4. Holes to drain water from roof/hood?flooded..maybe seal?

Holes to drain water from roof/hood?flooded..maybe seal?

  • A

    Hi guys ,i have a little problem here .

    Do you know if there and where are the HOLES to drain excessive water
    from the hood?

    I found my car almost flooded on left part ,
    and since also was wet a part of the roof , i think problem is there above .

    Cant locate those holes to see if they are obstructed.

    -Plus, GAsket of the electrical hood has quite a gap on the forward center and dunno what to look for ( i dunno the exact name in english , is not "gasket" ?) .

    Perhaps a generic "Gasket" (tell me the correct name ) can be cutted /fitted
    around the electical hood?

    Those are rainy days , its quite the problem .

    oh..
    Under the car there are caps i think to drain excessive water from the floor ,
    dunno if you remove from inside or outside.
    Though i mainly need for the rear floor part of the car.

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  • B

    Is this pure coincidence or what? (see my post 'Headlining wet'

    Yes fella there are 4 drains to the sunroof tray (electric hood) one at each of the four corners! you'll have to remove all the headlining unfortunately to see them and 'pop' the rubber drain tubes off to give em a blow through!

    If you remove the windscreen 'A' pillar trim you'll' see the front tubes (one either side) running down to the the door hinge panel, they actually exit behind the front wheels behind the plastic arch splash guard.

    The rear drain tubes are visible if you remove the 3/4 trim plastics and these run and drain out behind the rear wheels under the rear bumper (fender?)

    To test the function of the sunroof tray and drain tubes, mix up some white water based paint very thinly (one brush full in 1 liter of water) and fill a squirty bottle with an angled spout with the mixture, now:
    1. fully open your sun panel

    2. call an assistant over

    3. squirt the mixture carefully, in turn, into all four corners of the sunroof tray ( the 'panel slider tracks' sit in this tray so it doesn't matter if the liquid enters these as it will migrate to the drain holes and hopefully exit on to the floor OUTSIDE! the car if all is well?? this is where your eagle eyed assistant hopefully shouts yeah! four times? :)

    4. If the white mixture fails to drain from a corner? then that's where your blockage is? If it fails to drain at all? (highly unlikely :shock:) then you'll have to remove the headlining and tray to investigate ( a whole day required for this :( ).

    As for your gap in the 'gasket' at the front of the panel that's an age issue! my MX3 is 17yrs young and its gap was about 7mm! :o I removed the panel (6 x 10mm nuts under the interior fabric panel, 3 poppers on front edge nipped by brackets at rear, ((tilt roof to remove them)). lay your removed panel on a soft cloth and remove the seal/gasket after first marking the center of the gap in the gasket with tape etc. Clean and prep as necessary then refit the gasket aligning one end with the center mark you made earlier, around the first corner and then begin to stretch as you go, by the time you get to the start, hopefully you should be able to 'butt' it up or you may have spare to trim off? :) Now refit your gap free panel loosely with nuts at first, close the panel under power, centralize, nip up nuts, re fit trim, now get wet with fingers crossed, and hope its a combination of that 'gap' and 'one' ? blocked drain? :?
    I'm unsure weather the gasket is available after market or as a Mazda spare part? BOL :D

    kev b.

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  • A

    Thank you !
    My english is so rusted, a bit difficult to get everything you wrote (more used to american's post , they write differently and it's about technical terms,
    "headlining" is not even in the online translator , and the "A" pillar i dont get it now what it is , i will try to look for).
    I did read , doh ! coincidence .
    Gonna read carefully hoping to get it right .
    Mine has 20 years ,american model.
    The "all day " line is scary Oo ,not having one in my stupid busy life ^^
    I was thinking to use
    1)a "laundry" metal cable to try to make room once i find the holes

    1. a product that houswifes use for cleaning obstructed tubes in bathrom /Etc
      (just i dunn if that can damage the tubes)

    ,but it's the first have to do that , gonna do sunday i hope .

    ps:
    GLAD that forum is back online , no info at all in my country as easily

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  • B

    Hi again fella, Ive just had a reply to my initial post and as we've had some pretty wet weather here! (UK) it could just be (in my case only!) the sheer volume of water and the period of time my car was exposed to it 'nose down' that caused my 'damp patch'?.
    Yours, if its a 'FLOOD', indicates a gap some where in addition to a blockage at a drain/drains, causing a leak/ overflow into your cars interior and not to the outside as normal! :(

    Please try the diluted paint (with care) into the sunroof tray first, that will at least eliminate the drainage issue?

