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D2 - Common Faults Quick links to all known common faults and their solutions |
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Unblocking drains DEFINITIVE THREAD
Right then, car has just passed the MOT for another year which is all good, however I’ve got the car booked in for Friday because the passenger carpet was damp and there’s a damp smell in the car. The foam underneath was quite wet but not utterly sodden so may have just caught it before I get a swimming pool.
So, it looks like one or more of my drains is blocked. I’ve looked at the common faults thread on here and found the Quattroworld link detailing the drains: https://forums.quattroworld.com/a8/msgs/18945.phtml Forgetting Botang’s hole, how many actual drain points are there? Exactly where are they? And what colour are they? Are there 5, 6, 7, 8 drain points??? And which nipples can be totally removed and which ones need to stay (and just be cleaned). I ask this because there doesn’t appear to be a DIFINITIVE drains guide anywhere. Yeah, sure, I’ve searched exhaustively on here and found myriad posts about water ingress but they’re all referring to assorted and differing drains. Realistically, how much labour would checking/unblocking all the drains cost? I wanna nip this in the bud (or is that nip this in the nipple, if you will..). Maybe get a nippleectamy or 3 lol. However, my mental health hasn’t been fantastic recently, it’s freezing cold and damp and I don’t have a nice warm garage either - hence booking it in. My local guy is pretty good but I wanna go in there armed with the knowledge of all the points so he can do the work. I wish to high heaven that I lived nearer to D2Doctor or Unit20 or the like but unfortunately I’m nowhere near - I’ve used this chap a couple of times and he’s actually pretty good. He sorted a tricky problem on my other car and didn’t charge me the earth to fix it. Forgive all the questions - but there is unclear info - for example in the Quattroworld post above, it mentions more than 2 sunroof drains, front and rear of the vehicle - so does that mean there are 4 for the sunroof??? You get the idea why I’m asking. If there isn’t a definitive drains thread then I really do think it’s high time there is one, i.e. this thread - because blocked drains on this car are are so ridiculously common and problematic. Thanks chaps and chapesses |
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I can't give a definitive answer on exactly how many drains there are (or additional leak points such as Botang's hole, boot grommets, rear light clusters etc.) but I can say that they never, ever go away.
Whatever you do something, somehow will find a way to block the drain and cause problems, so be prepared to regularly clear them. I'll stick what little I know on my next post for others to then copy/edit to accumulate a single list in one post. For the record I have no issues with sunroof drains or Botang's hole. But I never ever open my sunroof......
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! Last edited by HPsauce; 8th December 2020 at 10:48 AM. |
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List of drains and water ingress points (please copy and add/expand/explain):
1. Orange drains from aircon condenser tray, one each side of the transmission tunnel behind interior trim (which needs care and knowledge to get out undamaged) 2. Scuttle drains under windscreen scuttle panel. Easily blocked by leaves, difficult to get at. IMHO it's not really the big nipples that are the problem, but higher up in the tray. 3. Sunroof drains 4. Boot cable grommets, especially on right side. MJ has a solution. 5. Seals around rear light cluster in boot lid 6. Rear numberplate (not sure about this one, but I've seen people seal there) 7. Small drains under bonnet, either side close to the wing panels.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! Last edited by HPsauce; 8th December 2020 at 11:20 AM. |
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List of drains and water ingress points (please copy and add/expand/explain):
1. Orange drains from aircon condenser tray, one each side of the transmission tunnel behind interior trim (which needs care and knowledge to get out undamaged) - Full instructions on how to do this can be found at the following link: http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articl...tordrains.html - Ensure you have a large enough container to capture the water when you remove these, and prior to refitting, soak them in hot water to make them more pliable. They look like this: 2. Scuttle drains under windscreen scuttle panel. Easily blocked by leaves, difficult to get at. IMHO it's not really the big nipples that are the problem, but higher up in the tray. - hidden under the HVAC unit and best accessed using something like a piece of copper brake pipe to get it angled correctly to wiggle around, and it exits both sides of the transmission. A combination of hot water and kitchen drain cleaners used to clean them, and then flushed again with clean hot water. Location and image as follows: 3. Sunroof drains - Four in total, one at each corner of sunroof frame. Plastic tubing is very pliable so extreme care when cleaning these out. Front ones exit at the base of the A-pillar (you can see them when you open the door), and the rear ones exit behind the back wheel. Illustration of layout as follows: 4. Boot cable grommets, especially on right side. MJ has a solution. - Link to specific thread about these - http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15456 5. Seals around rear light cluster in boot lid 6. Rear numberplate (not sure about this one, but I've seen people seal there) 7. Small drains under bonnet, either side close to the wing panels. - About two inches long and exit at the back of the wheel arch. Location and image as follows: 8. Botang's Hole - Even though it's not a 'genuine' drain, it has caused lots of issues so should also be addressed. The following link shows very detailed photos of its location: http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showpost....2&postcount=16
