Intake and breathers aside - what is the rest of the landy like in water..??

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LRD90tdi

LRD90tdi

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Somerset
So you've got your snorkel leak tested, your breathers on and outside the cab etc - what else is there to worry about?

I know there aren't many electrical systems on a H reg 2.5td, but what about the battery, fuse box or starter motor - does anything need disconnecting?

Cheers
Tom
 
Wading Blanket for Rad if going through dirty water as they are abit like a filter and like to clogg up. They are a pain in the ass to clean out.

And some Wading plugs for timing case and bell housing
 
I haven't taken her out yet but in previous years i blew both head lights and drove home on torch power - not that i met anything, but it is little things like this i'd like to avoid.

Thankfully we had wellies on!

Airbox fanny thing - thanks - will check and seal
Blanket - on the 'to-do list'!
Plugs just need putting in

So what else - what happens to the battery if it is under water for 1 minute +??

I'm guessing she would run if i disconnected it - that's assuming i didn't need any electrics of course....

Cheers
Tom
 
DEFENDER90-DAZ said:
If you disconnect the battery with the engine running - kiss goodbye to your alternator ;)
Click to expand...

So if necessary, remove fan belt, start engine then disconnect battery?

What happens to a battery under water - connected or otherwise - does anyone know?

Cheers
Tom

EDIT: thanks for tip! Quite used to doing it on old MF 135's and T20's, but they have dynamo's!
 
You could install a breather pipe with 1 end in your battery box and the other end high up near your window - then seal the battery box to prevent water ingress from outside the landy or inside the landy
 
battery and fuse box? should be ok with water as there is only small amount of amp/current/watt or what ever it is called as it takes the path of least resistence which is the wire. That was what i was reliablely informed not so long back, but get it confirmed.
Have you not seen pics/vids of LRs with water over the steering wheel.
 
If you have a sealed battery it would probably be OK - less sure about the ones with removable caps for topping up with distilled water

Loads of guys have been deeper than wheel arches and I'm guessing they're batteries were under the seat and survived

Now an ecu, that would need sealing or moving :eek: but thankfully not an issue with yours
 
wickford90 said:
battery and fuse box? should be ok with water as there is only small amount of amp/current/watt or what ever it is called as it takes the path of least resistence which is the wire. That was what i was reliablely informed not so long back, but get it confirmed.
Have you not seen pics/vids of LRs with water over the steering wheel.
Click to expand...

This ^^^ I have seen plenty of pictures and video's, but never knew what happened afterwards, or what measures (if any) had been taken.

Station House said:
If you have a sealed battery it would probably be OK - less sure about the ones with removable caps for topping up with distilled water

Loads of guys have been deeper than wheel arches and I'm guessing they're batteries were under the seat and survived

Now an ecu, that would need sealing or moving :eek: but thankfully not an issue with yours
Click to expand...
I was more worried about the terminals - but electronics has never been my strong point!

DEFENDER90-DAZ said:
No you can't remove the fan belt as it runs your water pump :doh:
Click to expand...
Ta :)

DEFENDER90-DAZ said:
You could install a breather pipe with 1 end in your battery box and the other end high up near your window - then seal the battery box to prevent water ingress from outside the landy or inside the landy
Click to expand...
True

Thanks guys
Tom
 
and remember even with extended breathers axles ,wheel bearings , transfer box,gear box ,engine arent water proof ,seals work one way to keep oil in not stuff out though they will to some extent if very good ,but any water in will bugger bearings etc
 
First off, mucking about in waters gr8 but if you want to keep your wagon for the long term you'll have to put the work in maintenance wise, the slightest but of water in your lump + its an engine swap. I say this as some defender models are quirky -the Td5 for example has a tendency to shear the pegs of the intake manifold -extra things like this need to be considered or its a watery grave!:p

For all models i would say yes check the drain 'fanny' -there's one in your heater intake too- but be more concerned about sealing vital stuff -a Gucci snorkel's as much use as tits on fish if your air filter seal or any of the ducting's on its way out -same for the turbo ducting (i just found a tiny hole in mine from chafing against a hydraulic line -luckily the recent floodwater round here wasn't high enough to reach it)

if your playing in water that's likely to get into your battery box + fill up to your battery's breather then fit a sealed battery instead -certain types of battery tend to explode if water gets in!
a good quality sealed gel one is a good investment anyway. iv sealed my battery box with mastik too.

if your serious about wading then move the fuse box (or mod' into a sealed container) -it might not fail anything the first or second time you fill it with water but the minerals (even in fresh water) will build up on the contacts + eats /bridges the copper connections when left for a while.

Dow corning make an excellent electrical connector compound that i would suggest you fill every connector you can get to to keep out water.

For a wade day, there's also a white sealing putty (i got some on ebay -said it was for caravans but its the same as the Mod stuff) put this round anything you don't want water getting into -iv put this round my snorkel where it meets the bulkhead as extra protection+ i also seal the battery compartment lid with this + peel it off after.

check your axle breathers regularly - as im sure you know, the cold water hitting a redders diff causes a vacuum which -if the breathers are even slightly crudded up- can fail the gaskets.

also, if your in snorkel territory then afterward, rinse down thoroughly from hosepipe water -iv seen 2 civvi wagons spontaneously start smoking after a wade where waters penetrated the loom. (again mineral action from fresh water + salt waters even worse so watch those tidal fords!)

