Under the Sea!

It’s been a busy weekend at Ndanka central.

The snorkel, needed to ford rivers, is comprised of high pressure pipes and high temperature silicone hoses (depending on where they are, they are exposed to different things) and an aluminium bend this allows the engine to breathe by raising the air intake well above the water level crossed when fording. Additionally, by fitting a pre-filter to the top, it prevents too much sand from entering the air filter in the engine bay when in dusty deserts. These are quite common, and any decent 4×4 / off-roading stockist should be more than happy to relieve you of some cash for a made to measure part made for your defender, shogun or trooper. That said, when we called these and asked for one for a Nissan Micra, the best response we had was being laughed at.

So – how did we do it?

Step 1. Get a big drill, with a big drill bit. We sported a Mac SDS Drill, with a 90mm drill bit. Yes, that’s 9cm in diameter.

Step 2. Make a hole in your car. Either measure seven times to ensure that it’s in the right place, or drill-and-hope.

Step 3: Get a aluminium elbow, and test the fit. Realize that suddenly, the existing radiator overflow tank is in the way. Take it out. The battery as well. We’ll find somewhere else to put these if needed, as apparently deserts are hot places that need radiator overflow tanks.

Step 4: Connect all the various bits and bobs – double or triple ply flexible silicone hose in the engine bay, and rigid pipework on the outside. With regards to anchoring the pipes to the car, riv-nuts were a revelation. These too need holes, so worth putting some silicone sealant in the hole before setting the riv-nut and before tightening the bolt. Wouldn’t want water in the cabin, now would we? The rigid pipes are connected by silicone joints with jubilee clips, these will hold it all nice and snug.

With that fitted, turn the engine on and test. If the engine starts, that’s the first step. Now, breathe and cover the pipe – if the engine starves of air, you’ve done a good job. If the engine doesn’t starve, there’s a leak somewhere. Find it, and seal it. Silicone sealant and self-amalgamating tape are your friends.

Next week… the sump guard. Or clutch. Or suspensions. Or brakes. Lot’s of work to do!

M.