Floor wet, sunroof drains NOT clogged

[spyde25]

i have a 88 325i with a leak (but who doesnt). I can poor water into the sunroof drain holes and water comes out the bottom just fine. It also drains onto the passenger floor or drivers floor depending on which side. the elephant drain, drains just fine and doesnt leak back.

I have ran weed wacker cord down without any resistance.

I was about to pull a pillar down and look at the tubes but appears they are glued in. any ideas before i start tearing stuff apart. my headliner isnt stained. and pillars are quite nice so i am a little hesitant,

[b*saint]

Sounds like a seal is leaking.

[spyde25]

Sounds like a seal is leaking.

Is there a seal at the drain tubes? Or are they just affixed with a worm gear clamp. The rate at which the water appears on the floor makes me doubt a puncture in the tubes.

If the tubes have a big enough ID i am half temped to run another line inside.

[b*saint]

I dont know. I dont even know what a BMW is.

[defaultName]

A friend of mine had some work done on his car and it started to flood soon afterwards. There was a plug or seal missing from the firewall causing water to fill the inside of the car. It wasn't an E30 but it may be worth a look.

[M-technik-3]

Elephant trunk clogged? Or is the jack point crushed and rusty?

[spyde25]

Elephant trunk clogged? Or is the jack point crushed and rusty?

Will check jack points as i did spot some rust. Water pour out just fine out of the elephant trunk (water not present on floor at this time, just thru the sunroof drains).

[nickso]

the tubes are one piece IIRC so if they are not leaking at the top then they should be ok. the drains for both sides just empty into the sills. remove the speaker cover and speaker on each side (central locking box on one side too) and see if the water comes out, might be hard to see but you can pull the tubes out with a bit of force and have them sitting in the footwell if you need to.

my money would be on rotten floors/bulkhead. even if the elephant trunk is clogged it shouldn't fill the car with water as the water can still get out the hole on the fusebox side. only if the path to that side of the heater box is clogged should water get in.

[Kershaw]

if the elephant drain is clogged IT WILL flood the car.

[spyde25]

the tubes are one piece IIRC so if they are not leaking at the top then they should be ok. the drains for both sides just empty into the sills. remove the speaker cover and speaker on each side (central locking box on one side too) and see if the water comes out, might be hard to see but you can pull the tubes out with a bit of force and have them sitting in the footwell if you need to.

my money would be on rotten floors/bulkhead. even if the elephant trunk is clogged it shouldn't fill the car with water as the water can still get out the hole on the fusebox side. only if the path to that side of the heater box is clogged should water get in.

coincidentally i had to replace my central locking box as it was full of water. (mounted upside down)

I haven't owned this E30 very long and its garaged. so i am hoping the PO did same and wont have rusted thru floor boards.

Will clean out the drains one more time as well as the elephant trunk and report results.

[nickso]

if the elephant drain is clogged IT WILL flood the car.

i disagree, none of mine have and i have found shit growing in there. good luck or bad luck, who knows. i suppose if it's facing the right way it will drain out the other hole, if it isn't it won't. i have always binned the trunk anyway, it's a restriction i don't need and i'm not concerned with the fumes.

[Kershaw]

i have seen 3 e30s flood the passenger foot well with clogged elephant trunks.

removing it is one of the first things i do to an e30.

[ck_taft325is]

Sounds like a seal is leaking.

Fuck, you wear dumb really well.

[spyde25]

i have seen 3 e30s flood the passenger foot well with clogged elephant trunks.

removing it is one of the first things i do to an e30.

Just went this morning and validated my earlier post that the elephant trunk is not clogged and is not the source of the leak. So its just the sunroof drains.

Is the sunroof drain a rubber hose all the way down to the rocker panel? i am wondering if its disconnected at the bottom end somehow as i still get water to pour thru. Its raining this morning so i parked on an incline hoping that the water will go out the rear drains instead. Didnt find any rusty floor boards on the bottom side so mabye the PO had it garaged.

[spyde25]

Elephant trunk clogged? Or is the jack point crushed and rusty?

No elephant trunk is not clogged and my E30 drain is not near the jack point like an e36.