Best way to clear the drain holes??

[BCA]

Anyone got any methods/ special tools for doing a thorough job on this?? I have already cleared it at the top once but would ideally like to clear it alot more thoroughally now that we've had some bad weather. This is on a mk2 btw...

Thanks

[Slinky]

Wire coat hanger!

[slim_boy_fat]

Where are the drain holes?

[MX-5 Lazza]

Slinky said:

Wire coat hanger!

That's what I use too (straightened out of course )

[ianreeves]

I unscrewed the ariel and used that

Mine is a manual not auto ariel though

The drain holes can be seen when the roof is down on the either side of the folding mechanism behind the seat belts.

[slim_boy_fat]

Thanks

[Oldandslow]

Hood drains can be a bit fragile, the rubber tube may crack/puncture. Old springy type plastic coated curtain rod is a good safe alternative to wire.

Sill drains are on the weld line at the bottom of the sills either side of the jacking points.

[Evangelion]

Oldandslow said:

Sill drains are on the weld line at the bottom of the sills either side of the jacking points.

Does this mean that if the sills have been replaced, there is a chance someone has blocked the drain?

[Oldandslow]

I guess it's possible if they didn't know what they were for.

[J-Tuner]

I use my manual aerial and does the job nicely.

Somethign to note is i belive there are some one way flaps towards the bottom that can get damaged if you are not careful.. might let insects or crap in later...

[911hillclimber]

Gentle application of an airline?

I'd love to know where so much condensation creeps in from as the carpets are bone dry etc.

Just started the Kitty litter in an open shoe box 'process'...

[BCA]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Slinky said:

Wire coat hanger!

That's what I use too (straightened out of course )

Interesting, I'd cleaned the top out a month ago - it was covered today - but stranger still, I found a blockage further down using said method. Bloody brilliant, will do this weekly now. Thanks guys!

[dylan0451]

the little flap is about 10mm from the end of the drain tube which protudes from the shell. mine seem really stiff so i might wedge them open as they themselves seem to trap crud

i've been told (thankfully haven't been here) that the drain pipe is in parts - the centre section inside the wing push fits inside the top section - so if you rod from the top down with a stiff object you can dislodge the pipe which then means it's a long job to disassemble and replace and in the mean time rain water collects in the body

i've always used a plastic coated curtain rod and gone from the bottom up, as it were and not felt any resistance

[DavesBRG5]

dylan0451 said:

i've always used a plastic coated curtain rod and gone from the bottom up, as it were and not felt any resistance

Surely thats going against the one way valve?

I always understood the best method is using a curtain wire from the top & pulling it through the bottom of the tube.......Works for me anyhow!

[BCA]

plastic coated metal hanger, straightened - then literally feed it through the hole, turning to avoid risking partial blockage (you wont have a perfectly straight one I am guessing) - and wait until you touch the ground. On mine, I audibly heard and felt the blockeage clear at the bottom of the drivers side one.

Definately worth doing, and often - I last checked them a month ago and even since it has become blocked.

[dylan0451]

DavesBRG5 said:

Surely thats going against the one way valve?

you stuff a small screwdriver up and lever the flap open (carefully) to get the curtain rod up

i'm sure i've heard (could be chinese whispers) that mazda designed the flap in for acoustic reasons - i find it closes far too well and doesn't like letting go so may just wedge open