406s and floods - a warning

[steve_earwig]

Yet another 406 just hydrolocked and I'm ashamed to say we have no warning for it. SO here is one:

Due to the location of the standard air intake on ALL 406s they seem to be very liable to sucking up water, even with low levels of flooding. Water does not compress like an air/fuel mixture and the likely result is bent conrods or even a cracked block.

DO NOT DRIVE AT SPEED - this probably makes the situation worse as the car can build up a bow wave.
DO NOT GUN THE ENGINE - what are you, nuts?

You have been warned!

See:
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8799&p=83098&hilit=+drill#p83098
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3769&start=15&hilit=drill
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=18355&p=182463&hili ... pe#p182463

-/-

A swift How To - how to remove the link pipe from below the air filter (note - this is on my 12-2003 built 2.0 HDi 110 so I'm not sure if all 406s are the same):

Tools required - your hands and possibly a torch.
Time required - 5 minutes (maybe more, depending on your tolerance to rain dripping down your neck)

Start off by moving the air filter box out of the way. It's held in place by a little clip underneath, push this tang towards the back of the car and pull the front of the air filter box upwards. Be careful not to overstretch the MAF sensor wires:


The top of the pipe is slotted into the air filter box bracket, pull this little clip down and slide the pipe towards the front of the car:


The pipe will now need disconnecting from the feed pipe where it comes through the inner wing. It's reluctant but it will come, just try and keep it straight:


The pipe removed:


Once it's out you need to replace the air filter box. Obviously it now lacks the lover clip but if you slot it back on the holder it's not going to go anywhere:


The holes in the bottom of my pipe - enough to stop the engine drawing in water? No idea:


Possibly not a permanent solution but it might get someone out of trouble.

[piglet]

Years back I watched a 4WD convoy ford a river in NT Australia.
The rich guys all had Toyotas Land cruisers with snorkels and had no trouble but the budget guy just had a 4WD Subaru estate road car, no snorkel.
But what this fella lacked in wonga he made up for with cunning & skill, he wrapped&lashed his groundsheet round the front of the car and forded with just the right speed to hold the bow wave in front and in so doing lowered the water level in the engine bay.
He made it through to my disbelief, It was nearly up to his windows!

Sorry, not relavent.

[steve_earwig]

But interesting

[scotty73]

I remember seeing Rex Hunt (discovery channel Ausie fishermen years back) do the ground sheet thing i thought that's how all Ausies got about?

I remember reading on here that someones son's 406 cut out in a puddle and was lucky to get away with it i think i told my mrs about it at the time but will mention it again just to drum it in

Steve have you removed the pipe or drilled holes and re-fitted?

[steve_earwig]

I just removed it. The holes are in it already but I'm not sure if they'd be big enough to stop it sucking water in (and I aint doin' no experiments ) It's only a quick fix and probably doesn't raise the actual height of the intake by much but there's some weird fluid dynamics style of thing going on under the wheel arch where it normally draws from.

[trem1]

yep i lost my 406 by wading through water no more than about 6-8 inches, i learned this to my cost.
Nice guide there steve

[teamster1975]

I'm locking this so it doesn't turn into a huge thread, great job Steve

[steve_earwig]

Fairy nuff. I was actually hoping for some feedback on the link pipes (go out and check guys, don't wait until you're up to your knees to figure it out ) so if anyone's got anything to add stick it on poor V6Exec's thread here viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18835