6.0 Diesel snorkel build

[Pschitt]

Herb, I never heard about coating polyethylene. It melts at about 300F, which is probably too low for coating...

[arctictraveller]

Claude, what other considerations are there for deep water crossings besides getting water into the air cleaner? What about all the electrical connections, getting water into the differential breathers, water through the door seals etc? You probably have more deep water crossing experience than any else I know. I've seen folks run the winch cable fully out before entering to avoid having to go under water / mud to get it. I've also seen tarps covering the radiator / grill to keep the fan from spraying water all over the engine.

[Pschitt]

Hey Jeff,

Well, I'm gonna try to share my experience.

About preparation:

- in modern vehicles, electrical connections are better built and there is nothing special to do. It wasn't the same with old ignition distributors that had to be waterproofed.
- all breathers must be raised above the fording ability, not only the axle breathers. At the upper end of each breather hose, I make a double loop with the end of the hose pointing down, avoiding water to go in in case of submertion.
- I planned plugs for air intake and exhaust of the heater, the engine pre-heater as of the diesel stove.
- in E350, there is two opened channels from the engine bay to the cabin, one on each side, that must be obstructed. I used expansive foam for that.
- if you have onboard air underneath the body, plan plugs for air intake and connecting air plugs.

The front door gaskets are ok when barn doors and rear doors gaskets are not very waterproof. Expect to get some water in these places. If you don't stop in the middle of the ford, it's not a big deal. Of course, it's also important to seal all holes of the under body...

About the crossing technic, they are several things not to forget:
- engage 4WD before attempting the ford as you usally don't know it and cannot see how the bottom is.
- look carefully at the ford to try to figure out which is the better line.
- if the ford is deep or if there is a lot of current, it's a good idea to prepare a towing strap before enterring water as it may not be easy to install a shakle in a cold water with lot of current. Be sure to secure the strap to avoid it to go away in the current or to roll over. If you have a winch and if there is pull points on the banks, you can also prepare material for winching. But I personnaly don't unroll the winch as it's not difficult to do in water if needed.
- shut down every electric fan. Water could block them, making the engine getting hot or burn. The same for the AC that usually increases the main engine fan speed.
- when crossing, it's important to keep some momentum to make a wave in front of the vehicle. It usually avoid too much water to go in the engine bay. In low range, choose second gear and maintain about 3-5 mph. But don't go too fast to minimize splashes.
- last but not least, a very important point is to minimize thermal shock on the engine/tranny. If you come to a ford with a very hot engine, it's a good idea to let it cool down a bit before entering the water.
- the same for break disks.
- don't forget that you may not have a lot of breaking getting out of the water on the other side...
- if you are several vehicle driving together, attempting difficult fords, you can attach vehicle together with long straps. It will secure each vehicle and make eventual recovery much easier. But straps have to be long enough to allow each vehicle to cross one after the other.

About your mention of tarps covering radiators, it wass usefull for old engines which have mechanically driven fan without clutch. It's not the case in our vans, at least recent ones.

Finally, after a trip with several deep river crossing, I would advice to check your axles, to be sure they didn't get water in. I also take front hubs apart to grease them.

That is what I tought about. Hope it helps...

Cheers,

Claude

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

I wonder if you can powder coat or cerakote polyethylene? All depends on the curing temperature of the coating versus the melting temperature of polyethylene.
Herb

I doubt it, Herb. The plastic will melt.

[Twoxentrix]

Originally Posted by Pschitt

Well, I'm gonna try to share my experience...

Great stuff! Couple things on your list I wasn't aware of. But then I've never challenged my Van with deep waters out of sheer caution.
Low water crossings no issue, and usually only after walking them - more about the stability of the soil (I almost drowned an early model Bronco once in what seemed like a meger 18" of water, so lesson learned & I always check)
Because of your list, Now i question the need to have the bearings repacked??? I recently navigated a consistent 2 to 2.5 ft of water on almost 2 straight miles of flooded streets in Richmond Virginia

[arctictraveller]

Claude, that's fantastic info, clearly you have thought this through. By the time you have done all that prep, you've damn near built yourself a boat. Personally though, as I get older I'm less willing to push my limits, as I've discovered I usually create a lot of work for my self in the process. The thought of having to recover my van in the middle of a raging river isn't as appealing as it was when I was younger so I think I'll stick to the easier routes for the most part. So, how deep was the deepest crossing you made in Iceland?

[Pschitt]

Originally Posted by Twoxentrix

... Because of your list, Now i question the need to have the bearings repacked??? I recently navigated a consistent 2 to 2.5 ft of water on almost 2 straight miles of flooded streets in Richmond Virginia

It probably depends of how old they are. But if you checked it and didn't find water in the axle, they are probably fine. A worn wheel bearing would likely let water come in the axle.

[Pschitt]

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

... So, how deep was the deepest crossing you made in Iceland?


I realize that a large part of adventuring is about challenging one's self, and in doing so, creating additional work. In my past, I have enjoyed many challenges, and done a hell of a lot of hard labor

That's right, the more challenging place you choose to go, the more preparation work you create.

The deepest ford I went through in Iceland was about 3 1/2 feet deep. For VivaLaVida with her 6'' lift and 35'' tires, it means about the middle of the headlights, which is already a pretty deep one.
But I was lucky: I enjoyed few rainy days and water levels were rather low.

[dick]

Originally Posted by Pschitt

That's right, the more challenging place you choose to go, the more preparation work you create.

The deepest ford I went through in Iceland was about 3 1/2 feet deep. For VivaLaVida with her 6'' lift and 35'' tires, it means about the middle of the headlights, which is already a pretty deep one.
But I was lucky: I enjoyed few rainy days and water levels were rather low.

We just got back from 10 days in Iceland - I would love to see your pictures (IIRC they are always amazing).

We drove vw 4x4 camper vans up to Thor's valley but could not go higher into the highlands as the roads were mostly closed or snow covered. Iceland is definitely one of the most beautiful places I've ever been!

[Pschitt]

Hey Dick,
Thanks for your kind words
I've planned to reactivate VivaLaVida journey report on this forum in the coming days :-)
You will discover it soon.