How deep would you go?

[phil keegan]

I got caught up in the Cumbria flooding last night + was lucky to rescue my Volvo V60 at 5:30 am but did have to bail out the footwells. We have a Coast on order so a topical question is how deep would you drive your precious camper through flood water? (I’m told my V60 has a low air inlet and is rubbish in flood water so I was pleased to get it out of the car park that is now part of Derwent water (3.3m higher than usual)


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[Kezzer]

Well I have just cancelled my trip to Cumbria so that i don't have the chance to find out!!

 

[phil keegan]

Well I have just cancelled my trip to Cumbria so that i don't have the chance to find out!!

Very good plan. Apparently lots of abandoned cars on Borrowdale-Keswick road but apparently road to Portinscale is passable in an emergency….


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[kurienp]

I got caught up in the Cumbria flooding last night + was lucky to rescue my Volvo V60 at 5:30 am but did have to bail out the footwells. We have a Coast on order so a topical question is how deep would you drive your precious camper through flood water? (I’m told my V60 has a low air inlet and is rubbish in flood water so I was pleased to get it out of the car park that is now part of Derwent water (3.3m higher than usual)


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Phil, there are different levels.

1. Half of the wheel - this should be OK in all cases (unless the vehicle is lowered). This in all cases stops the water from getting into the rear diff (4Motion) via the breather vents and ensures that the diff oil stays clean. The van will not stall. The diff oil will not change.

2. Half the wheel or just some inches above the door sills (door sills take priority) - so that the water can enter the diff (4Motion, but the diff will need an oil change as soon as possible) any higher and you will need to drain the water out from inside the van). The van will not stall.

3. Half way up the door - diff oil change definite, and a lot of cleaning inside the van. But the van will not (should not) stall. The engine will still work.

4. Below the window - diff oil change - definite. A s*&t lot of cleaning inside the van. Water can enter the air box and maybe the engine ... and that may require an engine change.

It all depends on how much of risk you are willing to take.

 

[Kezzer]

It would have been only my second trip in the Cali so I used my discretion.

 

[bob_summers]

Well I've hydrolocked a Honda XL185 and it was a cheap fix with a conrod, piston and a head from the breakers.
I'd prefer not to do that on a new van...

 

[5i1ver8ack]

Having once drowned a car in a ford, not very deep!

 

[Loz]

In controlled/emergency circumstances, you can alway open the airbox and stop the water from being hoovered up.

 

[sidepod]

Well I've hydrolocked a Honda XL185 and it was a cheap fix with a conrod, piston and a head from the breakers.
I'd prefer not to do that on a new van...

What, no “turn-it-upside-down-plug-out-trick”? School boy error surely?

 

[Jodalo]

I would not go anywhere near water of any depth, (unless it’s a puddle) you have no idea what it is concealing, especially in an area you are unfamiliar with. There may also be issues with your insurance cover if it came out you just ‘drove through it’ and hoped for the best. Just turn around and take another route.

 

[phil keegan]

In controlled/emergency circumstances, you can alway open the airbox and stop the water from being hoovered up.

This sounds like a useful tip. When you get a moment please could you describe how you do this? Thanks


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[sidepod]

Phil, there are different levels.

1. Half of the wheel - this should be OK in all cases (unless the vehicle is lowered). This in all cases stops the water from getting into the rear diff (4Motion) via the breather vents and ensures that the diff oil stays clean. The van will not stall. The diff oil will not change.

2. Half the wheel or just some inches above the door sills (door sills take priority) - so that the water can enter the diff (4Motion, but the diff will need an oil change as soon as possible) any higher and you will need to drain the water out from inside the van). The van will not stall.

3. Half way up the door - diff oil change definite, and a lot of cleaning inside the van. But the van will not (should not) stall. The engine will still work.

4. Below the window - diff oil change - definite. A s*&t lot of cleaning inside the van. Water can enter the air box and maybe the engine ... and that may require an engine change.

It all depends on how much of risk you are willing to take.

Wow! How wonderfully controlled and predictable?
I guess you never spec’d the parking heater on your van? Mine would flood at stage 2

 

[kurienp]

Wow! How wonderfully controlled and predictable?
I guess you never spec’d the parking heater on your van? Mine would flood at stage 2

He he ... Not gone beyond stage 2

The heater has been fine through deep water.

The only time I've had issues was - driving through a puddle an inch deep, the water splashed up and bent the ultra thin heat shield above the drive shaft. The heat shield then started hitting the drive shaft and making a weird noise. Stop the van, get under it, bend the heat shield back in place and Bob's your uncle.

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[phil keegan]

I would not go anywhere near water of any depth, (unless it’s a puddle) you have no idea what it is concealing, especially in an area you are unfamiliar with. There may also be issues with your insurance cover if it came out you just ‘drove through it’ and hoped for the best. Just turn around and take another route.

I guess turning around and taking another route to avoid flooding isn’t always possible. Hence trying to determine what a reasonable depth of flood water you would expect to successfully negotiate without causing too much damage.


