I started this as a new thread to ask a different question.

What would happen if I put the car up on a lift, locate the drain tube, and then take pressurized air and blow up into the tube?

Would this free any debris blocking the inlet of the tube, or if the tube is stuck together at the blower housing would this force it open?

 

Yes you can do this but I have heard that it is High Risk. The problem, as I have heard it described, is that you can blow the tube off the nipple leaving you with a larger problem than you started with.

The above being said, I have done it using the lowest pressure necessary to remove the blockage below about 30 psi. If the blockage is solid as you come up in pressure, stop and reconsider.

Do not use a coat hanger wire as it can puncture critical components. I have had good luck with nylon zip ties. Something I've been meaning to try is my vacuum pump should the problem come back. A lot of the issue is algae growth which tends to regenerate in humid climes so a shot of Simple Green up the tube may be in order. Is there something about this subject that's mildly arousing or is it just just me?

 

Could you elaborate on using zip ties??? I can't see how one would be long enough to make it from the opening of the tube below the car to the blower housing nipple/outlet...

 

Some way or another I came by some 2 ft. zip ties in my collection. On my 05 XJR the ac drain was a flat rubber tube that accommodated the zip tie quite nicely. On our XKs I am presuming the same set up under the car.

"presume" My old Regular Army platoon Sgt. used to have fits over that word. Sorry, Sgt. Artum wherever you are.

 

Ok, after talking with the techs at a Jaguar dealer near me I understand what's going on, and this also jives with another post I remember in the other thread on this, as well as the comments made by tarhealcracker.

So the tube, at its end, resembles the flat part of a Swisher Sweet cigar tip. The tube is round, and tapers into a flat end. The way it was described to me, the "weight" and pressure of the water is supposed to open this up when water needs to drain. These flat ends become closed (either through cold, heat, whatever) such that they will not open and allow the water to drain. I am having this tip repaired tomorrow...cost will be around $350. They claim to be able to drop the exhaust and get to it. The end of the tube is above the tranny, which I remember being discussed in the other thread.

And so,when they are done with this tomorrow, hopefully this will be the end to this issue for me.

 

My 09 XKR had the same issue about 4 months ago and the Jaguar dealership rectified it in the same way, by dropping exhaust to enable them to get to the tube to open the sealed end, took them about 2 hrs.
Vehicle is still under new car warranty so no charge. I will however be following up with Jaguar head office to enquire about having the improved drain tube design fitted that has been mentioned in the other thread.
Good luck

 

Innovative

I had the XK passenger foot-well leak about a month ago, but not since. I was using the auto "air" and recycle function (damp exterior weather) - but not the recycle function since. No visible foot-well leak since I turned off the recycle??? The car puddles under the engine as it should.

Just after the leak, I called the dealer and was informed my Select Edition Extended Warranty would not cover the problem. Service Advisor quoted just under $1200 for the correction.

Wandering around the men's dept. of TJ Maxx recently, I bought a package of 2 Turbo Snakes for $5.99, one "tub" & one "sink" ( www.buytheturbosnake.com ) with possible DIY XK HVAC drain probe in future.

The "tub" snake has a thicker tube and flat end. The "sink" snake has a thinner tube and cylindrical end.

Do you think either one of these would be practical for poking the XK drain tube up through the opposite duck-bill tube end? Or just too much "brush"? I haven't opened the package, so don't know the length of either Turbo Snake. How long should a probe be?

Also, of a similar nature, Cobra products markets a #400 Zip-It drain cleaner which just appears to be a zip-tie on steroids in its Amazon listing.

A good source for 2 ft. zip-ties as you used?

Thanking you in advance for your comments or suggestions.

Oops! I was in the process of reading all of Tarhealcracker's recent posts when I made this inquiry. I had not read the entire thread and did not realize the drain tube ended above the trans. Nevermind?

 

Yea, there's nothing getting clogged inside the tube...it is that "duckbill" flat end that is closing up and won't open. So getting rid of the particular flat end that is closed up allows the water to drain.

 

Your kidding right? I'd be screaming murder all the way up the chain of command.

I cant see how they can refuse the repair.

Vince