Wading depth of a Xantia TD

KP · Post by KP » 13 Jan 2008, 15:16

OK, i know this has never been thought of before but assuming the door seals and the like are good, whats the deepest water a xantia could wade thru at either Normal, Intermediary, or Maximum ride hieght??

Also thinking if i removed the airbox, sealed it up and twisted it thru 180' so the intake was from the top and it could pull air down thru a kind of snorkle kit fitted thru the bonnet would the rest of the engine bay be fine? Im guessing i would have to seal the battery in some way so that it didnt short but i think the rest of the electrical connections would take it looks at how gunked up in mucky oil they are they should repell water nicely

Any theoroms most welcome as i only ask as i think it wont be long before we face more flooding in my local area again

( Doncaster btw)

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 13 Jan 2008, 15:31

AFAIR there is some 3" differences between height settings.
That should give you some 6 inches max clearance - from the lowest setting.

If you're planning to test fording capabilities, please note that its the engine air intake that will stop your car, WHEN water gets in

- and that exercise will for sure cost you an engine

slim123 · Post by **slim123** » 13 Jan 2008, 16:30

Wading is not a comlex thing, if you watch the 4x4 lot some of them will go much deeper than the air intake, but look at the front of the vehicle and you will see a bow wave, as long as the bow wave is kept steady in front and you dont try to overtake it nothing will come in through the front. Slowing down will also cause the bow wave to drop and come in.

Of course the 4X4 will have a flat front this makes it much easier to form the bow wave, rather that the more wedge shape of a saloon car, but it is still possible as long as you dont race through.

Have a look at some of these 4x4 events on telly or you tube and you will see that it's a steady pace all the way, the only ones racing are the guys with snorkels.

As Anders says, getting it wrong will cost........

Regards
Slim.

KP · Post by KP » 13 Jan 2008, 16:46

Like i said the thing id do is put some form of snorkel on it using an old scrapped bonnet and drilling a large inlet hole thru so i can connect the airfilter box to that and then a long flexible hose as the home-made snorkle up the side of the A-Pillar to get air from roof hieght

The only thing i worry about is things like the clutch as some of its exposed would water cause it to slip if it were submerged?

Would the bottom door seals be able to cope with the water pushing against?

I guess the best way to tell would be to get a xantia, plonk it in a big tank/hole in the ground and slowly fill it with water until water gets into it and then the wading depth could be measured

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 13 Jan 2008, 20:32

This is rather hypothetical really -

As the Xantia is not build to swim

Yes the clucth will still operate no problem. But anything free turning suddenly submerged in water, will require more power to keep turning.

Also the morning after the swim, you can be dead sure the clutch release bearing is now singing its last song : its gone rusty.
There will be openings at clucth and acc cables, and any electric cables. Plugs are located all over in the chassisbody & floor and may stay in - or not.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 13 Jan 2008, 21:23

I tried this once with my CX Safari, full height through about 2' of water, no problem I thought, until about a few weeks later when one of the rear wheel bearings failed. The suspension arm is open ended, when I drove through the water it filled up from the top and the bearing was then running in water - they don't last to long like that.

mooseshaver · Post by **mooseshaver** » 13 Jan 2008, 21:31

I know its not a Xantia, but when I had a saxo, I had to cross some deep floods and rivers turned into roads. It was fun, but a deep one caused lots of warning lights to come on, I think because the alternator wasn't spinning so everything was running off battery? I presume the alternator could not spin because it could not turn against the deep water?
Also, for at least 3 months afterwards, certain gears were hard to get into. but eventualy they started working fine.

Sounds like a fun project. Can water get in the suspension of a Xantia?
Would your car have less power because your air intake had moved?
Would be fun to go play in some deep water and watch people's faces as you come out James Bond style and hand someone a fish.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 13 Jan 2008, 22:11

AndersDK wrote:AFAIR there is some 3" differences between height settings.
That should give you some 6 inches max clearance - from the lowest setting.

If you're planning to test fording capabilities, please note that its the engine air intake that will stop your car, WHEN water gets in

- and that exercise will for sure cost you an engine

Speaking from experience, it can only cost you a new battery.

I hit what looked like just water on the road, but what I couldn't see was a dip under the surface.
Soon as I hit the water, I dipped the clutch so was probably doing just over 1500rpm when the engine stopped. Why they put the intake right down low I don't know.
Waited for the water to receed and for the AA to tow me home.
Removed all the air trunking, the intercooler and the injectors to drain and dry.
Then killed the battery turning the engine over getting the residual water out.
Think of four whales blowing side by side

The car ran fine afterwards, until a neighbour's little cherub torched it.

My concern would be residual water if you go that deep, sitting and corroding things, and messing with electrics as some Xantia's suffer from with just normal water ingress from rain!

demag · Post by **demag** » 14 Jan 2008, 00:27

I recovered a newish Escort once from a flash flood just before Christmas about 20 years ago. Car ok but flooded to mid bonnet and engine stopped. We pulled it out with a Tranny, took the plugs out, then spun it over for a while. Dried the plugs, WD40 and it was trying to start but just wouldn't quite catch. Towed it behind the Tranny in 2nd and eventually it fired. We stopped and let it warm up, then drove it back steady to base. Oil and filter took carpets and seats out, left it in a warm garage over Christmas and New Year. Gave it a valet and polish. Rebuilt it and it ran ok for three years/ 60k no unusual problems!

weety · Post by **weety** » 14 Jan 2008, 18:51

went through deepish water in my old 94 xantia....the result was a knacked auxilliary belt tensioner

expensive and best avoided methinks

Post by **CitroJim** » 15 Jan 2008, 07:59

Extended wading will also shorten the life of your wheel bearings. The fronts particularly are not at all well sealed against water ingress.

I always wory about a large body of cold water hitting a very hot Cat. There is always the risk of cracking it. A Pajero owner I spoke to in one of our local tyre and exhaust places claimed to have suffered such a calamity.

Judging by how good old Blighty seems to be a bit prone to flooding at the drop of a hat these days, I reckon wading is something we're all going to have to come to grips with. Good job Xantia suspensions can rise on demand to help get us through floods

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 15 Jan 2008, 13:43

I'm surprised by the replies, I would have thought the electrics would really play up on a Citroen, more so if it was Hydractive.

Steve.

KP · Post by KP » 15 Jan 2008, 19:15

Well thanks all for the replies

While my Xantia has a cat fitted it will not be replaced when it fails, it will be getting a straight thru pipe version

The bearings most likely are coming to the end of their life anyway, if they havent been replaced in most xantias by now i would think

Electrical connections i can spot in the engine bay all have a gunky residue on them and see to have lasted a lot already, ill upload a pic later to show how dirty it is from off roading already but its been washed a fair bit by todays rain

Post by **CitroJim** » 15 Jan 2008, 20:28

steelcityuk wrote:I'm surprised by the replies, I would have thought the electrics would really play up on a Citroen, more so if it was Hydractive.

Steve.

Yes, especially given the location of the rear Hydractive electrovalve

They get pretty crusty even when not submerged

Post by **admiral51** » 16 Jan 2008, 21:12

Well after todays little trip to work i can safely say that 22" deep and entry speed of approx 20mph will lead to sudden stopping of engine and forward momentum

result is one engine siezed front and back footwells just that wells

and electrics doing all sorts of funny things first time in 3 months alarm worked....and last

safe to say i am now 1 xantia short of my previous 2 but thats life no need to try thinking what it would have failed mot on in 3 weeks time

colin