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[Wildcamper]

Any decision to drive through flood waters will depend on several conditions:
How important is the journey?
Do I know this road?
Depth of the water?
Are others driving through successfully?
Is there an alternative route?
Is the flood going to be there for a few hours or much longer?
Etc.
I would avoid driving through flood water unless there was absolutely no alternative.

 

[Borris]

If I am ever faced with flood water across a road my usual course of action is to stop by the side of the road and wait. It isn't usually long before someone else will come along and drive straight in. You can then gauge the depth and see if he/she disappears down an open drain or hits some submerged obstruction etc. As Yorkshire folk say, "If in doubt do nowt".

I'm certainly no expert but I've always tackled flood water very slowly with the revs high and the drivers door open to gauge the depth. None of that bow wave nonsense for me. If the water comes up to anywhere near the top of the sills then that's deep enough for most vehicles. If it enters the car it can play havoc with the electrics on some modern cars as often electrical connections and other components are located under the carpets. It's also a good idea to be aware of the level of the engine air intake. Our next door neighbour once destroyed the diesel engine of his Renault Espace by driving through a deep ford. The air intake was apparently very low down on that model. He then did it again some years later in his Mercedes C Class although that did survive the ordeal.

 

[bvddobb]

Look in your manual. It specs 30 cm as standard max wade depth. Above that you run the risk that your air intake will take in water.

The ‘stages’ approach above is sound, depending on your van, you will first run the risk of your drive train vents taking in water (but really only if you are standing still in cold water for long enough for the drive shaft to cool down and suck in air, not really if you drive on), than your air intake, than it may hit your battery (at about 70 cm).

The air intake and exhaust of the parking heater are not a big problem as far as water is concerned: it is basically a very empty box, and water that flows in will easily flow out again. However, if there is a lot of dirt and mud, I would be cautious. But two simple corks could help you there…

To be on the safe side: never go deeper than about half your wheels, and when you can‘t see the depth properly, wade through first.

If you don’t dare to wade through it, certainly don’t drive through it, is what they will teach you in any decent off road training.

Of course, one can adapt one’s van to be able to wade through deeper water. We can take 70 cm (the battery being our lowest point of risk). Above that, we think the van will start to float…

 

[bvddobb]

If I am ever faced with flood water across a road my usual course of action is to stop by the side of the road and wait. It isn't usually long before someone else will come along and drive straight in. You can then gauge the depth and see if he/she disappears down an open drain or hits some submerged obstruction etc. As Yorkshire folk say, "If in doubt do nowt".

Love this approach! Our very first ford in Iceland was a very vast one, we really couldn’t see the best route through, so we started taking out the boots to explore. Then an Icelander came along (first other car we saw that day) and he dove right in, thus showing us the way. We could put away the boots without them even getting wet!

 

[ArunAlec]

If I am ever faced with flood water across a road my usual course of action is to stop by the side of the road and wait. It isn't usually long before someone else will come along and drive straight in. You can then gauge the depth and see if he/she disappears down an open drain or hits some submerged obstruction etc. As Yorkshire folk say, "If in doubt do nowt".

I'm certainly no expert but I've always tackled flood water very slowly with the revs high and the drivers door open to gauge the depth. None of that bow wave nonsense for me. If the water comes up to anywhere near the top of the sills then that's deep enough for most vehicles. If it enters the car it can play havoc with the electrics on some modern cars as often electrical connections and other components are located under the carpets. It's also a good idea to be aware of the level of the engine air intake. Our next door neighbour once destroyed the diesel engine of his Renault Espace by driving through a deep ford. The air intake was apparently very low down on that model. He then did it again some years later in his Mercedes C Class although that did survive the ordeal.

I remember when the Espace first hit the roads, lots of stories of the air intake sucking up deep puddles!

 

[EddieEagle]

If you ( tube ) have a spare 5 minutes then this demonstrates how not to tackle deep water.
If you have no choice then drive slowly, shirley, and not treat it as a race to the other side.

 

[Perfectos]

saw the thread title & Thought I was on the wrong site (again)

 

[sidepod]

saw the thread title & Thought I was on the wrong site (again)

So not just me then?

 

[Joker 1299]

It would have been only my second trip in the Cali so I used my discretion.

Suggest using a bit more discretion and not use your postcode as your location on an open forum

 

[Brian S]

If ever driving through deep water be very wary of some dope coming from the opposite direction at speed. When you get hit by their massive tsunami wave you are likely to suck in water. If you see a large wave approaching immediately turn off your engine.

 

[GillianC]

This reminds me of when I was staying overnight with my son who was at Uni in Egham. His flat had an underground car park.
he went to carry my stuff to the car, called the lift, the doors opened and I heard this wail of ‘Mum quick’! Water had gushed out at him. The pumping station had failed and there were a couple of feet of filthy water in the basement with debris and fire extinguishers floating about.
Son tied bin liners round his legs, waded in and rescued my trusty x trail. The water was just short of the exhaust. The flashy motors belonging to the overseas students didn’t fare as well.