES IN A BUNCH AND SENSITIVITY.

 

BREAKING NEWS!!

In my attempt to research the problem with my Jaguar I have come across some information about how a bad starter motor CAN AND WILL "seize" an engine. As some of you may know, I currently have my car in the shop to REPAIR/REPLACE the STARTER with a new one. I would often get clicks and eventually a metal ping sound that I figured to be the starter motor breaking. The car is a 2001 and I believe the og starter was still in there. So is it possible that my old broken starter could be the cause of the engine seizing and it's ACTUALLY an EASY FIX?! Well, let some of you tell it,, NO! Will see but definitely had to share this. Thanks to ALL those who gave decent, common sense, constructive criticism and input 👏 👍🏾 unlike some I saw on here..

 

Well sir...a seized starter is not a seized engine.

 

This, in spades.

Also, it matches my comment about I've seen an engine that wouldn't turn due to a seized ancillary component.

 

No. Please report back when you get done spending money on the starter?
Did that fix your problem? I think I already know the answer but want to hear it from you?

You need to stop grabbing at straws and hook the car up and get it scanned for codes and then follow those to get it repaired.
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