Fording Depth

[DJBuk29]

Now the winter is really here I have had to 'ford' though my first real flood on a blocked road. I guaged about 300mm (+/-50mm) depth and went for it over a 200m+ stretch of road :smilie_fische:

I am alive and the car did just fine but I am aware that I do not know the full capabilites and limits. I have tried searching the net but can't find anything regarding the real limits for fording depth for the XC90 D5 geartronic. Does anyone know? I assumed the air intake would have been well positioned (cross fingers) and if anyone has any figures it would make interesting viewing. Also can you get greater depth with a good bow wake so that the water keeps off the cills? The only figure I can find is ground clearance of 218mm.

[seany]

About 18 inches ..............

http://www.v70xc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5122

all i could find!!

[DJBuk29]

Thanks seany. That looks about right as it is just below the cills and aligns nicely with the top of my running boards. It is the depth I would have been prepared to go to but didn't want to without confirmation. Cheers.

Let me if anyone has any other experiences. The tip on not going too fast into the water is very relevent as is to go at the speed of the bow wake and no faster. Take it easy!

[ianu]

I knew I'd seen this somewhere before. It's in the price guide specifications which gives all the dimensions and is listed as 'wading depth'.
It specifies 400mm - which is just under 16 inches.
I'm sure the one I went in at the 2004 Motorshow waded deeper than this - but the engine air intake for the D5 is about level with the top of the grill.
Presumably there are other bits and pieces underneath which may not be too happy about a dunking ?? I don't know.

Cheers
Ian.

[shimon340]

hi

Volvo fortunately is intelligent with the air intake heights and all vehicles have high air intakes to avoid problems of the engine sucking in water.

I have previously seen con rods bent and engine failure on Renaults and Nissans due to the air intake being near the bottom of the engine, close to the bottom edge of the bumper. These engines suck in water as the splash through puddles etc!

The xc90 has a high intake. Ive personally seen them wade through water up to the base of the front grille :)

enjoy your XC!

[perussell]

Volvo may be intelligent now with the air intake height but that has not always been the case. One of the first things I did on taking delivery of my XC90 was check the air intake height since on a V40 I had some years ago it was only about 6-8 ins off the ground, rear facing admittedly but just behind the front wheel arch and only just above cill level. I would never take that car into anything that looked more than 2 ins deep!

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

I remember a particularly fierce rainstorm when living near Glasgow.

On the way home I was behind some numpty in maybe a rover. I was in my then 740 GLE

He noticed some deep water in the road ahead and having gone in to near his sill depth and on the near side of the road decided to stop, me behind!
Have to mention that this road is a sort of "dual carageway" but in a residential area and with an island strip running between the lanes.
So, going slow and then stopping, in deep water about sill height.
NOT GOOD I was thinking because you can get back feed via the exaust pipe as I was cursing the idiot in front.
So went to the centre of the road, where the water was deeper and kept in 2nd gear to keep the revs up.
The whole length of this road was flooded and I suppose th section I hit went to about 8-9 inches.

Not bad for an old 740.

Des. . . ;)