4speedfunk
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Like with most items on the H3, it's not a question of "if?"...but rather "when?" Eventually all of us will get clogged sunroof drains. Recently I ran across a great video on Youtube, (originally linked from another Hummer forum). This guy has some great ideas, and it spurred me into trying my own stab at a similar fix. Here's the video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LauhT2j52A
After watching the vid, I have a few changes and differences of opinion. First of all...the comment about "small hands" is very true. I'm more Trump-ish than Rubio-ish in this area. I have freakishly large hands, and the access hole on the passenger-side is very tight....
Upon a closer examination...I could find no reason not to cut the opening larger. Not only will this allow me to get my hand in there...but it also allows me to take a photo of the mysterious firewall fitting. The orange thing, is a 6-foot long piece of weed-eater line. I totally recommend using this as opposed to air pressure or wire. The guy in the video said he dragged a piece of rag thru the tube but, I would caution against doing this. If the rag somehow detaches from your pull-string...you are totally screwed. Use the weed-eater line...it works great...
Cordless drill with a cut-off. Its pretty much the Hummer owner's best friend....
Chop!...
I did try using some air pressure but, I would caution against overdoing this. Too much pressure will probably blow the hoses off the fittings at the roof gutter. So I kept the regulator set around 40psi. I'm not sure I would recommend air at all, until you cut the "x"s out of the firewall fittings....
Here's a shot of the passenger-side fitting. Once you cut the hand-hole larger...its pretty easy to get to. The grommets simply pull out from the inside. Once you get them out you can cut out the little "x" that seems to capture all the muck. Start by pull the tubes off the grommets. Then jamb the weed-eater line in from the sunroof and gently poke it thru the tube. Be warned...each tube will puke a cup or more of goo, once you break the blockage.
There was a tremendous amount of water under the carpet...probably a couple gallons. Notice the location of the BCM connector? GM couldn't have found a worse place for it...
The guy in the video said to use a drill. NOT! This doesn't work. So just grab an X-acto (or a medical grade scalpel) and cut the "x" out...
I used a shop vac to get most of the water out. Then peeled up the carpet to let it air dry. I'll probably leave it that way for a couple weeks...
This is the connector at the base of the "waterfall". I suspect this is the problem with many H3's doing crazy electrical stuff. This wiring will get flooded with rainwater when the drain tubes get clogged. I did hit it with some compressed air to remove the moisture from all the nooks & crannies of the plug. I will spray it will silicone prior to re-assembly, to chase any more moisture away from it. I will also add some corrigated wire moulding as I was surprised (not really) that GM simply taped this harness and flopped it under the carpet in such a high-traffic area...
The drivers-side is a piece of cake. The fitting is directly behind the face of the tach. The guy in the video had all of his interior trim removed but, I left pretty much everything in place. The drivers-side doesn't require any trim removal. The passenger-side only requires removal of the sill plate, kick panel, and end panel of the dash. I've heard of guys going this same mod thru the fender wells but, I did this entirely from the interior side of the truck. Also some guys have recommended "taping" the ends of the tubes to the grommets but, that seems like it would make future de-clogs even more difficult...so I did not use any tape. I'll give this a try and see how it holds up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LauhT2j52A
After watching the vid, I have a few changes and differences of opinion. First of all...the comment about "small hands" is very true. I'm more Trump-ish than Rubio-ish in this area. I have freakishly large hands, and the access hole on the passenger-side is very tight....
Upon a closer examination...I could find no reason not to cut the opening larger. Not only will this allow me to get my hand in there...but it also allows me to take a photo of the mysterious firewall fitting. The orange thing, is a 6-foot long piece of weed-eater line. I totally recommend using this as opposed to air pressure or wire. The guy in the video said he dragged a piece of rag thru the tube but, I would caution against doing this. If the rag somehow detaches from your pull-string...you are totally screwed. Use the weed-eater line...it works great...
Cordless drill with a cut-off. Its pretty much the Hummer owner's best friend....
Chop!...
I did try using some air pressure but, I would caution against overdoing this. Too much pressure will probably blow the hoses off the fittings at the roof gutter. So I kept the regulator set around 40psi. I'm not sure I would recommend air at all, until you cut the "x"s out of the firewall fittings....
Here's a shot of the passenger-side fitting. Once you cut the hand-hole larger...its pretty easy to get to. The grommets simply pull out from the inside. Once you get them out you can cut out the little "x" that seems to capture all the muck. Start by pull the tubes off the grommets. Then jamb the weed-eater line in from the sunroof and gently poke it thru the tube. Be warned...each tube will puke a cup or more of goo, once you break the blockage.
There was a tremendous amount of water under the carpet...probably a couple gallons. Notice the location of the BCM connector? GM couldn't have found a worse place for it...
The guy in the video said to use a drill. NOT! This doesn't work. So just grab an X-acto (or a medical grade scalpel) and cut the "x" out...
I used a shop vac to get most of the water out. Then peeled up the carpet to let it air dry. I'll probably leave it that way for a couple weeks...
This is the connector at the base of the "waterfall". I suspect this is the problem with many H3's doing crazy electrical stuff. This wiring will get flooded with rainwater when the drain tubes get clogged. I did hit it with some compressed air to remove the moisture from all the nooks & crannies of the plug. I will spray it will silicone prior to re-assembly, to chase any more moisture away from it. I will also add some corrigated wire moulding as I was surprised (not really) that GM simply taped this harness and flopped it under the carpet in such a high-traffic area...
The drivers-side is a piece of cake. The fitting is directly behind the face of the tach. The guy in the video had all of his interior trim removed but, I left pretty much everything in place. The drivers-side doesn't require any trim removal. The passenger-side only requires removal of the sill plate, kick panel, and end panel of the dash. I've heard of guys going this same mod thru the fender wells but, I did this entirely from the interior side of the truck. Also some guys have recommended "taping" the ends of the tubes to the grommets but, that seems like it would make future de-clogs even more difficult...so I did not use any tape. I'll give this a try and see how it holds up.
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