Drilling a drain hole in the intercooler plumbing

FXDL

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2009
Location
Barrie Ontario Canada
TDI
2015 Jetta TDI with DSG
How about drilling and tapping some where at the low point. Drill and tap say 1/4 inch pipe thread and install 1/4 male pipe to 1/4 hose barb, the bigger the better for draining and be faster. 1/4 inch would drain pretty good I would think. 1/8 NPT would be too small, so my thought the 1/4 NPT would be good/better?? Run 1/4 ID hose off of the 1/4 barbed end down to hang out where one can get at it. The end could have plug in it or a drain valve of ones choice. Make sure the line runs always down hill, so no high points in it to trap any water, that way all is drained. Just might work???
Now to find a place on my 2010 Jetta TDI and the path to run the 1/4 inch ID hose.
 
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compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
I drilled a 2mm hole in spacemonkeymafia's 13 Beetle TDI last weekend when I serviced it. There was a little water in there, plus some goop.

I'll continue to recommend drilling the 2mm hole.

-J
 

ATR

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Location
Baltimore
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 6MT
How about drilling and tapping some where at the low point. Drill and tap say 1/4 inch pipe thread and install 1/4 male pipe to 1/4 hose barb, the bigger the better for draining and be faster. 1/4 inch would drain pretty good I would think. 1/8 NPT would be too small, so my thought the 1/4 NPT would be good/better?? Run 1/4 ID hose off of the 1/4 barbed end down to hang out where one can get at it. The end could have plug in it or a drain valve of ones choice. Make sure the line runs always down hill, so no high points in it to trap any water, that way all is drained. Just might work???
Now to find a place on my 2010 Jetta TDI and the path to run the 1/4 inch ID hose.
That was discussed earlier in the thread...

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=4705493&postcount=46
 

mr_y82

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2013
Location
Western NC
TDI
Used to have... '11 Golf, 6-spd, 2-door
^ still a cool idea
How about drilling and tapping...
Why not do a variation of the 2micron approach? Instead of the manual ball valve and attendant linkage maybe plumb one of these http://www.mcmaster.com/#5077t134/=10n7u3u
to the tube and drain he fabricated?
I had an electric drain from him (he has made at least a couple), which works great, but I just sold it as my car outgrew it :)... I'd post pics, but that takes effort... (edit: I may post pics from home, later) Looks a lot like the drain in the link ATR posted, but with an electric valve obviously, and a wire that ran to a box that sat next to the battery (with velcro)... You guys drum up enough interest and let him know, maybe these things will start making it to market...?

Maybe I was just fortunate to never encounter the water accumulation problem...... Glad I no longer have that as a potential problem.
Sounds like it......... You and me both!!!
 
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halfast3

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2010
Location
usually in Oregon
TDI
2011 Golf TDI DSG
While doing my 60k service, I loosened the lower IC hose and, sure enough, clear water drained out. So I've joined the ranks of the drilled IC pipes - in my case 1/16" (~1.5mm). I could have drilled a 1mm hole but was too lazy to get out my metric drill index.
 

ricks

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Location
False City, WA.
TDI
'10 Jetta Sportwagen
After using DieselDubs P2015 solution and dropping one of the bolts into the tray I decided to open the lower intercooler connection and about 2 tbs of water drained out as well as that gooey yellowish oily sludge. So being a good lemming I drilled a hole about the size of a push pin and fired her up. Sure enough a fine mist of water continued to spray out. During every oil change will check to see if the hole is clear. Since I live in a rather temperate area I was surprised to see the condensate. The hole was drilled only on the passenger side
 

arto_wa

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Location
S.W. Washington State
TDI
2010 Jetta Sportwagen TDI, 6 sp manual
Since I live in a rather temperate area I was surprised to see the condensate. The hole was drilled only on the passenger side

I was more surprised when mine hydrolocked & bent rod little over 1 1/2 years ago in similar, spring or almost early summer-like humid conditions!

:eek:


People are confusing the issue by talking about IC icing!

It is a condensation problem regardless if it collects in the IC during freezing outside temperature or not!

