Basic Theory And Application
Disclamer: Like all phases of off-roading, water crossing is more art than science, there is no hard and fast rules to follow, only guide-lines from experienced wheelers. Thusly, this thread is not intended to be the "be-all-end-all" of fording, it is merely intended to offer "newbies" to the sport some considerations when taking their trucks for a swim. Whether or not these considerations are "necessary" will always be up for debate. If what you are looking for is "peace-of-mind" while 200 miles away from the nearest service station or parts-counter, then please read on.
First of all, please learn, understand and always follow the rules of Treading Lightly . For instance, if your vehicle is leaking fluids like a garden hose, perhaps you shouldn't dunk it into a fragile ecosystem. OK, 'nuff said.
Preparation:
Basic waterproofing techniques have been evolving since autos were invented. This was never so important as in WWII when invasion vehicles had to make it from landing craft to terra-firma. An example was the Willys MB and Ford GPW "Jeep" Training Manual: TM 9-803, dated February 22, 1944 which advised, among other things, that the generator brace should be "pulled up to release tension on the fan belt and stop the fan from throwing water over the engine". Obviously on modern vehicles, the serpentine belt negates this advice, so consider installing an electric fan with a switch to disengage operation prior to fording. The electric fan has it's plusses and minuses, so do a search on this site for some good feed-back and opinions on this matter. I have installed one on my last (non-Rover) vehicle, and found it to be priceless in the "peace of mind" category.
Electronics:
Again, looking to past experience is a good starting point. U.S. Military training manual TM-9-2853, dated January 5, 1944 explaines how to prepare tactical vehicles for deep water fording during combat operations using the WV-6 vehicle waterproofing kit, stock# G9-5700769. This universal kit for 1/4 to 2-1/2 ton vehicles consisted of asbestos grease, varnish, non-hydroscopic adhesive tape, high-temp cement, cloth and assorted hoses, gaskets and other items to seal-off vulnerable components of the engine.
This is how I adapted past techniques to suit modern vehicles;
Start with under-hood, under-vehicle electronic connectors. These are vulnerable, not only to water ingress, but also atmospheric moisture and dust which can cause corrosion and possible failure over time.
To start, I aquired this list of items:
Dielectric Grease (a compound that does NOT carry electrical current, and therefore will not "bridge" the circuits within the connectors)
Liquid Electrical Tape (it comes in a can with a brush-on applicator attached to the lid)
Regular electrical tape
Bailing wire (bare, no insulation)
QD Electronics Cleaner (comes in a spray can and is safe for this application)
400 Grit Sand Paper (not a necessity, but usefull on stubborn, already corroded connectors)
And lastly, the Proper "keys" or tools to undo the connectors without snapping off the locking clips.
Make sure you are comfortable with this level of maintainence prior to starting!
The procedure is as follows:
1) Disconnect the negative terminal on your battery. Then simply undo a connector and spray inside both halves of the connection to clean them. You can wait for them to dry, or a short blast of compressed air will do the trick. For connections that are already corroded ie: green and powdery, twist up the 400 grit paper around a toothpick, and scrape up and down on the male end, or in and out on the female end to make them shiny and nice again, then spray the cleaner, etc.
2) Fill each end of the connector with the dielectric grease.
3) Re-connect the ends and wipe off excess grease. Wrap a piece of reqular electrical tape around the connector to cover the clips (this will prevent the liquid electrical tape in the next step from "gluing" the clips shut). Tie the bailing wire around the tape on the clips and twist the ends like a kitchen twist-tie (this will enable you to break the seal later when you need to replace the components which correspond the connection).
4) Brush on the liquid electrical tape on and around the entire connection and wire. Make sure to fill in the backs of each end, where the wires enter the connectors. I used three or even four coats for a complete seal. Each coat should dry to the touch in about 20 minutes.
5) Repeat on every exposed (external) connection on your vehicle.
6) Re-connect negative terminal of battery
IMPORTANT! - NEVER use RTV compouds in, on or near electrical connections or components. RTV uses acetic acid as part of the curing agent and out-gassing fumes will destroy electronics.
