[DavidH]

Now that I am over the floormat thing, I need to replace the cowl drain on the passenger side of my 91 Spider. I have already done the one on the driver's side, and I have the replacement tube for the passenger side. I just need to find out how to get to the drain tube in an S4 that has airconditioning. Do you go through the glove compartment somehow? Do you go up behind the glove compartment somehow? Do you have to remove the a/c blower to get to the tube? I sure would appreciate any words of advice or instruction? Thanks all.

By the way, for anybody who needs to replace their cowl drain tubes, clear vinyl tubing from the hardware store just dont work. You'd tempted to try it since the hardware store stuff really looks like it ought to work. But it won't. The tube has to make some triple convoluted turns on its way from the cowl to the wheel well, and vinyl tubing won't make those bends without kinking and crimping. Eventually, after spending a whole Saturday installing and removing the vinyl, I wised up and bought the real thing -- readymade and prebent tubing. Got it from the nice folks at Centerline, but I think IAP and others have it, too.

 

[ghnl]

Hmm, a '91 with with A/C (noticing outside thermometer reading near 100F...)

I think Alfa started with the cowl drain and built the car around it. Since it is thus totally impractical to install a new cowl drain, you should just sign the title over to me and be rid of it.

I assume the A/C works...


And if you refuse to give me your Spider with A/C then maybe the info in this thread will help.

 

[DavidH]

Hey, Eric -- You wily dog, I almost fell for it. I was just *that* close to sending you the title and everything when I realized that you were just joshin me and that there really is a way to fix it. Yep, the a/c works -- now. I just spent my kids' first year college tuition on getting a new compressor put in. Nothing like three weeks of 100+ degrees to loosen up a wallet for a/c repair. Just like the Alfa engineers to spec a compressor that absolutely no other model of car uses; I think it was made by elves in the Black Forest and I got the last one. Thanks very much -- seriously -- for the link. D.

 

[DavidH]

Can anyone offer any directions for getting the glove box out in order to access the drain hose?

 

[kunzman]

How do you remove glove box on and S3/S4?

Can anyone offer any directions for getting the glove box out in order to access the drain hose?

Same question. My glove box seems to be "behind" the dash. If I remove the lamp switch, screws, hinge, light, etc. there is still no clearance to pull the glove box through the dash opening.

 

[ghnl]

Well then you BOTH better just give me your cars. It sounds hopeless. (Todd - does your's have A/C?)

 

[Gubi]

Yeah, the manual says you can get the inside of the glovebox out after removing the door, latch, etc. I've tried it, though, and I never got it to work that way either.

 

[DavidH]

Anyone know how to do take out the glove box? Anyone ever done it? Is a "Sawzall" required?

 

[ghnl]

Here's a clip from the Shop Manual. This is an S3 but the sketch from the '91 manual looks exactly the same. (The instructions are a bit involved as these are the steps to remove the entire dash. You should only need to follow steps #2, 3, & 4)

IIRC, the glove box itself is flexible enough that, when you remove the securing screws, you should be able to push it forwards a bit then twist it and finagle it out.

HTH