>
>
> Carey Grummitt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Drains: 101
> First off, be sure to remove the crud blocking a vent/drain. If
you just blow/push it out of the way... it will find it's way back and
clog a drain or vent.
>
> Sunroof:
> The best way to clear the sunroof drains- two on each side for a
total of four sunroof drains (and most other drains) is by compressed
air/air compressor. FYI: The front drains snake down the front door
jam (near the windshield frame) and drain out from within the
wheel-well (about/above where the speaker is located on the front
floor). You can't locate the end of this hose unless you remove the
fender- not that you need too, just to let you know.
>
> The rear roof drains- drain into the air vents located in the trunk
(battery compartment on the passenger side and the Jack storage
compartment on the driver side). Check and make sure the rear drains
are still draining out the vents, sometimes the steel clips that hold
them in place will rust and the water will then start to drain into
the compartments in the trunk.
>
> Compartments in the trunk:
> Both L/R trunk compartments have a small "slit" in the steel/bottoms
that allows water to drain in the event water should end up there.
You can see the slits/drains if you look under the car/quarter panels
just below the battery/jack compartments. The slits are only about a
1/2 inch wide and maybe have a very small opening of about a 1/16" for
water to drain. It's very common for the "slits" (in the trunk only)
to become full of dirt/sand/leaves in the aging E30's. It's best to
remove the plastic liner in the trunk about every 20 years (and the
battery) and fully clean/vacuum the crud out of the compartments to
make sure the slits remain clear (and hope that the tail panel has not
already started to rust out). Any on going moisture in this area is
the #1 reason quarter panels start to rust out in the rear- no matter
how well BMW rust-proofs the cars (and they do a fine job of doing
that). Also check for rust/holes in the steel along the rubber trunk
seal or rusted
> steel around the tail lights if you have on-going condensation
build up in the trunk (you should remove the tail lights for the best
inspection. This is a BIG problem for the E30's that have been in or
are from the Eastern US. Replace the trunk seal and seals on the
tail lights if water is leaking in and seal any areas of rust in or
around the trunk-deck or around the tail lights/tail panel area.
>
> You will also find the same "drain slits" along the L/R frame rails
(two I believe on each side) near the jacking points (front and rear)
of the car near the inside of the "pinch welds" of/near the door frame
located just under the door frame/jams (under the car). It's very
unlikely that these frame rail drains would ever need to be used as
"drains" unless a car was "fully" submerged in water (water coming up
over the door jams) or for any other reason for a large amount of
water entering the cab of a car. The slits also have a duel purpose-
to be used as air vents to equalize air pressure when slamming a door
shut.
>
> Water on the front cabin floor:
> One of the first places you will see water in the cab is a drip
coming from under the dash on the driver's side below (between) the
hood release handle and the clutch peddle. On a rainy day place a dry
newspaper under the pedals and the next day you should see the genreal
location of the drips. Due to a tight fit (wires, etc) under the dash
it's unlikely you will be able to see where the water is coming from
without tearing deeper into the dash. Assuming that the windshield
frame (rust) and rubber seal are intact and not leaking (as well as
the heater core not leaking on the passenger side) the #1 problem is
the water vents near the heater-blower motor located under the hood,
near the top of the fire wall/center. You CANNOT just blow the vents
out on the L/R side of the fire wall (in most cases)... The problem (a
design flaw IMO) is the fact that leaves/dirt (vegetation) enter the
blower duct (the black plastic air vents near the wiper blades near
the center of the
> windshield/hood) and over years collect in and around the water
vents inside the blower cavity. If your lucky... they will decompose
and drain out, but after years they build up (dirt/leaves/moss/twigs).
If all you do is use compressed air to blow the "crud" out of the
way... after the next good rain storm the crud will re-clog the
drain-vents. Take a few hours and remove the access panel on the
firewall and clean out all the crud in the blower compartment using
compressed air AND a vacuum (you may want/need to remove the blower
motor- it's a tight fit). This is also a good time to replace the
blower motor if it is old, not working or starting to fail. Also look
for rust damage in this area. Be sure to clean both the FAR left and
right of this cavity- there is drain vents on both sides.
>
> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->
> Hope this is helpful.
>
>
> lhrc51 wrote: What would cause the front driver side carpet to
get wet when it
> rains? I've cleaned the plastic spout located inside the engine
> compartment by the firewall on the passenger side & tried to clean the
> sunroof drains (2 of 'em right?) from the top w/weed-wacker line but it
> still happens. The line goes pretty deep inside the drains but it gets
> stuck at one point on both sides. It comes out clean so it doesn't
> look like there are any clogs, should I attempt to do the same from the
> bottom of the drains by the jacking points?
>
> How about a wet carpet on the rear passenger side, could this be caused
> by clogged sunroof drains?
