[xj] Rust at bottom of wing, was Stripped Lug - Red Face

XJ
1

The problem with rust at the bottom of the front wing (fender) on the XJ
is more fundamental - it is a dire design problem in the construction in
this region. The ASCII art below shows the arrangement in vertical
cross section. The bottom of the wing has a tight U-shaped fold, to
which is spot welded a bracket with holes to accommodate the two
downward-facing securing bolts behind the splash panel. The drain holes
are in this welded-on bracket, and are higher than the bottom of the
fold in the metal at the bottom of the wing. So water/grit/mud/salt
just accumulates in there even if the drain holes are free from
obstruction. I know from experience that it takes nine years in the UK
for a wing to rust through there.

The only way to stop this is to seal the bottom of the wing with
automotive joint sealer when it is new or nearly new. I replaced one of
mine (for exactly this reason - rust bubbles below the badge) with a
good replacement one, but I carefully pried open the U, and had a local
guy grit blast the rust out down to clean metal. I then primed it,
filled it with sealant and then crimped the U closed again. The wing
was then sprayed the correct colour. That sucker won’t rust!

Craig

       -!
Badge ! !  Inside splash panel
       -!
        !

Outside ! ___Securing bolt
! ! !
! ! --------
! ! Drain
! !
!-! Fold in metal at bottom of wing (fender)> The rust around the Jaguar badge on the front fender can be

easily repaired;
access is by removal of the splash panel in the front fender;
the rust is
cause by a failure in the sealing of the at panel, allowing a build up
of mud; this mud is then kept damp by the drains from the
sunroof which
exit into this cavity; if the outlet holes provided are also
clogged by
mud (salty mud in many cases) then corrosion results.

                                Gregory
2

No, Craig, the interior cavity of the front wing was quite clean and dry,
but it did have the " wax injection" material that Jaguar used, so I prsume
that this wax actually fills that seam in originally fitted wings; your
replacement wings most likely had that are open to moisture and subsequent
corrosion. Does this seem logical? I can honestly say that in examining
hundreds of SIII cars, NONE of them have been rusted at the very bottom edge
of the panel, and if there is evidence of rust, it is in the area of the
Jaguar badge, higher up. The most frightening case of SIII corrosion I have
ever seen was on a fairly presentable looking (at night, from a distance) 86
Sovereign, which I saw in Toronto (one of the most unfriendly places in the
world for a car) some months ago. A huge hole on the windscreen pillar,
about mid-way up. The car also had the more usual spots of corrosion, but
that was something I had never seen, and I really wonder how it occurred.
Gregory-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Sawyers c.sawyers@tech-enterprise.co.uk
To: ‘Dr. Gregory Andrachuk’ MGB@uvvm.UVic.CA
Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 12:18 AM
Subject: RE: [xj] Rust at bottom of wing, was Stripped Lug - Red Face

You are correct, Craig, about that U-shaped bit, but in fact
most of the
corrosion occurs not there, which is atthe very bottom of the
panel, but
further up, near the badge area,

All I’m saying, Gregory, is not in my case. Mine rusted out in the fold
area. However, neither of the wings on mine were original (replaced in
two different accidents). Perhaps when originally fitted, more
diligence was taken in rustproofing that area than was done in the body
shop who replaced them. Was there any evidence in yours of liberal
amounts of underseal in that area?

Craig