I seem to be having an issue with one of my windshield washer nozzles not working. I get nothing from it. I swapped nozzles and the other nozzle works fine in both locations. Has anyone had a washer nozzle go bad? I'm assuming there's some sort of solenoid built within the nozzle itself. I'm looking for a replacement nozzle but there seems to be many different styles that were used on XJ40 models. I have an '88 VDP and mine is like the picture but I've also come across another '88 in my local salvage yard with a round style nozzle. It seems the more I dig into this car the more I've been finding that the XJ40 models built from 88-94 have different parts used with no consistency (headlights,taillights,chrome trim,etc). It seems like Jaguar pulled whatever parts they had laying around when assembl





ing these cars with no particular year or model definative. I may be wrong and it may be that previous owners have changed things over time but I've noticed it on many cars. Does anyone have this style nozzle that I need?

 

I don't believe there is a solenoid in the nozzle; the electrical connector is for the heater that melts ice in cold weather. The nozzle may just be clogged. You might try to carefully clear the orifice with a fine but stiff wire, like a section of guitar string. You don't want to enlarge the orifice or the spray pattern and velocity necessary to wet the upper parts of the windshield/screen may be adversely affected.

Regarding the variance of parts, Jaguar did make numerous changes over the life of the XJ40 from 1987 to 1994, most of them evolutionary improvements and many of them made to correct problems as they became known.

From my own observations, I would say that for the most part Jaguar made parts and design transitions in a reasonable and uniform fashion, beginning with a specific VIN breakpoint (not always the beginning of a new model year). From time to time we learn of exceptions where Jaguar's records of the VIN breakpoint for a new part style was not applied to a certain individual car, but those examples seem to be limited. It's always possible that previous owners have installed new or used parts on your car that were from different VIN ranges. I've done that myself - I even have X300 and X308 parts on our '93, and the replacement rear view mirror I found was a NOS part originally manufactured for the Series III.

Cheers,

Don

 

My car is a one previous owner before me but chances are some parts may have been replaced by previous mechanics. But I have noticed many XJ40's,some from the same years,with different parts on them and no two seem to be alike,with varying headlights,taillights,chrome trim,and also the washer nozzles. I don't think many people have changed their washer nozzles over the years yet I've seem three different types of nozzles within a two year range. Go figure?

 

According to jaguarclassicparts.com, the website of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, there were four different nozzles used for the U.S. market:

To VIN 556850 (through June '88): part number DBC3068

VIN 556851 to 594575 (July 1988 to September '89, last 3.6L engines): DBC4997

VIN 594576 to 672879 (September '89, first 4.0L engines, to sometime between Nov '92 and Jan '93): DBC5157

VIN 672880 to 708757 (from sometime between Nov '92 and Jan '93 to the last XJ40 built in Sept '94): DBC10827

I am attaching a chart published by the JDHT that helps correlate VINs to manufacture dates.

Cheers,

Don

 

It would seem crazy that they would go through that much trouble to make 4 changes in something as simple as a windshield washer nozzle. Now I see why the charge ridiculous $$$ for parts and new cars.I'm sure the change in tooling and testing was probably significant.

 

It's unlikely that Jaguar produced the nozzles. Like most parts of a Jaguar other than the engine, body and some interior trim, the nozzles were probably purchased from a major OEM like Lucas, Behr, Trico, Bosch, Valeo, etc. The nozzles, pump and reservoir probably all came from the same OEM. The changes in nozzle design may not have been dictated by Jaguar but rather made by the OEM based on their own evolving improvements or the requirements of customers larger than Jaguar.

Cheers,

Don

 

But that would also mean they would have to possibly alter the cowl cover panel where the washers sit. I think there are slight variations on these parts too.

 

Sure, but that's the life of an automaker. The body and drivetrain stay essentially the same over the life of the model, while much of the rest of the vehicle is updated every year or two. The wiper motors on the XJ40 also changed at least once, and the length of the wiper blade also changed. Off the top of my head, I think the blades on the later cars are an inch longer than on the earlier cars...