Can I clean plenum holes myself?

cinman2003 · 10-02-2010,08:27 AM

Is this a job I can do myself, cos I'll have a go this weekend if so?

I ask as I've read that some Passat owners have to take their motors back to dealers to get it sorted - which makes me think it might be a pig to do without specialist knowledge/tools/etc.

I've got a slight dampness to my front passenger footwell and from the excellent information on this great forum, I'm determined to check the plenum chamber drainage - but no point if it's out of my range so to speak.

Thanks once again, and sorry by the way for bombarding this forum with questions but I've only just got my first Passat and am well excited to get the bits sorted.

**Hex69** · 10-02-2010,10:16 AM

Originally Posted by cinman2003

Is this a job I can do myself, cos I'll have a go this weekend if so?

I ask as I've read that some Passat owners have to take their motors back to dealers to get it sorted - which makes me think it might be a pig to do without specialist knowledge/tools/etc.

I've got a slight dampness to my front passenger footwell and from the excellent information on this great forum, I'm determined to check the plenum chamber drainage - but no point if it's out of my range so to speak.

Thanks once again, and sorry by the way for bombarding this forum with questions but I've only just got my first Passat and am well excited to get the bits sorted.

YES, there are 2 bungs holes, one under the battery and one under the brake servo.

Remove the battery (as you've got a petrol should be straightforward). The bungs are about an inch or so wide, remove clean and replace, and while you're in there clean out all the crud from the plenum chamber, and before you replace battery, pour a pint of water in to see that it drains ok.

Repeat every 6 months or so.

cinman2003 · 10-02-2010,01:01 PM

Hex69 - thanks that's brilliant - will have a go tonight when I get home (as it's due to rain shortly I think!)

**veedub76** · 10-02-2010,08:10 PM

My wife has a 130 TDI and we want to check the plenum ourselves. Is it harder to do on a diesel? Not sure how to remove all the plastic around the scuttle. Do the wipers need to come off?

**RBF** · 10-02-2010,08:49 PM

Originally Posted by veedub76

My wife has a 130 TDI and we want to check the plenum ourselves. Is it harder to do on a diesel? Not sure how to remove all the plastic around the scuttle. Do the wipers need to come off?

It is a PITA on a diesel, because the battery is massive and requires removal of the plastic trim under the wipers. Otherwise, on your own it is impossible to lift the battery clear in such a small gap, due to it being so heavy and far away as you lean over the wings towards the centre of the car. Wipers must be removed with a wiper arm puller tool before removing trim and even then the trim is a pig to remove without breaking it.

It is possible to unblock plenum bungs from underneath vehicle, but you would need it up on a ramp and something long to poke up to unlock them/better still pull the god damn things out!

**veedub76** · 10-02-2010,08:52 PM

Blimey, does sound like a nightmare

. It's in for a service saturday and the guy at the garage said that he's had loads of them that are full to the brim with water. He said the easiest way is to get it underneath and pull the bungs out. Think this is the way i'll be going!

**RBF** · 10-02-2010,08:56 PM

Originally Posted by veedub76

Blimey, does sound like a nightmare

. It's in for a service saturday and the guy at the garage said that he's had loads of them that are full to the brim with water. He said the easiest way is to get it underneath and pull the bungs out. Think this is the way i'll be going!

Definitely!

The only reason they have a bung is stop road spray entering the plenum chamber. Can't see that could do more damage than the plenum filling with water and flooding the passenger carpets and the servo filling with water, leading to brake problems!

cinman2003 · 11-02-2010,08:07 AM

Mine will have to wait until the weekend as I can't see a thing (too dark) by the time I get home from work. I was thinking I might use that flexible cord used for holding up net curtains - you know that long flexible stuff that's quite strong along its length ... we'll see.

**MalcQV** · 11-02-2010,09:48 AM

Originally Posted by RBF

It is a PITA on a diesel, because the battery is massive and requires removal of the plastic trim under the wipers. Otherwise, on your own it is impossible to lift the battery clear in such a small gap, due to it being so heavy and far away as you lean over the wings towards the centre of the car. Wipers must be removed with a wiper arm puller tool before removing trim and even then the trim is a pig to remove without breaking it.

It is possible to unblock plenum bungs from underneath vehicle, but you would need it up on a ramp and something long to poke up to unlock them/better still pull the god damn things out!

Glad mine is petrol, had the thing in and out more times than a groom's todger on his wedding night.

**** design and dangerous, great car the Passat but this lets it down so much I won't be buying another.

cinman2003 · 11-02-2010,01:07 PM

I've got my Haynes manual on its way to me in the post, so I might find these "bungs/holes" easily enough. Does anyone have any piccies in case the manual doesn't arrive this weekend (did you see the Dispatches on the postal system earlier this week - it'll be a miracle if it arrives at all!!)

Is it so obvious where it is once I remove the car battery? Either way I'll take a look and see for myself this weekend and lets see what happens. I've got my heater pointing down to the footwells for now so my commute it the only chance it gets to dry out right now !?!