Roof motor drainage.. Or lack of! Pics included..

B

bowser134

Member
 Hampshire
Got to work on replacing a forum members roof motor today to be greeted by this water level. Found that the drain tubes were that blocked that the water level was just short of entering the cars interior. You can see where the water had been splashing onto the top section.

Highest water level ive seen so far! Thought you'd like to see the results.

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Wonder why BMW didnt keep it in the boot as on the Z3, just a thought to all you tinkerers could it be re sited to the boot,
M

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paulgs1000 said:
That's a facelift si - so much for the modification to avoid this happening :(

Got to check mine asap!

:driving: :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I hadn't noticed it was a facelift zed, I didn't think they could get as bad as that :cry:

I checked my drains the other week Paul, water draining freely :thumbsup:
 
Cleared mine out yesterday but they were dry and clear, the car has spent most of it's life under cover so no real surprise there. The roof motor does sound a bit lazy though, it's 8 years old so not unexpected really. I will be using it more in the wet weather than it has been previously with its past owners, hence making sure the drains were clear. Not so much to save the motor but to ensure the scenario in the above photos doesn't happen. I just back blew them with an air line at fairly low pressure. I also extended the drain tubes a bit to save having to take out the bottom of the wheel arch liner every time.

Also worth a mention is the windscreen / scuttle drain. This comes out just above the gearbox on the driver's side and drips onto the exhaust (2.5 Si Sport so not sure it will on all models). I noticed it a few days back when I got home, left the car on the path for a while before putting it in the garage, it left a trail of water behind as I moved it. I thought at first it was the air con but I'd not had it on, so got underneath to see where it was coming from. I'd been using the screen washer and the drain tube still had water in it. I've extended that one as well to get it away from the exhaust which was starting to rust with the constant dripping on it.
 
In answer to AlienZed's question 'can the pump be re positioned in the boot'(trunk) it's yes. I have found several examples on German websites. Anyone interested try this link for photos and text (in German i'm afraid)
http://www.zroadster.com/forum/index.php?threads/hydraulikpumpe-trockenlegen-und-sicher-in-den-kofferraum-verbauen.79900/
 
Midhurstman said:
In answer to AlienZed's question 'can the pump be re positioned in the boot'(trunk) it's yes. I have found several examples on German websites. Anyone interested try this link for photos and text (in German i'm afraid)
http://www.zroadster.com/forum/index.php?threads/hydraulikpumpe-trockenlegen-und-sicher-in-den-kofferraum-verbauen.79900/
Click to expand...

Cheers for the reply , get our son to translate it tomoz,
Maybe another machine monkey project,
Moz

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Dewi said:
Also worth a mention is the windscreen / scuttle drain. This comes out just above the gearbox on the driver's side and drips onto the exhaust (2.5 Si Sport so not sure it will on all models). I noticed it a few days back when I got home, left the car on the path for a while before putting it in the garage, it left a trail of water behind as I moved it. I thought at first it was the air con but I'd not had it on, so got underneath to see where it was coming from. I'd been using the screen washer and the drain tube still had water in it. I've extended that one as well to get it away from the exhaust which was starting to rust with the constant dripping on it.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that is the aircon drain, so you had it on, on some point (or there was still some water sitting in the drip tray). The scuttle drains go left and right, I think between the chassis and the fenders:
arob.png

Part 8; there's a left & a right.
http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E85/Europe/Z4_3.0i-M54/L-N/apr2004/browse/vehicle_trim/various_body_parts/#pos_8

As for inspecting the roof drains: you can use an endoscope to look down by the side of the roof. And use a flexible pick up tool to get any leaves out. Failing roof motors is always a result of dirt&debris getting in on the side of the roof. Most of it probably comes from trees.
But first of all check the drains from underneath obviously. I sometimes use compressed air, with the roof down and when everything is dry.
I wonder if those grommets on there (at the end of the drain tubes) do more harm than good..... :?
 
Not the roof motor but if we are clearing autumn leaves from our drains the front ones are definitely worth a check under the bonnet,

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40973&p=585592&hilit=+front#p576732
 
Mr muscle is pretty caustic though ? If it is blocked, that will flow around your roof surely ?

As for the dripping underneath in the centre, that's the aircon. Mine is on all the time and there always a wee puddle under the car. Good call cleaning those scuttles though.

Facelift motors started failing a couple of years ago, mine went and it was soaked. The new plastic motor housing fitted to them helped, but they a re not sealed so eventually fill up if the drains block.

As for the grommets, the 'official' BMW fix for when replacing a motor includes removal of these as well as drilling the top of the drain holes slightly bigger. Some have sealed the plastic housing with silicone, others have drilled holes in the bottom. IMO the latter will simply allow it to fill faster if the drains get blocked.

Finally, the e89 does not have this problem. IIRC the motor is in the boot, and of course there's a much better seal between the roof and the body with a hard top.

Unfortunately I don't have compressed air at home, so I'll probably just have to find a really long straw and blow up there :lol:
 
GuidoK said:
Dewi said:
Also worth a mention is the windscreen / scuttle drain. This comes out just above the gearbox on the driver's side and drips onto the exhaust (2.5 Si Sport so not sure it will on all models). I noticed it a few days back when I got home, left the car on the path for a while before putting it in the garage, it left a trail of water behind as I moved it. I thought at first it was the air con but I'd not had it on, so got underneath to see where it was coming from. I'd been using the screen washer and the drain tube still had water in it. I've extended that one as well to get it away from the exhaust which was starting to rust with the constant dripping on it.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that is the aircon drain, so you had it on, on some point (or there was still some water sitting in the drip tray). The scuttle drains go left and right, I think between the chassis and the fenders:
arob.png

Part 8; there's a left & a right.
http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E85/Europe/Z4_3.0i-M54/L-N/apr2004/browse/vehicle_trim/various_body_parts/#pos_8

As for inspecting the roof drains: you can use an endoscope to look down by the side of the roof. And use a flexible pick up tool to get any leaves out. Failing roof motors is always a result of dirt&debris getting in on the side of the roof. Most of it probably comes from trees.
But first of all check the drains from underneath obviously. I sometimes use compressed air, with the roof down and when everything is dry.
I wonder if those grommets on there (at the end of the drain tubes) do more harm than good..... :?
Click to expand...

Looking at that, you're probably right, come to think of it the water didn't smell of screenwash either. The air con drain comes a long way back though if that's what it is! Whatever pipe it is, it's not dripping on my exhaust anymore :) Next time the car's up on ramps I'll have a good look
 
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