P38A Sunroof Drain Tubes.

Hello again Gentlemen, I would appreciate your input. I have a 2002 car and from what I understand the front sunroof drain tubes are supposed to run down the A pillars and drain into the void behind the front wing. I thought that I had cleaned them out so just to check I got about a metre of silicon hose attached one end to a small funnel and stuffed the other end into the drain hole with the sunroof open and then poured warm water from a bottle into the funnel. On the drivers side everything was as expected and as I poured it into the funnel I could see a steady stream coming out of the end of the clearly visible drain tube; however when I repeated the process for the passenger side I can't even see the hose. The water is going in and draining quite freely but I haven't a clue where its coming out, at least it doesn't seem to be on the passenger side floor anymore.
Just to be clear, I am trying to view the end of the drain tube by shining a small maglite into the gap behind the wing with the door open, like I say I can see the drivers side one easily but the passenger one can't be seen. Have any of you any ideas, I suppose both sides are routed in a similar fashion?

Is it behind the wheel arch liner?

tomcat59alan said:

Is it behind the wheel arch liner?

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Yes Alan. With the door open you can see behind the wheel arch liner with a small torch, and like I say the drivers side drain tube is clearly visible but the passenger side one is nowhere to be seen.

i poured water down my left sunroof drain, it came out by the drivers A pillar

swac said:

Yes Alan. With the door open you can see behind the wheel arch liner with a small torch, and like I say the drivers side drain tube is clearly visible but the passenger side one is nowhere to be seen.

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I would be inclined to remove the wheel and then the arch liner and have a good look.someone said there was a connector in the pipe so the bottom bit may have dropped off.I've never had the need to look myself. That's tempted fate. good luck.

kermit_rr said:

i poured water down my left sunroof drain, it came out by the drivers A pillar

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Interesting. So it is highly likely that both front drain tubes drain behind the drivers A pillar would you say? At least on some cars.

swac said:

Interesting. So it is highly likely that both front drain tubes drain behind the drivers A pillar would you say? At least on some cars.

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Does it show anything on Rave or or lr.cat? The connector I mentioned may be Y shaped to join the two pipes.

tomcat59alan said:

I would be inclined to remove the wheel and then the arch liner and have a good look.someone said there was a connector in the pipe so the bottom bit may have dropped off.I've never had the need to look myself. That's tempted fate. good luck.

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Yes I remember seeing that post but dismissed it at the time as every other post I had read suggested that each corner drain tube came out behind its respective wheel arch. Perhaps I should have taken more notice.

either that or there is a T at the top of the screen, I've not looked

All drains are seperate, front left and right corners go to rear of N/S and O/S front wheel arches. Rear left and right corners go to front of O/S N/S rear wheel arches. Under arch liner in all cases.

Are you sure Wammers? Kermit says that he can pour water in his left hand drain and it comes out on the drivers side. Presumably I should be able to see the end of the tube with a flashlight?

just double checked, i'm talking rubbish, poured some water down both front drains and water came from both A pillars

Thanks for clearing up the confusion. Can you see the ends of both of the drain tubes?

swac said:

Thanks for clearing up the confusion. Can you see the ends of both of the drain tubes?

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From Rave they pass through the A post,the rears pass through the wheel arch all behind the arch lining as @wammers said.

I can't access the passenger side without moving the car, but i can see what appears to be a large bore tube terminating just below the door stop, if i put my hand in the gap in the gap I can just reach it at the front of the A pillar. looks like it should have a one way vale, but thats missing on mine

kermit_rr said:

I can't access the passenger side without moving the car, but i can see what appears to be a large bore tube terminating just below the door stop, if i put my hand in the gap in the gap I can just reach it at the front of the A pillar. looks like it should have a one way vale, but thats missing on mine

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You are quite correct mate shown clearly in Rave,should have a large grommet as well

swac said:

Are you sure Wammers? Kermit says that he can pour water in his left hand drain and it comes out on the drivers side. Presumably I should be able to see the end of the tube with a flashlight?

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Yes very sure. There are four drains one at each corner of sunroof base panel. And they go to the places I said they do.

tomcat59alan said:

You are quite correct mate shown clearly in Rave,should have a large grommet as well

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kermit_rr said:

I can't access the passenger side without moving the car, but i can see what appears to be a large bore tube terminating just below the door stop, if i put my hand in the gap in the gap I can just reach it at the front of the A pillar. looks like it should have a one way vale, but thats missing on mine

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That's exactly what I have too on the drivers side. Mine doesn't have a one way valve either but I can't imagine why it would.

swac said:

That's exactly what I have too on the drivers side. Mine doesn't have a one way valve either but I can't imagine why it would.

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It clearly shows the valve on Rave.

tomcat59alan said:

It clearly shows the valve on Rave.

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I just checked for my own piece of mind and yes I can see the grommet on Rave. I wonder if they didn't fit them to the very late cars, perhaps they ran out of stock at the factory?