modifications required to allow driving through water

[kp64zl]

Driving through yet another flood trying to escape the Lake District I was wondering what modifications might be required to allow safe(r) passage through flood water etc
I see some vans / 4WDs with 'snorkels' --- could anyone here who's modified a van in this way please explain the process, costs etc?

Also, does anyone have an idea of how deep you can go with an unmodified van? Assume a bit deeper than a small car

thanks

 

[Doorbundle]

Basic advice - If you wouldn't walk through it, don't drive through it. Unseen potholes, possibility of increasing unknown depth and obstruction hazard. But sometimes, needs must.

 

[Ting Tong]

Hi - Speak to T5 upgrades in Aberystwyth as they’re big into snorkels and swampers.

Recent jobs - VWT5 Upgrades

 

[Cali4nia-Dream]

There are a few Iceland posts that mention snorkels etc, @bvddobb has several that do
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/iceland-2017.19421/page-2#post-344947
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/iceland-2016.15397/
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/some-seikel-adaptations.12218/#post-139669

One item i would never have thought about is raising the breathers from parts of the transmission!

 

[WelshGas]

Driving through yet another flood trying to escape the Lake District I was wondering what modifications might be required to allow safe(r) passage through flood water etc
I see some vans / 4WDs with 'snorkels' --- could anyone here who's modified a van in this way please explain the process, costs etc?

Also, does anyone have an idea of how deep you can go with an unmodified van? Assume a bit deeper than a small car

thanks

Not as simple as just putting a snorkel on. Various parts of the transmission system have Air Breathing valves all of which have to be modified. I believe on the T5 the wading depth is about 30cms. Oh, and don't forget the Parking Heater would have to be adapted, probably removed and placed in board under the drivers seat RHD.

 

[bvddobb]

NOh, and don't forget the Parking Heater would have to be adapted, probably removed and placed in board under the drivers seat RHD.

We have several modifications to raise our wade depth to 70 cm, but no snorkel and no modification to the parking heater.

We discussed the latter with Peter Seikel a few years back and he advised against it: the modifications are very expensive and you do not really need them. The burner is a simple, open thing with air inlet and outlet, water that comes in, will come out again. We did always fire up the heater after a day with water crossings and sometimes it would splutter a bit, produce some white smoke, but always ran. Never had an issue.

The only time we had an issue with the heater after a day of very wet green laning in Northern France it turned out it was mud that had clogged the exhaust... And then it won't run! Flushed out the mud, and the heater ran again!
So, driving through water seems not a big problem, when you drive a lot in mud, it may be! There is this kit to move the air intake and exhaust of your parking heater to under the bonnet.

But then the next question is: what about the coolant heater...

 

[WelshGas]

You need one of these.

 

[larrylamb]

You need one of these.
View attachment 55229

Is that a T4? .......................................................................................stands well back

 

[Calimili]

apart from the engine issue and parking heater (I wouldn't be happy with dirty water going in and out) , I think the water would make it's way into the cab area and ruin the interior...

 

[Borris]

Basic advice - If you wouldn't walk through it, don't drive through it. Unseen potholes, possibility of increasing unknown depth and obstruction hazard. But sometimes, needs must.

I couldn't agree more. Who knows what's below the surface. There may be hidden sudsidance caused by the flooding and very often manhole covers can be forced off leaving deep open flooded pits. Also, it's really best to avoid flood water if you possibly can as it can often have the contents of the fowl sewers mixed in with it so it isn't healthy either. Yes, you may get away with driving through but what would your insurance company say if you gambled and lost?

Besides it's universally acknowledged that anyone who has deliberately driven into deep water and has then got stuck, looks a right pratt.

 

[Amarillo]

Besides it's universally acknowledged that anyone who has deliberately driven into deep water and has then got stuck, looks a right pratt.

If driving into flood water and getting stuck turns you into a "right pratt", what describes someone who parks under a sign warning of a bi-daily flood?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

If driving into flood water and getting stuck turns you into a "right pratt", what describes someone who parks under a sign warning of a bi-daily flood?

Gifted!

 

[GrannyJen]

Probably 80% of Call-outs we had as an MRT were people who thought "oh, I'll just chance it, these warnings are often wrong" or "I don't need to take this with me".

As with Hastings lifeboat on Sunday no one will ever call a casualty a Prat, but often tempting if relief, exhaustion ,and often delayed fear did not get in the way first.

 

[andyinluton]

I remember from my land rover driving days even before a snorkel was needed Rubber bungs were needed in the bell housing to keep the clutch dry, breather pipes needed fitting to all the diffs and the gearbox. Service intervals were changed from annually to weekly. That was on both defenders and discovery’s.
the disco also had the Classic line about advising the driver to remove the cds from the player under the drivers seat if water deeper than 800mm was being forded.

