Wading - how deep can I go without a wading kit?

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mundungus

mundungus

Active Member
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Location
Essex
There are lots of floods where I live these past few days. A good two foot in places I'm having to drive through.

Haven't had the landy long so haven't gotten round to getting a wading kit for it yet, but am forced to drive through some pretty deep water to get to the main roads, otherwise I cant get to work.

Plan to get a wading kit pronto, and the Landy seems to be doing fine getting through it, but wanted to know how what level of water is fine for a standard height 1994 defender 300tdi and what I need to check for/do (water damage/water ingress wise) when I can get under it properly in daylight?
 
At 2 foot I would imagine you are close to the top of the breather pipes but otherwise should be fine.

Been hearing about about the flooded roads on the radio this morning, seems a few cars are stuck.
 
That really doesn't surpise me.

I wouldn't want to go through some of those 'puddles' in my normal car.

Think a few have been aquaplaning also. I did see a Porche in the trees on the A12 yesterday, looked bad. At least I think it was a Porche.
 
I would at least fit some wadding plugs....
if you dont have some at the moment just bung it with bluetack, but do it with a big lump of it...

I did this when I didnt have my wadding plugs, got a big lump of bluetack and "screwed" it in the wadding holes and then shapped it to the side, kind of a mushroom shape..
 
Is that just one each in the axles? Or is there more to plug (transmission, engine, tank, whatever else)?


Also, suppose water did reach the breathers and get in. Would I need to drain and replace the diff oil?
 
2 axle breathers 1 gear box and 1 transfer box, you should find them at the back end of the engine on the bulkhead.

do you have a snorkel ???
 
wading plugs go in the bellhousing and timing belt on a dezul dont they?Then you can extend the breathers to protect the axles.Speed will be the main worry for wading without snorkel etc, slow n steady, create a bow wave and chase it but dont catch it.
 
Not yet. Ordered it from Paddocks last night.

On the subject of breathers. Some of those breather kits come with a little round-ish looking plate with three mounting holes and a tube attachment in the middle. What exactly is that for?

It seems to be referred to as a timing cover plate. Where does that go exactly? (sorry if that's a stupid question, not too familiar with the engine yet). And why do some breather kits not have it even though they are for the same engine?
 
goonarmy said:
wading plugs go in the bellhousing and timing belt on a dezul dont they?Then you can extend the breathers to protect the axles.Speed will be the main worry for wading without snorkel etc, slow n steady, create a bow wave and chase it but dont catch it.
Click to expand...

yes wading plugs go in the bellhousing and timing cover
 
mundungus said:
Not yet. Ordered it from Paddocks last night.

On the subject of breathers. Some of those breather kits come with a little round-ish looking plate with three mounting holes and a tube attachment in the middle. What exactly is that for?

It seems to be referred to as a timing cover plate. Where does that go exactly? (sorry if that's a stupid question, not too familiar with the engine yet). And why do some breather kits not have it even though they are for the same engine?
Click to expand...

if you get a kit like this on for £24.99 you get all you need

LANDROVER tdi ultimate wading kit .FULL BREATHER KIT on eBay (end time 18-Jan-11 23:41:22 GMT)
 
300tdistu said:
yes wading plugs go in the bellhousing and timing cover
Click to expand...

Oh.

Think I had the wrong impression then. Seems that everything on the interweb harps on about axle breathers and not bellhousing or timing cover. Guess that gave me the impression that the axles were the things to worry about.

So supposing I'd driven through a couple of feet of water this morning and didn't have bellhousing and timing cover breathers. :eek: Is there anything I'd need to check or worry about with the gearbox(s)/engine?
 
the only time to worry about extended breathers or the wading plugs is when playing at pay and play sites - you are still driving through the water not stopping in it or crawling through it so no problems - my 110 is used extensively off road with many river crossings and as yet no water has done any damage to any my components.
 
mundungus said:
Oh.

Think I had the wrong impression then. Seems that everything on the interweb harps on about axle breathers and not bellhousing or timing cover. Guess that gave me the impression that the axles were the things to worry about.

So supposing I'd driven through a couple of feet of water this morning and didn't have bellhousing and timing cover breathers. :eek: Is there anything I'd need to check or worry about with the gearbox(s)/engine?
Click to expand...

no dont worry

your axles and gear box, transfer box should have standard breathers on

as for the wade plugs for the timing cover and bell housing i forget to put my ones in most of the time when out laning and doing fords, but always use them doing mud runs at pay n play (you do not leave wade plugs in all the time)
 
300tdistu said:
if you get a kit like this on for £24.99 you get all you need

LANDROVER tdi ultimate wading kit .FULL BREATHER KIT on eBay (end time 18-Jan-11 23:41:22 GMT)
Click to expand...


Cool thanks.

Couple of question about that kit, it seems to have breathers for everything, but also two plugs. Are they just spare in case you dont fit the whole kit, or do they still go somewhere?

Also, the line in the instructions "fit timing belt cover union insert nylon pipe an run to bulkhead" seems quite vague. Would my timing cover thing be drilled and/or tapped already? or would I have to drill it?

I had the impression with some of the other (really expensive) kits that they give you a replacement timing cover because the old one is solid and doesn't have a breather as standard.
 
mundungus said:
Cool thanks.

Couple of question about that kit, it seems to have breathers for everything, but also two plugs. Are they just spare in case you dont fit the whole kit, or do they still go somewhere?

Also, the line in the instructions "fit timing belt cover union insert nylon pipe an run to bulkhead" seems quite vague. Would my timing cover thing be drilled and/or tapped already? or would I have to drill it?

I had the impression with some of the other (really expensive) kits that they give you a replacement timing cover because the old one is solid and doesn't have a breather as standard.
Click to expand...


if you have a solid timing cover don't worry about it (no hole for **** to get in)
 
300tdistu said:
if you have a solid timing cover don't worry about it (no hole for **** to get in)
Click to expand...

Oh, I get ya. Some covers have breather holes and some dont.

One last (stupid) question. Where do I look for this timing cover? Front or back of engine?
 
the only breathers you are going to find behind the engine (between engine and bulkead) is the breathers coming from the transfer box and gear box

The breather for the front axle should be next to your starter motor, attached to the passenger side inner wing

The breather for the rear axle will be near your sedimenter tank, which is located just under the rear boot floor.

All these breather are easy to spot, they are dark in colour (grey or black) with a curved end.

so... if you are not going to wade any higher than your boot floor, then your rear axle breather should be fine, same as the front one.

If you dont do any pay and plays or go through water often, I would just get 2 wading plugs for the gearbox and timing belt.

hole for the timing belt - lay on your back and slide under the front of your disco, between the fan belt and the engine, there should be a threaded hole, possibly covered in oil too... thats your timing belt breather hole. You fit a plug in here to stop water getting sucked into there.

hole for the gearbox - this should be just at the start of your gearbox, not hard to find
 
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