MX-5 Drain hole clean!

[@Robert-ts2ef]

Don’t forget that they also tend to leak through the plastic cowling below the windscreen. There is a small plastic cap cover on both the left and right side that covers a screw which holds a white plastic bracket in position and which has a rubber seal underneath which corrodes after a while and let’s in rain water down through the glove box to the floor carpets on both the passenger and driver side. Either replace the white brackets and rubber seals of squirt silicone around and over the bracket and when set, should stop any further leaking.

[@CarThought]

Robert Bernard very useful thank you! Have had a few subscribers mention a leak in this area!

[@joeishere500]

Yup, just rained 2 days in a row an this just happend on driver side. I will give a looksie tomorrow . I think I saw other vid on it too

[@odgeUK]

Is this just NC? OR NB as well

[@SubwayTutorials]

Buying a mk3 mx5 as my first car in two months. Watching these videos is releasing my inner child and my excitement! Can't wait!

[@joeishere500]

Did you buy one

[@sandranatale3119]

Very down to the point video, need to buy the trombone now, thank you

[@andybowie8590]

For the cheap skates among us (me) a length of 2.5mm core household electrical cable does the trick, assuming you've got some lying around cos it probably costs as much as a trombone cleaner

[@paulnarramore6828]

Yes that was all clear and straightforward, and the first thing I did when i bought my Mk2 in August 2022. I'm hoping you have a video on checking the rain channel which is apparently beneath the rear edge of the soft top.

[@steved3702]

I found an alternative to the trombone cleaner. It's a giant cable tie of 1.2 m / 4 ft in length used by heating and cooling installers to hold ducts. I remembered I had some in my garage after renovations. Insert, twist and withdraw. Being plastic, it's not too brutal. Holes now clean. 😃

[@CarThought]

Haha perfect! Love a bit of ingenuity👌

[@microjazzheads]

These videos are really helpful. Keep up the good work! Picked mine up yesterday! Loving it!

[@CarThought]

congrats!

[@samuelbyron8202]

InstaBlaster...

[@HeCute_]

great video. i, however, am struggling with getting the angle right to get the trombone cleaner in. i will keep trying

[@alisonderrick9987]

Useful. Constant issues with drain holes/gutters on driver side which means issues with wet carpets (a lake which makes carpets rot and metal bolts rust) Even my garage struggle and have to clean drain holes / gutters out every time the car goes in for anything.

[@stefanahmad5903]

Does anyone else have a problem that the brush goes up and out rather than down to the hole beneath the car? My drivers side drain is blocked and there's so much water sitting there, i'm very worried about it. But I can't seem to dislodge anything with the trumbone brush. It's not as simple as one tube, it feels like I'm stabbing in the dark, can't really see what I'm doing. Not really sure which hole underneath the car it's supposed to drain out of. Would try that otherwise. Anyone got any tips?

[@alexandraabraham6698]

Today, (27.11.21) I realised my passenger side had about an inch, to an inch-and-a-half of water in it - no wonder my dog didn't want to sit on the floor - ! If you DO get a flood (haven't experiened a flood like this before!) take an old pillow case, and fill it with cat litter. Lower it onto the wet lo9cation and flatten it out to spread the littler, still within the pillow case, to cover the entire wet area (you may have to do the passenger side in 2 sections; in front of the seat, and behind it, while the seat is pulled fully forward). leave the litter there until the water is absorbed. You may have to give it more than one treatment. I realise cat littler isn't cheap, but it's less expensive than having to deal with a rusted floor! I also ordered a trombone cleaner today, too, so that will alleviate the problem, I expect! Thanks for the lesson. I wouldn't have ever found these drain holes on my own! Last time the water got in (never been as bad as this!) the garage didn't have a clue!

[@CarThought]

Hi, I think your leak is coming from the scuttle grommets on the bulkhead below the windscreen. Here is a link to where I talk about them kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHbaqJesbbJnma8. Never hurts to do the drain holes anyway!

[@SKIAL95]

Nice video mate. Ive just bought a retractable hard top, footwells were soaking wet last weekend. A good dollop of silicone around the bulkhead grommets seems to have done the trick!

[@allanv7661]

I use my bass guitar strings, they work good too!

[@iannorth5958]

Just bought an nc. Off to buy a trombone brush now. Thanks

[@benhopwood3130]

Anybody reading this don't use a trombone brush and don't stick anything down the drains. This is because there are really delicate one way rubber flaps in the drain tubes at the bottom which stop road noise coming back up into the cabin (makes a whooshing noise like a sea shell when cruising at speed). The trombone cleaner pushes these out when you stick it down. I did this at first and had to pull out the drain tubes from behind the seatbelt pretensioner and remake all the rubber valves as the noise was so annoying.

[@Brockthedog315]

I didn’t know about the fuel tank filler area! Thanks. I just did this last weekend. Bought the same cleaner. All the reviews for that cleaner are from Miata owners! Hahaha.

[@CarThought]

ewetoob blowes I pretty much bought it explicitly because of all of the reviews! 😂

[@sheldonm3535]

I would pour some soap and warm water with the brush. This way it cleans it up good. Even spray some white silicone would be good too.

