Thread: Silly question about snorkels, car washes & heavy rain

Originally Posted by ak

A bit of a silly question. When I was at the car wash cafe today ( I like to keep the D2 looking good even with the strict water restrictions ) I asked them to be careful not to fire any water down the snorkel of which I only just had put on.

I have read here and in other forums, which got me thinking, it only takes a few tea-spoon fuls of water to stuff a diesel.

So my question is am I asking for trouble letting someone wash my car what happens if the hose accidently fires some water at the snorkel.

I know this all sounds a bit silly but would sure like to know what opinions people have on the above.

Dayum. Not such a silly question mate. Put a franger over your snorkel. You read right.
Had to do a complete rebuild on a GM 71 series years ago because of that very reason.
Fluids will not compress, that is the theory behind hydraulics. Water in a cylinder will always result in bent and broken rods, and a leg out of bed, as the saying goes in mechanical circles.

Shorty.

So in theory even with heavy rain and lets just say in the case of gale force winds blowing rain in weird directions like side ways as you are driving this could still be a problem, or am I now going too far with assumptions.

I think its a good question, do the snorkel heads rotate so they can be facing backwards in a gale, or would the venturi effect suck in water? Probably not tho', thinking about it........ then again they're not laminar flow those snorkel heads.

GQ

Yeah mate just a tad. These things are designed to cope with a lot. Just don't be tempted to stick the garden hose down there to give it a wash Some time ago I saw a doco on water injection for ICE's (internal combustion engines). The premise was, that a tiny amount of h2o injected into the cylinder was converted to superheated steam, this supposedly boosted horsepower and reduced fuel consumption. I think they broke it.
In general, water inside the combustion chambers is a bad thing. Even a tropical downpour should be no problem, apart from visibility. Just don't try to wash the inside of your engine, it probably won't like you for it.
Ask more silly questions mate, it lets me give silly answers. Truthfull and honest, just put in a fun and silly way.

Regards

shorty.

Shouldn't the air intake system have some kind of one-way valve to release small amounts of water?

Originally Posted by Jamo

Shouldn't the air intake system have some kind of one-way valve to release small amounts of water?

Don't know actually, good idea though.

G-day quiggers, how you doing mate. Chat room?

Shorty.

Originally Posted by Jamo

Shouldn't the air intake system have some kind of one-way valve to release small amounts of water?

Normally on a snorkel, or on the filter box there is a water trap/flap which allows heavier than air products (ie water) to go through the flap but under normal conditions the 'vacuum' for want of a better word holds the flap shut.

Or in some the water will just collect in the lower pressure area in the bottom of the filter box and just evaporate away over time.


On my D1 c/with snorkel it certainly had this little flap arrangement

some run drain holes in the bottom of the air box, I have two but are pugged at the moment....I guess if you take pungs out if any water gets in it will drain out....BUT of course will need to put back in if doing a deep water crossing or its very dusty etc.....my 2c