Off road advise Please!!

[de049]

Hi,

i am planning on taking my recently purchased 1983 Range Rover Classic (with 2.8TDI Nissan Engine converstion) offroading in the rivers here in South Spain. Some of these rivers may be deep, so what are the engine parts I need to SERIOUSLY keep out of water. I can straight away guess the Air Intake/filter box, is one, but i have been told about the gear box having some sort of a breather opening or something that i might need to cover up.

Plwease advise, i dont want my first offroading experience to be my last

thanks

[RBD]

Hi, on each of the axles there is a small breather and it may be possible to close those. Not alll were fitted with this device instead they had a self sealing version. Used a ball bearing in a housing The gear boxes have self sealing breathers on them. The engine bell housing has a drian in the bottom and there should be a small plug fitted in a bracket to screw in to the drain hole. Remove this when you have finished or the oil can build up with water and ruin the clutch.
If you are going into serious river fording and you have a fixed fan as opposed to the thermo drive units then it is wise to slacken the belt so that it slips when the blades are in the water. The result can otherwise be a bent blade and chewed out radiator core!!
The alternator is generally an OK unit in the wet but it does not like sea water. The starter motor is sealed if it is the genuine RR part so thats OK too.
Move the air intake up as high as you can and make sure the exhaust is sound. Stalling and trying to start up again with the exhaust under water can be trouble if it leaks close to the engine.
Ensure you have the undertray for the front of the engine fitted. It prevents the bow wave forcing up inside the radiator.
Have fun.
My old RR used to ford water so deep it ran through the car. In the front doors and out the back!!! Drove in welly boots for those occasions. I used to live the wrong side of a river so I had to drive through in the winter floods.

[de049]

cheers mate!