Wadding depth 991.2
10-22-2018, 02:21 AM
#17
I would say be proactive and use your truck if there is any hint of heavy rain/flash floods.
I wouldn't drive a low clearance car through anything deeper than a puddle or standing water that you can see is shallow.
If I were faced with a large stretch of water on the street, two choices, look at cars that are crossing to gauge depth or detour.
Be aware, there are a**holes that love to drive through these conditions at speed and set off a bow wave that could easily swamp you. Seen it many times.
I wouldn't drive a low clearance car through anything deeper than a puddle or standing water that you can see is shallow.
If I were faced with a large stretch of water on the street, two choices, look at cars that are crossing to gauge depth or detour.
Be aware, there are a**holes that love to drive through these conditions at speed and set off a bow wave that could easily swamp you. Seen it many times.
10-22-2018, 02:32 AM
#18
Rennlist Member
No more than a few inches. Keep in mind how low your radiators and engine case and exhaust are.
10-22-2018, 03:11 AM
#19
Rennlist Member
~
I would say be proactive and use your truck if there is any hint of heavy rain/flash floods.
I wouldn't drive a low clearance car through anything deeper than a puddle or standing water that you can see is shallow.
If I were faced with a large stretch of water on the street, two choices, look at cars that are crossing to gauge depth or detour.
Be aware, there are a**holes that love to drive through these conditions at speed and set off a bow wave that could easily swamp you. Seen it many times.
I wouldn't drive a low clearance car through anything deeper than a puddle or standing water that you can see is shallow.
If I were faced with a large stretch of water on the street, two choices, look at cars that are crossing to gauge depth or detour.
Be aware, there are a**holes that love to drive through these conditions at speed and set off a bow wave that could easily swamp you. Seen it many times.
I remember seeing a BMW 750iL in the parking lot at a shop in Santa Barbara years ago, after the floods there in 1995~, with a sign in the window that said it was totaled. It was still pretty new, and looked perfect. Hydrolocked, thanks to the low air inlets + flood waters.
Porsche is at least smarter that way, but I still wouldn't take the chance. If I had to drive a 911 in those conditions, I'd be giving Leh Keen a call...
10-22-2018, 10:19 AM
#21
You gain a few more inches of wadding if you install a duck tail on your 911... 
10-22-2018, 10:45 AM
#22
Rennlist Member
I used to drive right through flooded areas when I was a teen using various cars, but today, I purposely go around even lowly puddles.
That said, the 911 can probably safely go through 6” of water. The ground clearance is what’s most important here. You want to be aware of items in the car that sit the lowest and how wet the car was before wading through. Driving slowly through 6” is different than trying to barrel through 4”. Would the 911 be able to wade through deeper water in an emergency or accidentally? Most certainly. I would try to avoid that though, because water can start to cause havoc with electronics, the clutch, brakes, and even the engine case will now be partially submerged, putting temperature stresses on the metal that really would rather have a uniform temperature. And then of course, you could start to get water into the cabin if the water level is higher than the door sills. On my 996, the computer sits under the driver seat, and it’s really important not to get that thing flooded. The cost to replace those computers is high. I would also not want to flood the crank position sensor, assuming that sensor is relatively low in the car.
In torrential downpour situations, though, many of these car parts get wet anyway, so as long as the connections are healthy - many of the connections have water resistance plugs, o-rings, protection, you should be just fine. An old car, or one driven in all seasons over many years might start having issues after rain events.
The air intake on the 996 and probably your car too, is well past 12-18” above ground, so that’s not a concern, and neither is massive water ingestation pouring over the top of the outside rear deck lid in a torrential downpour. The air intake is designed with a filter housing that has holes in the bottom to drain water, and air must be routed upwards past the filter, so even if water does get in, the gravity of the water would not allow it to be lifted with with air past the filter. So water into the engine is not an issue.
That said, the 911 can probably safely go through 6” of water. The ground clearance is what’s most important here. You want to be aware of items in the car that sit the lowest and how wet the car was before wading through. Driving slowly through 6” is different than trying to barrel through 4”. Would the 911 be able to wade through deeper water in an emergency or accidentally? Most certainly. I would try to avoid that though, because water can start to cause havoc with electronics, the clutch, brakes, and even the engine case will now be partially submerged, putting temperature stresses on the metal that really would rather have a uniform temperature. And then of course, you could start to get water into the cabin if the water level is higher than the door sills. On my 996, the computer sits under the driver seat, and it’s really important not to get that thing flooded. The cost to replace those computers is high. I would also not want to flood the crank position sensor, assuming that sensor is relatively low in the car.
In torrential downpour situations, though, many of these car parts get wet anyway, so as long as the connections are healthy - many of the connections have water resistance plugs, o-rings, protection, you should be just fine. An old car, or one driven in all seasons over many years might start having issues after rain events.
The air intake on the 996 and probably your car too, is well past 12-18” above ground, so that’s not a concern, and neither is massive water ingestation pouring over the top of the outside rear deck lid in a torrential downpour. The air intake is designed with a filter housing that has holes in the bottom to drain water, and air must be routed upwards past the filter, so even if water does get in, the gravity of the water would not allow it to be lifted with with air past the filter. So water into the engine is not an issue.
10-22-2018, 01:10 PM
#24
Drifting
If you were to go to a deep puddle that cover your exhaust pipes, you would have to be very careful not to let off the gas. Of you were to let of the throttle then water could get sucked in. My understanding is to proceed slowly and continue to give it gas the whole way across. If the water is over the exhaust and you let up then you will likely get stuck. I had heard what usually happens, is that people start into the puddle doing ok. When they get to the middle and it gets deeper they are like ”oh ****” and let off the gas and then get stuck. This was told to me by a fireman. He said they get a lot of calls like this.
10-22-2018, 02:24 PM
#26
Rennlist Member
I would say just never take the car out if these conditions are called for. It is not worth swamping the car and then it is yours for life as no one will want it.
10-22-2018, 02:43 PM
#27
I have to agree with this. My brother works at an M-B dealership and they get waterlogged engines all the time. It's a disaster. The OP has a nice truck that can wade through deep water easily. Just avoid driving the 991.
10-23-2018, 12:40 PM
#28
Rennlist Member
10-23-2018, 03:18 PM
#29
In:re the MB hydro lock, there's a live action video on the net of a gentleman and his close-to-new high-end AMG Merc, whose car stalls out in the middle of a rainstorm and has to get gets towed away with a dead motor.
It goes to document his hydro locked motor saga dealing w/ Mercedes and whose responsible. Comment on the video include those that state the driver drove too fast or in too deep water and it's his fault (there's a gap in the live video, from running to not running, where there may be "questions" on what actually happened.
Needless to say a likely avoidable occurrence, wouldn't want to chance it.
It goes to document his hydro locked motor saga dealing w/ Mercedes and whose responsible. Comment on the video include those that state the driver drove too fast or in too deep water and it's his fault (there's a gap in the live video, from running to not running, where there may be "questions" on what actually happened.
Needless to say a likely avoidable occurrence, wouldn't want to chance it.
10-23-2018, 11:03 PM
#30
Autovlog is known to make videos very click baity too