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2001 A8 D2 FL 3.7 Q - LPG Conversion, Engine: AKC, Gearbox:FBB, Colour:LY5X Aqua Blue pearl effect, Interior:WJ light beige/dark beige valcona leather with burr walnut inserts My DIY jobs - Replaced alarm horn, Replaced Coolant Temp sensor, Updated RNS-D firmware, Installed Reversing Camera and Digital TV, Dashcam Installation, Retrofitted Rear Blinds, Auto-Dimming Rear View Mirror, Chrome Boot Struts Sold! 2008 S8 D3 5.2 V10 - Engine: BSM, Gearbox:KLW, Colour:LY7F Suzuka Grey Pearl Effect, Interior:Black/Black with Silver/Black valcona leather with carbon atlas inserts, Bang & Olufsen, Heated windscreen, Soft-close doors, TV, DAB, AMI, Quad Zone, Auto Boot, Auto dim Mirrors, Keyless entry, PDC with rearview camera, AFS II Headlights My DIY jobs - Fan Jet Windscreen Washers, Retrofitted Electric Side Blinds Last edited by steamship; 21st December 2020 at 12:19 PM. Reason: Links to other threads where appropriate |
#5
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A few points about the scuttle and aircon condenser (orange) drains:
The orange drains, in theory, only ever get totally clean water so shouldn't get debris. In practice the tray is open to cabin air so some dust/debris gets in. BUT if the scuttle drains overflow muck from there gets in somehow making it much worse. The tray holds several pints! Cutting the tips off the orange drains "cross", so they're a mm or so open seems to help reduce blockages. In an emergency the passenger side trim panel is much easier to get off so clear that drain first. The drivers side needs the knee panel removing first which is a recipe for broken fixings. When refitting (I dip in boiling water!) the two smaller collars go either side of the transmission tunnel metalwork, push through with fingertips until it feels fully seated. There is thick insulation inside the cabin that the larger collar seals against. The cross end obviously points down out of sight. I find that ensuring the scuttle cover is precisely fitted to the base of the windscreen and cleared out regularly reduces the frequency of blockages. If it doesn't fit snugly debris, leaves etc. just wash down the windscreen and straight into the drains. You can peer into the tray (under the HVAC air intake unit, from nearside is easier) with a torch to check for water build-up. I use a flexible plastic pipe and "suck and blow" down it to agitate the debris, after first syphoning off any deep water then adding hot water and detergent. In my case the blockage seems to usually be in the tray, once that's softened by heat, detergent and agitation it "whooshes" out through the pipes. I think once warm the exits there are large enough and far enough down that the flow just goes straight through. No need to trim them. (Though they are almost totally inaccessible anyway unless the engine is out!) Preventive maintenance of very hot water and detergent flushed through regularly I heartily recommend. I've got an indoor watering can with a very long spout that holds a couple of litres and does the job well.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! Last edited by HPsauce; 8th December 2020 at 03:00 PM. |
#6
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yey for this thread, I've been reading loads of threads on blocked drains and until know was none the wiser, keep it coming
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As to the drains at the back of the front wheel arches, I removed the rubber ‘teats’ years ago. As an Audi indy mechanic advised - it’s not an amphibious vehicle! I kept them in case there was any issue, but it seems to reduce blocking significantly.
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2002 Final Edition S8. Ebony black with Silver Grey leather and myrtle wood trim. Current mods: solar sun roof, 20mm rear spacers, 15 mm on front, red brembo callipers, 6k headlights, rear view camera, engine remap, alloy dash dial rings, alloy navi rings, tt/phaeton pedal upgrade, (and custom matching foot rest) dension ipod interface & parrot hands free kit (both fully hidden), av input, tv in motion switched thro' PF switch in blanking plug right of steering column, Audi 'quattro' sill covers, repositioned centre console switches, radio clock, .Planned mods: auto-dimming rear view mirror, dash cam (as steamship's), fit the ski hatch, refit philips drl's (or maybe not - nope, definitely not - horrible botch!). |
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Fantastic response guys TYVM
Roughly how long should each set of drains take to inspect/clean? Remember the car is going into a proper garage workshop with carlifts, airlines etc. |
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The time consuming drains are the aircon drains. The transmission tunnel covers have to come off, and there is a cunningly hidden bracket on the driver’s side which, if you don’t know it’s there, is easily broken. I had to make a new bracket for my S8 at a previous ham fist had broken it. With an air line, the others should a doddle.
For a pro mechanic, I’d guess at no more than 3 hours, but there are more experienced folk here who could give a better estimate.
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2002 Final Edition S8. Ebony black with Silver Grey leather and myrtle wood trim. Current mods: solar sun roof, 20mm rear spacers, 15 mm on front, red brembo callipers, 6k headlights, rear view camera, engine remap, alloy dash dial rings, alloy navi rings, tt/phaeton pedal upgrade, (and custom matching foot rest) dension ipod interface & parrot hands free kit (both fully hidden), av input, tv in motion switched thro' PF switch in blanking plug right of steering column, Audi 'quattro' sill covers, repositioned centre console switches, radio clock, .Planned mods: auto-dimming rear view mirror, dash cam (as steamship's), fit the ski hatch, refit philips drl's (or maybe not - nope, definitely not - horrible botch!). |
#10
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The orange drains need knowledge and care to get the trim out, someone who'd never done it before would need detailed instructions or risk irreparable damage!
MJ can probably do both well inside an hour! It would take me that long just to do the passenger side and I've done it several times. Same here, I made a bracket fixed to one of the air vents in the end. Better than the original long fragile plastic tab.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! Last edited by HPsauce; 9th December 2020 at 09:17 AM. |
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