Ticking time bomb removed!

[Howey]

I bought a TDI75 in December with shot 5th gear (awaiting it's JDD install) and missing "she wee" as tired formats Jason superbly described it - the N/S drain catch can. This drain has been reported to cause havoc with the gearbox if missing/misaligned. I wanted to test the possibility of eradicating this potential issue and take it out of the equation before my JDD goes in so I decided to bung and silicon the n/s bonnet drain hole.
Previously mentioned it and some replies were concerned about stagnant water ect. Today with the car parked slightly favouring the n/s I poured 2lts of Yorkshires water in the n/s side of the bonnet vent. Estimate immediately 1 ltr drained out of the O/S road tested 14 miles removed bonnet to see how much water remained trapped in the bonnet and to my utter astonishment barely a drop came out with bonnet upside down.
Mr Black will now be having the same applied even thou it's she wee is intact but I see no need to run the risk of potential gearbox trouble (plan to fit either MZN/MAL/MNY/MZK or JDD once I see what I think to Mr Silvers JDD)
Regards
Howey

 

[audifan]

Howey the drains are important. If the water does not "drain" and the chamber overflows it will drop down into the interior heater box. Soak the pollen filter, quicken the bearing failure in the blower motor and start to fill up the under floor compartment that contains some pretty vital computers.

When the collectors are correctly fitted the only issue is that the nozzles on the under side of the bonnet may not be correctly aligned. The left or n/s nozzle points fore / aft and the o/s points left / right. Another task these drains / nozzles perform is to keep engine bay fumes from entering the cabin through the heater box.

I have painted a white alignment mark down the side of the bracket for the n/s cup where it bolts onto the bracket, making it dead easy to spot if the cup is out of position.

An area worth also checking is the engine bay seal at the rear is in position and the drain in the scuttle next to the wiper spindles is clear of debris.

 

[Howey]

Good to know!

Mine is unbelievably dry with it bunged and that's the way it will stay, from my test there is no chance water would have a chance of getting into the heater box. Not sure what you mean about the fume thing would need to study that in more detail.

Will continue to monitor but as things stand I love the fact I know my gearbox is protected. Each to their own but I would rather not have gearbox faults that are totally preventable.

Regards

Howey

Edit
Presumably with it bunged no engine fumes can possibly enter thru the N/S-added bonus!!

 

[audifan]

That is correct the bung will stop the fumes. Again though if the collector is correctly sighted that will stop water from the bonnet drains going over the gearbox. A badly fitting bonnet of seal issue will not stop water running from the scuttle into the engine and onto the gearbox.

The nozzles have a slotted end that normally are closed until water opens them, add in they are at the base of the cups this is how fumes are prevented from going up into the bonnet then down the fresh air intake to the heater.

 

[Howey]

That is correct the bung will stop the fumes. Again though if the collector is correctly sighted that will stop water from the bonnet drains going over the gearbox. A badly fitting bonnet of seal issue will not stop water running from the scuttle into the engine and onto the gearbox.

The nozzles have a slotted end that normally are closed until water opens them, add in they are at the base of the cups this is how fumes are prevented from going up into the bonnet then down the fresh air intake to the heater.

Ahh I see that's actually rather clever something I wouldn't have considered

I did place a plastic cap up the hole first with silicon in an attempt to prevent any pooling then silicon a rubber bung in the base. Might look to see if I can find a perfectly sized bounce ball to shove up first with silicone as a protruding dome would be ideal lol