[@lykos24]

Water has been filling up my gas valve. Luckily nothing got in but it was getting very full. I noticed the drain hole today and it's full. I'm gonna clean it out today now 8)

[@timcharlton6276]

Niceone thanks just bought a2009 very helpful keep up the good work

[@johncartlidge3600]

Thanks for the video ,I’ve put this off to long ,to my cost Very wet carpets

[@ST-qe6pp]

Be mindful there is a downwards rubber 1 way flap in there, so if you’re using that trombone cleaner you must exit down, don’t yank it back up since u may damage the flap. By “there” I mean on the top side of the built in hose behind the retracting seat belt ( you have to move the plastic trim aside to reach the drain tube compartments).

[@CoryMck]

Thanks for the video, I actually tried this some time ago and even manually removed and cleaned the filter behind the seatbelt wench, but I'm still have a leak behind my 2011 Mx-5 passenger seat. The main difference for me is that I have a PHRT and the water isn't even meant to enter the car at all. Any clue?

[@EpicFishFingers]

I teied using a bent metal coat hanger to do this as I fouind it so difficult to line the trombone cleaner up. The problem with that is that it transitions to a hosepipe style tube that bends through 90 degrees with say a 3 inch bend radius which stopped the coat hanger dead. I then bought an endscope and used that too track the coat hanger which made me discover the 90 degree bend (right before the exit point at the bottom of the car) and made me realise the passenger sie was much more gunk filled than the driver side as it had been parked under a tree on the street for some time by the previous owner. Ugh! All clear now.

[@joeishere500]

Yea gotta just go on angle some

[@peterrollason8319]

What needs to be done for a hard top ? Is it the same ?

[@joeishere500]

That's a darn good question. I'm sure STILL equipped with drain holes

[@deanpaul2945]

Well i put water in..1..petrol hole came out no issue.,passenger side came out the hole and everywhere else, saw dampener maybe covering rust..drivers side no water came out the hole but came everywhere else, painted side skirts before rust may start.,I have same colour as you but 2007 ubnder 110,000klms

[@mikewilson6128]

Very informative thanks, after cleaning these three drain holes - do you think a squirt of WD40 down each drain hole "may" help avoid future problems?

[@CarThought]

WD-40 helps in all situations! It's especially good when mixed in with a cup of tea too!! (joking, please don't consume WD-40).

[@mikewilson6128]

It tasted bad, but I'm out of hospital now - Lol@@CarThought

[@joeishere500]

I would not, wd40 does attract dust an ghrime

[@areasevenpro]

If only the PRHT's drainages were that easy to clean.

[@CarThought]

areasevenpro are they much worse then? Never seen one!

[@areasevenpro]

@@CarThought The PRHT model has drain hole covers that you have to remove to access them.

[@brianpiersol9412]

nice tips- thanks- I own a 2011 MX5- why do the non-US MX5's have an amber light in the front side fenders? Brian

[@mrdbailes]

It’s a legal requirement in Europe I believe. You’ll see the same difference on quite a few cars that are in both the US and Europe.

[@videomonkeys]

Great video, have you had any problems with the rear high mounted brake light leaking? I had some water in the boot recently and trying to figure out how to get it off to check. Do you know?

[@CarThought]

videomonkeys not personally. I sometimes think the boot is wet, when actually it is just cold! I use a website called www.mellens.net for repair instructions! Check it out. Thanks 🤘

[@videomonkeys]

@@CarThought Will do, thanks for the reply 👍

[@mikeb9569]

Check tail light assemblies.

[@Hashpotato]

Man its a lot harder to find that hole than you made out.

[@wallacemould3042]

Couldn’t fine the hole from above but found the holes underneath,cleared in seconds

[@joeishere500]

Cool

[@tsmith9715]

After reading quite a few messages in forums about it i saw someone say drivers side easy passenger side not, so i went to check my drivers side [not side that was letting water in] The trombone goes in 1st attempt! the passenger side I cannot do it i think after 100 attempts, when in for mot im going to see if we can stick a piece of hose into theslot to get direct access with trombone i think this would be the fix, my road cambers so as long as park only on one side of the road the rain will not intrude problem solved!

[@CarThought]

That’s odd, I thought the design is symmetrical? The opening holes on the bottom have 1 way flaps on them, so if you go from the bottom make sure you don’t damage the flaps.

[@SubwayTutorials]

Bought the drain thing from your link. The drain hole behind the passenger seat was blocked and full of water. Before that I had found the passenger footwell really damp. Would that be the cause of water in the footwell or will water in the footwell indicate that its maybe the screw under the windshield?

[@CarThought]

Hi thanks for the comment. Water in the footwell will most probably be windscreen surround grommets and associated seal (I would recommend to replace). Please see my video where I touch on them here kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHbaqJesbbJnma8

[@joeishere500]

So you finally bought one .

[@radekw708]

I'm getting water in the trunk, is there more drain holes at the back of the car in the trunk area?