Sure it will show up more in the Northeast and Midwest, where there are more people and also more cars driven during freezing winter conditions, but we still have to try to cope with the same VW defect here on the "temperete" Pacific Northwest.

Just saying.
 
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notabiker

Active member
Joined
Feb 14, 2014
Location
Near Colorado Springs
TDI
2012 jetta tdi 6m
Hi, this might have happened to me. Started the car and it died right away, started back up and it stumbled a hair but then was fine. We just got it, a used 2012 jetta stick with 34k from a dealer. Not sure what happened to the po but the dealer sent us the title and I got to looking and the po trade it in October and title said only 30k at the time he signed it over. Salesman said it only arrived on the lot in December... had my actron scanner hooked up to check out all the info on a 80 mile trip and I seen that the engine only has 147 hours on it!!! Not sure if the po hydrolocked and dealer took it on trade and fixed it to sell it again, doesn't have the new ic with the funky valve in the tube below the turbo so I don't think that was updated. Btw the 4k miles and 147 hours would average to around 30mph(ish) so that fits.
Anyway instead of a hole, would it work to put a http://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Vegg..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=0TB9GMTQRAMHPABPBZSJ
on the tubing? Might need a metal tube as plastic might melt but if the heater could heat the water to above boiling so it would pass through the system as steam. I'm sure it wouldn't work if there was a lot of water pooled up but if it was on all the time would it be able to keep the moisture from piling up and creating a issue. That's if the wattage of the heater is able to keep the tube hot enough in spite of air flowing through the pipe taking heat away. Thoughts??
 
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hybridkiller

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2012
Location
Southeastern US
TDI
2012 Golf DSG
Anyway instead of a hole, would it work to put a http://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Vegg..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=0TB9GMTQRAMHPABPBZSJ
on the tubing? Might need a metal tube as plastic might melt but if the heater could heat the water to above boiling so it would pass through the system as steam. I'm sure it wouldn't work if there was a lot of water pooled up but if it was on all the time would it be able to keep the moisture from piling up and creating a issue. That's if the wattage of the heater is able to keep the tube hot enough in spite of air flowing through the pipe taking heat away. Thoughts??
I hate to sound harsh, but there are so many reasons not to even try this I honestly wouldn't know where to begin. I suppose if you want to use your car for a science project and have an irresistible urge to reinvent the wheel, then knock yourself out.
 
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ATR

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Location
Baltimore
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 6MT
Hi, this might have happened to me. Started the car and it died right away, started back up and it stumbled a hair but then was fine. We just got it, a used 2012 jetta stick with 34k from a dealer. Not sure what happened to the po but the dealer sent us the title and I got to looking and the po trade it in October and title said only 30k at the time he signed it over. Salesman said it only arrived on the lot in December... had my actron scanner hooked up to check out all the info on a 80 mile trip and I seen that the engine only has 147 hours on it!!! Not sure if the po hydrolocked and dealer took it on trade and fixed it to sell it again, doesn't have the new ic with the funky valve in the tube below the turbo so I don't think that was updated. Btw the 4k miles and 147 hours would average to around 30mph(ish) so that fits.
Anyway instead of a hole, would it work to put a http://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Vegg..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=0TB9GMTQRAMHPABPBZSJ
on the tubing? Might need a metal tube as plastic might melt but if the heater could heat the water to above boiling so it would pass through the system as steam. I'm sure it wouldn't work if there was a lot of water pooled up but if it was on all the time would it be able to keep the moisture from piling up and creating a issue. That's if the wattage of the heater is able to keep the tube hot enough in spite of air flowing through the pipe taking heat away. Thoughts??
Yeah... that's all kinds of bad idea.

