Hi,

my XJ 81 '94 is giving me headaches. The car had flodding but after taking everything out and drying it the car ran and drove. Now I had her parked up for a couple of month, turned the key and NOTHING! Everything lights up as normal on the dahs, but instead of cranking, I see the voltage going down from 13V to about 10. Also the signal with the exclamation mark comes on, but that is about it.

What I have done so far:

1) Replaced the battery with another one. Nothing. Took both batteries to the shop and had them tested. Both at 100%, capacity and voltage wise.
2) Gone through the shifter console, but she neither starts in P or N with brake pedal depressed
3) Had the solenoid module (under passanger bolster) swapped out with my other XJ 81. Seeming to work fine, all other functions such as central locking are working
4) Checked the ground connection of the battery to the car.

Notes:
Since I bought the car the starter had a bit of a nasty grind after 4 or 5 engine turns (she fired normally up after 3)

Any ideas of what this could be?

Thanks

Robert

P.S. My other XJ 81 also decided to cease running she is spinning over but not starting. I think she needs a bit of starter spray as she has not been running for 2 years. Overall a very frustrating Sunday...

 

Wait, you have 2 of those??? Nice.
When you try to crank it, do you hear any noises at all? For instance, the relay clicking or the starter bumping? (I know you said nothing). I guess that if it was me, I would suspect the starter as the cause. Maybe it has turned its last turn? This would create extra draw on the battery making the voltage drop more than it might otherwise. If it was a poor connection at the starter you may just have a click but no voltage drop. I would check voltage at the starter before taking it out though, it could still be corrosion in a cable or a break in its insulation (a rub through going to ground) causing this.
As an aside, do you know what caused the flooding that you mentioned first?

 

Hi Jerry,
Yes I have two of those Xj81 beast, after having had a couple of normal XJ 40's and deciding I wanted something a bit more complicated Wink.
We had some bad floods in Germany last summer, and my Insignia was a victim of it. The water came up to radio level, and I spend a lot of time stripping the interior to the bare metal, opening everything electric, drying it out and cleaning it. ( Full story is here: https://www.xj40.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=999788)

To your points: The fuel pump starts whirling when you put on the ignition as does the bee that is stuck under the dashboard (interior temp. sensor). When I turn the key there is just nothing. As she is in storage I will need to jack her up somehow to get underneath the car. That is of course super easy as the other jag is parked right next to her. I will try to massage the starter motor with a bit of love and a lump of metall.

Robert

 

Update:

I jacked the beast up yesterday and got under the car to tapp the starter motor. Whoever designed this did not envision that the starter motor may need replacement. Apart from the downpipes I think you also need to remove the steering rack to access that area where the starter sits. Anyway:

After tapping the starter the symptoms have changed. If you turn the key you hear the starter is enganging, but not starting. On the dash all the lights go out and the Voltage drops to 9V. Looks like the starter is shot? I tested the battery in my other Xj 81 and the engine turns without problems. I am seriously dreading to remove the starter motor.

Any thoughts from you guys?

Rob

 

Is there room to get to the cables on the starter? Even just enough to wiggle them to check for loose or corroded? It does sound like you're on the right path though.
Thinking of the down pipes on my xjs, there are 2 lefts and 2 right converters at the manifolds, "I think" they in turn bolt to a Y pipe. Unless it's been replaced, the whole exhaust system bolts together. If you had you take parts out, you could just cut bolts and replace them. The steering rack on the xj is on by 4 bolts and can be just unbolted and left on by the tie rods - the column connection could get troublesome but there is a relief in the stub shaft on the rack where the clamp bolt goes so the column has to go back correctly. I've done that more than once, it's dirty but not too difficult. Dont give up.

 

Hi Jerry,
I wish I could get to the starter, however the positive lead looks rock solid in place just well corroded onto the starter motor. The car has been sitting dry over the past year or so. I fear it is really a seized starter motor. I gues with a bit of torque everything can be undone, As I have to work from under the car it is a bit of a job to do, but giving up is no option. On the upside I will learn something new, and I can make use of my new toolbox.

 

Good news both cars are opperational again!
As suggested the starter was stuck from lack of usage. I massaged it for a good 10 minutes and the car came straight away to life! Good news also on my other XJ 81, with the help of my daughter and some starter spray we managed to get her firing. It looks like the storage of the past 2 years got everything a bit clogged up.
I will now regularily start the two cars again and let them idle to get temperature to avoid these kind of nuissances.

Thanks for the support!

 

Excellent! Theres not much better than a free repair. Thanks for letting us know.