Need everyone's help! Pushed front drain hole grommet through hole - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

I am dealing with the drain hole to the right of the battery. During cleaning the drain hole I accidentally pushed the drain grommet and hose into the bulkhead of the front end. I have no idea how to access this to seat it back into place. Does anyone know how to fix this? Also what type of water damage will this cause if it is not in place correctly to drain water away?

I've not seen this but would approach it this way, so these are just ideas, not solutions. I'd first try to fish it back up from the top. Speaking of fish, there are fish hook removers with squeeze handles and an articulating jaw that might turn the trick. If that is a no go then I'd be looking under the car. Jack up the car and secure it with jack stands. If you cannot do this take it to shop with a lift. Look for the hose exiting under the car (it may be hanging down already). See if it can be pulled through - if not you're back to fishing up from the top. I would not just forget about it. The water going where it is not supposed to be is sure to cause a problem sooner or later.

No fun but can be done. If you haven't driven then it's likely still hanging by it's hose. Jack up and place on jack stands. Remove driver side tire. Look on side of wheel well about 1/4 down behind the strut. You will see a round ~1/2" hole where the drain's hose comes out. Push the hose out and retrieve from under the car. The drain grommet is a 90 degree bend with the hose attached. Please get the part number from the grommet and post it here for future reference. Now comes the really fun part. You will need to insert from the top inside the frunk. You will need to use something like a 1/4" dowel about 2 feet long. As you insert the hose and grommet down through the top insert the dowel through the wheel well into the hose end to guide it into it's drain hole. Now you can work the grommet into it's hole, This part is no fun be sure to have a large swear jar, you may fill it. Good Luck

Thank you for the directions! I am going to tackle this now. When you say retrieve the hose from the bottom of the car, will I need to unscrew the plastics protector on the bottom of the car?

No, it should be near the strut. So you shouldn't have to take off any of the plastic. Take off the wheel and look up near the top of the strut.

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You may have to remove the under body lining, It will depend on where it falls to. Once on jack stands you should be able to look up from underneath and see the hose if it is still in it's hole into the wheel well. If you have someone helping you it will be much easier.

Ok everyone I fixed this issue, thank you to all that replied. Here's what I did to fix it. 1. Raise the front end up onto stands and take off the plastic panel beneath the car that's closest to the front bumper (there four bolts and 6 clips that undo with a flat head) 2. If your rubber grommet fell through the hole most likely it will be falling out when you disconnect underside plastic. (If you've driven with the grommet pushed through, most likely you have lost it on the road and you'll need to re-order) 3. Once you've retreaved or ordered a new grommet that connects to the pipe that runs out to your wheel well (for drainage) take a fishing line and fish it down from where the grommet originally sat, down to the ground. If you look up from where you removed the under panel (below the car) you will see the hole where the grommet is supposed to sit. The fishing line should come through we're you're looking up at the hole. 4. Wrap the fishing line around the rubber grommets head, it should be at the highest point under the lip that will sit in place once in position. 5. Go back to where you dropped the fishing line and pull the rubber grommet up to the hole where is sits and spray some wd40 on the hole and grommet to help pull it through. If you're gentle enough it should pull right through and rest perfecty. 6. Now it's time to re connect the tube running from the wheel well (remove tire to see) 7. Look back up through the underbody and use your arm to reach into the wheel well to move the tube around into position to push it into the bottom of the grommet. You will be watching from below as you menover it into position. Hopefully this helps! If anyone is in this position who needs advice please feel free to email me [email removed]

The yellow arrow points to the hole the hose passes through in the wheel well. Passenger side, but driver side is similar.

Hooray. Another Boxster owner helped. Thanks to all.

Nice work!!

Thanks for writing this up! Now when I push the drain tube through the hole I'll know where to find the method to fix it!

It's also great to know where the drain goes into the wheel well. Next time I clean them the tire comes off and they get cleaned top to bottom. Nice pics!

Did anyone ever post the grommets part number? The photo is not working for me.

Bringing this thread to life again to give another data point. Did this last weekend and found a few tips that were really helpful. 1. Get a set of long needle nose pliers (I used an 11" set from HF cost about 3.99$) 2. That grommet is really hard to get into the underside of the car unless you wrap the fishing line around the groove of the grommet. Part Numbers for Driver side are 996 504 646 00 996 504 643 00 999 513 049 00

Thanks for the numbers that helped a lot. I picked up the grommet today from the new South Orlando Porsche dealer, beautiful place. Now for the fun part as the cost to have it installed just seemed high for what it is. Not that $237/ hr labor is bad for a Porsche, but I have a list of things to do with the car up on stands so might as well take a shot at this also. 21 years old things need done. I just put the waterproof CLU box in after 2 incidents in a row. I now feel less anxiety about that whole thing. Kinda like replacing the IMS with the IMS solution. Dodged the bullet there. Unlike the waterpump, window regulators, door lock, top motor gear .......... Always something but I have bonded with this car more than any of the 20 previous cars I've owned. The step by step instructions to do this job is greatly appreciated. If I have the time I'll get photos from underneath the car and post the install.

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Not bad? It's ****************ing ridiculous.

Guess I need to work on my sarcasm.

Super helpful!! Thanks everyone!

Thanks for the tips on the fishing line!! I fought this F*&%$#$ for hours trying to get it in place! Note to self, never touch this thing from the top and push it through or you will regret it!!

Thank goodness I don't even know where the thing is...