Mahindra Thar Goes Wild Water Wading On Flooded Roads: But Is This A Good Idea? [Video]
Many parts of India have been receiving steady rainfall in the past few days. The Southwest monsoon first arrived in Kerala this time, on May 24th- eight days ahead of the usual onset date. The south Indian state has been receiving heavy downpours and many of its roads are already flooded. Some Mahindra Thar owners seem to have found an opportunity in this, to flex their SUVs. Multiple videos shared on social media show Thars being driven through a layer of stagnant water that's taller than the SUV's hood!
This video is from Pala town, located in Kerala's Kottayam district. The road here seems to dip and rise, creating a stretch that gathered a huge layer of stagnant water after the rain. In the video, several vehicles can be seen stopped at one end of the water layer.
It looks like the locals around asked them to stop and probably even take a different route, due to the dangerous flooded patch. A White Mahindra Thar, however, decided to take a wild call, and attempted an insane water wading.
The SUV can be seen moving carefully through the water layer, and without stopping or shedding speed inside the flooded patch. At some point, we realise that the water layer is as tall as its hood, and the 'bow' stands well above it! This, however, doesn't unsettle the driver's confidence, who soon makes it out of the flooded area, safe.
The video has been amassing massive viewership. Another clip shows more angles of the adventure and includes footage that was recorded from within the Thar's cabin while it was water-wading. We get to see the exact water level in this clip.
Going by how he drove, the driver of this Thar seems to be skilled. He adopted the right technique and stayed behind the bow wave, while maintaining enough pace to keep it moving. What he missed out on was any form of water blind, which is serious considering the vehicle had stock air intake!
If done right, the bow wave can create a small pocket of air under the bonnet which would prevent water from entering the engine bay and causing damage there. This driver likely managed to pull this off wel- judging by his speed and the size and movement of the bow wave.
However, this is not something that Thar owners should attempt with a stock vehicle with no raised intake or snorkel! Though this driver was lucky enough to make it out in one piece, his vehicle could have taken notable damage in the act. Of course, it would be hard to spot these just by looking at it!
Why Was This A Bad Idea?
To begin with, the Thar here seems to be in its stock form. It doesn't have a snorkel or lifted air intake. Mahindra claims the water wading capacity of the stock Thar to be 650 mm ( 0.65 meters). In any case, the water level should not reach above the grille level.
The engine needs air to function. Dedicated air intakes are used to suck air in and facilitate engine breathing. The mechanism consists of an air filter box and a rectangular opening connected to it. This is connected to the engine's intake manifold.
While driving through extremely flooded roads such as this, it is likely that water ends up getting into the engine bay, and gets sucked into the engine. If so, it can disrupt the combustion process, and make the engine stall, as the pistons could seize (called 'hydrolock')! The car's electrical components can also be affected in such cases.
Another incident from Kerala shows a classic case of water-wading gone wrong. The vehicle involved in it, was also a Thar. It was being driven through stagnant water till it stalled all of a sudden, and the driver was stranded in the middle of the pool!
How To Do It The Right Way?
If you are to take your off-roader SUV to wade through stagnant water, it is important to do it the right way. Make sure you have equipped the vehicle with a snorkel (which basically moves the air intake opening to a much higher point). You should also use a tarp or water blinds to keep the engine safe.
The key is in getting the math right with the bow wave. It should be kept high and moving enough to keep the air pocket intact, under the hood. The vehicle should also keep a steady pace and not brake or decelerate when inside the pool. Using the right gears is also important.
If the engine stalls inside the water layer, avoid cranking or trying to restart, and get the vehicle towed to safety as soon as possible. Also avoid taking the vehicle suddenly into stagnant water, when the engine and its components are too hot.