>
> TIA,
>
> Luis
> '88 325is
> '86 325i
> '86 325e
>
>
>
> Carey Grummitt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Drains: 101
> First off, be sure to remove the crud blocking a vent/drain. If
you just blow/push it out of the way... it will find it's way back and
clog a drain or vent.
>
> Sunroof:
> The best way to clear the sunroof drains- two on each side for a
total of four sunroof drains (and most other drains) is by compressed
air/air compressor. FYI: The front drains snake down the front door
jam (near the windshield frame) and drain out from within the
wheel-well (about/above where the speaker is located on the front
floor). You can't locate the end of this hose unless you remove the
fender- not that you need too, just to let you know.
>
> The rear roof drains- drain into the air vents located in the trunk
(battery compartment on the passenger side and the Jack storage
compartment on the driver side). Check and make sure the rear drains
are still draining out the vents, sometimes the steel clips that hold
them in place will rust and the water will then start to drain into
the compartments in the trunk.
>
> Compartments in the trunk:
> Both L/R trunk compartments have a small "slit" in the steel/bottoms
that allows water to drain in the event water should end up there.
You can see the slits/drains if you look under the car/quarter panels
just below the battery/jack compartments. The slits are only about a
1/2 inch wide and maybe have a very small opening of about a 1/16" for
water to drain. It's very common for the "slits" (in the trunk only)
to become full of dirt/sand/leaves in the aging E30's. It's best to
remove the plastic liner in the trunk about every 20 years (and the
battery) and fully clean/vacuum the crud out of the compartments to
make sure the slits remain clear (and hope that the tail panel has not
already started to rust out). Any on going moisture in this area is
the #1 reason quarter panels start to rust out in the rear- no matter
how well BMW rust-proofs the cars (and they do a fine job of doing
that). Also check for rust/holes in the steel along the rubber trunk
seal or rusted
> steel around the tail lights if you have on-going condensation
build up in the trunk (you should remove the tail lights for the best
inspection. This is a BIG problem for the E30's that have been in or
are from the Eastern US. Replace the trunk seal and seals on the
tail lights if water is leaking in and seal any areas of rust in or
around the trunk-deck or around the tail lights/tail panel area.
>
> You will also find the same "drain slits" along the L/R frame rails
(two I believe on each side) near the jacking points (front and rear)
of the car near the inside of the "pinch welds" of/near the door frame
located just under the door frame/jams (under the car). It's very
unlikely that these frame rail drains would ever need to be used as
"drains" unless a car was "fully" submerged in water (water coming up
over the door jams) or for any other reason for a large amount of
water entering the cab of a car. The slits also have a duel purpose-
to be used as air vents to equalize air pressure when slamming a door
shut.
>
> Water on the front cabin floor:
> One of the first places you will see water in the cab is a drip
coming from under the dash on the driver's side below (between) the
hood release handle and the clutch peddle. On a rainy day place a dry
newspaper under the pedals and the next day you should see the genreal
location of the drips. Due to a tight fit (wires, etc) under the dash
it's unlikely you will be able to see where the water is coming from
without tearing deeper into the dash. Assuming that the windshield
frame (rust) and rubber seal are intact and not leaking (as well as
the heater core not leaking on the passenger side) the #1 problem is
the water vents near the heater-blower motor located under the hood,
near the top of the fire wall/center. You CANNOT just blow the vents
out on the L/R side of the fire wall (in most cases)... The problem (a
design flaw IMO) is the fact that leaves/dirt (vegetation) enter the
blower duct (the black plastic air vents near the wiper blades near
the center of the
> windshield/hood) and over years collect in and around the water
vents inside the blower cavity. If your lucky... they will decompose
and drain out, but after years they build up (dirt/leaves/moss/twigs).
If all you do is use compressed air to blow the "crud" out of the
way... after the next good rain storm the crud will re-clog the
drain-vents. Take a few hours and remove the access panel on the
firewall and clean out all the crud in the blower compartment using
compressed air AND a vacuum (you may want/need to remove the blower
motor- it's a tight fit). This is also a good time to replace the
blower motor if it is old, not working or starting to fail. Also look
for rust damage in this area. Be sure to clean both the FAR left and
right of this cavity- there is drain vents on both sides.
>
> <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->
> Hope this is helpful.
>
>
> lhrc51 wrote: What would cause the front driver side carpet to
get wet when it
> rains? I've cleaned the plastic spout located inside the engine
> compartment by the firewall on the passenger side & tried to clean the
> sunroof drains (2 of 'em right?) from the top w/weed-wacker line but it
> still happens. The line goes pretty deep inside the drains but it gets
> stuck at one point on both sides. It comes out clean so it doesn't
> look like there are any clogs, should I attempt to do the same from the
> bottom of the drains by the jacking points?
>
> How about a wet carpet on the rear passenger side, could this be caused
> by clogged sunroof drains?
>
> TIA,
>
> Luis
> '88 325is
> '86 325i
> '86 325e
>
>
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