996 - any obvious drain holes that need cleared?

[nebpor]

Been a miserable winter in the mornings, with the inside windows of my 996 soaking wet and needing wiped before I can clear them.

Now it's a 1999 car and I appreciate all the door and window seals will be knackered, but it's still pretty bad and I wondered if I'm getting excess moisture inside because the car isn't draining properly. It's Scotland after all. It's wet up here!

Anything obvious as opposed to me just googling where the drains are and trying to clear them?

On the other hand, I did spot that someone said they put a disposable dehumidifier in their car, so is it just a case of They All Do That Sir?

[nebpor]

Looks like it's straightforward to check the front bulkhead drains, so I'll do that first ....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3hNmktJIVU

[EGTE]

That would be my first suggestion.

There are also drains from the sunroof, if you have one.

[Paynewright]

The four bulkhead drains on my 2003 car were full of detritus. I’d check the carpets to see if you have water ingress from anywhere else?

Ian

[996Type]

If it’s a sunroof car, the drain holes can be cleared with old guitar strings. I think mine were towards the back of the sunroof seal and exited near the engine hatch. Mine were pretty clear but if your parked outside they can soon block etc

[nebpor]

Yep, spotted it's also got sunroof drains thanks so I'll look at that

Carpets bone dry! I suspect this is just aging seals and a very cold winter compared to last year, but I'll get them all cleaned anyway.

[Paynewright]

When you go on a reasonable journey, try having the heater on a high temp and drive along with the windows slightly open. Logic is the heat gets any moisture airborne which exits via the open windows.

Regards
Ian

[jonny996]

nebpor said:

It's Scotland after all. It's wet up here Sir?

Who do you use to look after your car

[nebpor]

My local guy in Greenock Jonny - he's also got a 1999 C4 of his own and he's looking after 4 different 996s now .... he's fixed my aircon, replaced all of my suspension, changed radiators, general servicing, plus a whole lot of other stuff and done a really good job of it and at decent prices.

K&L Motors Greenock - owner and mechanic is Lynsey.

I went to the big Glasgow indy when I bought the car and got my pants pulled down. Can't fault the quality of the work, but I'm not sure I approved them to do all they did, so got a very large bill at the end that I wasn't expecting. Happy to have a guy along the road from me whom I trust with anything....

[nebpor]

Paynewright said:

When you go on a reasonable journey, try having the heater on a high temp and drive along with the windows slightly open. Logic is the heat gets any moisture airborne which exits via the open windows.

Regards
Ian

Yes Ian, actually did that today on a 50 mile run - not sure it's making a blind bit of difference. As I said, I don't think I've got anything leaking as the interior carpets are dry and smell fine - I suspect it's the knackered seals and frameless doors!

Shame new seals seem to cost a packet .... I'd rather spend the cash on the best tyres etc!

[LordHaveMurci]

Mine was very wet at 7.30am today, Left it on the drive with the windows slightly open all day, hopefully that's dried it out (for now anyway).

[nebpor]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

Check to see if they are bone dry under the rear seat squabs

How do I get into that Paddy? funnyily enough I was deep in the back yesterday putting in two new kids seats and again never got a hint of anything wet! Had all the back seats off

Edited by nebpor on Friday 23 February 15:49

[nebpor]

Yeah thanks - exactly the same and that's what I was in at yesterday ... both seat bases are removed so I can get the kids seats in and they are bone dry (full of crumbs!).

Thanks for the link. I'm getting the tyres changed by my mechanic next week and I'll get into the rear arch drains for a nosey when the wheels are off.

[Harrisoncarmen]

Hi, does anyone have any material or videos they could point me to re clearing the drains on a 996. I'm getting damp in my car particularly evident on the drivers side of my 996 turbo. I have a sunroof too. Any advice on how and where I do this would be massively appreciated. Thanks Paul

[MB140]

ATM, the op of this thread is currently having issues on his 996. About page 39/40 is his solution. Drain holes under the battery tray. Might be worth reading his thread or try and PM him. Seems a really helpful bloke through the thread.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[skinny]

Ive just given mine a go as noticed the carpet under the rear seat squab was soaking wet. Turned out to be a failure in a join at the end of one of the rear sunroof drains which then ran forward to a collection point just behind the rear seat upright. It then tracked down to the seat base. The foam is an amazing sponge!
With interior trim off the rear tube was easy to sort tho (there was a leak where the white tube joined to the 90 degree black plastic end piece so not all the water made it outside the car)

The front drains i could not see where they ended, not without taking the wheels off (i pulled the plastic wheelarch liner away but couldn't see) but with the sunroof open i squirted water from a bottle down the holes in the sunroof tray and it flowed out seemingly without issue both sides. And carpets were dry so didn't take thst any further. At the front, you can see the holes (they point sideways) from the top of the open sunroof so you can probably stick something down but it needs to be very flexible and not have a pointy end or you might damage the tube (or push it off).

The drains in the frunk, remove the two covers either side of the battery. Drivers side under the brake linkage there is one drain hole with a grommet, mine was badly clogged with broken down leaves so scooped them out. Passenger side i found a big hole but without grommet, reading up its not an issue regarding drainage but might let a little rodent come in. However the hole doesn't appear to be where the water collects on that side, i guess Porsche designed it to drain fully only once on the move?

That's all i saw in the frunk, i went to the effort of removing the battery and tray but couldn't see any more underneath, it's just the fuel tank.

Lastly, inside the car in the passenger footwell, pull off the foam cover (unscrew the two buttons) under the dash. You'll see a tray with hose coming off in the front corner towards the inside of the car. This is the a/c drain.

Others have found leaks from the front or rear screen, rear windows, or failed door membranes, but ive been lucky there.

Harrisoncarmen said:

Hi, does anyone have any material or videos they could point me to re clearing the drains on a 996. I'm getting damp in my car particularly evident on the drivers side of my 996 turbo. I have a sunroof too. Any advice on how and where I do this would be massively appreciated. Thanks Paul

Do you have wet carpets or just steamy windows?

Edited by skinny on Saturday 29th February 15:42

[LordHaveMurci]

Harrisoncarmen said:

Hi, does anyone have any material or videos they could point me to re clearing the drains on a 996. I'm getting damp in my car particularly evident on the drivers side of my 996 turbo. I have a sunroof too. Any advice on how and where I do this would be massively appreciated. Thanks Paul

That's impressive lurking