Thread: P38 River crossing preparation?

In between building snorkels, I have designed a kit that will shut off your battery remotely (via an aircraft style rocker switch on the dash) The solonoid will be a 300a continuous and 1500amps peak, so it is very overkill.

Basically if you get stuck/stall/drown your engine mid river, you flick this panic switch, and your becm and all electrical gear is isolated BEFORE it gets wet. When Paul drowned his p38, the suspension lowered to the bumpstops when the becm got wet

I dont want to even think about moving the becm, and the 4 others under the passengers seat, and the seat ecu under the drivers, and the srs ecu from the console, and the abs ecu on the footwell and the..... at least if it gets wet with no power it should be fine when dried out.

All i need to do is bolt it up to pauls car to try it out.

Andy

Originally Posted by andrew e

All i need to do is bolt it up to pauls car to try it out.

by "try it out" you mean testing the activation of the solenoid on dry land don't you?

Maybe we should all tow around a 250CFM compressor so we can pressurise the cabin to stop water entry.


Hey, that way we might even get the Rangies to float across the river too !!

Originally Posted by PaulP38a

... I'll remember tomorrow after I get some sleep.

Paul ... If there's one thread that you just, outright own ... It's this one ....

Can you point out the location & how & where the motor gets it's air from,
.... and then the bit about "Max wading depth" might make more sense to LavisLane

Mike

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

Paul ... If there's one thread that you just, outright own ... It's this one ....

I'm flattered... that's a very dubious honour

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

Can you point out the location & how & where the motor gets it's air from,
.... and then bit about "Max wading depth" might make more sense to LavisLane

Fair enuff... David probably already knows but I'm more than happy to remind him and anyone else that cares.
Air is taken from inside front top LH guard. Look in the engine bay at the air box and then follow it directly out the LH side of the car (facing forward). There is an elliptical hole there that sucks in air, that's all. The plastic inner wheel arch should give some splash protection from the action of the wheels, however if the inner guard is cut, modified or loose, it may act as a scoop for water instead of deflecting it IMHO

The air box has a fairly large "dirty air" side under the filter for collecting crap and water splash. After each crossing, pop the top of the air box, remove the filter and check for water. It may also have a drain hole?

My car had a hole cut in the RHS of the air box from the PO playing around with cold-air intake through the bull bar. I thought it might be possible to temporarliy re-route this tubing to the back of the engine bay (i.e. away from water wash when wading) but gave up on the idea when we started the snorkel project.

Max wading depth = 0.5m according to the Owner's Handbook... and: "Severe electrical damage may occur if the vehicle remains stationary for any length of time when the water level is above the door sills."

Who reads instructions anyway?... well, until afterwards

"Do, or do not. There is no try". Yoda.

All the best David. We want pics and video of your triumph over the river.

Cheers, Paul.

Originally Posted by PaulP38a

Max wading depth = 0.5m according to the Owner's Handbook... and: "Severe electrical damage may occur if the vehicle remains stationary for any length of time when the water level is above the door sills.

.

And that's the real scary part when taking a Rangie any where near water.

Misconception about snorkels is that they are not for watercrossing but to get clean cool air from the outside at a higher level.
they are not strictly speaking water proof and will not help your car be a submarine suddenly.

Electrics and water do not form a good marriage.

I suggest you get a Defender, preferably a 300tdi or dare I say it an Isuzu.
They can will and have gone very deep.
At the other side, open the door and let the water which will get in just run out.

Older discos and RRC's which are well prepared will do similar.
A P 38 was more a car that is very capable off road but water is its arch enemy.
Good luck.

Originally Posted by big guy

Older discos and RRC's which are well prepared will do similar.
A P 38 was more a car that is very capable off road but water is its arch enemy.
Good luck.

^^^^I agree^^^^
But the RRC & Disco have similar problems ... As we too have a couple of ECU + components under the seat ... But I think the P38's real downfall is the air suspension, in which if the sensor's chuck a fit and fail, The suspension Just falls onto the bump stops and seals the fate of drowning the car ..... Hence, Pauls suggestion of "set the ride high & pull the relay"

My added suggestion is, Give all the electrics under the engine bay, especially the spark plug leads, a coating of "Spray Grease" .... and try LOTS of "safe depths" of water (lower than the sill) to see how it copes in the first place

But my warning is, for as long as that motor is getting it's air from inside the wheel arch ... I would'nt advise doing anything "brave"

Mike