cleaning sunroof drains (1 Viewer)

[Delmer]

Pulled up the FAQ page and the pics from tomatopants thread are gone. https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/179613-cleaning-your-sunroof-drains-faq.html

I can get the weedeater cord about three feet down the drain- but can not figure out where it is supposed to come out. Its definitely clogged. Any pics or advice welcome.

Thanks

Danny

 

[Kernal]

The string will not come out anywhere that is visible as the front sunroof drain hoses end or drain inside the rocker panel cavity up by the front fender behind the wheel wells. The drain hoses do not connect directly to the slit drains. The water then can drain out of any of the small 3/4 inch slit drains located at the pinch weld on the underside of the rocker panels. Use a plastic zip tie to push up into those slit drains to open them up if plugged. I've put warm water and a few drops of dish soap in a water bottle then poured a little at a time into the sunroof drain pan, then watch it dribble out the slit drains. If the vehicle is on level ground the water usually drains out of the front slit drain but if the vehicle is nose up the water can run back to a different slit drain. The two rear sunroof drain hoses run all the way back to the inside of the rear quarter panels. In order to clean or check those you can park the truck nose up then pour some soapy water into the drain pan and watch where it trickles out on the ground. Tip: don't pour too much water into the drain pan all at one time, it can overflow the drain pan and then run over the headliner and down to the floor.

Here's a photo showing the end of a front drain tube pulled out from where it drains into the rocker-panel.

 

[Delmer]

Thanks Kernal

 

[greentruck]

People seem to do OK with the weedwacker string.

I had better luck with a leftover stainless steel cable from a garage door. It's like 1/16"? Basically any cable that will fit will do that same. The cable has a bit more mass and a sharp end for those heavy duty clogs.

Whatever works, but this totally solved the neglected and very clogged drains on our vehicle. In fact, that's how I found MUD. Saw the truck on the lot, noted the wet floorboard on the pass side, came home to do some research on that and 80s in general, found it would be an easy fix, made an offer after checking with the treasurer, and the rest is history...

 

[bdg4512]

Mine has the same problem, I tried using .155 weed eater string tied to a drill for a little extra oomph and even it wasn't strong enough to bust the clog. I'll have to try the Dawn trick and see what happens. I'm getting a little tired of my "Luxury SUV" smelling like a water logged honda civic. haha.

 

[Kernal]

Very important IMO not to force whatever you are using to unclogged the drain, that is if they are actually clogged. First time I tried it I was sure the hoses were clogged as the weed wacker string stopped after I fed maybe less than four feet into the drain hole up top, but what had actually happened was that the string had just bottomed out inside the rocker panel. I also took my kickpanel and sill plate off to check the tube to be sure it wasn't kinked, it wasn't (see photos above) and could look down into the rocker panel via the plastic rivet holes for the sill plate; the rocker panel was clean as a whistle, no build up of anything. The water source in my situation happened to be from a poorly installed replacement windshield which seems to be very common problem.

 

[wagonteeth]

Mine turned out to be mud caked in/on the rockers and the water couldn't drain. After I cleaned them up, no leaks in 6 months.

 

[Itchy Sides]

Thanks for reminding me that this is on the pre-winter to-do list...

 

[Tapage]

anyone ever try blow with air those lines .. maybe low pressure will work wonders ..

 

[Offroads4x4]

anyone ever try blow with air those lines .. maybe low pressure will work wonders ..

I have heard people say they tried air and blew their drain tubes off. Be careful if you choose to use air.

 

[greentruck]

Mine turned out to be mud caked in/on the rockers and the water couldn't drain. After I cleaned them up, no leaks in 6 months.

In extreme cases, users have reported sloshing rocker panels full of water.

The cure for that specifically is to use a ziptie and run it it the drain slots that are formed into the bottom seam of the rocker panels. Thopse doing their hatch drains may want to check these, as that's where the water goes from the front drains and if the rocker is plugged...

Yeah, I don't think compressed air is going to help in opening up the sunroof drains. The clamps on the hoses where they connect with the drain are just to hold things in place and aren't rated for pressure. You may blow them loose before getting the clog out, then you gotta drop the headliner to set things right.... It either drains or it don't, then mechanical help seems to be what's needed.

 

[Tapage]

I was thinking in low pressure .. nothing really radical after pour some water to loose what ever it's in ..

 

[adventr]

In extreme cases, users have reported sloshing rocker panels full of water.

Happened to me just a couple weeks back. Couldn't figure out why I kept hearing water slosh around when I would come to a stop!
It sounded like my entire driver side door was full of water, but upon inspection it was dry. I did a search and found that the sunroof drains into the rocker panels (I had no idea), and upon removing one of the black rubber plugs underneath the rocker, about 2gal of water came rushing out....

 

[BCR4619]

Happened to me just a couple weeks back. Couldn't figure out why I kept hearing water slosh around when I would come to a stop!
It sounded like my entire driver side door was full of water, but upon inspection it was dry. I did a search and found that the sunroof drains into the rocker panels (I had no idea), and upon removing one of the black rubber plugs underneath the rocker, about 2gal of water came rushing out....

Happened to me when i showed up to work this morning, I was like wtf is that so i crawled under n popped the caps.... This is after 110mm's of rain fell this weekend lol

When I get home I will get a zip tie n clean er out!

 

[CCC TT]

When It rains all the water collected in the sunroof drains into the cab from the sun visor mounts... It's safe to assume my drain hoses aren't hooked up anymore?

 

[thestunts]

I used metal wire ... not sure of the name, but people use it to tie up rebar and what not. Got it at home depot in a huge bundle. Now I use it for all kinds of things....

Anyhow, I ran that from the top down cleaning like everyone else.

After all that, it was still a poor & slow drain so I took a fat flat screw driver, jammed it up the pinch weld and opened it up. POURED RIGHT OUT, super good flow. I also went along and did this in a couple spots.

Since then, no water inside, no sloshing ever, and it drains quickly.

 

[retrofive]

Slight hijack, but my is leaking in the C pillar. It starts right where the seams is the cloth and seatbelt are wet from the there down.

Seems the pics I have seen the connector is up higher and I would think more would be wet further up.

Thoughts on this leak?

 

[retrofive]

I take that back. Yep appears to be disconnected higher up and just dripping down the liner.

 

[BCR4619]

I used metal wire ... not sure of the name, but people use it to tie up rebar and what not. Got it at home depot in a huge bundle. Now I use it for all kinds of things....

Tie Wire

 

[greentruck]

When It rains all the water collected in the sunroof drains into the cab from the sun visor mounts... It's safe to assume my drain hoses aren't hooked up anymore?

Both sides drippy? Yeah, sounds like something's not right back there. Try cleaning the drains first, as it could be they're both just clogged. You don't want to take down the headliner unless you have to.

retrofive,
Not so many complaints on the rear drains, but I suppose this pic is proof that it happens. At least you can see the exit of the rear drains underneath, so might be worth pouring water in carefully up top and seeing what happens -- after doing what you can to clear it. I think I reached these from underneath, because you really can't from up top?