Changing Supercharger Oil, and a recap of the wet floorboard problem

[Mr. Cynical]

To start, here's what went down with the floorboard:

I'm glad I looked this site up back when I got my 99 Grand Prix GTP. Had I not, I would have gone to the dealer and been summarily reamed!
Just as advertised here, I removed and cleaned the hose from the drip line coming out of the firewall on the passenger side, and about a quart of water came out. Since then, things have dried out, and all is well. I did end up having the blower motor replaced, as it would squeal like a pig whenever I fired up the air.

And, last night, I replaced the S/C oil with good old GM official stuff. Here's what I found:

1. You need a good turkey baster if you're going to use one. This stuff is indeed slippery slippery slippery. The bulb simply slid right off on me a couple times.

2. 1/4" hose works better than 3/8" to get inside and really snorkel out all the bad stuff. I had some tubing laying around from my beer gear, so I snipped some off and got to cleaning.

3. I was a little over a whole bottle low. When I removed the old stuff, I saved it in a container, and went to refill it into the two containers I received with my parts order. I only filled one bottle, and only about 3/4 of the way up.

4. I've read that the oil smells bad when it's old. I would like to report that as a horrible, terrible understatement. This stuff smells like a corpse. A rotten, fruity corpse that's been in the sun for too long. I mean, holy jeeze. After repeated hand-washings, I could still smell faint refrains of death. Nasty. Wear latex gloves.

Overall, Mr. Cynical gives this a Difficulty Factor of 2. Barf Factor, however, goes up to 11.

[GTX Playa]

Originally Posted by Mr. Cynical

I was a little over a whole bottle low.

For some reason, they come from the factory that way.

[carnutcass]

I found a really good method for removing the old oil from the SC. Some would say that it's total overkill, but considering the fact that I plan to keep the car, I disagree.

Home Depot sells a small, drill-powered pump for sucking water from clogged drains and what not. Combine the pump with: two brass fittings, some 3/8" clear hose, and the hollow part of a bal-point pen. It takes abut 20 seconds to suck all the oil out of your SC.

Works great and I have a tool that will be used every 30k miles for who knows how many miles....and the whole thng cost less than $10.

[Mr. Cynical]

Actually, carnut, that sounds like a hell of a good idea. I don't ever want to get that foul stuff on my hands ever again!

[BIG-L]

A cheap way of changing the S/C oil is to save your old spray pump bottles from your tire dressing or what ever type of bottle that has a spray pump in it and use about 16in of fish tank hose attached to the pump.Then just pump it into the bottle and when it gets low move the hose around inside the S/C to get the last bit of oil out.Ive been doing it that way since 2000 and it works great and best of all it's free except for the S/C oil..........~Larry~

[Duff Man]

It has rained very hard the last couple of days. After each of these rains I opened my car to find approx 1/2 inch of water on the passenger side floor boards. Is this the same problem you were having? If it is could you please explain where I can find this drain hose to clean it out or direct me to the thread that explains it better. It seems our cars are almost identical as I recently had to have a squealing pig replaced in my blower also... Well, thanks in advance.


Duffy

[kilroypr]

Duff, I have read here instances where the windshield was not completly sealed and that caused the water on the passenger side of your car. The A/C drain cock is located on the passenger side just behind the firewall, the best way to get to it is looking for it from under the car but if your problem is not related (and I feel it is not) to the A/C then the A/C drain cock will not help a bit.
Check that the windshield is sealed properly before doing the drain cock thing since your problem is worst when it rains so that points me to a leak somehere...

[Duff Man]

I thought about the windshield seal and checked it out first. In the top corner there isnt really a gap but the seal easily pulls away to expose the windshield and the frame. I originally thought that might be but i couldnt figure out how that much water would be getting in there. The only part that seemed wet was the floorboards which were under water. I felt around the carpeting above and couldnt find any moisture that would indicate where it was running down from. I suppose it could running down underneath the carpeting and just pooling up from the floor boards. Regardless would it be wise to get it professionally done at like a body shop or glass repair place or could i get some sort of sealant and run a bead around the top?

[NCGTPGuy]

Hey, since this is a pretty common problem that I've read about the A/C Drainage getting plugged, can someone explain how to get to it and clean it out?

Because I'm getting water all over my passenger floor boards and it's killing me.

If you could e-mail some quick instructions to [email protected] that would be great!

[kustomkid54]

OK, I give. Where is this hose at? We have had a ton of rain down here. Yesterday is the first time I have ever had rain on my passenger floor. After reading this, I went out and looked for this hose. Could not find where anyone said it would be. Maybe I'm just over looking it. Thanks

[Mr. Cynical]

Originally Posted by kustomkid54

OK, I give. Where is this hose at? We have had a ton of rain down here. Yesterday is the first time I have ever had rain on my passenger floor. After reading this, I went out and looked for this hose. Could not find where anyone said it would be. Maybe I'm just over looking it. Thanks

Here's the way I found it:

First, for god's sake, let your engine cool. I got a nice scar from the burn on my forearm.

From the passenger side of the engine compartment, I felt around on the firewall. It was a small, black hose, shaped like an upside-down L. I pulled it off, cleaned the hose (and swabbed out the piping that led to the hose itself) and replaced it. I recall it being a bit down, so you might have to reach a bit. But most importantly, it comes right out of the firewall, and is reachable from the passenger side.

If you don't replace the hose, condensate will drip directly down onto something that makes it boil and steam. I know this from experience

[kustomkid54]

Thanks guy. Will find it tomorrow.

[serp777]

I also have this problem of wet pass floor on my 1999 Grand Prix. I noticed leak of water when I was driving from Las Vegas. There was rain a day before but my car was under roof on parking during the rain, and it was dry. On my way home, humidity was higher then usually. There was no other source of water than condensate from running air conditioner. Thanks guys – the L shaped house was clogged, and there was water in it. It took only 5 min to clean it…

[Mr. Cynical]

Originally Posted by serp777

I also have this problem of wet pass floor on my 1999 Grand Prix. I noticed leak of water when I was driving from Las Vegas. There was rain a day before but my car was under roof on parking during the rain, and it was dry. On my way home, humidity was higher then usually. There was no other source of water than condensate from running air conditioner. Thanks guys – the L shaped house was clogged, and there was water in it. It took only 5 min to clean it…

Great news! I'm glad someone else was able to benefit from this!

[XeroExtremities]

Originally Posted by Duff Man

I thought about the windshield seal and checked it out first. In the top corner there isnt really a gap but the seal easily pulls away to expose the windshield and the frame. I originally thought that might be but i couldnt figure out how that much water would be getting in there. The only part that seemed wet was the floorboards which were under water. I felt around the carpeting above and couldnt find any moisture that would indicate where it was running down from. I suppose it could running down underneath the carpeting and just pooling up from the floor boards. Regardless would it be wise to get it professionally done at like a body shop or glass repair place or could i get some sort of sealant and run a bead around the top?

I have been having this problem everytime it rains hard. And I too didn't find any moisture or water trails that lead to where it was coming in from. So I took a hose and sprayed water on the passenger side of the windshield starting at the bottom and going to the top, back and forth, up and down. I even sprayed directly on the seam all the way down for nearly 5 minutes and I had a friend sitting inside watching for any possible water leaks while I was spraying it. The floor was completly dry. And after reading your post it made me think that it might be pooling up somehow from below as you said. I've only used my AC twice so far this year and the floor was completely dry before, during and after having it on. So the fact that it's the hose just doesn't seem to fit in my case. Anyone resolved this matter?