Just drill the hole since so far it seems to be a proven method of avoiding condensation build up.
 

notabiker

Active member
Joined
Feb 14, 2014
Location
Near Colorado Springs
TDI
2012 jetta tdi 6m
I hate to sound harsh, but there are so many reasons not to even try this I honestly wouldn't know where to begin. I suppose if you want to use your car for a science project and have an irresistible urge to reinvent the wheel, then knock yourself out.
Not to sound harsh... Lol I asked so I could get opinions of why or why not it would work. Granted the thought of being a 70mph rolling fireball is intriguing!
 

hybridkiller

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2012
Location
Southeastern US
TDI
2012 Golf DSG
Ok, just for fun, I'll take a stab at completely ripping your idea apart :p

Three things come to mind immediately - first, the amount of heat required to actually boil the water out - assuming that little heater could manage it (doubtful, especially in winter ambient temps) - would be (with regard to IAT) the functional equivalent of just completely bypassing the intercooler - or worse. Second, the small amount of air space inside the system would severely limit, if not prevent, complete evaporation from happening, especially since; third, you would have to be heating this thing while the car is parked (since that's often when the accumulation of water occurs), so you would need an external power source to avoid draining your battery.

Gravity is free and ever-present, so some mechanism for simply draining the charge pipe is by far the simplest and most elegant solution - either by drilling the hole or installing some sort of drain valve as has been discussed.
 
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turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Hi, this might have happened to me. Started the car and it died right away, started back up and it stumbled a hair but then was fine. We just got it, a used 2012 jetta stick with 34k from a dealer. Not sure what happened to the po but the dealer sent us the title and I got to looking and the po trade it in October and title said only 30k at the time he signed it over. Salesman said it only arrived on the lot in December... had my actron scanner hooked up to check out all the info on a 80 mile trip and I seen that the engine only has 147 hours on it!!! Not sure if the po hydrolocked and dealer took it on trade and fixed it to sell it again, doesn't have the new ic with the funky valve in the tube below the turbo so I don't think that was updated. Btw the 4k miles and 147 hours would average to around 30mph(ish) so that fits.
Anyway instead of a hole, would it work to put a http://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Vegg..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=0TB9GMTQRAMHPABPBZSJ
on the tubing? Might need a metal tube as plastic might melt but if the heater could heat the water to above boiling so it would pass through the system as steam. I'm sure it wouldn't work if there was a lot of water pooled up but if it was on all the time would it be able to keep the moisture from piling up and creating a issue. That's if the wattage of the heater is able to keep the tube hot enough in spite of air flowing through the pipe taking heat away. Thoughts??
I think it's equally likely that the ecu was replaced and only has 147 hours.
 

DashTrash

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Location
Northern, VA
TDI
2010 Jetta Sedan - Getting the Fix
I experienced a no-start icing issue one morning after the temperatures rose above freezing, to about 45. I had never encountered this before. It really confused me before I looked into this a little bit. I didn't think of taking it to the dealer as I didn't want them to touch the car.

I decided to drill the intercooler hose with a 1/16th bit, and it has been over a month since, and I have not had a single problem relating to intercooler ice so far (fingers crossed). I also used some pipe insulation to block off the lower grill. The vehicle warms up much faster and my economy has improved as well. We got smacked pretty good from that winter storm here in Northern VA, and the car has performed flawlessly with the temperatures and moisture.
 

