Deep water wading

Hi everyone, hope someone can help. I recently bought my little baby in July during the Gloucester floods, it was the only way i could get me and my family in and out of the house for over 1 week whilst we waited for the flood waters to drop. Anyhow, she is a Defender 90 (soft top) with a snorkel, however as wading is something i seem to find myself doing on a regular basis at the moment i wanted to make sure she was fully set up for water wading.

Could anyone suggest a simple check list of things I should make sure she has or things i should do, conversions or modifications as the case maybe to keep her ticking over. The deepest i have been is just on the bottom of the door seals with a bow wave, not sure if this is the limit or in deed what the limit is!?

For those that are interested a typical day in the life of my Landy which I am proud to say is doing the School run only a few days ago and can be seen on youtube: YouTube - Road to Home

Thanks look forward to reading your check list
Andy

well ive recently upset my 110 with some deep water.The starter motor and handbrake gave up, but the handbrake jammed on!

You got a snorkel but have you got wading plugs for the diffs?Im sure some more clued up people will have a few more ideas

Hi there just watched the vid...is that every day? Hope the rains ease for ya mate or ya gonna need a submarine...
In the mean time have a look at this thread

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f7/wading-depth-38152.html?highlight=extended+breathers
D

there was a feature on settin your vehicle up for wading in lro a few months ago...cant remember exactly when....

just been looking through this site and found this....
Water: Leisure and Emergengy
Dunno if it any good to you or not

you dont need wade plugs for your diff. you need to put a plug in your bellhousing though and timing case.

you dont say what 90 you have. N/A? 200/300? TD5?

you will also need raised breather tubes. one off each axle, the transfer box and the gear box. you may allready have these. there a loads of threads on here about axle breathers etc.

best bet is to extend these to the top of your snork.

theoretically your max wade depth is your roof... where the top of the snork exits

G

Don't forget to turn off your headlights, as i found out ! If you go to deep the heat of the lights and the cold water makes them crack.

bustersbus said:

just been looking through this site and found this....
Water: Leisure and Emergengy
Dunno if it any good to you or not

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Interesting mathematics on that site Buster!

"The main reason is that crankcase, axle and gearbox seals are designed to work under about 0 (zero) bar pressure, and that 1 m of water will give you 0.1 bar of pressure per cm, which is usually enough to let water in. If your crankcase seal has an area of say 10 cm that means that there is 1 bar of pressure on that seal"

Hmmmmmm.

as standard!

Wow, cracking bow wave Raz, was all ok after that little foray? - water looks to be well over the air intake!

In a defender as standard with no snorkel the wading depth is 0.5m according to LR. This means you can be stationary and not be taking water in. If you get your speed right, you can go deeper than this but if you get it wrong it's expensive. I've been through the deep part of the lake at Tong when it's been nearly full to overflowing, so it was about bonnet height the water line, but 2nd gear low box at about 2750rpm, you could see from the tide marks down the side after, the low pressure surge behind the bow wave meant no water at all got into the air intake

take 5 talks like a pro

Griffdowg said:

take 5 talks like a pro

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I've got permanent tidemarks on the interior

odenne said:

Wow, cracking bow wave Raz, was all ok after that little foray? - water looks to be well over the air intake!

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its not my one but yes it all runs fine still, i have had 2 inch up the side windows and most the windscreen under the water for about a 5 min stint (did have water comming in through the dash), checked air filter after wards and not a drop had touched it, i dont have a snorkel as of yet but i do have a wading and breather kit and i have never had an ounce of trouble in the 2 years i have had it apart from the fan belt slipping, not suggesting do this as i am happy to replace and pay for what i break but it should boost your confidence in her a touch
just concetrate on getting your bow wave right and you will keep the tide wave in the engine bay way below the filter and try to keep progressing through.

Raz.. who was it in that disco.. they were pushing their luck?

Take5 said:

I've got permanent tidemarks im me pants

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.

battenberg said:

Raz.. who was it in that disco.. they were pushing their luck?

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i know, its not advised without a snorkel but i have gone even deeper, like i said i am prepered to swap an engine etc if all went wrong.

If you put wade plugs in don't leave em in you could end up nackering yer clutch or timing belt if owts leaking.

RAZ8550TDI said:

i know, its not advised without a snorkel but i have gone even deeper, like i said i am prepered to swap an engine etc if all went wrong.

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No ... the bloody windows open!!!