E85 Drains

[Zed4our]

So I've seen a few YouTube vids on where to find the drains, but I wonder what the forum thinks is the best way to make sure they are clear? I've seen a vid of a guy using a hoover to fetch rubbish out but is it possible to carefully insert a wire up through the drain to sort of rod it out? Does the drain have bends? How long is the drain? Be interesting to hear people's views an experience.

 

[Marlon]

Pull the bungs out from underneath and stick a long wire up. You will get a good idea if there is water. Of course it could be blocked from above in the actual motor housing so best bet is to get the motor relocated into the boot.

They are located here:



Durham Dave does it for £80:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=86030&p=1368916&hilit=durham+dave#p1368916

DuckLakeView does it for £80 (northwest):
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=94565

and Number5 does it - he's in Bristol

 

[Darren Slone]

Pull the bungs out from underneath and stick a long wire up. You will get a good idea if there is water. Of course it could be blocked from above in the actual motor housing so best bet is to get the motor relocated into the boot.

They are located here:



Durham Dave does it for £80:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=86030&p=1368916&hilit=durham+dave#p1368916

DuckLakeView does it for £80 (northwest):
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=94565

and Number5 does it - he's in Bristol

I've just had a look Marlon for curiosity but couldn't see any bungs? Have you got a pic

 

[Smartbear]

If you pour a small amount of water around the back of the roof & quickly throw yourself to the floor you can see where the water cascades from (unless they're blocked & your car suffers from prostate trouble)
Rob

 

[Ducklakeview]

Pull the bungs out from underneath and stick a long wire up. You will get a good idea if there is water. Of course it could be blocked from above in the actual motor housing so best bet is to get the motor relocated into the boot.

They are located here:



Durham Dave does it for £80:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=86030&p=1368916&hilit=durham+dave#p1368916

DuckLakeView does it for £80 (northwest):
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=94565

and Number5 does it - he's in Bristol

I've just had a look Marlon for curiosity but couldn't see any bungs? Have you got a pic

They are just out of sight above the black plastic piece. A flexible wire feeding tool is a good way to clean them out.

Mike

 

[Ducklakeview]

Pretty accurate representation in this pic, no 2 being roughly where the motor sits, although it actually sits a fair bit lower in the car.



Mike

 

[Ducklakeview]

So I've seen a few YouTube vids on where to find the drains, but I wonder what the forum thinks is the best way to make sure they are clear? I've seen a vid of a guy using a hoover to fetch rubbish out but is it possible to carefully insert a wire up through the drain to sort of rod it out? Does the drain have bends? How long is the drain? Be interesting to hear people's views an experience.

From underneath is easiest. I used a short rod from a wire feeding kit popped through after removing the bungs.

Driver's side will pass straight through, but passenger's will hit the bottom of the motor housing. Problem is, with a used car, you don't know it's history, and the chances are that the motor is already sitting snugly wrapped in wet sponge inside it's casing Stupid design!

As mentioned, I can relocate it if it's something you are worried about. Pretty much every one I have done (around 30 now) has either shown signs of corrosion, or been corroded AND sitting in water, so poor is the design. Depending where you are in the country, there are others who may or may not be closer to you, I am on Merseyside in WA9.

Mike

 

[Zed4our]

Ducklakeview, was brought up as a woolly back mate, now up in Scotland. When I eventually 'find' and buy an E85 I'll be taking roof off to have a looksee and will take your advice on relocating the motor.
Thanks everyone for info so far - cool forum for my first posts.
Years ago I was on the Zroadster forum and they helped with the Z3. Good to have info for a future Z4

 

[Sgr74]

Ducklakeview, was brought up as a woolly back mate, now up in Scotland. When I eventually 'find' and buy an E85 I'll be taking roof off to have a looksee and will take your advice on relocating the motor.
Thanks everyone for info so far - cool forum for my first posts.
Years ago I was on the Zroadster forum and they helped with the Z3. Good to have info for a future Z4

Where in sunny Scotland are you? I relocated my motor, with a bit of input from Mike. I could possibly give you a hand when the time comes.

 

[Zed4our]

Where in sunny Scotland are you? I relocated my motor, with a bit of input from Mike. I could possibly give you a hand when the time comes.

Hi, I'm 'just' up the road in Aberdeenshire. I'm busy checking stuff out whilst I'm searching for the correct one to buy. The one Comrie doesn't really have the right spec and is not my first colour choice. But when I do find what I'm after I'll be looking to shift the motor - as in Scotland it's when not if the car will fill with water. 8)

 

[Marlon]

Pull the bungs out from underneath and stick a long wire up. You will get a good idea if there is water. Of course it could be blocked from above in the actual motor housing so best bet is to get the motor relocated into the boot.

I've just had a look Marlon for curiosity but couldn't see any bungs? Have you got a pic

Haven't got a pic, but the bungs are almost flush with the outer body panel in a small recess (yours may have already been remove in which case you should feel the hole)

 

[Ducklakeview]

The bungs/holes are up behind that plastic trim in Darren's pic, you can access them with the trim in place, but it's a lot easier if you remove it (2 mins tops) the bung themselves look like this.



Mike

 

[Zed4our]

Thanks everyone. Have you guys left the bungs out to improve drainage or does that make matters worse?

 

[Ducklakeview]

Thanks everyone. Have you guys left the bungs out to improve drainage or does that make matters worse?

It increases the road noise, and the drain pipes themselves then get blocked by dirt thrown up from the road.

Mike

 

[Zed4our]

It increases the road noise, and the drain pipes themselves then get blocked by dirt thrown up from the road.

Mike

Ok, extra noise in a soft top I can handle but the road dirt would be a problem. Will note that. Cheers.

 

[csquire4]

I checked mine again the other day. I found jacking up, wheel off, remove plastic cover (3 or 4 screws), remove bung and then give it a rodding with a pipe cleaner. Then run clean water from the top and it should cascade through the drain.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5Pcs-Stainless-Steel-Nylon-Pipe-Cleaning-Brushes-Straw-Drinking-Cleaners-Black-/281996858846?hash=item41a85295de:g:0KIAAOSwy5ZXB48d

This will ensure it is drained at that point in time but it doesn't guarantee that you will pull out any debris that has found its way in there. I saw the 'hoover' video but wasn't convinced that would be very effective. I check mine every couple of months and so far there hasn't been any water 'backed up' which suggests there is little or no debris to cause a blockage - famous last words !!

 

[Zed4our]

Ha ha, my wife has one of those nylon brushes she uses on the Sports Drink bottles and a CamelBac hydration system 8)

 

[Darren Slone]

The bungs/holes are up behind that plastic trim in Darren's pic, you can access them with the trim in place, but it's a lot easier if you remove it (2 mins tops) the bung themselves look like this.

2017-04-06_09-53-22.jpg

Mike

Thanks guys

 

[DaveZ4richardson]

I can't locate the bungs either from underneath!!!

 

[Marlon]

I can't locate the bungs either from underneath!!!

They are well hidden - put it this way, I know where they are and it still takes me a while to locate them!
The whole roof motor in the body space with drains and bungs fiasco is by far the E85's worst design flaw :thumbsdown: