driver-front sunroof drain tube union separated
 

Our 2001 EX sedan (with side airbag) has a separated connection between the driver-left sunroof drain tube and the rubber fitting that passes out through the firewall.

The hose coming down from the roof appears to have shortened over time and will no longer securely fit into the drain valve's socket (see illustration below. It appears the tube and valve are the same part for both left and right front). Has anyone here observed that tube appearing to shorten over time? The tip of the hose just reaches the valve but does not reach far enough for insertion (yeah, I know, "that's what she said").


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.civ...e455ba0ab0.gif


Left-Front tube (5) appears to have shrunk/shortened so that it no longer fits into the valve (6)

My first idea was take a section of Nashua 322 (UL 723) HVAC tape (actually stays bonded when wet, used on a/c ducts, the real "duct tape") and wrap them up. That didn't work as it's nearly impossible to wrap the two tubes without wrinkles and gaps. Some of the water makes it down outside the firewall, but the rest drips down from the union down under the carpet.

I have considered trying a larger piece of tubing that will fit over both the end of the tube and the valve mouth and clamp them. Or better yet, if I can find it, I'll use some type of reducer than can be clamped (Fat end to receive the tube, narrow end going into the valve). I'm fishing here for parts anyone else has found to make this repair before I go wander Home Depot.

I could try replacing the tube, but the Honda manual implies that I would have to completely remove the headliner, and it talks about threading the new tube down the A-pillar using the old tube and a string. The pillar is a nearly sealed box tube and has almost no access to its internals. If that connection breaks halfway through, there's no obvious way to re-thread the tube and I would be, uh, hosed (pun intended. And by the way, I've had bad luck with this trying to thread cables in walls in our house. I don't trust myself to pull it off--or pull it through to be more precise).

Interestingly, it appears Honda has updated this part. Part No. 70050-S5A-J00 (Tube, Fron Drain Vinyl (Sunroof)) is discontinued and replaced in the parts listing by 70050-S5D-A00 (Version A to D?). I wonder if the apparent shrinkage over time I observed prompted this.

Any ideas or solutions welcome, thanks!

Re: driver-front sunroof drain tube union separated
 

Ideas:
Install hose clamps on the ends of the original hoses so they don't come apart again?

figure out the hose size by either measuring or taking a hose off and go to a parts store and buy a length of rubber hose or some appropriate tubing and make up new hoses as long as you want them to be?

work up a short piece of this hose with a barbed fitting and clamps (make an extension) to make the original a little longer so it will reach and stay put?


Front of sunroof area may be accessed with just taking apart the sunvisors and pillar trim and other items in the way so you can lower the front of the headliner far enough to get your hands in, leave the rest alone