    Then if 1 of 4 is blocked? remove the sun panel and you may be able to unblock the hole with a length of wire? they're in each corner but difficult to see as hidden by the roof mechanism/brackets?

    In this respect you can attend to the gap in the panel gasket while the panel is out?.

    If NONE of the colored fluid drains away? then as before, unfortunately its strip the interior time? not pleasant and very time consuming.

    The language barrier will always be difficult between forums in different countries I apologize for my attempt at translating to yours? :oops:

    kev b.

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  • A

    i got the essential , it's matter of try to see .
    Here weather is very bad lately , always high humidity even if not raining
    (Ukish ; ) have to wait better wather (hope for sunday when i'm not working )

    Thank You again , helpful !

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  • B

    Hi again alexlotta :)

    Be very careful with 'kitchen' products!!! they contain acids/solvents, which could attack plastics or start corrosion in steel etc, if you must, flush with lots of water after.

    The 4 sunroof drain holes are about 6mm in diameter. take care not to 'push' any blockage further into the holes!

    Just read the last part of your 'first' post,

    The 'floorpan' drain caps you mention, I think have to be removed from UNDER the car!

    I think there is one for each front footwell and also one for each of the rears.
    If they are difficult to remove, then drill a 6mm hole into them and the water should drain away but maybe a little slower than if you removed the caps?

    Take care under the car!!!! please 'chock' two wheels and use at least two axle stands if using a scissor jack!!! :shock:

    If I ever work under my car, I have two spare wheels that I stack under the highest part under the car, then if the worst should happen :( you will get a second chance!! :D

    Hope this helps?

    kev b.

    PS where are you in the world?

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  • A

    Here still high humidity gonna do old fashion way for the floor (cleansing manually what i can for now) .
    If cap are inside its though did'nt see .

    For replacement part gasket, i heard one of my city got a crash , gotta have a search for that one.

    Where i'm based ?
    I'm italian , north italian actually .
    City is Triest , border with Croatia and Austria.
    ( which is sort of different people ,
    though usually in the world they see us as stereotypically "all the same" lol ).

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  • A

    Checked still did'nt sort (just cleaned from water)

    "Headlining" ,excuse me but i'm not sure .

    It's the inner of the electric hood ?
    or interior of the fix part - roof?
    one of those 2 i assume ,have to figure out how to remove

    Because looking online i see photos of generic interiors .

    i will have to bring to fix it i think if "sunnny days dont come "
    (little annoyance also rear water "spray" also stopped working though motor is running) .

    Also , about the "gasket " part , i did 'nt get why i would have to remove the hood to pull it off/on?

    Anyway tomorrow gonna look again patiently , i 'll have a couple of hours i hope.

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  • B

    Hi alexlotta,

    Headlining = interior roof panel, fabric trim (whole roof)

    Sunroof = electric hood (clip on rectangle trim panel attatched)

    I have a 'crash' car also, so will take photograph of stripped roof interior, it has all trim removed and you will see how things are fixed/ removed.

    Rear 'spray', clean by inserting sewing needle in hole to clean, pipe may be squashed at top also?

    could be dirt in bottle? clean out, re fill with water, put in 1 baby sterilizing tablet to keep clean if not used often?

    Electric roof panel gasket = It comes off in a down direction so would be very difficult to refit if electric hood not removed first.