notabiker

Active member
Joined
Feb 14, 2014
Location
Near Colorado Springs
TDI
2012 jetta tdi 6m
First off I just put in a frostheater so I'm more familiar with the piping under my car and the only plastic that is a low spot is the intercooler piece with the odd clamp you have to pry the arms apart on. Can't see anything that looks like the pictures posted earlier in this thread. That said, the tubing had no moisture in it except for some black oil so I'm not going to drill a hole or anything yet. Though I did do a little experimenting just to test my idea.
Ok, just for fun, I'll take a stab at completely ripping your idea apart :p
You are too kind.
Three things come to mind immediately - first, the amount of heat required to actually boil the water out - assuming that little heater could manage it (doubtful, especially in winter ambient temps) - would be (with regard to IAT) the functional equivalent of just completely bypassing the intercooler - or worse.
I didn't have a 12v 50 watt heater but I do still have a spare 120v 100 watt heater (from when I lived in North Pole, Alaska) to experiment with. And you can get 100 watts in 12v so I went ahead and got some data points. I used a metal plate measuring 6"x6" and 0.074" or 5/64 or 1.90mm thick. Which if made into a tube would be 1.91" in diameter. Temps were taken with my craftsman professional dmm with ir temp sensor in Fahrenheit.
0:00 26 (it is winter)
1:00 78
2:00 106
3:00 140
4:00 136*
5:00 168
6:00 190
7:00 200
8:00 229
*I was holding the plate down but the edges got too hot and I accidentally moved it a bit and had to reposition it so the temp reading was off.
Therefore yes it can get above boiling temps even when the ambient is below freezing. In regards to actually affecting the iat.. It has no where near the surface area to affect the air passing over it, if it was heating up a long tube (feet) then you might get a few degrees higher.
Second, the small amount of air space inside the system would severely limit, if not prevent, complete evaporation from happening, especially
True if it was done with the engine off. Which is why I said 12v so it could operate while the engine was running, taking the moisture away immediately. For that I don't think it would have to boil the moisture as heat would speed up evaporation either way.
third, you would have to be heating this thing while the car is parked (since that's often when the accumulation of water occurs), so you would need an external power source to avoid draining your battery.
It sounds like for some there is quite a bit of moisture accumulated after one trip and if it was all frozen and then thawed out you would be screwed unless you had a hole. For ones where the moisture accumulates over time then a heater on a metal intake tube might well indeed keep it in check.
Gravity is free and ever-present, so some mechanism for simply draining the charge pipe is by far the simplest and most elegant solution - either by drilling the hole or installing some sort of drain valve as has been discussed.
I only replied to say it could work, not that anyone including me would do it as I don't have any issues yet but if no one thought outside the box where would we be?
A hole is definitely simple, there are medical supply places where you can get check valves with as small as a 1/16" port size.
 

mr_y82

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2013
Location
Western NC
TDI
Used to have... '11 Golf, 6-spd, 2-door
^I'm too stupid to say if such things would work... It's a cool idea. :)
 

Rhys

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Location
Maryland
TDI
JettaSportsWagon
It really works

Drove my 2013 JSW yesterday. Car has previous inter cooler icing episodes. It does not have the update, nor do I run winter covers.

I drilled the 5/64" hole a month ago with no problems or CEL's.

Yesterday, the temps were in the low 20's. Roads were dry, but we have snowcover. Traveled about 80 miles of highway driving (70-75 mph).

Parked the car for about 30 minutes. Came out and there was a puddle of water under the car (about a half cup). Popped the hood and there was also water on the belly pan under the drill hole.

I am glad that water drained out and it does prove that drilling the hole does work.

Car started and ran fine this morning.

Just wanted to share the information - Hope it helps someone.
 

old_jon

Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
Location
Centerville, Ohio
TDI
2009 Jetta sedan, white/tan, 6 spd
Want to Take Pre-drilling & Post-drilling Data

I’ve had my 2009 Jetta for about a year and a half now and have had several “hick-ups”, including two very hard starts, that I now attribute to IC ice & thaw water. Car has 150,xxx miles on it so I have zero expectations that VW will do anything to help me. So, I’m ready to get my drill out.
I also just used some of my VW Dieselgate money to buy a Ross-Tech VCDS outfit. So, before I do drill a hole I thought I’d drive for a week and log engine data so I could have before-hole and then after-hole record.
So far, I plan on logging Speed, RPM, Boost Pressure (specified), Boost Pressure (actual), and some air temperatures. I’m a total newb with the VCDS so I haven’t yet figured out which temperatures would be the most relevant. Can any of you make suggestions?
Thanks!
 

FXDL

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2009
Location
Barrie Ontario Canada
TDI
2015 Jetta TDI with DSG
How about a 12 volt DC Normally Closed Pneumatic Solenoid valve with 1/4" NPT ??? Drill and tap 1/4" NPT and take a close steel [black iron] nipple and so forth.
Supporting it and wiring it up would be fun.
Would not lose any boost etc.
Turn it on/open when you like, just don't forget to turn off.

