Roof Drains

[AlistairF]

My OPC has just advises that my roof drains need cleaning...I have previously checked them and water runs through easily (the car is garaged) Is it really a 1 hour job ?
Where does the water exit ? Videos show 'front and rear' Are there pipes or does it run inside the cills ?

 

[911hillclimber]

They all drain straight out of the car.
good clean of where youcan see, pour a good quantity of water to them and watch quickly for the same gush of water coming out.
obviously, a trick says there is debris in the tubes.
I poke mine through with electrical cable or a good length of windscreen washer tube.
2 by the base of the roof, and one either side of the battery.

 

[richardfleming]

probably won't take far off an hour to do actually. There are two each side of the roof in the wells at each side, near B pillar and another couple in the front under the bonnet where the plastic cover is - in the battery tray and another one somewhere in there. there's a diagram online somewhere of where the drain holes are (sorry don't have it to hand)

you can check them easily with a jug of water in the relevant spot and listen for the water flowing out in the wheel arches onto the ground. Should be free flowing and quickly draining.

and if they're not draining right you need a trombone cleaner - search on amazon for 'trombone cleaner' and you'll find one for a Mazda like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Micro-Trombone-Snake-Brush/dp/B00TE7Z442/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=trombone+cleaner&qid=1613418602&sr=8-16

 

[fergy70]

Morning guys,
this is a subject close to my heart having purchased a 981 assuming the dealer had taken the time to clear the drains, I don’t think they did!
anyway the car stays in the dry mainly goes out in the dry and when I try to examine both drains both sides and can only insert said pipe so far (feels about half way down). When you guys perform same task can you feel the rod reaching the natural end point ie the bottom of the car?
i just need some guidance on this please. Ps I am reluctant to pour water down for fear that it won’t wash through and then in lockdown I create myself a problem.
thanks in advance.

 

[richardfleming]

not sure about a 981 - on my 987.2 yes I can feel the rod go all the way through on 3 out of 4 - one sticks at the bottom - but water flowing freely on all 4 afterwards. one pair of them have quite a sharp bend near the start (from the top down) so rotate the rod a bit and it helps it bend round that turn and its fine from there on. don't force anything as you may dislodge the drain pipe.
I'd try a mug of water to see - you'll get more than that if you drive it in the rain anyway - so might ease your concerns if it goes through ok (or might not [:-]) but either way a mug full isn't much to worry about. wet interior floor carpet behind either seat is something to worry about however, if you've got that.
if you're really worried about it OPCs are open for servicing and repairs (unlike last lockdown) so maybe worth doing a 'while-you-wait' appointment to get them to do it for you?

 

[AlistairF]

Hi, after a chat with the service manager they have agreed to include for clearing the pipes.

If you have the Porsche parts catalogue the lower pipes look quite short but have a 90 degree bend, I assume connecting into the b pillar area. My OPC told me they thread through the car and come out near the (rear) bumper but I am not sure he's correct. There are some good videos on YouTube showing how to access the drains.

Thanks to all for helping.

A

 

[911hillclimber]

The various bends in various Boxster models is why I use a simple length of windscreen washer PVC tube, thin enough to bend easy but stiff enough to poke through debris.
On my 987.2 Gen II the PVC tube passes right out of the car floor.

 

[adrianb]

Hi Alistair, If your car is a 981 model, you will only have rear drains in the hood compartment. Easy to check by pouring a small amount of water down the drain holes. To see the passenger side hole in needed to move a cable. I also had puddles behind the front wheels and after checking with OPC was told the water runs along sills and confirm there are No drain in front as earlier models. When looking under the battery/ wiperarm cover you will see big open spaces in the bodywork which lets rain water into wheel arch area.
Regards Adrian. R17.

