Clearing the ND soft top roof drains.
Discussion
So I've had my new Homura since June and have read so much stuff about MX5s on line.
Rust seems a worry and lots of posts about wet carpets and how to clear the drains.
Could Mazda have made getting access to the drain tubes, filter basket and sponge filter any harder?
I've seen videos where one guy did manage to get to the filter basket blind, with arms like Mr Fantastic.
Most remove panelling and still have convoluted access. One guy seems to have removed most of the car's interior to get to the lower drainage tubes.
Now if this was a once a year job, fair enough, but my car lives outside and after a summer of sand like pollen and seeds I have just stuck an endoscopic camera down the main drainage collector and can see that the filter basket is already gummed up with seeds.
So I'm thinking that this is a monthly or every two month job.
I'm ordering a flexible hoover attachment so that I may be able to quickly suck out the seeds. Has anyone else had success doing this?
It seems a good idea as it could easily be done weekly. I hate taking panelling off cars, especially new ones, as they never seem quite right when refitted, especially if you constantly have to do it.
How do the Mazda garages or Indies do it?
Rust seems a worry and lots of posts about wet carpets and how to clear the drains.
Could Mazda have made getting access to the drain tubes, filter basket and sponge filter any harder?
I've seen videos where one guy did manage to get to the filter basket blind, with arms like Mr Fantastic.
Most remove panelling and still have convoluted access. One guy seems to have removed most of the car's interior to get to the lower drainage tubes.
Now if this was a once a year job, fair enough, but my car lives outside and after a summer of sand like pollen and seeds I have just stuck an endoscopic camera down the main drainage collector and can see that the filter basket is already gummed up with seeds.
So I'm thinking that this is a monthly or every two month job.
I'm ordering a flexible hoover attachment so that I may be able to quickly suck out the seeds. Has anyone else had success doing this?
It seems a good idea as it could easily be done weekly. I hate taking panelling off cars, especially new ones, as they never seem quite right when refitted, especially if you constantly have to do it.
How do the Mazda garages or Indies do it?
It is all personal BUT...
Go on Croyde, gold wheels on your dark blue car would look FABULOUS.
Every time I walk up to my car with the bronze wheels it makes me smile because it looks so much better than murdered black AND MX5's are so personal and I have made it my car.
Anyways, any advice from experienced owners about drain holes for us noobs please?
Go on Croyde, gold wheels on your dark blue car would look FABULOUS.
Every time I walk up to my car with the bronze wheels it makes me smile because it looks so much better than murdered black AND MX5's are so personal and I have made it my car.
Anyways, any advice from experienced owners about drain holes for us noobs please?
Biglips said:
I have just done this on my wife s ND. What a ridiculous arrangement. Drains were full of debris.
Once you have done it once it is reasonably straightforward but such a poor design. I don t know how that was signed off.
Cripes! How many months worth of crud is that?Once you have done it once it is reasonably straightforward but such a poor design. I don t know how that was signed off.
A hoover nozzle for clearing lint out of tumble dryers arrived just now.
Just need to flatten it a bit and it should reach the filter holder easily.
Like I posted, it's just some seeds at the mo, the sponge still looks clean.
Flexible endoscopic camera that attaches to my phone has proved useful and it was only £11.
The nozzle was £6.
I'll give it a go tomorrow.
And Lentil, nice wheels. Mine are black with a gold tinge thanks to the brake dust
Success, sort of.
The adapter was just too thick, despite me squeezing it to an oblong section, to get right to the face of the filter bowl.
So a mk2 was fashioned using a piece of thin hosepipe.
Pretty good success but a thinner walled more flexible tube will have to be tried when I bring out the mk3 model
Before:
And now:
Admittedly this is a car that's only 4 months old and hasn't gone through Autumn yet, but if I try to do this weekly (and the hardest thing is running an extension lead from my flat to the garages) I hope to keep actually taking the filter out to once every 6 months..... or less... we'll see.
The adapter was just too thick, despite me squeezing it to an oblong section, to get right to the face of the filter bowl.
So a mk2 was fashioned using a piece of thin hosepipe.
Pretty good success but a thinner walled more flexible tube will have to be tried when I bring out the mk3 model
Before:
And now:
Admittedly this is a car that's only 4 months old and hasn't gone through Autumn yet, but if I try to do this weekly (and the hardest thing is running an extension lead from my flat to the garages) I hope to keep actually taking the filter out to once every 6 months..... or less... we'll see.
Edited by croyde on Saturday 19th September 13:08
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