If you want to go the extreme, you can do what the U.S. Military does on modern vehicles, which is:
1) Cut off all connectors
2) Strip wire ends, connect laterally, and solder each one together
3) Use self-sealing heat-shrink tubing on each wire to finish the job.
Distributor cap type ignitions are easy to waterproof:
1) Fill each end of wire (cap & spark-plug ends) with dielectric grease.
2) Seal cap to base with liquid electrical tape.
3) Run vent tube (drill hole in cap, insert 1/4" inner diameter tube, seal joint with liquid electrical tape) and run to high spot or to vehicle interior, again to spot higher than expected water levels.
Coil-type ignitions are a little trickier, and the best thing I've seen for the job is one of
THESE unsightly, albeit effective set-ups.
Exposed ECU's offer more complex problems, and thanks to our own "Lutzgaterr", here is one way to tackle the issue:
ECU - bravo, ol' chap well done! Or, extend the ECU to the interior, to a level above expected water.
A thought on snorkels - if you can afford one, get one. These have been used since WWII to keep water from infiltrating the motors causing hydro-lock with great effectiveness. Hydro-lock is a condition where water molecules, being to large to enter air-injection points, causes catastrophic failure in the engine. Snorkels also keep air inflow to a level above the most heavy dust particles on trails, especially if you're last in line on a twenty-vehicle convoy. Again, probably not necessary, but priceless peace of mind.
For components that are impossible to seal ie: alternators, some starters, etc, I simply drilled a 1/8" hole at bottom-dead-center of each component to allow for rapid drainage - I have found this tecnique to work very well for me.
Axles, transmissions, transfer cases, fuel tanks and other components have vent tubes which are low and vulnerable to water ingress. I recommend raising each vent tube to an area above expected water levels, or into the interior (Obviously NOT the fuel tank vent!!!) to a higher point. Another way to attack the issue which works increadibly well, is to install a tiny K&N filter (about 1" - 1-1/2" diameter) to the top of each vent tube and seal the joint with sillicone. Water will have a tough time infiltrating a properly oiled K&N filter in a non-preassurized system.
Fluids:
I recommend immidiately swapping out all greases and fluids to synthetics (if not already present). Start with wheel bearings. Remove each one, this would be a good time to replace damaged or suspect bearings, repack with synthetic grease and reinstall. U-Joints, and anything with a zerk-fitting should be repacked with synthetic grease as well. Differentials, Transfer Case and Transmissions all deserve synthetic fluids. This will prevent emulsification of oils and premature damage of components and gears due to improper lubrication and over-heating. Note, This will not waterproof, just make more water resistant.
Other components:
Consider spraying silicone lubricants into door-locks to prevent corrosion.
Plug/seal each entry-hole grommet in fire wall with sillicone.
Grease-up sun-roof tracks and door hinges as well - I'm just sayin, ya never know.
Wanna get crazy? Replace non-critical hardware with stainless steel hardware. I say non-critical because i am not a metallurgist and don't know if stainless has the same metal-stress strength or properties as ferrous steel.
Wanna get crazier? Seal all dipsticks in engine compartment with sillicone.
OK, that was alot to cover, but we're still not ready.
Before entering water, it is advisable to "pre-attach" all recovery straps or winch lines to a point above the hood, where they will be accessable without yourself having to go under water.
The Crossing:
First, try to assertain the depth of the water, this may be difficult in highly turbid (muddy) water, but knowledge is power, if you are uncomfortable with it, don't follow your crazy buddy just to "keep up" in other words, think. Also, don't go crashing blindly into a crossing at top speed, other reasons aside, there may be a giant boulder in the way that will smash your pumpkin into dust.
Switch climate control to "recirculate" and power it off.
TM-9-2853 also details the procedure for fording; First run engine until warm, not hot, deflate tires to 50% of recommended pressure, put into 4-low range, 1st gear and do not shift. As the front wheels enter the water, increase engine speed to 3/4 throttle. And finally, do not remove foot from accelerator pedal until out of the water. The theory here is that newbies in the heat of combat probably didn't worry about the size of the bow-wave, and this is a good "soldier-proof" start to the process. I prefer to stay in high gear, your personal experiences will determine which way is best for you.