    Is the 'crash' cars electric roof panel the same colour as your cars? :(

    Will try and take photograph of removed headlining tommorow 30 /10 /13

    I am trying to type to make translation easier??? :oops:

    I like Italy it's the birthplace of 'Lancia' and the Strato's :respect:

    kev b.

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  • A

    Much more clear now with the terms ! TY .
    (what i did call gasket is "seal" actually ,lol)

    About spray , Following you tip, tried needle and did'nt do anything sadly .

    The only part of pipe i see (under the rear port, the "double L" pipe little portion ) is not squashed. Minor problem for now.
    Never heard about Baby-sterilizing method before ^,but i dunno how dirt would have be there

    My car is american black
    named "Carlotta" (well ..my surname is "lotta" ..go figure why i named like that) ,some photos here
    http://s162.photobucket.com/user/alexlotta/library/CarLotta
    (i'm not the guy who cleans , i have long hairs)

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  • B

    Hi hope you can make sense of these photographs? :)

    ![]([url][img]http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag28/blackmexyv6/eaccf551-8e5b-427e-bc68-c3441e10eed8_zpseb8c8afc.jpg[/img][/url]

    Mounting nuts are under this panel, (open sunroof (tilt only) ,pull down at front, three poppers/clips and slide trim forward) (pic above))

    This is the position of the Rear left drain tube (above)

    ![]([url][img]http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag28/blackmexyv6/P311013_1228_02_zps95c30fea.jpg[/img][/url]

    This is the Left, Front drain tube position (above))

    Hope these help with your leak problem alexlotta of Italy? :)

    kev b.

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  • A

    did'nt have connection those 2 days.
    THANK YOU A MILLION for the photos !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    It's raining and still did'nt sort,now gonna look at your pics carefully.

    It's to remove the inner parts ,and tubes are far from sunroof
    that's why did'nt find them Oo ,
    will have to bring to tech to do it i'm afraid dont have garage and weather is terrible.

    Man , how much i would offer of drinks for that kindness ^^
    Big Hug ,
    Alex

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  • B

    Happy you're happy with photographs :)

    Please…. before you remove anything, use a coloured liquid like very dilluted white water-based paint and pour on car where rain water would collect,

    1.Around sunroof panel (electric roof seal) roof closed.
    Then open roof fully and squirt liquid into tray at the four corners.

    2.Into the two roof gutters where it meets the windscreen glass.

    3.around the windscreen seal.

    4.Around the door top seal.

    Do the above 1-4, one at a time, check inside the car for coloured liquid after each test.

    You can do these tests yourself before you give to 'tech' and waste your currency. :(

    :cheers: kev b.

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  • A

    1 tech :"i dont do roofs, if i do i change everything i meet for safety"
    2 tech well , it will be 400 upwards (at the phone wothout to see the car)

    So .. desoerate and thanks to your suggestion ,on my launch pause (and the only sunny day ) i removed the front plastic arch splash guard .
    Found the tube ! after removing another screw , putted a" laundry cable "
    (metal inside , plastic wrapped) and then on the way til the roof , 3 times .

    Yesterday it was heavy raining , and i did check twice , and also today.
    No "big water" whatsoever , just a bit of moisture on the roof ,
    but on the side and back ,
    not frontally flooded like it was.
    Let's cross finger .
    Thanks for the tips , they give me the "strenght" to do at least tht alone ^^
    -_______________________________-

    Next would be to do similarly on remaining tubes , but i have to figure out

    How to access Rear tubes from Below the Car.

    ..when it will stop to be so WINDY weather !! (here we are 160 kh wind today Oo ).

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  • A

    1 tech :"i dont do roofs, if i do i change everything i meet for safety"
    2 tech well , it will be 400 upwards (at the phone wothout to see the car)

    So .. desoerate and thanks to your suggestion ,on my launch pause (and the only sunny day ) i removed the front plastic arch splash guard .
    Found the tube ! after removing another screw , putted a" laundry cable "
    (metal inside , plastic wrapped) and then on the way til the roof , 3 times .

