Raised motor air intake

[bvddobb]

Because we want to be fording rivers in the Iceland Highlands this summer, we had already raised the vents of our drive train. Now we have raised the motor air intake as well:

Using a kit from Relleum Design (Germany):

It is a relatively cheap but adequate kit, a lot cheaper than other solutions such as installing a Zyklon filter or adding a Snorkel.

 

[Hotel California]

Did you have a solution on your aux.heater(s) ? They will get water in ...
And the opening under in the gasbotle holder....can get messy .
How deep you plan is to go...?

 

[bvddobb]

Did you have a solution on your aux.heater(s) ? They will get water in ...
And the opening under in the gasbotle holder....can get messy .
How deep you plan is to go...?

Well, there are kits to also raise the air intake of the heaters, such as these from Terra. But they are terribly expensive. Kits for both the heaters, fitting and the extra exhaust together are some € 1,200.-.
People we have spoken to who have done a lot of fording never had any additional protection for the heaters, and didn't experience any trouble. It seems they may splutter a bit more on startup sometimes (like discussed on this forum), but they always fired.
Some suggest a cheap 'cork-in-the-exhaust'-type solution. We don't know yet: water may enter through the air intakes, and without a cork will simply flow from the heater. With a cork in the exhaust the water may get stuck in the heater. Perhaps best to do nothing.

 

[Hotel California]

Can send you some corks , just pulled one out of a botle red wine....
Seems you got some work and planning to do

 

[snowy55]

water may enter through the air intakes

The main air intake for the heater is inside the Cali on the RH step, I don't know if the heater unit itself is vented.

 

[Hotel California]

The main air intake for the heater is inside the Cali on the RH step, I don't know if the heater unit itself is vented.

And the engine pre-heater?

 

[snowy55]

And the engine pre-heater?

That heats the engine coolant water so it doesn't need air but the heater body I imagine is vented to allow for combustion air and expansion.
Can you see any inlet vents in those images you took of both heaters from the under side of the body?

 

[Hotel California]

For burning things air is essential no ? No air no fire...
Did not go in detail on those pics....
Think thats thesame on the interieur heater , the air to heat comes from in the verhicle , but the air to burn must come from outside...
Think we need specialists here...!

 

[snowy55]

Think we need specialists here...!

Thats true.

 

[Hotel California]

There is a member who announced recent he was qualified to work on the heaters.
Was it not he who makes the pods... @SlidePods

 

[bvddobb]

For burning things air is essential no ? No air no fire...
the air to heat comes from in the verhicle , but the air to burn must come from outside...

That is the whole point: both heaters burn diesel, and they need air to burn it. So both take in air from outside, and put out exhaust fumes through the exhaust. And there, both through the combustion air intake and through the exhaust, water may enter.
We are not talking about the air to be heated for heating the interior. That is a 'closed' circuit in the interior. That is no worry here.



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[snowy55]

There is a member who announced recent he was qualified to work on the heaters.
Was it not he who makes the pods... @SlidePods

I know he is an agent to fit Webasto heaters, not sure he does Eberspachers.

 

[WelshGas]

The main air intake for the heater is inside the Cali on the RH step, I don't know if the heater unit itself is vented.

The Auxillary Parking Heater uses a heat exchanger to heat the cabin air, but entrains external air for the combustion chamber.
Same for the Engine Coolant Heater.

 

[estresao]

Interesting. How much aprox. did the intake get rosen?

 

[bvddobb]

Interesting. How much aprox. did the intake get rosen?

To the top of the motor compartment, directly under the hood. Both the raised drive train vents and the raised motor air intake end up there. But I guess the van will start to float if indeed we would try to go that deep... That is not our intent! We guess about 70 cm would still be OK, which is Seikel's indication when one uses their snorkel, but we feel 50 cm is where our bravery may end...
We will be going to the T5 4Motion Off-road Festival in May, and we will put all this and our bravery to the test there!

 

[Hotel California]

To the top of the motor compartment, directly under the hood. Both the raised drive train vents and the raised mother air intake end up there. But I guess the van will start to float if indeed we would try to go that deep... That is not our intent! We guess about 70 cm would still be OK, which is Seikel's indication when one uses their snorkel, but we feel 50 cm is where our bravery may end...

Very brave indeed....think if you are possible to take pics of that situation and post them here we will all look like .....
Hope the doorseals also are in good state so they not to leak , maybe something to check.
Make sure you don't go higher than the hook-up plug

 

[Hotel California]

@bvddobb
Got the CCN newsletter , are you going to Iceland with them?

 

[bvddobb]

No, we are not into Group travel as such, and they do not go inland.


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[briwy]

To the top of the motor compartment, directly under the hood. Both the raised drive train vents and the raised mother air intake end up there. But I guess the van will start to float if indeed we would try to go that deep... That is not our intent! We guess about 70 cm would still be OK, which is Seikel's indication when one uses their snorkel, but we feel 50 cm is where our bravery may end...
We will be going to the T5 4Motion Off-road Festival in May, and we will put all this and our bravery to the test there!

Where and when in May is the offroad festival please Bart. Might come and have a look at that.

 

[bvddobb]

Where and when in May is the offroad festival please Bart. Might come and have a look at that.

Hi Briwy,
"Zweites OffRoad-Festival für Volkswagen Transporter 4MOTION vom 05. – 07. Mai 2016"
It is in Germany, in Fürsten Forest. It is co-organised by Seikel and Terranger. You can find more info on Seikel's site, who also organise an off-road drive training during the festival.

Here are some impressions from last years' festival:

• some videos under this link
• some photos under this link

 

[briwy]

Hi Briwy,
"Zweites OffRoad-Festival für Volkswagen Transporter 4MOTION vom 05. – 07. Mai 2016"
It is in Germany, in Fürsten Forest. It is co-organised by Seikel and Terranger. You can find more info on Seikel's site, who also organise an off-road drive training during the festival.

Here are some impressions from last years' festival:

• some videos under this link
• some photos under this link

Thanks for the info Bart, looks really interesting. Unfortunatley I'm busy that weekend otherwise I think we would have come over. Quite surprised at how capable the T5 4Motion is not that I would be doing that kind of stuff. Iceland for us next year.

 

[bvddobb]

To the top of the motor compartment, directly under the hood. Both the raised drive train vents and the raised motor air intake end up there. But I guess the van will start to float if indeed we would try to go that deep... That is not our intent! We guess about 70 cm would still be OK, which is Seikel's indication when one uses their snorkel, but we feel 50 cm is where our bravery may end...
We will be going to the T5 4Motion Off-road Festival in May, and we will put all this and our bravery to the test there!

 

[Forote]

Snorkel for vw t5.1
https://www.ebay.es/itm/262620345893

 

[zeratul]

So this Relleum design kit, did you visit them? As the installation price is only 60 euro this can perhaps be done yourself if it comes with instructions?
Because Neubeuern is so far - almost Austria...

 

[estresao]

I'm also interested in this kit since I don't want to drill my Cali up to fit a "normal" snorkel.

I'm also wondering how comolex is retrofit those airvents in gear box and diff box, does not looks like rocket science, but not sure whether it's necessary any special tool/skill.

It's tempting order them a give it a go.