Boxster front pass drain tube - I screwed up!!!

[shacky]

While trying to unclog my front passenger drain tube. I decided to remove positive battery cable. Did battery side first then firewall. I used my fingers to remove nut once it was loose in order to NOT let id drop into the drain hole.

Well that's exactly what I did. It's down in there good. Tried a plumbers grabber with no luck. I believe this is the most difficult tube to get at.

So now I have a nut and a clog to deal with.

Any advice? Please no wise cracks I'm not in the mood

[blue62]

Originally Posted by shacky

While trying to unclog my front passenger drain tube. I decided to remove positive battery cable. Did battery side first then firewall. I used my fingers to remove nut once it was loose in order to NOT let id drop into the drain hole.

Well that's exactly what I did. It's down in there good. Tried a plumbers grabber with no luck. I believe this is the most difficult tube to get at.

So now I have a nut and a clog to deal with.

Any advice? Please no wise cracks I'm not in the mood

have you tried an extendable magnet?
You may be able to get down in there with one.
Otherwise how difficult is it to remove and replace the drain tube?

[shacky]

Excellent idea. Magnet I have is too wide. Will look for narrow one tomorrow 😉

[blue62]

Originally Posted by shacky

Excellent idea. Magnet I have is too wide. Will look for narrow one tomorrow 😉

an auto parts store should have the extendable type.
Napa for sure I would think.
let us know how it goes.

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by shacky

Excellent idea. Magnet I have is too wide. Will look for narrow one tomorrow ��

Those extendable magnets don't flex. I don't know if those drain tubes have bends or not, but sticking a stiff object in there may cause you even more problems. I've seen one thread where a guy pushed a drain tube in and it got detached. I don't know what he had to do to retrieve it.

If I were you, I'd find a small magnet and tape it to a flexible cable like a bicycle brake cable or something. Lowe's sells this thing called a "drain Weasel" it's a long flexible plastic thing that's used to snake out sink drains. See if you can tape a small magnet to something like that.

Good luck.

[shacky]

This looks like it would fit the bill

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/performance-tool-magnetic-retriever-w25934/11931886-P

[GLImages]

This might be helpful.
https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/drainsdiagram



Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[shacky]

Picked up this small magnetic retriever. Worked like a charm! Now I’m try to figure out if I pushed tune down yesterday 🙄

Can’t upload iPhone pics

[blue62]

Originally Posted by shacky

Picked up this small magnetic retriever. Worked like a charm! Now I’m try to figure out if I pushed tune down yesterday 🙄

Can’t upload iPhone pics

good to hear it worked out

[shacky]

So now that nut is out of the way I want to make sure I'm not doing any more damage before trying to clear blockage. Is this ridged area the actual tube or did I push the tube down?

[shacky]

Lets try this again

[blue62]

Originally Posted by shacky

Lets try this again

Sorry I can't help you with your latest question.
But as to cleaning them out I would use a vacuum or forced air.
Forced air in reverse direction of water flow (if you can get to the outlet) should dislodge any blockage, I would think.

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by shacky

Lets try this again

That looks like the drain tube, and it looks like it is properly seated.

[shacky]

Appreciate it 😉

[shacky]

Ordered tuba cleaning wire. After getting one of the fuzzy end tips stuck in the tube I was able to get the bare wire all the way through from bottom up. This opened it up a bit but it’s still blocked. And now with a fuzzy in there.

Pulled wire back through and nothing came out. Tried pressure washer from top - helped a little and back up through top came a piece of rubber wire protector that was obviously stuck in there.

Can’t get the wire all the way through again. If/when I can I’m thinking of tightly connecting something that will pull through whatever is in there.

For now taking break so I don’t get frustrated and break something.

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by shacky

Ordered tuba cleaning wire. After getting one of the fuzzy end tips stuck in the tube I was able to get the bare wire all the way through from bottom up. This opened it up a bit but it’s still blocked. And now with a fuzzy in there.

Pulled wire back through and nothing came out. Tried pressure washer from top - helped a little and back up through top came a piece of rubber wire protector that was obviously stuck in there.

Can’t get the wire all the way through again. If/when I can I’m thinking of tightly connecting something that will pull through whatever is in there.

For now taking break so I don’t get frustrated and break something.

Do you have a shop vac with a crevice tool? Try sucking it up from the top. Cup around the crevice tool with your hand or make something out of duct tape so no air gets sucked in from the sides.