Hello everyone,

I just signed up to your Jaguar forum in the hopes of helping out a friend with his 1989 XJ6. I come from the BMW community. I own a 1995 540i.




His passenger side front sunroof channel is draining very slowly and will leak into the passenger foot well if he washes the car.

We tried running a wire down the channel but we can only get is about 8" in from the top of the channel and about 18" in from the bottom.

I was wondering if there is a better tool to use other than wire. Compressed air perhaps?

Also, his passenger side front door does not open from the outside. You have to push on the door with your body and then pull up on the handle.

He has some other issues which I think we may have figured out, but if not I'll be sure to ask.

Any other general advice about the car or your forum would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

 

Welcome to the forum Mike, for the door, check that the rubber weather strip has not come adrift and is being trapped, forcing the latch against the spindle.

Can't help with the S/roof, don't have one.

 

I had a '88 Daimler Six and that buster also had a door opening problem . I have learnt that earlier XJ40s have a common problem with those door issues .
A body shop can repair the problem that was what I did . They will remove the door handle from inside and take care of the problem

 

What is the issue that the body shop will fix? Is there something wrong with the door sheet metal, the latch mechanism, or the striker plate?

 

As I recall, when they remove the door handle from the inside( first they will have to remove cubic plastic clip and bolt underneath it ) they will see plastic strip or somethling like that . Mine was repaired that way according to the ifo I was given by

 

As for the door handles... There is an adjustment that can be made that will allow the door to open correctly. Unfortunately, the inner workings of the door handle are poorly designed and the earlier versions (88,89) are made of white/pot metal and weaken and often break.
To make adjustment, simply pull door panels and look in and up at the door handle. You will see a rod coming down off the inner workings and a barrel nut adjuster. Simply make the adjustment until door opens correctly.
Also unfortunately, the fact that you need to make the adjustment often means that the inner workings are wearing/getting weak/breaking. The driver door handle on mine was adjusted three times over the last year and last weekend, it snapped. New door handles are expensive and tend to run in the $250-300 range. I was able to source a place that builds a redesigned unit from core bits. It uses better metal and changes the actual mechanism to something with less parts and structurally stronger parts. AND... they are less than half the cost of the standard new units!

Door Handles

I will be purchasing a set (L&R) shortly. My passenger side has been adjusted twice already and I'm guessing its not too far from breaking as well.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Talk soon,

 

For a door handle assembly, check on ebay UK I found mine over there brand spankin new with a key for around $50.00

 

I have been having the same problems with mine. I am interested in knowing where you can order the machined metal pieces as I am ready to instal automatic pop locks and have to do some body work to the doors, except if my battery dies, well I am locked out of the car at that point, so I am at a bit of a stand still,

 

Mike,

Are you absolutely positive the source of water in the passenger foot well is from the sunroof? I've never had a problem with mine (not to say it can't happen) but I have had water in the passenger foot well; but it came from a breather tube located under the crowl below the front windscreen. It becomes blocked from outdoor debris (leaves, etc) and causes water to backup from the AC unit which ends up in the passenger foot well. Check it out, could be coincidental with washing/AC usage.

Door handles, Brill posted a link for a great source for them. Have your friend get new handles, trust me he will need them. I have gone through two sets until the source (link) started taking cores and redesigning them in the proper manner. Glad someone figured it out. You can adjust them, but then you will adjust again and again and then replace. Get the replacements Brill suggested.

Good luck