[@CarThought]

Hi, if your drain hole clean has not fixed this issue, you could have a leak from the tail light seals. Best way to figure out where it is coming from is to line your boot with newspaper and pour water over the car including drain holes. Then look in the boot to see where the leak is from 👍

[@radekw708]

@@CarThought It happened when I poured water on the soft top. So I unclogged the drains with a wire, water started to flow from both sides. Did it from underneath, just stuffed a wire in the drain holes. I think its better now but not sure if fully resolved.. water drains now, the holes were for sure plugged up. Not sure how water got into the trunk, but if the car is on an angle with the back of the car being lower, are the drains still effective or will the water just not reach the drains due to the tilt of the car and end up in the trunk?

[@DWS1435]

Great video. Thanks!

[@kotnbronson]

Very useful video! I'm about to buy an MX-5 NC as well! For weeks now, i've been making my research, what to look out for and which problems can be major (always checking the cars MOT history, it can give you a fairly good starting point, if a car failed too many times, you know, the owner wasn't careful with the vehicle...). What do you think is a fair price for a 2006/07/08 NC? Because the prices are all over the place, and i don't want to go above my 4000 pound budget... i'm checking Autotrader all the time, there's a lot of rubbish NCs over there with high milage+high price, when i find finally one with decent service history, relatively low milage and good price, it's gone in a day, haha! Well, seems like there's still a huge demand for these cars, even the summer is over (never really happened this year...). How long it took for you to find the right one, and how much you paid for it, if may i ask such question? Thanks for your reply and keep the content coming, quite enjoying these Mazda specific videos! Cheers Mate!

[@CarThought]

Kótn Bronson it took me about a year and a half to find one I was happy with. Lots of bad ones in the UK, prices tend to go up around April time, and a lot of the price is dictated on the colour and spec! You should be able to find a decent 06/07 for 4K. Although I always say don’t be scared of a car that’s been used a bit mileage wise, as long as the mileage is spread out each year over the life of the car (MOT history) and it’s been maintained. As a ‘sports/summer’ car they tend to be parked up for a lot of the year and this could lead to seals drying out. Thanks for the support!

[@joeishere500]

You buy one yet

[@grahambolton3853]

I mate September 23 I paid 6500for my 2010 hard top myako with 105000 on it runs great

[@mschiffel1]

What model year is your Mazda? I have a 2017 with drainage issues, but I think it may be a bit different than yours?

[@CarThought]

Yours is an MX-5 ND or Mk 4, so it’s a completely different design as you say. Although I haven’t heard of any ND’s having drainage problems! I’ve never worked on one so not too sure without looking!

[@dimdaisjimbo]

Useful video 👍

[@CarThought]

Dimitris thanks! Got a leak at the moment...! Oil not water haha

[@dimdaisjimbo]

Car Thought sorry for that. negotiate to buy an nc 2.0 sporty 06' so i enjoy your videos.

[@anilpall9348]

Very helpful, thanks a lot! 🙂

[@orangepeel7310]

How often do you recommend doing this?

[@CarThought]

Depends where the car is parked and how you use it. If it’s outside and you drive it every day don’t see any harm in doing this every month. In a garage and used on a weekend, less so.

[@solitaire481]

absolutely brilliant video, not showing if its a hard or soft top... cut the camera right on que..

[@charlesosbun3642]

What about using compressed air?

[@CarThought]

I can’t see why it would harm the car going from the top. Only thing is it might be difficult to locate the drain holes as most air lines I’ve used would be too large to sit in the mouth, it’s not like you can see them without removing trim 🤷‍♂️

[@andyvaid69]

Er..... Sill drain holes????????

[@grahamlavery6436]

Good video.you need to know this stuff.have read about rust on mx5 s.thanks for info.

[@OXOtwo]

Looking forwards to some new videos.

[@mooker93]

Hey this isn't car throttle 🤨🧐🤔

[@CarThought]

Thanks 👍 Editing at the moment!

[@nirrec]

Don't try this with the nc Mk 3.75 PRHT

[@davidr2975]

You never should of sold it, it's the perfect sports car, it does everything well, and if runs forever, not the fastest, not the best handling, not the best looking, but it holds it's own.

[@deanpaul2945]

Seat belt issue, too panels off and took photos sending belts to melbourne guy can fix the belts, I want red belts too mazda wants $2,000au plus fitting costs.,there should have been a recall not rip us off

[@michael007ish]

Would you not thread the wire through first and pull the brush through. Plus I just watch a video of someone getting theirs stuck.🤣

[@elstukov]

Good bye.... explore....

[@marievictoire1939]

Wrong way to do this!

[@CarThought]

Still waiting for your video showing us all how Gerry. You’ve had 3 weeks since your last comment.. 🤷‍♂️

[@kamelslife2844]

we waiting Gerry, 5 months now! New NC owner and need your input! please help gerry!

[@CSestp]

Do you think we dont know how to google? Just get to the fix, screw intro and narration.

[@CarThought]

Going to the cinema must be torture for you 😀

[@CSestp]

@@CarThought Not especially, save for movies written by people that don't understand economics of words, then yea its torture.

[@deanpaul2945]

Sticky..stop wan ing

[@johnlaing9124]

Climate change. Lol.