 

[Borris]

Probably 80% of Call-outs we had as an MRT were people who thought "oh, I'll just chance it, these warnings are often wrong" or "I don't need to take this with me".

As with Hastings lifeboat on Sunday no one will ever call a casualty a Prat, but often tempting if relief, exhaustion ,and often delayed fear did not get in the way first.

Going wind surfing in that storm almost got that prize pratt nominated for the Darwin awards.

 

[kp64zl]

lucky I got away with it!

 

[TripleBee]

Something like this?





Passage du Gois.
I secretly laughed at it. They have over 6 hours of time to get back to their car. Yet every year there is at least one car flooded.
Don't think this Mercedes has driven ever since.
We were all looking at the spectacle, seeing the owner wading through the water to his car. He even left his basket full of shellfish behind. Getting into the car, driving backwards, no problem. Wanting to get out of the water as soon as possible, but the sudden waterflow from driving forward made his engine stall of sucking up all the water through the air filter. Then he cried for help and a whole lot of people started running more or less over the flooded road, injuring themselves on the invisible rocks just aside of the road. When they came out of the water, the car emptied through the open doors.

Sorry, your question was?

 

[bvddobb]

I think the water would make it's way into the cab area and ruin the interior...

No, it doesn’t. We’ve gone through 50 cm’s more than once, as have others on here, and the rubbers on the doors are quite adequate. As long as you move, no issue, don’t know what will happen if you stay still for a prolonged time. We never had so much as a wet carpet.

 

[bvddobb]

Who knows what's below the surface. There may be hidden sudsidance caused by the flooding and very often manhole covers can be forced off leaving deep open flooded pits. Also, it's really best to avoid flood water if you possibly can as it can often have the contents of the fowl sewers mixed in with it so it isn't healthy either.

Yes, driving through a flooded area can be much more dangerous than crossing a river with clear, flowing water!

 

[ArunAlec]

If driving into flood water and getting stuck turns you into a "right pratt", what describes someone who parks under a sign warning of a bi-daily flood?

View attachment 55232

Bosham? There used to be a collection of photos on the pub wall of the semi submerged cars that ignored the signs and parked up at low tide!

 

[kp64zl]

Something like this?

Brilliant pictures thanks!

No it was probably only 18 inches deep -- A593 coming into Ambleside from the south (Rothay Bridge on OS Map). Looked ok as I went into the flood but didn't realise that it went round the corner (which I couldn't see from the start) & at the exit to the flood were a bunch of stopped cars. So no going back. I think at least one had broken down. Thankfully the van a little higher than the broken down cars and there was a gap for me to get out of the flood on the road. So not terribly exciting but got me thinking....

 

[Amarillo]

Bosham? There used to be a collection of photos on the pub wall of the semi submerged cars that ignored the signs and parked up at low tide!

Bosham has a long history of people trying to defy the tide. Legend has it that Bosham was the site at which King Canute commanded the waves to "go back", so as to demonstrate to his overly deferential courtiers the limits of a King's powers.

 

[ArunAlec]

Bosham has a long history of people trying to defy the tide. Legend has it that Bosham was the site at which King Canute commanded the waves to "go back", so as to demonstrate to his overly deferential courtiers the limits of a King's powers.

I regularly defy the tidal flow and canoe there.

 

[alan middleton]

Is that a T4? .......................................................................................stands well back

It’s a T4nk

 

[Brian’s Dad]

We have several modifications to raise our wade depth to 70 cm, but no snorkel and no modification to the parking heater.

We discussed the latter with Peter Seikel a few years back and he advised against it: the modifications are very expensive and you do not really need them. The burner is a simple, open thing with air inlet and outlet, water that comes in, will come out again. We did always fire up the heater after a day with water crossings and sometimes it would splutter a bit, produce some white smoke, but always ran. Never had an issue.

The only time we had an issue with the heater after a day of very wet green laning in Northern France it turned out it was mud that had clogged the exhaust... And then it won't run! Flushed out the mud, and the heater ran again!
So, driving through water seems not a big problem, when you drive a lot in mud, it may be! There is this kit to move the air intake and exhaust of your parking heater to under the bonnet.

But then the next question is: what about the coolant heater...

Do you need to do anything to the exhaust? I’ve heard people talk about adding a pipe to the exhaust to stop water going back up it? I’m pretty clueless on this subject other than keeping the revs up but we do seem to have encountered a lot of floods this year!