 

[richardfleming]

try this link - has a diagram which isn't all that clear and some videos of where they are which should help - it's pretty obvious when you get the roof half open to see them at the sides under the front ends of the clamshell - the meshy bit on one just pulls up so you can get at that drain by the way.

https://boxstertips.com/cleaning-your-boxster-drains/

 

[AlistairF]

Thanks. When you pay £1000 for a service you would think this would be included...especially as they implied there may be issues with my extended warranty if it wasn't done...definitely worth checking/ doing. If it's critical you would think it should really be on the list of service tasks, not a 'nice little earner'.

 

[911hillclimber]

Totally agree with you, essential maintenance task and not that time consuming.
Blocked drain holes have killed many Mazda MX5s.
I flush mine preseason, start of Autumn, start of winter etc.

 

[BOXER 1959]

Please make sure you clear them as it has cost me approx £1000 this year due to wet Bose unit under drivers seat on my 911 gen 2 and flooded alarm unit passenger side 2000 boxster 2.7 don't be a wolly like me get them cleared !

 

[chrishak]

Invest in a trombone cleaner - they could've been made specifically for the job!

 

[Keith Hankin]

[h1]Boot Liners and PCGB interior car cover for sale.[/h1]I have recently sold my 2017 982 Boxster S, and consequently I am looking to sell the following items, collection preferable (PR7 postcode area)

Genuine Porsche front boot liner, part number 982.044.000.10
Genuine Porsche rear boot liner, part number 991.044.000.10
Slightly faded PCGB interior car cover, Colour Red
The boot liners are in excellent condition therefore £130.00 for everything.

Keith Hankin
Tel 07754800253
hankink.kh23@gmail.com

 

[Mike1960]

I generally use a length of curtain wire. I’ve never managed to get it to exit out the floor on any of the drain holes.
I have put a litre of water down which flows freely and measured it out again, so happy they all flow properly.
Never like forcing things that I don’t feel should be forced and have always stopped pushing when I feel resistance and assumed it’s a bend in the pipe.

 

[stevehorobin]

This what I use:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00TE7Z442/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Worth every penny.
I generally check the drains are clean every time I wash the car.

 

[911hillclimber]

Gave my 987.2 a good clean today, and being white, it showed up lots of green algae(?) in the nooks and crannies, so with an old toothbrush set to.
Did all that but also decided to check/clear all the drains.
Roof drains were ok, the drains at the B post in the roof drain channel ok too.
At the front though...
There are 4 drain holes, 2 either side of the battery though I thought there were only 3. The two that are 'hiding' were blocked and merged with the black debris down there.
The drain pipes are not straight down but have hard plastic elbows about 70mm down so block very easily.

Spent about 30 mis clearing the lot, vacuumed the battery box area of a lot of tree debris and ran copious water down the holes and watch the excess water flow swiftly away to the underside of the car.
Noticed that by the dain holes are 2 20mm dia holes that go directly to the inner front wheel arch so tons of road dross can enter into these battery spaces!
There must be grommets missing from new and explains why there is so much dirt accumulated.

A job for another day as gaffa tape is temporarily sealing those holes now.

 

[malarcy]

Some of this may help - first off a "drain plan" for the 987

https://flickr.com/photos/53224305@N06/50139530268/in/album-72157702167011531/

https://flickr.com/photos/53224305@N06/50140073556/in/album-72157702167011531/

Secondly - this is what the bottom of the rear drains look like ( 987.2 - but I think the same for the 987.1)

Drivers side - black pipe is the drain from the drip tray, the smaller "nozzle" on the wheel arch is the "b pillar" drain

https://flickr.com/photos/53224305@N06/50189510987/in/album-72157702167011531/

Same again passenger side except the pipe is white this side.

https://flickr.com/photos/53224305@N06/50188709178/in/album-72157702167011531/

I once got a trombone cleaner stuck in the b pillar drain - it made it through but I couldn't pull it back (brush end wouldn't go back into nozzle) - I pushed it through and cut the end off then removed it.

Also - the 987.2 came standard with small filters that sit in the top of the drip pan drains - you still need to check and clean them but they keep bigger stuff ( like acorns and leaves) out of the pipes. - available from OPC for about 10 quid a side - and they fit 987.1 as well.