Quote:
Originally Posted by smudge.g
Am a bit confused - on my tourer, I have a plenum hole roughly mid way across engine bay, in front of the ECU box, cover presently unmodified so i have to remove the 2 covers to get to it. The only other, that I am aware of, is close to the bonnet hinge on passenger side, easily accessed. Are you saying that there is another one somewhere else??
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My understanding is that there were potentially four drains, but not every car had all four, the later cars had fewer. The important ones, the crucial ones to keep clear, are the lower and more difficult to check ones, at the bottom of the each side of the plenum chamber.
One of which (O/S) simply cannot be seen from above, because it is hidden by the brake vacuum unit. The N/S one can be seen if you remove the plastic top cover, or some have drilled a hole through that cover, to enable the drain to be rodded more easily.
Earlier cars had a pair of useless drains, at high level, just under the rear corners of the bonnet.
For diesel owners, it is absolutely essential to ensure water is NOT allowed to build up in the N/S plenum, because the engine ECU is located in that plenum - so rod the drain often, especially at this time of year when leaves are falling whih tend to block the drains. The ECU is not water tight and numerous owners have suffered ECU damage after flooding.
I check my drains often. The N/S one via a 'spyhole mod'/ hole drilled through the plastic panel. I use a 6mm flexible nylon rod around 600mm long, pushed in via the top on the N/S. On the O/S, I have never been able to rod it from the top - I tackle that by rodding from below, when the car is up on ramps.
Much of the leaf and other debris can be prevented from getting into the plenums, by blocking the plenum to body gaps at the bonnet edges. Jules sells a ready made moulded plastic item, but open cell sponge or gutter guard mesh will work as well, though less neat - simply pushed into the gap.