I have just completed the fairly arduous but doable job of replacing the fuel pump on my 1995 4.0 XJS Coupe. Researching online advice on Jaguar forums says this is a horribly difficult job, the flow and return fuel pipe connections are underneath the car, inaccessible and nigh on impossible to remove so don’t do it unless you absolutely have to. In my case it turned out not to be as horrendously difficult as anticipated however it is challenging and I did gain some useful experience that I thought I would pass on rather than just let fade away.
The first thing I did was research the feared fuel pipe connectors. Online posts said the fuel tank connectors are inaccessible and very difficult to remove even with the special tools. This was backed up by the workshop manual which says the fuel tank connectors are Legris fittings with a ring that needs to be pushed inwards with a special tool while you pull the connector out of the tank so you are pushing and pulling at the same time. Tricky, particularly when working alone underneath the car so I bought the special tool from a Jaguar parts supplier who confirmed that it was what I needed. However, when I got underneath the car and had a good look, I discovered the special tool did not fit and the connectors were not Legris as described. In fact, it was much simpler once you understood how the connector worked.
I also noted that the tank breather assembly was not as described in the workshop manual but this did not introduce any particular difficulty.
Please note that the following applies to my 1995 4.0 Coupe and other variants may be different (although I think the 6.0 V12 has the same tank but with two pumps).
Lessons learned;
The job is time consuming but generally straight forward if you follow the workshop manual procedure however all is not exactly as described in the Jaguar workshop manual and there are two challenging tasks.
a) Removing the fuel pipes from the underneath of the tank
b) Removing the fuel filler assembly from the tank
Remember to take lots of pictures as you disassemble to remind yourself of how it all fits when you’re putting it all back.
Parts wise I fitted a new fuel pump and filter, new submersible pipe, spring clips and ‘O’ rings.
Procedure and useful tips:
Needless to say, when working with fuel tanks and fumes this work should be done in a well-ventilated area with absolutely no naked flames, high heat sources or anything that introduces the risk of a spark. This is particularly important when working on components inside the fuel tank.
As well as usual tools you will need a stout support for the boot lid (it is very heavy) and some good quality silicon grease. A spare set of hands is useful but not essential.
1) Syphon out as much fuel as you can via the filler neck. I used a manual rubber syphon pump that I bought on Amazon. You won’t get all the fuel out but I managed not to get soaked in fuel when I removed the fuel flow and return pipes.
2) Remove the carpet linings on the RHS, LHS and floor of the boot.
3) You need to remove the fuel pump relay. It is located at the front of the RHS hockey stick on the outer side where you can’t see it. There are three relays, the fuel pump one is the grey/silver one in the middle of the three. I found it easier to remove the hockey stick to get access to the relay however, this means you need to remove the boot lid supporting strut and you will need a stout stick like a broom handle to hold up the boot lid when you remove the supporting struts. The boot lid is heavy so for safety best to have two supports. To remove the struts simply slide a small electrical screwdriver between the housing and spring clip and pull the strut off the peg.
4) With the fuel pump relay removed turn the engine over to relieve the pressure in the fuel system.
5) Remove the battery.
6) You now need to raise the back of the car so you have sufficient room to get comfortably underneath the rear axle and subframe. For your personal safety put a support under the rear sub-frame assembly as they can drop down if the mounting rubbers are shot.
The fuel pipes go into the fuel tank just behind and above the axle on the LHS. On later facelift cars the brakes are outboard so they don’t get in the way and you can see the pipes reasonably clearly.