Land Rover recommends you remove the CD-changer before crossing - obviously they expect water to enter the cab. Why then, didn't they put in non-absorbent carpets (Discos)? I have no idea. I would not recommend trying like the dickens to keep water out of the cab, regardless. The theory is that if you have a sealed cab, you will affectively create bouyancy, or float, and you will lose steering and traction. I prefer to keep the wheels on the ground at all times, especially under water. Jeeps have used multiple drain-plugs on the floors since their creation. These not only allow water to enter, weighing-down the vehicle thus sinking the wheels to the bottom (where they belong) but they also facilitate drainage and more rapid drying time. Consider installing similar features to your Rover.
If you stall in the water, DO NOT EVER try to restart the engine. Back-pressure, along with temperature differences between exhaust and water, will pull water in through the exhaust, backing up into engine. See "Catastrophic Failure" above. You already have your straps and lines ready to go, so call in your buddies for an extraction. This a great time to photograph the event, trust me, you'll all laugh about it later!
If, upon reaching shore, you suspect that water has entered the engine, simply remove spark-plugs and crank the ignition for a while to clear water form intakes.
If you suspect emulsification (when oil turns white and "milky") of axle, transfer case or tranny fluids, simply wait about 20-30 minutes (more if super-heated). In this time, water will "magically" separate from the oil. Oil molecules, being less dense than water molecules, will float to the top of the water. Simply undo the drain plugs and allow water to drain out. When you first see oil, quickly replace the drain plugs and off you go. PLEASE do not allow contaminated water or oils to reach the ground! Capture all waste fluids and pack them out to be disposed of properly, thank you.
After reaching shore, and nothing goes wrong, inspect engine compartment for debris, loose components and fish. Remove as necessary, follow same procedure for under vehicle. Don't forget that wet disk-brakes don't work as well as dry ones, allow for drying time or to dry while driving, apply light pressure to brake pedal, while moving.
There you go!
you are now ready hook up your sonars and go for it! Obviously This is not the most complete check-list on planet Earth, and I may have forgotten some things. Practice and experience will take you in different directions than what worked for me, and you will expand your knowledge base from here. I hope this helps you think in new ways and from different angles to achieve a finer balance between worry and inner peace.
Disclamer: Like all phases of off-roading, water crossing is more art than science, there is no hard and fast rules to follow, only guide-lines from experienced wheelers. Thusly, this thread is not intended to be the "be-all-end-all" of fording, it is merely intended to offer "newbies" to the sport some considerations when taking their trucks for a swim. Whether or not these considerations are "necessary" will always be up for debate. If what you are looking for is "peace-of-mind" while 200 miles away from the nearest service station or parts-counter, then please read on.
First of all, please learn, understand and always follow the rules of Treading Lightly . For instance, if your vehicle is leaking fluids like a garden hose, perhaps you shouldn't dunk it into a fragile ecosystem. OK, 'nuff said.
Preparation:
Basic waterproofing techniques have been evolving since autos were invented. This was never so important as in WWII when invasion vehicles had to make it from landing craft to terra-firma. An example was the Willys MB and Ford GPW "Jeep" Training Manual: TM 9-803, dated February 22, 1944 which advised, among other things, that the generator brace should be "pulled up to release tension on the fan belt and stop the fan from throwing water over the engine". Obviously on modern vehicles, the serpentine belt negates this advice, so consider installing an electric fan with a switch to disengage operation prior to fording. The electric fan has it's plusses and minuses, so do a search on this site for some good feed-back and opinions on this matter. I have installed one on my last (non-Rover) vehicle, and found it to be priceless in the "peace of mind" category.
Electronics:
Again, looking to past experience is a good starting point. U.S. Military training manual TM-9-2853, dated January 5, 1944 explaines how to prepare tactical vehicles for deep water fording during combat operations using the WV-6 vehicle waterproofing kit, stock# G9-5700769. This universal kit for 1/4 to 2-1/2 ton vehicles consisted of asbestos grease, varnish, non-hydroscopic adhesive tape, high-temp cement, cloth and assorted hoses, gaskets and other items to seal-off vulnerable components of the engine.
This is how I adapted past techniques to suit modern vehicles;
Start with under-hood, under-vehicle electronic connectors. These are vulnerable, not only to water ingress, but also atmospheric moisture and dust which can cause corrosion and possible failure over time.