Or instead you could tap and install a 1/4 " NPT male fitting with 1/4' hose barb end and install 1/4' ID hose and run up to the intake filter housing dirty side of course.
If one wanted they could install a 1/4' NPT ball valve near the air filter housing that you can get at and shut it off when ??????
The draw from, at the filter would pull all the water vapor out and what ever else.
Yes it could freeze in winter and most likely would if there was enough moisture in it and below freezing..
One would have to clean and or install a new air filter more often.
In my case wash out the foam filter more.
In warmer weather run the hose through a oil separator ??
Maybe or Maybe not
 
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TDI57

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
2013 Golf TDI DSG
How about a 12 volt DC Normally Closed Pneumatic Solenoid valve with 1/4" NPT ??? Drill and tap 1/4" NPT and take a close steel [black iron] nipple and so forth.
Supporting it and wiring it up would be fun.
Would not lose any boost etc.
Turn it on/open when you like, just don't forget to turn off.

Or instead you could tap and install a 1/4 " NPT male fitting with 1/4' hose barb end and install 1/4' ID hose and run up to the intake filter housing dirty side of course.
If one wanted they could install a 1/4' NPT ball valve near the air filter housing that you can get at and shut it off when ??????
The draw from, at the filter would pull all the water vapor out and what ever else.
Yes it could freeze in winter and most likely would if there was enough moisture in it and below freezing..
One would have to clean and or install a new air filter more often.
In my case wash out the foam filter more.
In warmer weather run the hose through a oil separator ??
Maybe or Maybe not
Or do what I did, drill a 1/16 hole in the lowest point of the charge pipe. No loss in performance, scangauge boost pressures just as before, no lights, no effect on mileage. Just last night I checked my pan and only had two small waterdropets the size of a lima bean.
I was reluctant to drill a hole but I figured this was a "fix" that is easy enough to reverse if I experianced any negitive side effects. I have seen waterpumps for example with designed in weep holes so I figured why not try. Feel good that I did now knowing that any moisture no matter how little is draining out.
I reccomend drilling nothing larger than 1/16.
 

halohms

New member
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Location
Sarnia, Ontario
TDI
99 Beetle and 2013 Jetta
OK, my wife's 2013 TDI Jetta had this problem last week for the first time but managed to get it started and drove it to the dealer. I didn't know anything about this problem until the dealer told us about what probably happened after we picked it up from them saying they didn't find anything wrong with it!!!! Does this problem not cause any records to be recorded on its computer? After reading all these threads, I decided to drill a 2mm hole but only found a few drops of water so I guess the engine sucked it through with some driving. Thanks,
 

hybridkiller

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2012
Location
Southeastern US
TDI
2012 Golf DSG
Does this problem not cause any records to be recorded on its computer?
Nope, and fwiw the list of things that can go wrong and not throw a code is way longer than the list of things that will. The OBD system was originally designed to only monitor things that have a potentially negative impact on emissions.
 

halohms

New member
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Location
Sarnia, Ontario
TDI
99 Beetle and 2013 Jetta
not throw a code is way longer than the list of things that will.
OK thanks. This was the first time I did any work on this car. Was going to install the traction disable control and have the parts to do it but then the emission stuff happened so held up on it till that gets resolved. I know too well about no recordings of faults. I was one of the early finders of the Relay 109 problem on my 99 beetle TDI so I know that is frustrating. Still have the 99 beetle tdi and will until it falls apart which won't be for some time as it seems I can fix most stuff on it easily.
 

wilcharl

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2010
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
2010 Jetta TDI BOUGHT BACK 23 NOV 16. Now owner of 2016 Jeep Cherokee
My TDI has long been turned in and is hopefully scrap steel at a smelter by now but I did the drill thing with great success.

I got a small drill bit, and hap hazardly drilled a hole in the plastic.

Water came out no problems ... Life was good... when summer came around I put a sheet metal screw in the hole

Took it out again in the winter.

Nothing scientific nothing accurate. My hole wasn't even straight ( I didn't even put it up on jackstands to drill the hole)

All was well ... no over complicating was needed
 

STRANGETDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2001
Location
East Hampton, CT
TDI
2013 Audi A3 S-Line Premium Plus Quattro - APR Stage II
Drilled it last night... I am keeping the car for about another year, or when I get close to 120k. Timing will work out so that it will be almost to the TDI Dieselgate settlement deadline when I reach 120K and have to decide.
 
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