Hi

My 1990 XJS V12 has not been started in over 6 years and while I am very tempted to try and swing it on the Starter, I have heard horror stories that you could drop a valve.

Please could someone tell me, how to turn it over manually.

 

If you don't want to bump the starter, you should remove the spark plugs and put a breaker bar on the crank pully center bolt and rotate the engine clockwise (facing the block on the pully side). Without the sparkplugs it should move easily. Since you will have the plugs out, apply a small squirt of oil in each cyl to assist lubricating the rings against the liner walls if it has been sitting for a little while.

Good luck

 

Hi many thanks

My XJS V12 has been kept in my garage for the past 6 years and has not been turned over at all in all that time.

Because of how its positioned, getting to the spark plugs will be a pig of a job, though I can see the sense in removing them, even if only the ones that I can get to.

Even getting the bonnet in the vertical position won't be easy, as one of the struts is near the garage wall, with no room to walk round.

This is obviously going to be essential, so assuming I can do this, is the crank pulley nut exposed that I can put a socket and breaker bar on, or would I have to remove some sort of casing to get to it.

Would it be very hard to turn over with the plugs left in if I can't get them out?

It's six years since I've looked under the bonnet, as I had to look after a family member, which unfortunately meant that my car got neglected.

The only good news being that I used magnetec oil, so I am hoping that this may have saved the day.

Also wondering if anyone else has had a V12 that been sitting idle this long as I am dreading the thought the pistons may have seized in the block or do you think that would be unlikely to happen?

 

Mmmmmm.

The 1" nut on the front pulley is not visible as such, you just know its there.

Getting a bar and socket on it from the top with the fans etc in place is fun at best, bordering on impossible.

Doing the same from under the car is equally fun, as the cooler hoses, sway bar, and fan shroud are going to stop you in your tracks. Then the height of the thing is going to mess with any ideas, so jacking it up is a must for under car access, and in the shed you describe this is really NOT going to happen.

With the factory fans etc in place from underneath is the by far the easier way, but as I said, still not simple. I run thermo fans on all ours so top access is simple.

I reckon you need to get this out of the storage place so access is at least a little more sane. Down here we put on a keg, and spread the word. Car gets moved eventually.

As already said, CLOCKWISE only, as you are looking at the front of the engine. Turning one of these backwards can damage the very expensive plastic chain tentioner, been there.

 

I bought a parts car (UK car) that had not been turned over for 23 years. I stuck in new plugs, leads and new dizzy cap, made sure the dizzy was freed off, chucked in some fuel and tried the starter. Fired right up no problems at all.

FWIW, I think you should do the same! Just be sure to blow out the plug wells with compressed air before undoing them.

Greg

 

Thanks Grant

I think I can probably tow it out of the garage with my old merc (with the shifter in neutral)

Then Jack it up to try and get better access.

 

Hi Greg Thanks

At least you have given me some sort of hope that my car might get back on the road but I am really wishing now that I had started her up from time to time.

 

my 5.3 has been sitting since 2002... disconnected fuel pump + dizzy connections turned by socket on the crank to ensure it wasn't seized then turned on the key...............worked for me even after reconnecting the bits for a start up, however the beast is now hunting badly...sensors and stuff? will soon be a continued project

 

After sitting for 5 years injectors on mine got stuck, so it ran on few cylinders, until it would warm up and then one by one they'd come back. I ended up replacing all injectors, hoses, wiring harness, vacuum lines, just to name a few...

 

Hi Mish_Mish

You have given me new hope! but was wondering if you took out the Spark plugs or left them in?

Taking out the Spark plugs was never my favorite job.

 

After 6 years you have got to chabnge them! So turning it over when they are out is a good idea. careful nothing goes down the open holes though...

Greg

 

I'm assuming that you want to put the car back on the road rather than just turn the engine a few times and then return it to dead storage, yes?


For what it's worth, I'd take a different approach....but what follows may not fit into your particular situation at the moment.

Any car stored for 6 years will need a fair bit of preparation and repairs before being ready for the road. You may well have a rusty fuel system and brake hydraulics, you'll want fresh lubricants, etc.

Included on the "to do" lists would be new fuel hoses in the engine bay. These need to be replaced every few years and were probably a few years old when the car was pushed into the garage.

So.......

I'd be very tempted to make life easy on myself and take an "all at once" approach: new fuel hoses, new plugs and plug wires, etc. With the fuel rail and injectors removed, and the throttle pedestal out (only a few minutes work) you have easy access to the plugs for removal, cylinder oiling, etc.

You can repair/replace any wiring and vacuum hoses that need attention, adjust the throttle linkages, etc along the way.

You'll spend a full weekend on all of this but if your goal is to get the car back on the road you might as well do it all in one slug and be done with it.

Then you can move on the the brake system :-)



Cheers
DD

 

Hi Doug

Sounds like a great idea! but talking of brakes I've got problems see my new thread