[Megatonks]

Hi all,

I'm not sure where to post this as it seems i'm not allowed to post in the Guides section! Mods feel free to move or sticky or whatever if you deem it worthy.

Had to do a repair on my right-side drain tube the other day and realised I don't think I've seen much on the forums about the topic.

I noticed one day that during rain only the holes in the sills and the front ones were draining water, and nothing appear to be coming from the proper drain tube. I got down and surely as expected, the drain tube itself was all loose and wiggly - CLEARLY not attached to the top drain-hole as intended.

I think I probably dislodged/pushed it all apart when doing a monthly 'check my drain tubes are clear!' with a piece of bamboo. I'll buy one of those trombone cleaners soon probably.

I imagine it's quite common and easy to do:

So commence the repair!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack up the rear-side of the car on whichever side needs the repair.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Make sure it's on a stand properly and safely, you'll have to get under the rear-side a bit.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Look behind the seat-belt tower and you'll see something along these lines. I've painted in the rough water-flow when rain is drained off by the hood's rain rails properly. Here you can see why it's important that the tubes are kept clear as ALL the rainwater hitting the back of the roof takes this route!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get under the car and find the end of the drain tube...Once you're down there you should see it poking into sight - Like so!

In this video i'd already completed the job, it's just showing you where to look!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For ease of access (as it could get pretty fiddly), take off the front-most wheel liner, by undoing the 4 body-push-pin things (i'm not sure of the technical name!)

It's a simple half-turn (anticlockwise!) on the head, then pull them out by grabbing the centre piece and pulling (not too hard, don't break them!)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once the liner is off, getting to the end of the drain tube is super easy. It's abooooouuuttttt here!

More precisely... here!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now onto the drain-tube removal. As far as I knew all I needed to do was re-sheathe the tube onto the hole where the catchment area is (pic 4), but I figure i'd take it out and learn how the bugger works!

Remove the rubber grommet securing and sealing the tube to the bodywork .... It just pulls/peels off as you'd expect!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Take a look at it, check it isn't insanely broken etc etc.

I'm not sure how normal mine is (regarding the taped-up section in the middle?) But i decided to take it apart a bit further and have a gander.

Mind the snake.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After pulling it apart and looking down into the smaller (bottom) section, I quickly saw the 'one way flappy thing' that i've read about. Supposedly it's to reduce noise coming back up through the tubes - Which I guess makes sense.#

The left-most half piece is solid, part of the tube itself. The right piece is a hinged flap which is very easy to push around! I guess it probably works pretty well, but it'd definitely enable blockages to occur.

Maybe less people (including myself) will have this problem in the first place now you've seen the design half way down, and how easy it is to cause pain in the arse problems if you hit this too hard when ensuring it's clear etc.

Put it all back together again...Now for the reinstall.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I fully predicted this to be a royal pain in the arse and pot luck getting it right. I figured that if I can get something like stiff wire, craft wire, or even thinner tube/hose in place of where the tube is supposed to be, and then use that to thread the draintube (OVER/AROUND whatever I had in place) up into position from bottom to top, then that'd be the simplest way.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOWEVER..it's really not that tricky. With that wheel liner removed - making access to the bottom of the tube so much easier - you're actually able to do it pretty easily by positioning yourself something like this:

If it's a fairly light day, looking down from the top (like the picture!) you can easily see the top of your tube swaying around in the darkness (in the hole) as you fiddle at the bottom with your left hand. It took all of about 30 seconds for me to learn what it was I was seeing, and figure out how it appears when it's coming into position!

When it's in position, it just pushes up (around the hole.... ie. the hole slots INTO the top-end of the drain tube) and it holds itself reasonably well, so youll know! You can definitely feel when it's 'right'.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get back down to the bottom of the drain tube and, while keeping upward pressure on the tube so it doesn't drop off the hole at the top again, put the big rubber grommet back into position, snugly around the tube itself and pushing inside the car's body. Make sure this goes back on properly and pushes in all the way around it's edge.

Now pour a bit of water into the channels to give it a test!

Bingo!

Job done - Good work. Coffee time!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DISCLAIMER - this MIGHT be slightly different for mk1s, mk3s etc, but i'm sure it's reasonably similar and the same concept still applies.

NOW

This last part's just some basic extra info. I've seen (and still see on FB groups etc) people asking questions about the sill drain holes, where they are, what to do if they're blocked, "I'm hearing sloshing" etc.

Keeping the drainage in working condition is MASSIVELY important on 5s as without keeping on top of it, you'll have a rustbox in no time.

So here's a quick video showing where the tube is, and while i'm down there, the sill/seam holes.

----------------

Here's a bonus video too, showing (and explaining, excuse the accent) why the drainage is important. also showing the drain tubes working again, and how the water behaves!

