I just don't think the air intake is what determines wading depth here anyway.

Seems to me that exceeding the depth would create a bunch of other issues. Worst of which might be, unless you want to flood the interior and potentially flip in a high current, at some point you'd start to float. 2nd worst of which is that the over-depth would probably be recorded as a fault code. Warranty gone.

What would be the benefit of a true snorkel vs. the raised intake if it doesn't increase max depth?

 

I was digging around the back of the boot looking to figure out how to make one of those storage editions under the normal deck. Mine is quite cramped with MHEV batteries & electrics. The entire "bathtub" is sealed. I've also read about the woman who spilled paint in the back of her 110 and "totaled" it because the paint pooled in that tub and ruined everything. My #1 concern with going over that limit in water would be the same as wearing a set of rubber boots in the lake. They are awesome until you get 1/4" too deep...Once water fills up that tub, the beast is toast.

 

Say what?

 

Yeah, it was all over a FaceBook group about a month ago. I thought it was on here too. It really was like kicking a hornets next. This woman went to a big box lumber store. Put a gallon of paint in the back. Took a turn too suddenly and it rolled around and busted open. A gallon of paint went spilling in the back. Evidently there is NO moisture sealing back there. It all flowed into nooks and crannies and drained down into the "tub" below the styrofoam storage "thing" that holds the jack. If you lift it up, it is a sealed tub. When the Defender goes wading, that all stays dry and the MHEV equipment (batteries, harnesses, electronics I don't know the names for, etc) all stay nice and toasty. She inversed that and everything got nice and coated. The vehicle died. Towed to Dealer and they declared it a complete loss. The threads over there were all full of folks upset about "fitness for service" or other legal phrases. Now I'm paranoid about what goes back there and part of my scheme of putting storage under there is so that I can properly seal it off (epoxy, fiberglass, etc.) in a means to better liquid proof it while still gaining access. If you look at it or check out TOPIx, all of the inverters/batteries/etc. connect to dedicated air ports with cooling fans that suck the air laterally thru the sides so I think it would be good to go if you could protect it from the area most people store "stuff".

 

The primary challenge of water depth, beyond floating, to my understanding is: 1.) flooding into the differentials and displacing the fluid and then destroying them if you do not immediately change the fluid, 2.) electricals -- which absolutely do not like water, and 3.) the engine intakes -- engine cylinders and pans do not like water in them.

Then we add to that the electronics and all bets are off.

I am sure others might have things to add. I am looking forward to that.

Enjoy !

 

I will never forget a river crossing in an old Series when I was a kid. Because I was maybe 12, I had to crawl under and plug what I think was the timing chain housing drain?, the belts has to be loosened because I think the water makes them tighter, the fan had to be disconnected so it didn't pump water, I remember a big water drum in the back for weight, and then changing the oil on the other side right after.

It was the first time I remember seeing a winch in action and it was so f**king cool to sit in the truck with water up to my knees.

Take a kid off-road. They'll remember it forever.

 

Instructions unclear.

*Abandons two small children in forest.

 

That pretty much sums up my childhood right there.

 

Ida flooded Defender. Just need a really big bag of rice.

https://www.copart.com/lot/57500971/...a-philadelphia

 

And here we can see the usually hidden air sucker connection to the air box (in the blue bag).