A/C drain duck bill fix - my solution
#182
Spent most weekends for about a year just detailing the engine bay. Clean, clean and clean again!
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Queen and Country (03-04-2019)
#183
#184
GR8BRIT so many thanks for posting this! I'm hopefully just a few weeks away from getting the car out of winter storage (wishful thinking) and very much looking forward to getting this resolved (so I can then fix my ac blower motor that likely crapped out from water backup due to this confounded duckbill). God, this beats the hell outta having the dash pulled apart or trying to drop the transmission to get at the thing. You rock. I need to buy you a case of beer or something. Will post pix and report back as soon as I get to it... and will be sure to have a Marlboro for both of us on hand when done ;-). BTW killer tattoo and, as others have mentioned, what a garage - wow. Also, we have the exact same car 2009 XKR Portfolio (though mine isn't nearly as clean as yours!).
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IowaPopPop (08-12-2021)
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Stuart S (03-05-2019)
#187
#188
Hey Digband,
Absolute pleasure, I hope it works out for you. If your arm gets too badly scratched you can always cover up with a cool half sleeve tattoo!
My A/C fan motor also stopped running. From what I could tell, it was not necessarily water getting into the motor but the bottom bearing getting wet and "gunking" up with crap causing the motor to work harder causing a component on the small control board to overheat and blow. I had a friend replace the blown component with an appropriate value thermal switch which cost ZAR36.00 (about $2.50). Labour cost was a few shots of tequila and a couple of beers!
If the Duck Bill was to become blocked again the thermal switch would just cut power to the blower to protect it, then a 10 minute clean would be all that's needed to resolve the issue and off you go again. You will find the control board bolted into the air duct close to the blower unit towards the center of the car. It's very easy to unplug and remove. Most electronics guy's would be able to identify the blown component and sort it out for you at a fraction of the cost of a new control board from the "*******s".
Small note: I have specifically not cut my Duck Bill as I know many have done as it is supposed to stop insects getting into the vehicle and slowly consuming it from the inside out. I live in Africa and know the sort of damage even a small colony of ants can do.
Finally, nice Portfolio you have there. Only three Portfolio Coupe's and three convertibles were imported to South Africa and I am reliably informed that my Coupe is the only one left and a chap down the road from me has the only Convertible left in the country. His car has only 21k miles and a maroon top (looks very nice) he does not really look after it and I have been trying to buy it from him for a while now, but is asking too much for it. Would love to have the matching his and hers set in the garage!
Anyway, good luck and let me know how you get on.
Regards
Andy
P.S. Where in upstate New York?
Absolute pleasure, I hope it works out for you. If your arm gets too badly scratched you can always cover up with a cool half sleeve tattoo!
My A/C fan motor also stopped running. From what I could tell, it was not necessarily water getting into the motor but the bottom bearing getting wet and "gunking" up with crap causing the motor to work harder causing a component on the small control board to overheat and blow. I had a friend replace the blown component with an appropriate value thermal switch which cost ZAR36.00 (about $2.50). Labour cost was a few shots of tequila and a couple of beers!
If the Duck Bill was to become blocked again the thermal switch would just cut power to the blower to protect it, then a 10 minute clean would be all that's needed to resolve the issue and off you go again. You will find the control board bolted into the air duct close to the blower unit towards the center of the car. It's very easy to unplug and remove. Most electronics guy's would be able to identify the blown component and sort it out for you at a fraction of the cost of a new control board from the "*******s".
Small note: I have specifically not cut my Duck Bill as I know many have done as it is supposed to stop insects getting into the vehicle and slowly consuming it from the inside out. I live in Africa and know the sort of damage even a small colony of ants can do.
Finally, nice Portfolio you have there. Only three Portfolio Coupe's and three convertibles were imported to South Africa and I am reliably informed that my Coupe is the only one left and a chap down the road from me has the only Convertible left in the country. His car has only 21k miles and a maroon top (looks very nice) he does not really look after it and I have been trying to buy it from him for a while now, but is asking too much for it. Would love to have the matching his and hers set in the garage!
Anyway, good luck and let me know how you get on.
Regards
Andy
P.S. Where in upstate New York?