It's unlisted, but public, so feel free to help others by linking it around! (Same goes with this whole guide and other videos too!)

------------

If i've mislead anyone with incorrect info, someone please let me know and i'm happy to edit stuff! I hope this helps someone!

Thanks all!

(PS. I've forgotten how to embed the videos, could a mod pop in and do the honours?? Thanks!)

 

[corders]

Thanks for the huge level of detail - worthy of one of the rambling and minutely detailed guides i have made!

I will absolutely be using this in the near future

 

[mrvandango]

Excellent write up bud, should be pinned somewhere in the guides as it could save one or two cars over the coming years (especially given how much it seems to rain nowadays).

I pushed one of mine (mk1) off the drain tray behind the seat and it was a right pita to get back on - this would have made life much easier!

You even got The Saint to help you on his day off

 

[randomfactor]

Great guide, something I've been putting off investigating. Thanks
Ps I love the fact that you've given your stick man a shadow!

 

[wannabe]

Awesome guide!!

I love your stickman and his shadow :lol: LoL

I have trombone cleaner ready to go so this will make it a lot easier

 

[Tom C]

Thanks for taking the time to do this

 

[RYAN R LTD]

That's a very good and clear write up mate, top work and a big thank you sir! :thumb-up:

 

[Martin Y]

Awesome guide!!

I love your stickman and his shadow :lol: LoL

Stickman is a stroke of genius. Great writeup!

 

[HarryB]

Excellent write-up! Just an extra bit of advice; if you clean up your drainage holes from above, do not use a trombone cleaner as usual. You should only go one direction, top to bottom, or you risk flipping the flap. A flipped flap will not open and won't let water run out sufficiently, which becomes a problem only during hard rain. So, insert from top, remove from the bottom and repeat.

 

[Megatonks]

Thanks for all the positive replies folks !

Excellent write-up! Just an extra bit of advice; if you clean up your drainage holes from above, do not use a trombone cleaner as usual. You should only go one direction, top to bottom, or you risk flipping the flap. A flipped flap will not open and won't let water run out sufficiently, which becomes a problem only during hard rain. So, insert from top, remove from the bottom and repeat.

Took me a little while to understand what you meant then - So when using the cleaner (whichever of your choice), push it down and out, down and out, down and out... rather than up and down like a plunger? Makes sense when you look at the design of the 'flappy bit'! Good shout.

 

[HarryB]

Yes, exactly like that! I use an old wire clothes hanger, made it straight and did a small (about 10mm) hook on one end. Then I cut a piece of sponge, which I put in the hook bit and tighten it down. The wire is thick enough that I can push downwards and flexible enough so I can remove it from underneath.

 

[wannabe]

Excellent write-up! Just an extra bit of advice; if you clean up your drainage holes from above, do not use a trombone cleaner as usual. You should only go one direction, top to bottom, or you risk flipping the flap. A flipped flap will not open and won't let water run out sufficiently, which becomes a problem only during hard rain. So, insert from top, remove from the bottom and repeat.

So if you do have a trombone cleaner, go bottom to top, but if you don't have a trombone cleaner, go from top to bottom?

 

[AndyK]

No, what he's saying is once the bristles of the cleaner exit the bottom end of the tube don't pull it back up through the tube as the extra width and stiffness of the bristles will drag the flap into the tube which will cause a restriction. A bit like swallowing your own tongue.

 

[tigerstyle]

I'm a dullard, but how do you poke the rubber tube up around the spout it connects to at the top inside the wing?

If you just vaseline it up will it easily slip over? I guess there is no way to see what you are doing from below, but pulling the tube over a piece of wire is a good shout!

I'm guessing it must be hard to know the tube is seated correctly at the top, if not then grooovy!

 

[Megatonks]

I'm a dullard, but how do you poke the rubber tube up around the spout it connects to at the top inside the wing?

If you just vaseline it up will it easily slip over? I guess there is no way to see what you are doing from below, but pulling the tube over a piece of wire is a good shout!

I'm guessing it must be hard to know the tube is seated correctly at the top, if not then grooovy!

It's actually not that tricky. Do it in the light (or get a bright torch to shine down) and you can see it as it goes into place. Then push up and it holds it's own weight nice and easy - You'll 100% know it's on, don't worry! Just be patient, and make small movements, and think about it physically.

 

[Megatonks]

Are any mods able to move this to the 'guides' section or wherever it needs to go? It's a bit lost in here !

 

[corders]

Ask Miles kindly or report one of the posts in the threadand leave a note asking for movement

 

[R6demon]

Great guide thank you, I will be checking mine today!

Edit*

One drain tube was completely blocked and the other was fine. I had to part clear the blockage with a coat hanger first as it was completely blocked with vegetation but the trombone cleaner did the rest. Thank you!