I hope someone can give some guidance on this. I tried to repair one, and spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out why some contacts were intermittant. Frankly, it is one of the worst electro-mechanical designs I’ve ever seen (only the mirror control switches are worse). I tried shimming, reinforcing some areas, but nothing seemed to do much. Portions deflect when you actuate it, exacerbating the problem. This was a few years ago so I don’t remember much about what I tried. A new one I got was not much better.
I think the high current that the switch normally carries doesn’t help matters, generating heat causing further damage because the contact design is so poor. I installed the relay system in The Book as a direct result of working on the switch. That will at least reduce the heat generated to virtually nothing. But it won’t help with wear and tear causing slop and poor contact.
I think more pictures are called for. If you want to trust 20+ year old memory, I think the fix I performed involved cutting away those two gussets surrounding the green/black wire and fashioning a small piece of aluminum angle to sit there up against the side of that box all the other wires go in. The idea was to hold the panel containing the internal contacts flat. Worked perfectly. Wish I had taken pictures.
I’m still willing to try and repeat the fix, if anyone wants to send me a spare stalk switch.
That’s a good pic, but my memory is poor. I definitely recall that the design was weird, like the motion of the stalk was somehow manipulated to move a contact plate at 90 degrees to its movement. That wasn’t the problem, though; the problem was that the stationary contact plate would deform when the moving contact plate slid over it. The solution was to fasten a stout reinforcement behind it, preventing it from deforming.
If the switch is “crap”, why not tear it apart? Whattaya got to lose?
Update: have just fitted a used switch assembly (USD$70) and washers are working. A black earth wire had been severed at the bottom of the stalk on the faulty one where it must have earthed the GB wire to the washer motor. Unfortunately the wipers had stopped in mid motion when I drove the car without the cowling, and now still don’t work. Replaced fuse and can’t find any other aberrations. Should I look at the wiper motor ? Are there any other fuse blocks or relays under the dash? I suspect a short as the wiper & indicator units were moving about when operated without the cowling behind steering wheel.
The black wire is purposely cut if the earlier Lucas wiper assembly has been replaced with the later Electrolux assembly. I’d pull the wiper assembly and ascertain which type you have. Then you can also check for voltages at the bulkhead connector between the assembly and the body at the various wiper switch positions. It’s not hard to pull the assembly.
The Lucas assembly, if that is what you have, is supposed to have a plastic water shield over the motor. They disintegrate over time, and water can cause the motor guts to rust and seize solid.
Oh, yeah, one other thing: You might want to swing your wipers up to pointing straight away from the windshield. That makes them very easy to move. If you then run your tests and the wipers don’t move, you know it’s an issue in the motor or controls. But if they move in that position, it may be that they don’t move when the wipers are on the glass because they’re not developing enough torque.
Lo and behold, checked and double checked fuses and all connections, cleaned up & tightened glass fuse clamps and wipers now work. Old problem.
New problem: power steering getting heavier, has no leaks and a recon rack. Any suggestions before I remove pump and have it overhauled ( about $230USD)?
I would recommend you start a new thread for a new problem.
Kirby,
I have a spare wiper switch from an 85 I can send you if you still want to replicate the fix you did before. I took it apart and replaced rivets with screws sometime back and cleaned things in an attempt to fix it, to no avail. It’s no better or worse than it was before. A new switch currently on the car now doesn’t want to stay in the off position; the slightest nudge will turn it on. Not does wiper park work. So I’m looking for a better fix. Let me know via PM here.
I know this is an old thread but I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions on replacing the factory steering column wiper switch with something else like a dash mounted switch maybe? Or is there a better column switch that can be used in place of the factory on on Series II XJSs?
The contact sequence is so peculiar that it’s doubtful any other switch could be found to properly control it. The only thing I think might work would be a switch with enough positions and contacts that you can just wire contacts together to make the same contact sequence as the original. For example, this switch might be made to work:
There would be no momentary position. Also, that stalk switch also operates the spray, so you’d have to rig up another switch to do that, perhaps a regular momentary push button.
That’s what I was afraid of. Looks like one is doomed to trying to get the factory style to work. With new ones being bad out of the box its not too encouraging. Mine seems to have bit the dust.
Might have to see if you can snag a “used but working” from a breaker.
I obtained a used ABS pump from Jaguar Heaven years ago…it still working great.