To start, I aquired this list of items:
Dielectric Grease (a compound that does NOT carry electrical current, and therefore will not "bridge" the circuits within the connectors)
Liquid Electrical Tape (it comes in a can with a brush-on applicator attached to the lid)
Regular electrical tape
Bailing wire (bare, no insulation)
QD Electronics Cleaner (comes in a spray can and is safe for this application)
400 Grit Sand Paper (not a necessity, but usefull on stubborn, already corroded connectors)
And lastly, the Proper "keys" or tools to undo the connectors without snapping off the locking clips.
Make sure you are comfortable with this level of maintainence prior to starting!
The procedure is as follows:
1) Disconnect the negative terminal on your battery. Then simply undo a connector and spray inside both halves of the connection to clean them. You can wait for them to dry, or a short blast of compressed air will do the trick. For connections that are already corroded ie: green and powdery, twist up the 400 grit paper around a toothpick, and scrape up and down on the male end, or in and out on the female end to make them shiny and nice again, then spray the cleaner, etc.
2) Fill each end of the connector with the dielectric grease.
3) Re-connect the ends and wipe off excess grease. Wrap a piece of reqular electrical tape around the connector to cover the clips (this will prevent the liquid electrical tape in the next step from "gluing" the clips shut). Tie the bailing wire around the tape on the clips and twist the ends like a kitchen twist-tie (this will enable you to break the seal later when you need to replace the components which correspond the connection).
4) Brush on the liquid electrical tape on and around the entire connection and wire. Make sure to fill in the backs of each end, where the wires enter the connectors. I used three or even four coats for a complete seal. Each coat should dry to the touch in about 20 minutes.
5) Repeat on every exposed (external) connection on your vehicle.
6) Re-connect negative terminal of battery
IMPORTANT! - NEVER use RTV compouds in, on or near electrical connections or components. RTV uses acetic acid as part of the curing agent and out-gassing fumes will destroy electronics.
If you want to go the extreme, you can do what the U.S. Military does on modern vehicles, which is:
1) Cut off all connectors
2) Strip wire ends, connect laterally, and solder each one together
3) Use self-sealing heat-shrink tubing on each wire to finish the job.
Distributor cap type ignitions are easy to waterproof:
1) Fill each end of wire (cap & spark-plug ends) with dielectric grease.
2) Seal cap to base with liquid electrical tape.
3) Run vent tube (drill hole in cap, insert 1/4" inner diameter tube, seal joint with liquid electrical tape) and run to high spot or to vehicle interior, again to spot higher than expected water levels.
Coil-type ignitions are a little trickier, and the best thing I've seen for the job is one of
THESE unsightly, albeit effective set-ups.
Exposed ECU's offer more complex problems, and thanks to our own "Lutzgaterr", here is one way to tackle the issue:
ECU - bravo, ol' chap well done! Or, extend the ECU to the interior, to a level above expected water.
A thought on snorkels - if you can afford one, get one. These have been used since WWII to keep water from infiltrating the motors causing hydro-lock with great effectiveness. Hydro-lock is a condition where water molecules, being to large to enter air-injection points, causes catastrophic failure in the engine. Snorkels also keep air inflow to a level above the most heavy dust particles on trails, especially if you're last in line on a twenty-vehicle convoy. Again, probably not necessary, but priceless peace of mind.
For components that are impossible to seal ie: alternators, some starters, etc, I simply drilled a 1/8" hole at bottom-dead-center of each component to allow for rapid drainage - I have found this tecnique to work very well for me.
Axles, transmissions, transfer cases, fuel tanks and other components have vent tubes which are low and vulnerable to water ingress. I recommend raising each vent tube to an area above expected water levels, or into the interior (Obviously NOT the fuel tank vent!!!) to a higher point. Another way to attack the issue which works increadibly well, is to install a tiny K&N filter (about 1" - 1-1/2" diameter) to the top of each vent tube and seal the joint with sillicone. Water will have a tough time infiltrating a properly oiled K&N filter in a non-preassurized system.
