Best way to clean the Plenum drains - Page 2

gunmaster g9 · 15th August 2014, 12:37

Hello Guys, I am a proud owner of a MK2 Rover 75 and can say it is one of the best cars I have owned. This forum is great as it identifues design issues and looks to tackel them on a a great british car.

My first step and bear in mind I am a novice in this kind of area, I have done the plenum clean from the passenger side and will do the mod in due course, however is there another one that needs to be done? If so where is it placed and how would be beat to clean it?

Thank you in advance.

Alan123 · 15th August 2014, 12:45

I blow the pipes threw with my air line once a week wen I check the fluids never had a blocked one yet

T-Cut · 15th August 2014, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunmaster g9

I have done the plenum clean from the passenger side and will do the mod in due course, however is there another one that needs to be done? If so where is it placed and how would be beat to clean it?

There are two plenum floor drains. You've serviced the nearside one and that's actually sufficient. The other is under the brake servo and only accessible for most people from under the car. However, the nearside one does an adequate job providing it's kept clear. The 'Spyhole' mod allows you to to this with minimal effort. If the other floor drain really needed servicing, the spyhole mod would be rather irrelevant I reckon.

There are two upper drains located near each bonnet hinge. Again, only the nearside one is relevant. The offside one doesn't do anything in practice and on post Project Drive models is replaced with a bung.

The important thing when rodding through the drains is not to push the rubber tube out. It's a chore refitting them. Use a garden cane or something no thicker than half an inch to prod though.

It's often recommended to snip off the flattened lower ends of the tubes to a 45 degree angle to improve drainage. IMO that's a waste of time. The later tubes don't have a nozzle anyway, so the flat part is probably more trouble than it's worth and best cut off entirely. My advice, forget the scissors but rod through the two nearside pipes regularly.

TC

elgarra · 15th August 2014, 16:32

The outer from a bicycle cable (or in my case, the outer from a Vespa gear cable) makes a fine rod for cleaning plenum drains.

klarzy · 15th August 2014, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgarra

The outer from a bicycle cable (or in my case, the outer from a Vespa gear cable) makes a fine rod for cleaning plenum drains.

I took the pipes out, cut the close flat part off, put a wide plastic pipe insert in to hold them open and put them back in.... never blocked since...

to initially clean just get some curtain wire...

greystoke · 22nd January 2017, 10:48

I am concerned that the ns drain may be broken or rusted through, I have rodded it a couple of times but still getting water in ns front footwell which drains to the rear footwell, can it be replaced by removing the ns front wing

gazcaz · 22nd January 2017, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by john91919

Hi,

Many thanks all for the info and details.

Both drains !

Thanks again.
John

Theres 4 on mine

i believe

drjonts · 22nd January 2017, 11:31

Geoffrey,

Could the plenum itself be actually draining but it be something like...

1) The rubber tubes / liners inside the plenum drain routes...did I read that they can become dislodged?

2) The scuttle trim clips - the plastic cups with o-ring seats that the surface clips fit into - these can be broken or leaking and lead to ingress of water.

3) I don't have a sunroof so don't know much about them but have read of drain problems.

4) Something else?

Folks, chime in on thoughts above by all means.

Jonty

gazcaz · 22nd January 2017, 11:43

For what Drjonts ? or have i completely missed the point lol

Forestgreen · 22nd January 2017, 15:52

Once every 15,000 miles, once a month, once a week?

Crikey, how often (other than at the annual service) do people take the top part of the engine to pieces to rod the drains through (not me!) I'd be worried about snapping my bonnet cable if I lifted the bonnet every week. though of late I've been having to check the coolant levels quite frequently.

On another forum I learnt that the Rover 75 isn't the only car to have problems due to putting the ECU in the plenum where it can flood. Even the Jaguar XJ shares the same design fault (if indeed design fault it is).

22nd January 2017, 10:48	#16
greystoke Newbie rover 75 tourer Join Date: May 2014 Location: liss Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ns drain on 75 cdti I am concerned that the ns drain may be broken or rusted through, I have rodded it a couple of times but still getting water in ns front footwell which drains to the rear footwell, can it be replaced by removing the ns front wing

22nd January 2017, 11:31	#18
drjonts Loves to post MG ZT-T 160 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 288 Thanks: 179 Thanked 70 Times in 53 Posts	Geoffrey, Could the plenum itself be actually draining but it be something like... 1) The rubber tubes / liners inside the plenum drain routes...did I read that they can become dislodged? 2) The scuttle trim clips - the plastic cups with o-ring seats that the surface clips fit into - these can be broken or leaking and lead to ingress of water. 3) I don't have a sunroof so don't know much about them but have read of drain problems. 4) Something else? Folks, chime in on thoughts above by all means. Jonty Last edited by drjonts; 22nd January 2017 at 12:04..

22nd January 2017, 11:43	#19
gazcaz I really should get out more....... MG ZT Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Worthing Posts: 2,744 Thanks: 3,944 Thanked 576 Times in 471 Posts	For what Drjonts ? or have i completely missed the point lol __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] MG ZT 2.5 V6 234th of 2,834 Trophy Blue ZT 190 + Saloons Produced 14th of 27 MG ZTs Produced on 27-09-2001

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15th August 2014, 12:37	#11
gunmaster g9 Newbie Rover 75 CDTI Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Birmingham Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hello Guys, I am a proud owner of a MK2 Rover 75 and can say it is one of the best cars I have owned. This forum is great as it identifues design issues and looks to tackel them on a a great british car. My first step and bear in mind I am a novice in this kind of area, I have done the plenum clean from the passenger side and will do the mod in due course, however is there another one that needs to be done? If so where is it placed and how would be beat to clean it? Thank you in advance.

15th August 2014, 12:45	#12
Alan123 Posted a thing or two Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Darlaston Posts: 1,897 Thanks: 484 Thanked 325 Times in 261 Posts	I blow the pipes threw with my air line once a week wen I check the fluids never had a blocked one yet

15th August 2014, 16:32	#14
elgarra Newbie Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Antrim Posts: 22 Thanks: 11 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	The outer from a bicycle cable (or in my case, the outer from a Vespa gear cable) makes a fine rod for cleaning plenum drains.

22nd January 2017, 15:52	#20
Forestgreen Gets stuck in Rover 75 Connoisseur SE 2.5 V6 saloon Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Birmingham Posts: 770 Thanks: 47 Thanked 105 Times in 54 Posts	Once every 15,000 miles, once a month, once a week? Crikey, how often (other than at the annual service) do people take the top part of the engine to pieces to rod the drains through (not me!) I'd be worried about snapping my bonnet cable if I lifted the bonnet every week. though of late I've been having to check the coolant levels quite frequently. On another forum I learnt that the Rover 75 isn't the only car to have problems due to putting the ECU in the plenum where it can flood. Even the Jaguar XJ shares the same design fault (if indeed design fault it is).