Need help FIXING leak in passenger footwell, AC related.

feel_ixx · Postby **feel_ixx** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:27 pm

I've found a leak that occurs when I turn my A/C on for a bit too long (especially that its a hot day today), the condensation is finding itself into my passenger foot well. I've searched in a few forums and found that the way to fix this is to reconnect the drain pipe so that this water is able to exit the vehicle. Included are pictures of where the water is coming out of.

Problem is, I couldnt find a pipe loose anywhere for me to reconnect this to, so I'm confused on how to find this pipe or if there should even be a pipe at all. Or, if the water is coming out of a place its not supposed to, let me know. As well as this, there's a part in the engine bay with some condensation which I assume is from the air conditioning, the knob as shown in pic I found could be tightened further, however, I didn't want to touch it in case its some sort of setting. Please if anyone can help me out it would be greatly appreciated, summer sucks without air con.

Note: I didn't actually take anything apart besides pulling up the carpet to drain the water. So if I need to dive further to find this pipe then let me know.

The general position of the pipe where water is coming out of is shown here

This is the part where the water is dripping out of

Is that what I need to connect it back to?

Engine bay, where the knob for me to tighten is

As you can see there is condensation here too

feel_ixx · Postby **feel_ixx** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 8:50 pm

Oh, and even if you dont know how to fix it, if you guys could tell me if your unit looks the same as mine would be a big help

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 8:57 pm

The knob you are trying to tighten is a cover for the low pressure charge point. Dont touch it, it wont help your cause. The "pipe" with the orange tape you are trying to connect to is the main ECU wiring harness. Best not to plumb the condensate drain into that. The condensation on the engine bay pipe is perfectly normal. Dont worry about it.

There should be a smooth rubber hose that connects to the nipple on the bottom of the black plastic A/C box under the dash and it should run towards a hole in the transmission tunnel under the carpet. However looks like someone has stolen your drain hose. The hose is about 13mm in diameter and runs to the hole you've found in the transmittion tunnel under the carpet in the second pic. You should have found the hose and a rubber gromet in the transmission tunnel that the hose fits in to.

Just go to Clark Rubber or your favourite spare parts store and buy some rubber hose the correct inside diameter and run it between the nipple on the plastic box where the water is draining out and the hole in the transmission tunnel.

feel_ixx · Postby **feel_ixx** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 10:39 pm

OH wow, I never used Air Con since I bought the car so this never happened haha.

OK, then that would mean I'd need to remove the slanted metal piece that covers all those tubings to find that tunnel yes?

Because I'm not clear on which part is the transmission tunnel is located

*edit* Is the tranmission tunnel that small hole on the right side?

And after I run it into the tunnel, does it need to go anywhere in particular or just in that hole ?

WHAT KIND OF PERSON STEALS / REMOVES THESE THINGS

miata · Postby **miata** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:49 am

feel_ixx wrote:OH wow, I never used Air Con since I bought the car so this never happened haha.

OK, then that would mean I'd need to remove the slanted metal piece that covers all those tubings to find that tunnel yes?

Because I'm not clear on which part is the transmission tunnel is located

*edit* Is the tranmission tunnel that small hole on the right side?

And after I run it into the tunnel, does it need to go anywhere in particular or just in that hole ?

WHAT KIND OF PERSON STEALS / REMOVES THESE THINGS

The transmission tunnel is the part of the body which covers the gearbox/drive shaft (or Transmission). It's the bit in the middle of the car between you and the person in the other seat, attached to it, you may find a centre console, a gear lever and some carpet.
No-one has stolen anything, the drain hose for the A/C relatively easily dislodged. There are several articles on Miata.net about how to cure the problem.
All air conditoners have a hose to drain away condensation, auto A/Cs are no different, as the condensor is inside the car, the hose has to carry the water to the outside, if it's dislodged, the water ends up on the floor on the passenger side.

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:05 am

Except Miata his drain hose is missing, it hasn't just come off the evaporator. Even the gromet in the transmission tunnel is gone. It may have fallen down below the metal cover covering the ECU. But if you decide to take that off and go looking for it then watch the edges because they are really sharp.

If you look in the second pic you can see the hole in the transmission tunnel just below the arrow head and next to the white fluffy stuff. If you look through there you should be able to see the gearbox housing. If you can, poke one end of the hose through there about 25-30mm, basically far enough so that it wont fall out, but not to far thats it's jambed up against the gearbox. The water from the A/C may dribble down onto the exhaust but that's no big deal.

feel_ixx · Postby **feel_ixx** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:47 pm

So the lowest hole in the 2nd picture which is graphically in the exact centre of the pic?

Thanks Garry and Miata, I'll go get that hose today.

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 8:58 pm

Yeap, the hole in the middle of the second pic. Just make sure it goes outside the car. I cant really tell by the pic but it looks like it's in the right place for the factory drain to go through.

I'd love to know what happened to the original drain hose and gromet. The gromet in the transmission tunnel is a pretty tight fit so it's unlikely to fall out by itself even if somone knocked the other end of the hose off the A/C.

feel_ixx · Postby **feel_ixx** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 2:52 am

Thanks for that, I hope it exits the car too, I cant really see into the hole but it looks like its just above the transmission so it should drop. I might poke some string through to make sure. Yeah, I wonder where it went too, I bet the previous owner knows.

Caffeine · Postby **Caffeine** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:27 am

Possibly the car had aircon that was incorrectly fitted in the first place. The aircon is fitted in Australia, not at the factory, and may have even be done post sale...