    Yesterday it was heavy raining , and i did check twice , and also today.
    No "big water" whatsoever , just a bit of moisture on the roof ,
    but on the side and back ,
    not frontally flooded like it was.
    Let's cross finger .
    Thanks for the tips , they give me the "strenght" to do at least tht alone ^^
    -_______________________________-

    Next would be to do similarly on remaining tubes , but i have to figure out

    How to access Rear tubes from Below the Car.

    ..when it will stop to be so WINDY weather !! (here we are 160 kh wind today Oo ).

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  • B

    Happy you found location of one front drain tube! :)

    The rear ones are behind the rear wheels, under the bumper/fender,

    You can either remove rear bumper (big job :( )

    Or you can remove boot/trunk plastics (even bigger job :( :( ), when these are removed there is an access hole in bodywork each side, that leads to the stale air vents and in the same place you will see the rear drain tubes exiting the bodywork, you can pull these into car and use your laundry cable again, without removing rear bumper/fender? :D

    Another idea, check for gaps in the windscreen gasket/seal trim surround? and where the outside roof gutters meet the windscreen gasket/seal? :shock:

    Fingers crossed kev b.

    PS; are there many MX3's in Triest, Italy? :o

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  • A

    Well last big rain , did'nt get wet forward ( just laterally a bit and also on rear roof headlining i sensed a bit ) so i think seal of windscreen is ok.

    The rear drain stuff looks difficult , cannot do on street like i did with forward ones as you tell me.

    I have to research a bit the english terms to get it correctly("stale" air vents),
    And then plastics in the floor , or angles of the boot .Useful to know anyway.

    ________________________-

    How many In triest? now we are 2 ( we were 5 til 2 years ago , 1 sold for "foreign exporation" , 2 had accident) .
    One red , owner is a blondie who i know does/did some " escort " kind of job and mine (black) .
    Due to stupid italian law i had to let go a Mx3 with only 60.000 km
    (wanted to keep for spares but you cant here ,you have to "hide it "somewhere and it's anyway not law allowed )

    Forgot to mention =
    my car has motorized automatic belts.
    Really cool , but findingparts in the case should be painful i think

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  • L

    alexlotta:

    Your MX3 has the American \ Canadian style seat belts.

    This is the link to the American OC with lots of Canadian members.

    http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/index.php

    Be easy to find parts on there for it.

    If you want a quick way of clearing the rear sunroof drain pipes, use a stiff cable, like RF (TV) or RJ45 (Computer network) and feed it down.

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  • A

    thanks lory !, in fact using laundry cable was quite the same approach ( and i did look at antenna cable as you see on my posts , just did'nt find one hanging around in my house).
    Rear tubes are more difficult to reach than front ones
    (front tube =just remove mudguard/mudflap behind front tyres , and you reach them easily) .
    Good tip nevertheless , useful for future reference for other people.

    Going to check canadian forum , though is always better find parts in Europe (customs stuff and long pricy shippings)

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  • B

    Hi ya alexlotta.
    Well after the 'Last big rain'!! If the rear of headlining is wet then there is a good chance its the rear sunroof draintube that side?

    Did you park the car in a different direction, angle?

    The boot/trunk plastics are fairly easy to remove, just take your time and if things can not be removed easily, then there is probably 'one more' screw to be removed!!!

    More pics to help?
    This is what you should see?…... look towards the white 'grid' shaped object (stale air vents).... these just let out 'bad', 'damp', 'smelly', air from the car interior, and make the last door to be closed easier to shut, by releasing air pressure.

    ![]([url][img]http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag28/blackmexyv6/P1018625_zpsaddd0732.jpg[/img][/url]

    Look into the hole and below you should see the drain tube?)

    Pull this tube into the car and use your laundry cable once more, perhaps over a bucket in case you clear the blockage? :shock:
    Once you have finished make sure you replace the tube back into the grommet in the outer bodywork.

    The other side is the same, it's just a different shaped hole in the inner metalwork.

    Hope this helps? :D

    kev b.

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