If the water that you'll regularly ford is particularly silty, keep an eye on your handbrake drum -these tend to trap the silt + are a nightmare when you eventually need to change the shoes!

wading blankets -worth their weight in gold!

Ref alternator -at work when we wade from landing craft onto a beach there's 6+hours of prep to make the wagon stage B waterproof, this includes disconnecting the alternators to just run off the battery -i know its not great long term practice for a privately owned wagon but something to think about.

After that its down to your maintenance, rinse, clean, re grease EVERYTHING + check!

(Esp check / grease your engine bay, gear + transfer box earthing points -after a few fords these will start to corrode then you start to get random electrical issues!)

Enjoy! ;)
 
Last edited:
deaftonewonder said:
First off, mucking about in waters gr8 but if you want to keep your wagon for the long term you'll have to put the work in maintenance wise, the slightest but of water in your lump + its an engine swap. I say this as some defender models are quirky -the Td5 for example has a tendency to shear the pegs of the intake manifold -extra things like this need to be considered or its a watery grave!:p

For all models i would say yes check the drain 'fanny' -there's one in your heater intake too- but be more concerned about sealing vital stuff -a Gucci snorkel's as much use as tits on fish if your air filter seal or any of the ducting's on its way out -same for the turbo ducting (i just found a tiny hole in mine from chafing against a hydraulic line -luckily the recent floodwater round here wasn't high enough to reach it)

if your playing in water that's likely to get into your battery box + fill up to your battery's breather then fit a sealed battery instead -certain types of battery tend to explode if water gets in!
a good quality sealed gel one is a good investment anyway. iv sealed my battery box with mastik too.

if your serious about wading then move the fuse box (or mod' into a sealed container) -it might not fail anything the first or second time you fill it with water but the minerals (even in fresh water) will build up on the contacts + eats /bridges the copper connections when left for a while.

Dow corning make an excellent electrical connector compound that i would suggest you fill every connector you can get to to keep out water.

For a wade day, there's also a white sealing putty (i got some on ebay -said it was for caravans but its the same as the Mod stuff) put this round anything you don't want water getting into -iv put this round my snorkel where it meets the bulkhead as extra protection+ i also seal the battery compartment lid with this + peel it off after.

check your axle breathers regularly - as im sure you know, the cold water hitting a redders diff causes a vacuum which -if the breathers are even slightly crudded up- can fail the gaskets.

also, if your in snorkel territory then afterward, rinse down thoroughly from hosepipe water -iv seen 2 civvi wagons spontaneously start smoking after a wade where waters penetrated the loom. (again mineral action from fresh water + salt waters even worse so watch those tidal fords!)

If the water that you'll regularly ford is particularly silty, keep an eye on your handbrake drum -these tend to trap the silt + are a nightmare when you eventually need to change the shoes!

wading blankets -worth their weight in gold!

Ref alternator -at work when we wade from landing craft onto a beach there's 6+hours of prep to make the wagon stage B waterproof, this includes disconnecting the alternators to just run off the battery -i know its not great long term practice for a privately owned wagon but something to think about.

After that its down to your maintenance, rinse, clean, re grease EVERYTHING + check!

(Esp check / grease your engine bay, gear + transfer box earthing points -after a few fords these will start to corrode then you start to get random electrical issues!)

Enjoy! ;)
Click to expand...

Thank you - what a great detailed response!

trax said:
Makes you want to just stick a canoe on the roof and use that instead :D
Click to expand...

I have a canoe too!


Well the post was loosely hypothetical, in the sense I was unlikely to wade deep enough to actually need a snorkel, but as there are various roads under 3- 4 ft of water locally, I wanted to know what the deal was.

As it happens, the snorkel was found to leak yesterday afternoon, but thankfully I found out by placing my hand over the intake when I removed the mushroom, not while in this flood that i drove through a few hours earlier - not that it was quite deep enough....Driving our Land Rover through floods in Somerset - YouTube

Tom
 
chhers for that also, next on my list is a snorkel, not looking at serious wading, but been a bit close a couple of times, so would rather have it, and it be functional, than not have it and need it.
 
Been reading this thread with interest but I haven't noticed any mention of the fuel cap. Forgive my stupidity but I assume the cap is sufficiently watertight should it be submerged?
 
If its like mine then NOPE and you have a breather. I would say a latex clove over it T-wrapped to the neck would probably be possible to seal the filler neck.

Front Axel,
Rear Axel,
Engine timing case,
Engine,
Gearbox,
Transfer box not 100%
Fuel Tank
All have breathers of one form or another.

As said Engine like water !!!! If you have a leak out then you can get a leak in. so find all those head and sump leaks and sort them out.

Copious amounts of WD40 or similar Water repellant electrical spray on everything and and vaseline too.

Main reason head lamps normaly go is cause they are either Glass and on at the time.
 
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