After reading many, many threads on the duckbill AC drain hose issue, I still have a couple of questions that I hope someone can help with. My 2010 5.0L XK NA (VIN ...B36XXX) just started leaking into the passenger foot well a couple of days ago. I parked it in the garage and started researching the forum, and found a disturbing amount of threads on this issue that Jaguar should obviously have created a recall about. This morning, I crawled up on the engine and tried to reach my skinny arm and hand down between the transmission and the firewall to find and cut the duckbill, but could not reach very far back and I could find no drain hole at all. (Didn't think my hand and arm were very thick but apparently I'm much more pumped up than I thought.) Even a probe made from a wire coat hanger could not find the hole. Came back inside to look for more threads, found one that notes that the 2010 MY have an insulated piece that extends down and back between the firewall and the trans and blocks access to the duckbill hole. It needs to be moved, but there are no comments on how to reposition it (without destroying it). The insulation is about 3/8" thick, which severely inhibits sticking even a skinny arm/hand back up under . Anyone have experience with this piece of insulation? How do I get it out of the way and put it correctly back into position after altering the duckbill? Should I just remove it and discard? Is there anyone in Las Vegas who has successfully resolved this issue that could guide me through it?

ALSO, for those who were able to clear the blockage via the forced air method (upper air vent channeling only, vents closed, temp up over 80*F (27*C), fan on high, recirculate interior air for max effect), how long does it take to see if it works? Immediately? 5 minutes? 10 minutes? Should the ac be on or off during the procedure? Should I see large amounts of water pouring onto the ground under the car to confirm? How long to let the car run before deciding that the procedure works (or doesn't work)? Thanks in advance, Redline.




From Passenger Side

Center View

 

That "insulation" / soundproofing(?) is plaguing me also on my 2010 N/A. I've read - in the hundreds of - postings, that the fabric has to be cut and / or pulled away to locate the access. Trying to get some free-time to deal with this, finally. If I make any progress I'll post.

 

Thanks, Tracee; good luck yourself. After scratching up both arms trying several times to even locate the drain hole under the insulation, I tried the "Turn the heat up, close top vents, redirect air to top vents only, fan on max (recirculate mode)" fix and it seems to have worked for the time being. Although I didn't see any gushes of water underneath the car, there's nothing dripping inside the passenger foot well now.

Someone had noted (years ago) that they had actually blocked off three of the top vents and then sent a shot of compressed air through a (sealed-off) 4th vent to open the duckbill, which I thought was an interesting approach, but it left me to wonder how much compressed air is enough and how much would be too much. Would you hear the duckbill quacking? Would you hear the whole tube blowing out and ricocheting off the trans, resulting in a forced drop of the trans to hook it back up? Although, I guess you could rig up a airtight seal with a gauge on one vent to measure just how much positive pressure there is with the other vents closed and the fan on high. You'd have to compare pressure in a known "clear" duckbill with a known "clogged" one and compare the values, then experiment with restricted amounts of additional pressure (and volume), until you blew out the restriction (or the entire hose...). Still, it would only be a temp fix until you cut or replace the duckbill. I hesitate to experiment myself...

 

I'd not use compressed air, as too much velocity and not enough volume. I'd first try a large shop vac type unit configured to BLOW. Lots and lots of air that way, and not directed into a small area so way less chance of damaging anything.

 

I have a 2007 XK, so there might be some difference. I was able to clear my duck bill by taking a piece of copper tubing bending it at a couple of angles and blowing compressed air through it from the bottom. This cleared up the problem. Now by this I mean snaking it between the transmission and the under carriage of the car and blowing air up. I never could feel the duck bill, but was able to clear it out.

 

I've also got this issue. (After having paid to have it fixed) Not water, but a truly horrible mold-mildew odor.
Like you, I've read all the threads. I've done the close-n-blow hot air technique; haven't tried putting it on recirculate but I'll do that as well now.
For me it makes the issue better for a few days. Does not really "solve" the issue.
Two questions:
- do you have the A/C on or off when you do this? Saw you are asking that as well; I assume off but thought I'd ask.
- I blow the air through the center vents only, since these are the only vents you can manually close, to create some back-pressure to maybe force-unclog the drain a bit. Is this what you are referring to? Or is "high" meaning the windshield defrost vents? Somehow that wouldn't seem a logical place to blow heated air.

The shop vac is an intriguing idea.

 

I've heard several people recommend using a mold bomb/fogger. Windows up, engine running, AC on MAX (for re-circulation), all vents open, trigger the fogger (keep your face away) upright in the floorboard, close the door, and give it 10-15 minutes. Might take a couple of applications for a seriously infected car. Let us know if it does the job for you. Note to the wise: Don't be in the car while it's working...

 

Yeah the fogger's my next step - worried a little about the "cure is worse than the disease" factor.
I'm tempted by the blower into the center grill. close and tape off everything else, see what happens.

Thinking of this product. Will probably cover the seats and flooring with plastic to keep odor from settling.
https://shop.biocidelabs.com/product.sc?productId=1

 

The culprit (duckbill) in all its glory

 

It has been several years now since I cleaned the duckbill with the compressed air, and it has stopped up again. I tried something different this time and time will tell if it is going to work for days or years. I was able to touch the duckbill with my finger and get it to start draining. What you do is open the hood, and remove the engine cover. Now you need thin arms and a thin hand for this. If you have a fat foreman or a thick hand, go get someone else to help you. A woman with come fingernails would be excellent. You need to be on the right side of the car for US models. I can't say if it would be on the other side for the UK models, but you can figure that out if you have one of those. What you are feeling for is a hole in the floor board that is about 1 1/2" in diameter. Inside that hole up about an inch or so you will be able to feel the tip of the duckbill. To reach this you will need to halfway lay down on the right fender. You then reach down along the fire wall just a little to the right of center. You will then need to slide you hand palm side up, between the transmission case and the underside of the firewall/floor. About 4 inches back you will find the hole with the duckbill inside it. One or two flicks with the end of my finger and the water started flowing. I rubber a little rubber lube on the end of it the best I could. Easy fix, time will tell how long I need to go before it has to be done again. All I can say is to keep an eye under the car where you park it, and if there is not any water under it and you have been running the AC, it is time to clean it out again.

 

I did exactly that a couple of years ago but I've now snipped it off completely ..... however, the gearbox was out for other reasons so it just took a pair of kitchen scissors. It's not one of JLR's best ideas although they have stuck with it for at least 40 years, long after other manufacturers abandoned the idea.

Richard

 

Save yourself future grief and cut it off while you still have the dexterity to reach it. One owner taped a knife blade to his finger and cut off the duckbill. Others, like myself, fashioned a tool with a blade on it, to reach the duckbill and slice it off.