Fluids:
I recommend immidiately swapping out all greases and fluids to synthetics (if not already present). Start with wheel bearings. Remove each one, this would be a good time to replace damaged or suspect bearings, repack with synthetic grease and reinstall. U-Joints, and anything with a zerk-fitting should be repacked with synthetic grease as well. Differentials, Transfer Case and Transmissions all deserve synthetic fluids. This will prevent emulsification of oils and premature damage of components and gears due to improper lubrication and over-heating. Note, This will not waterproof, just make more water resistant.
Other components:
Consider spraying silicone lubricants into door-locks to prevent corrosion.
Plug/seal each entry-hole grommet in fire wall with sillicone.
Grease-up sun-roof tracks and door hinges as well - I'm just sayin, ya never know.
Wanna get crazy? Replace non-critical hardware with stainless steel hardware. I say non-critical because i am not a metallurgist and don't know if stainless has the same metal-stress strength or properties as ferrous steel.
Wanna get crazier? Seal all dipsticks in engine compartment with sillicone.
OK, that was alot to cover, but we're still not ready.
Before entering water, it is advisable to "pre-attach" all recovery straps or winch lines to a point above the hood, where they will be accessable without yourself having to go under water.
The Crossing:
First, try to assertain the depth of the water, this may be difficult in highly turbid (muddy) water, but knowledge is power, if you are uncomfortable with it, don't follow your crazy buddy just to "keep up" in other words, think. Also, don't go crashing blindly into a crossing at top speed, other reasons aside, there may be a giant boulder in the way that will smash your pumpkin into dust.
Switch climate control to "recirculate" and power it off.
TM-9-2853 also details the procedure for fording; First run engine until warm, not hot, deflate tires to 50% of recommended pressure, put into 4-low range, 1st gear and do not shift. As the front wheels enter the water, increase engine speed to 3/4 throttle. And finally, do not remove foot from accelerator pedal until out of the water. The theory here is that newbies in the heat of combat probably didn't worry about the size of the bow-wave, and this is a good "soldier-proof" start to the process. I prefer to stay in high gear, your personal experiences will determine which way is best for you.
Land Rover recommends you remove the CD-changer before crossing - obviously they expect water to enter the cab. Why then, didn't they put in non-absorbent carpets (Discos)? I have no idea. I would not recommend trying like the dickens to keep water out of the cab, regardless. The theory is that if you have a sealed cab, you will affectively create bouyancy, or float, and you will lose steering and traction. I prefer to keep the wheels on the ground at all times, especially under water. Jeeps have used multiple drain-plugs on the floors since their creation. These not only allow water to enter, weighing-down the vehicle thus sinking the wheels to the bottom (where they belong) but they also facilitate drainage and more rapid drying time. Consider installing similar features to your Rover.
If you stall in the water, DO NOT EVER try to restart the engine. Back-pressure, along with temperature differences between exhaust and water, will pull water in through the exhaust, backing up into engine. See "Catastrophic Failure" above. You already have your straps and lines ready to go, so call in your buddies for an extraction. This a great time to photograph the event, trust me, you'll all laugh about it later!
If, upon reaching shore, you suspect that water has entered the engine, simply remove spark-plugs and crank the ignition for a while to clear water form intakes.
If you suspect emulsification (when oil turns white and "milky") of axle, transfer case or tranny fluids, simply wait about 20-30 minutes (more if super-heated). In this time, water will "magically" separate from the oil. Oil molecules, being less dense than water molecules, will float to the top of the water. Simply undo the drain plugs and allow water to drain out. When you first see oil, quickly replace the drain plugs and off you go. PLEASE do not allow contaminated water or oils to reach the ground! Capture all waste fluids and pack them out to be disposed of properly, thank you.
After reaching shore, and nothing goes wrong, inspect engine compartment for debris, loose components and fish. Remove as necessary, follow same procedure for under vehicle. Don't forget that wet disk-brakes don't work as well as dry ones, allow for drying time or to dry while driving, apply light pressure to brake pedal, while moving.
There you go!
you are now ready hook up your sonars and go for it! Obviously This is not the most complete check-list on planet Earth, and I may have forgotten some things. Practice and experience will take you in different directions than what worked for me, and you will expand your knowledge base from here. I hope this helps you think in new ways and from different angles to achieve a finer balance between worry and inner peace.
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