I'm talking to Mantec about procuring a snorkel for the LR2. Does anyone know how deep the LR2 could go with such a device? I'm wondering if there would be any issue over the rated 19.7 inches with electrics, cabin flooding, etc.

The deepest stream I've forded so far is about 12 inches. I'm hesitant to go any deeper because I don't want to risk stalling if the water temporarily rises above 19.7. Installed a hitch, stock roof rack, mantec skid plates, General Grabbers AT2 255/60/R18, and a rear access ladder. Also made a hitch-mount for the winch. Looking to install a front hitch, rooft-top basket, and lift kit.

Tracking modifications and off-road experiences here: http://sam.odio.com/lr2/

Also consider that breather pipes are designed with a 500mm (19.7") wade depth in mind too...

I've had mine with water over the bonnet on entry and only the bow wave effect keeping the air intake on the left wing out of the water. my understanding is that the FL2 will start to float with water much deeper. there was no evidence of water in the cab at all as the door seals are very effective.

Don't believe they do a snorkels for the fl2, and I don't think they are fully watertight either Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

npinks wrote:

Don't believe they do a snorkels for the fl2, and I don't think they are fully watertight either

Unfortuanetly the snorkle/raised air intake just isn't enough. The rest of the air intake would have to be modified/replaced as it isn't watertight, this would probably nessesitate removing the wing.

If you do go down that route remember to extend the breathers for the diff, transmission and gearbox. On the FL1 it was common practice to fit a small in line filter to the end of the breather for the auto gearbox.

On the FL1 floating was a problem, the build quality on the FL2 certainly is no worse so I would expect the FL2 to float, starting with the rear long before the bottom of the windows was reached. Didn't try to open the doors (to mimick older LR) to see if the electrics would stand it  Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

This was a FR1 but worth noting... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8540789.stm
JT Upgraded to an ex demo, 7 mth old, Rimini Red/Ebony Napoli Auto HSE on 28th Jan 2011, added roof rails, mudflaps and side strips.
Gone - A great 57 Plate, Auto SE, Bought Feb 2009, Roof Rails and Mudflaps added on purchase. Blue colour, anything but drug dealer black.....

That the lady driver of the FL1 died is a shame, she was not the only one to loose her life in a submerged Land Rover in recent years.
But the comment "We estimate six inches of fast flowing water can knock you off your feet or can wash your car away" by David Rooke, Environment Agency was innappropriate in this instance. With a ground clearance of 8 inches even fast flowing water at 6 inches would only be acting on the wheels as the car would be clear on the water. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

The image below shows the air intake ducting on an LR2.

Click image to enlarge

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

Yah, snorkel is definitely out, but it is good to know whether 500mm is the absolute max height or if you can go deeper than that.

I wonder where the are breathers for the diff, transmission and gearbox? I also wonder how watertight the ventilation ducting is. Also, do all models use side intakes? I've heard for some that the intake is located in the front. IE, this article mentions for my model (2008 inline V6) the intake is located in the "driver's-side front fender:" http://www.driving.ca/Road+test+2008+Land+...story.html That article also says that 500mm covers the tires completely so I'm not sure how I feel about the validity of their information...my tires are definitely taller than 19 inches

I'd like to know I should be worried about first when approaching 500mm and I wonder if there are any easy modifications I can do so I don't have to be as worried about water when it's at or around tire height (say 500-700mm). Installed a hitch, stock roof rack, mantec skid plates, General Grabbers AT2 255/60/R18, and a rear access ladder. Also made a hitch-mount for the winch. Looking to install a front hitch, rooft-top basket, and lift kit.

Tracking modifications and off-road experiences here: http://sam.odio.com/lr2/

Just talked to an LR2 service dept and they said that the side vents on the 2008 gas model aren't used as an air intake and that those are just for style.

I'm away from my LR2 but I'll try to find the air intake next week. Installed a hitch, stock roof rack, mantec skid plates, General Grabbers AT2 255/60/R18, and a rear access ladder. Also made a hitch-mount for the winch. Looking to install a front hitch, rooft-top basket, and lift kit.

Tracking modifications and off-road experiences here: http://sam.odio.com/lr2/

TOPIX confirms JJJ's photo and contradicts what the LR service guy told me: air intake comes from drivers-side vent http://dl.dropbox.com/u/281/air-intake.pdf

Strange that both the LR2 mechanic and the above article would be wrong in stating that the air intake is behind the front fender on the driver's side. Installed a hitch, stock roof rack, mantec skid plates, General Grabbers AT2 255/60/R18, and a rear access ladder. Also made a hitch-mount for the winch. Looking to install a front hitch, rooft-top basket, and lift kit.

Tracking modifications and off-road experiences here: http://sam.odio.com/lr2/

Strange also that 500mm might not be the real depth that a Freelander can safely negotiate!!

JJJ wrote:

The lower edge of the intake grille is 850mm above the ground, although the ducting drops lower as it travels forward, but NOT below 500mm.

Yes, it's true, but then it travel upwards again and the input to the air filter is higher again.
And accordingly to the communicating vessels principle, statically, you can "swim" up to the bottom part of the air filter.
Dinamically, as soon as the water enters the duct and up to the air filter, then, when the duct is full, a siphoning effect could apear and more water could be drawn, even if on the bottom part of the air filter housing are some small orifices in order to drain the water (vapours) that could enter up until there, by suction, on heavy raining weather.
In the end, one could modify the intake, using a different air filter housing and a different intake geometry.
But then again, maybe he bought the wrong car and next time better buy a Defender.

According to LR the Defender and Freelander 2 both have the same wading depth of 500mm.
However, one of them can wade deeper and it doesn't necessarily begin with a D?