Improving Puma Wading Depth

[RVR110]

Hi,

I want to improve the wading depth of my Puma 110 wagon from the factory 500mm. I'm not *planning* on deep wading but (as I have previously lost a defender after accidentally exceeding the wading depth) I don't want to get caught out again.

There was a thread on extending breathers (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/18599-breathers-water-crossings.html) and Rimmer's thread (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/122733-replacing-lengthening-breather-lines.html) that discussed extending the fuel breather tubes so I'm concerned about other vulnerabilities.

So far I've had a Safari Snorkel installed (and sealed throughout) and Mulgo have installed an ExBox in my Puma so my under-seat electronics are a bit higher. I'm about to extend the breathers (taking care not to reduce airflow) and looking into wading plugs but I still have some questions:


I don't have a ladder like Rimmer has - does anyone have a neat solution for relocating the fuel breather without venting it into the cab?
How vulnerable are the under-bonnet electrics?
What other things need to be addressed?
Where are the lowest vulnerabilities that can't be readily addressed?


As well as improving things a bit my aim is to understand exactly what the limiting factors are so that I can make an informed assessment when evaluating a possible crossing.

Thanks!

PS. No puma bashing please.

[newhue]

Good post as I'm in a similar boat...er puma.

I siliconed around the cable holes in the Ex box, and where it mounts. I'm a bit psychotic about water after loosing a car myself.

I'd also be keen to get a better understanding of the fly by wire foot accelerator, and how water affect that.
Unfortunately all I can add is the work shop manager at the dealer kind of jokingly said don't drive it deeper than it's wading depth. I accept that if it stops, but surely while moving it would be OK. I'd say the cars many drain holes can't fill fast enough while doing so, but does put a Why? question to a snorkel.

I believe the ECU is mounted behind the donk on the fire wall, so it's already high. And good use of a car bra would protect any other under bonnet electrics me thinks.

[RVR110]

Do you mean like this? :eek:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/772.jpg

[newhue]

yep but not in a LR, it does bring back sad memories.
It's a shame that the worlds laziest manufacturer didn't put water proof electrics in the worlds best 4x4 imo. I assume it can be done.

[Bundalene]

Hi,

I want to improve the wading depth of my Puma 110 wagon from the factory 500mm. I'm not *planning* on deep wading but (as I have previously lost a defender after accidentally exceeding the wading depth) I don't want to get caught out again.

There was a thread on extending breathers (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/18599-breathers-water-crossings.html) and Rimmer's thread (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/122733-replacing-lengthening-breather-lines.html) that discussed extending the fuel breather tubes so I'm concerned about other vulnerabilities.




This is what we did about breathers.



http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/115591-bundalenes-puma-project-22.html

Towards the bottom of the page.

Erich

[RVR110]

This is what we did about breathers.
Thanks Bundalene - that's very useful.

[sashadidi]

From memory on the defender2 UK forum there was a mention that the top of the bell housing has a square hole in it!!!!, to seal it with something its a gearbox out situation!!! we sealed the drivers seat compartment with some sticky type sealer and put in a breather pipe, this worked well on my td5 for years. We have raised all the breather including fuel to roof height as well

[RVR110]

From memory on the defender2 UK forum there was a mention that the top of the bell housing has a square hole in it!!!!, to seal it with something its a gearbox out situation!!! we sealed the drivers seat compartment with some sticky type sealer and put in a breather pipe, this worked well on my td5 for years. We have raised all the breather including fuel to roof height as well

Thanks sashadidi. Can you provide a bit more detail on what you did with the fuel breather? does it vent inside or outside the cab? If outside how did you protect it from the weather? If inside, what about fumes and/or spillage?

[sashadidi]

Thanks sashadidi. Can you provide a bit more detail on what you did with the fuel breather? does it vent inside or outside the cab? If outside how did you protect it from the weather? If inside, what about fumes and/or spillage?
from memory all the hoses went forward to join with the front diff breather and up the side of the snorkel, will double chack, my orginal fuel breather was already around th the left rear and rasided, my car april 2008 build
will try to remember to klook and get photos for you over easter

[sashadidi]

Hi here is a photo of a puma clutch out the hole is the almost square hole right at the top of the housing just below the peak/top of the bell housing unless it is where the starter bolts in? this was all from memory so I may well be wrong and if I am I apologise but I was sure I read there was a hole there but I will check with my mechanic friend and report back
http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic1558.html?highlight=clutch


:)

[sashadidi]

I checked and we took all the pipes from 2 diffs, gearbox and transfer box and also extended the fuel breather forward and they all finih at the top of the firewall at bonnet height

[justinc]

MAKE sure the fuel tank breather is re routed higher. This is STILL a problem with moisture entering the fuel system can even happen on very wet roads:( since 2007:mad:....best idea is extend with 8mm fuel line up to a higher point, and fit a small fuel filter on the end.

JC

[sashadidi]

MAKE sure the fuel tank breather is re routed higher. This is STILL a problem with moisture entering the fuel system can even happen on very wet roads:( since 2007:mad:....best idea is extend with 8mm fuel line up to a higher point, and fit a small fuel filter on the end.

JC
thanks very much yes fuel one has a boat/yatch type one way valve from memory or something similar to stop moisture etc

[Iain_B]

I just checked the diff/transmission breather on my MY20100 Defender - all three of them finish in the engine bay, more of less with the top of the engine, at least higher than the ECU connections. I think that should be high enough for my needs. I've moved my fuel tank breather up to inside the rear quarter panel inside the back and added a cheap fuel filter as well to help with any possible fumes.