i have a 88 cherokee, i did make a post about this awhile ago.. but i wanted to make a new updated one.
so it was like a 30 second extended crank period when cold. but if its warm it starts perfectly.
the battery also goes completly dead by the next day. ive tried like 4 new batteries. most of the time i keep it on a battery charger. once it gets running after the 30 second crank its has a little bit of a rough idle.

Here is a list of things i have replaced. I have probably forgotten a few
I have recently checked the fuel pressure and it bleeds off completely with in about and hour and half.
fuel pump
fuel filter
cap and rotor
spark plugs
fuel pressure regulator
coolant temp sensor
crankshaft position sensor
fuel pump relay
idle air control valve
starter

I need new ideas!
leaking injectors?
faulty fuel pump? need a higher output fuel pump??
also what could the draw be?

 

connect a test light or multimeter between the battery terminal and disconnected battery cable, pull fuses one by one, till test light goes out

Youtube "parasitic current draw test" will instruct you

 

i will!! thank you

 

If a fully charged battery goes dead in a day and you have tried multiple batteries, you have a major "parasitic draw" as AWG already noted.

Testing for and resolving this is job #1 for absolute sure. Then see where you are at. Life for your XJ starts with electrons and sufficient numbers of them. Without them, you aren't even going to get your engine started.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

I will preface this by saying I dont know much about the earlier XJ, but 30sec starting is indicative of fuel pump priming issue

(on later xj) "pre-priming", by turning the ignition key on & off a few times, then crank.

If it now starts right away, that helps pin the fault down to things like non-return vale, regulator, even a tiny crack in fuel line etc

a fuel pressure check should be conducted