Anything on the forum about clearing out the drain channels on the Z4? Any photos of location or best methods to check - couldn't find anything on Youtube. Will be keeping my Z4 outside and worried about that hood motor when it rains - do I need to build another garage to keep it in or are there any fixes?!
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Clearing Drain Channels
- Thread starter paulgs1000
- Start date
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26060 this will give you a few pictures of how to clean them from underside.
I did mine from above, I lowered the roof and got an extremely bright light which I shone down into the corners by the doors, you will see the drains from above, though they are tricky to get to. I got a long pipe which I shoved into the area, attached a vacuum cleaner to it to suck out any crap, before then pushing the pipe into the hole, attaching it to an adapted 2 litre bottle and squirted water into the drain pipe ensuring it came out the bottom of the car. I also regularly brush out crap from around the edge of the roof, vacuum it, and also lower the roof part way, stop it, then vacuum in this area to get rid of any debris.
If you are parking the car under foliage then I would recommend covering the hood with a cover or something.
I did mine from above, I lowered the roof and got an extremely bright light which I shone down into the corners by the doors, you will see the drains from above, though they are tricky to get to. I got a long pipe which I shoved into the area, attached a vacuum cleaner to it to suck out any crap, before then pushing the pipe into the hole, attaching it to an adapted 2 litre bottle and squirted water into the drain pipe ensuring it came out the bottom of the car. I also regularly brush out crap from around the edge of the roof, vacuum it, and also lower the roof part way, stop it, then vacuum in this area to get rid of any debris.
If you are parking the car under foliage then I would recommend covering the hood with a cover or something.
Advice like this is really helpful thanks GaryH I'll give this a try. I also followred the string on the FAQ part of the forum (no pictures?)
What about keeping Z4s outside - I live in a relatively private and ok area so hopefully my Z will be safe on our large drive but what about the problems with rain getting into the roof area and not draining away? Will keeping the Z out (in the rain) cause more problems than it being garaged? Anyone in a similar situation?
What about keeping Z4s outside - I live in a relatively private and ok area so hopefully my Z will be safe on our large drive but what about the problems with rain getting into the roof area and not draining away? Will keeping the Z out (in the rain) cause more problems than it being garaged? Anyone in a similar situation?
This should help...
http://www.eastpazscca.org/downloads/E-85-drain.pdf
http://www.eastpazscca.org/downloads/E-85-drain.pdf
Andysat and WLH - thanks for the info about members keeping their Z4s outside all year - that's reassuring and the photos and 'how to' link is brilliant. Just bought the Z4 and gonna need some info - but already feeling I have a great resource here on Z4 Forum - thanks again.
My Z4 is kept outdoors as well. I check the drains before the winter, and during the winter just ensure that the water drains down and can be seen exiting the car when I wash the roof. Its worth getting a decent roof cleaner, and a weatherproofer. Clean the roof, wash it, let it dry, then apply the weatherproofer - you should see the water run off the roof as opposed to soaking into it. If the weather is forecast to be really bad, I will place a partial car cover over the roof, mainly just to stop too much rain entering the drains, and in the winter to prevent frost/snow build up on the roof.
This forum has been a great help to me, no doubt will be to you too!
This forum has been a great help to me, no doubt will be to you too!
The big issue, I reckon, is making sure that the car isn't parked for long periods under trees or places where the blossom has blown off in the winds. It's rubbish like this, that will be responsible for clogging up the drainage holes preventing water to run freely away. Normal rainwater should run away and you can easily check for telltale signs on the ground that the water is draining away in the correct manner.