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digband (03-05-2019),
IowaPopPop (08-12-2021)
#189
Andy,
I guess it shouldn't be a surprise to me that this issue caused exact replication of the same problems... thanks for the tip on the blower motor - add a few more cases of beer and a bottle of scotch to the IOU list. My pal who does all his own work on his 1970 XKE, Aston and Porsche is going to be helping me with the repairs so hopefully a look at your posts and a few tequila shots will also help me get this worked out, too. I'm in Syracuse, NY - way upstate, from the city anyway. Last year we had a break in the weather in late Feb early Mar and I got the car out of storage, only to have Apr be one of the snowiest on record here - hoping that was an anomaly! I don't have any real concern about insects here, so may go ahead and chop that duckbill right off.
I bet that maroon top looks sweet - keep working on him, maybe he'll come down on the price - the matching pair would be awesome!
Cheers,
Mike
I guess it shouldn't be a surprise to me that this issue caused exact replication of the same problems... thanks for the tip on the blower motor - add a few more cases of beer and a bottle of scotch to the IOU list. My pal who does all his own work on his 1970 XKE, Aston and Porsche is going to be helping me with the repairs so hopefully a look at your posts and a few tequila shots will also help me get this worked out, too. I'm in Syracuse, NY - way upstate, from the city anyway. Last year we had a break in the weather in late Feb early Mar and I got the car out of storage, only to have Apr be one of the snowiest on record here - hoping that was an anomaly! I don't have any real concern about insects here, so may go ahead and chop that duckbill right off.
I bet that maroon top looks sweet - keep working on him, maybe he'll come down on the price - the matching pair would be awesome!
Cheers,
Mike
#190
back to work....
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Queen and Country (03-06-2019)
#191
Give it the finger.
Thanks to GR8BR1T I have fingered the heck out of the duckbill as per his instructions and it works. After the lubing, I shut all the vents, turned the air conditioner to its lowest level, turned the blower on high and waited...... After a few minutes I turned the blower off and bingo! I saw a small puddle of water on the floor just under the firewall. First time I have ever been delighted to see a car pee. Thanks again to GR8BR1T. You just saved me a lot of hassle and some serous cash!
BTW, GR8BRIT's instructions should be a sticky.
BTW, GR8BRIT's instructions should be a sticky.
Last edited by SLazz; 03-12-2019 at 05:11 PM.
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GR8BR1T (03-13-2019),
IowaPopPop (08-12-2021)
#192
#193
Glad to be of help Steve!
@Digband - I doubt you will be able to get in this way with something sharp to cut the duck bill. I thought about that too, but rather than make a shitty job of cutting it I'd rather spend 10 minutes every six-months or so cleaning it.
Cheers guy's,
@Digband - I doubt you will be able to get in this way with something sharp to cut the duck bill. I thought about that too, but rather than make a shitty job of cutting it I'd rather spend 10 minutes every six-months or so cleaning it.
Cheers guy's,
#194
Your blower motor is probably fine. The damage is more likely to the blower motor resistor as the water causes a short that blows the thermal fuse inside the resistor. You can interchange the Jaguar version (Part C2Z6538) with the Land Rover version (BMR31677) - just search Ebay Motors, they are about $15-20. Depending on your proficiency with a soldering iron, you can also repair the resistor by replacing the thermal fuse (EYP-2BN109) for about $5. The resistor is attached by two short philips screws and is in the same plastic molding that holds the blower motor. It can be accessed once you remove the felt pad under the dash on the passenger side footwell.
Glad to be of help Steve!
@Digband - I doubt you will be able to get in this way with something sharp to cut the duck bill. I thought about that too, but rather than make a shitty job of cutting it I'd rather spend 10 minutes every six-months or so cleaning it.
Cheers guy's,
@Digband - I doubt you will be able to get in this way with something sharp to cut the duck bill. I thought about that too, but rather than make a shitty job of cutting it I'd rather spend 10 minutes every six-months or so cleaning it.
Cheers guy's,
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IowaPopPop (08-12-2021)
#195
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IowaPopPop (08-12-2021)
#196
Join Date: Jan 2015
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IowaPopPop (08-12-2021)
#198
Join Date: Jan 2015
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Mine was up in the hole, pointing toward the front of the car, parallel to the transmission.
#200
As a precaution, I'll turn the air conditioner full blast on its coldest setting and close the vents perhaps once or twice a month. That should take care of the issue.
Last edited by SLazz; 03-31-2019 at 02:58 PM.
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IowaPopPop (08-12-2021)