Water not draining from under hood springs - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cewyattjr · #1 04-28-2007, 10:18 PM

So I'm troubleshooting some water leaking that I'm finding in the interior. I've put beads of silicone around the windshield, I that may have helped, but I'm still finding some moisture after rains. I looked under the hood, and in the corner under the hinge/spring I saw standing water. There is supposed to be a drain there, right?

I poked around with a long thin screwdriver and I wasn't able to see/feel anything that looks like a drain in this area. How's the water 'sposed to get out?

Thanks,

Chuck

Shawn D. · #2 04-28-2007, 10:41 PM

Well, you have to get all the junk out that you were poking that screwdriver through -- then you will see the drain! Blast a hose down in there while digging that junk out. The drain is about 7/16" diameter and is at about the mid-point of the trough. It in turn drains into a depression on the inner fender that's up against the firewall, which drains behind the plastic inner fender piece (at the cylindrical-looking portion up top).

Biodiesel300TD · #3 04-28-2007, 11:33 PM

There is also a plastic piece in the wheel well that can get clogged with dirt and leaves, make sure it's clean too. It's a kind of a cylinder shaped thing.

300SD81 · #4 04-28-2007, 11:38 PM

Let it dry out, then vacuum, much easier than trying to wash it out, wetness just makes all that stuff sticky

cewyattjr · #5 04-29-2007, 08:32 AM

Great -- thanks for the tips. I have a shop vac, and if I can get one of the attachments in there, it will suck stuff out quite nicely.

I wonder if this area could be a culprit for interior water? I've sealed the beejeezus out of the windshield.

Thanks for the tips!

Chuck

Alastair · #6 04-29-2007, 11:29 AM

Nah,--Get a pressure-washer to it and blast it all through...

Works a treat...

Let dry properly, then apply a good coating of fresh grease to the hinge-points of the bonnet stays, and a little light coating of 'Waxoyl' /rust-proofing agent to the whole area...

Those bonnet hinge-points on one side of the trough are a PITA to fix once rusted through or siezed up and torn....

cewyattjr · #7 04-29-2007, 11:55 AM

Here's a thought -- I could take it to a car wash and use their high-pressure hand wand rather than rent one.

I'm not seeing any obvious rust in that area, though I'm quickly learning that rust is easily denied, because...at first it likes to hide!

ftav · #8 04-29-2007, 08:31 PM

Might be better to suck out to blow through. Forcing a clog out with pressure could cause other problems/damage. A vacuum did the trick for me on this once.

arew264 · #9 04-29-2007, 08:47 PM

I second/third/whatever the shop vac. You won't be able to get that crap out of the lower drain it's supposed to go out of.
You can trace the water to a lower drain (under battery tray on passenger side, below brake booster on driver's).
That drain exits through the plastic tube in the wheel well. Once you vacuum all the big crap, blast the drain with a water hose and nozzle. Try to blast from the bottom as well (the water comes out the sides of the tube, against the wheel well).
BTW, prop the shopvac open about an inch or more to let the crap dry out to avoid any nasty smells.

spugeddy · #10 04-29-2007, 08:52 PM

I would and did stay away from high pressure. The drain is not intended to process "that" much water. I cleaned area by hand and got a wire coat hanger and poked the build up through. Once you have a hole, take a garden hose with low flow, repeat this, and in about 30 minutes you'll have it so clean that about once a month just run some garden hose water through to get the dirt from building up. I got great satisfaction from doing this to my leaking hood hinge drains..........