snorkels, wading depth and iceland.

[chapel gate]

early stages of prepping motor for hopefully going to Iceland next year. will be extending breathers.

due to the location of the air intake ive always taken it that were good for wading up to the door handles. now believe me, I don't want to be going anywhere near as deep as the door handles! but there is always the unexpected, and I don't actually want a snorkel.

would like some opinions on this please. especially from those that have done river crossings in Iceland.

cheers.

 

[Dave2000]

Never done Iceland Mike (only 12 volts ) but, loads of wading, in particular competitions where the water is coming in through the heater grill below the windscreen in a Land Rover Discovery. There is no way IMO that a standard LC will be safe to the door handles, the standard height for the LC GB/TB/DL breathers is at the top of the bell housing, and the engine intake at the height of the inner wing, so at the door handles you are pushing your luck. Door rubbers will invariably let water in if they are exposed too long as will seams/pipe access (heater pipes under drivers seat is a classic water entry point), so think anything over the height of the wheels is pushing your luck. Of course a suspension lift/bigger wheels will help if you have them?

So from an experience point of view, remove the carpets before you go and throw some old sacks and rubber mats in there. The rubber keeps the water off the sacking most of the time, when the sacking gets wet either dry it out if you have time or throw it away and put in fresh lot, this stops water finding it's way into the little nooks and crannies where it will take ages to dry out.

Fit your recovery straps (F & R) BEFORE you enter the river, use the rad blind you have (show off) to stop debris blocking the rad fins. Tie the fan with a zip tie to the shroud unless electric so it cannot rotate, the cold water will keep the engine cool. Ensure axle breathers are clear, the little flaps tend to seize either open or closed and neither of those positions is good, the rear one is in a chassis box section and not particularly that high up. Depending how adventurous you plan on getting you could remove the door cards as well, if you get that deep and water gets inside then once wet they delaminate and fall apart a couple of months later.

Hope I am not giving the impression I have done a lot of this stuff?



Showing off now in my Discovery, last lap before taking first prize at the SOL ROAD challenge at the Land Rover Site in Lorca Murcia 08/2011, water is 'only' about a metre deep!

Regards

Dave

 

[Gary820]

Never driven in Iceland but without a snorkel I've comfortably driven water crossings that have been just below the headlights, wouldn't want to go much deeper as that's about waist height.

 

[Dave2000]

Never driven in Iceland but without a snorkel I've comfortably driven water crossings that have been just below the headlights, wouldn't want to go much deeper as that's about waist height.

I am trying to visualise the height of the headlights against the manual gearbox breathers, has to be pretty close, IIRC the auto has the breathers run up the side of the dipstick tube so may be higher?

regards

Dave

 

[Gary820]

Yeah the auto breather is with the dipstick, axle breathers are extended.

 

[Shayne]

I don't like snorkels at all and with the underside of my wheel arch being about a metre high i figure going deeper is asking for trouble . But if i was going to Iceland i think i would ignore my dislike of them and fit a snorkel . I imagine a landscape made entirely of water in various states of frozen must be ever changing so even on a guided tour the risk of getting deeper than you want to is very real .

Somebody on here a good while back didn't want a snorkel so instead worked out a way to shut off the intake in the inner wing allowing the engine to breath air from inside the cab for occasional use on short crossings which seemed a great idea to me .

 

[toolsplus]

i went on a walking tour of Iceland about 10 years ago
the 4wd coach got stuck in a river crossing with water coming in the door
we waited for a big crane/truck to pull us out
the guide said; ''see the bow-wave over there,there's a Jeep Cherokee underneath''

i've never seen as many water crossings
long,deep,rocky buggers
take a lifeboat too...

beautiful place
great for walking
saw dirt-bikes and jeeps everywhere

 

[Chris]

Standard wading depth is 700 mm. Add extra for any fit kit you may have. 700 mm is LOT. And taken steady with a bow wave you shouldn't need a snorkel. If you are crossing rivers, that are fast flowing, a snorkel is likely to lead you into temptation and possible disaster. Going deep is one thing, but holding onto the bottom is another. The LC wades very well and is far more watertight than a Disco. Leave the windows up and put the fan on. For short crossings the slight positive pressure in the cabin keeps most of the water out.

 

[Gary820]

http://youtu.be/MeckDwDiIS0

If works, that was earlier this year in Wales, not far off my limit tbh.

I reckon Iceland will have much deeper stuff!

 

[Shayne]

http://happygamer.ca/videopage/on/1doTwVszic8.html

For me the silence speaks volumes !

 

[Chas]

That vehicle was obviously prepared for artic conditions yet they didn't think a snorkel was necessary.
I was wondering why there was a line on the rear, then I realised they needed it back for the next truck. DOH!

 

[karl webster]

Those arctic trucks are running 45inch tyres though lift etc etc.

you will want to be very careful mike if your thinking anything like Shayne has posted going solo.

 

[Dave2000]

Somebody on here a good while back didn't want a snorkel so instead worked out a way to shut off the intake in the inner wing allowing the engine to breath air from inside the cab for occasional use on short crossings which seemed a great idea to me .

That sounds like a great idea, might save me some grief with the Spanish paperwork?

regards

Dave

 

[AndyCook]

Fitted today, ready for Iceland in 2015....

 

[Dave2000]

Going deep is one thing, but holding onto the bottom is another. The LC wades very well and is far more watertight than a Disco. Leave the windows up and put the fan on. For short crossings the slight positive pressure in the cabin keeps most of the water out.

Chris you are so right here, on occasions I had to wait for the water to filter in and weigh the car down so I could get traction, DID NOT TAKE LONG that's why no carpets

On the windows though I do not necessarily agree Chris, the positive pressure would undoubtedly help but, not wanting to bring on the doom and gloom but just being sensible. Just in case bad luck strikes and you fall though ice or whatever the electric windows are unlikely to work, if you are going to sink it makes great reading about 'sitting there waiting for the car to fill up and simply open the doors and swim to safety', in reality I am not so sure I (and many others I have spoken too)would have that steady frame of mind, so either roof open (no good with rack) or the windows open, car falls through or gets stuck easier to escape.

regards

Dave

 

[Chris]

Yes, not sure we're quite in the same page here Dave. I would advocate keeping windows firmly shut, but I am NOT saying that in connection with driving into water where I could drown or be swept away! I am talking about non snorkel wading in sensible, proven, UK crossings. If its as deep as you describe then I wouldn't be in it without a snorkel. Which is rather my point I think. Know your limits!

 

[Dave2000]

I agree with the idea, but as you said 'proven UK crossings', I think Mike may be in uncharted territory out there, unless he has a guide? And of course when wading we advocate walking in front of the car with a long stick checking the surface below the water......pretty good of you to volunteer for that Chris brrrrrr

regards

Dave

 

[Chris]

Is that were the guy with the stick is in scuba gear. At that point you really know it's deep

 

[Dave2000]

Is that were the guy with the stick is in scuba gear. At that point you really know it's deep

That's him scuba gear and fur coat and hot water bottle!

 

[Chris]

Last time I waded that deep in Winter, a paving slab of ice smashed my headlight in. I think there are plenty of ways to have fun in Iceland without needing a snorkel. Remember you have to get there AND back