Motoring Discussion > driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland Miscellaneous
Thread Author: henry k Replies: 7

 driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland - henry k
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22260836
 driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland - bathtub tom
Like a Fen blow.

I expect Pat'll say she's seen worse!
 driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland - L'escargot
>> Like a Fen blow.
>>

I remember driving through one in a car which had drum brakes. The dust got into the brakes on one side and affected them to the extent that the car pulled to one side when braking. The drums had to be removed and cleaned out.
 driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland - helicopter
I have driven through sandstorms in the desert of Qatar and it is very similar to driving in snow as the visibility drops and the sand drifts ....and slightly worrying if you are on a road in the desert and unsure of exactly where you are .....

You can imagine what it is like if you happen to be in a helicopter and encounter a sandstorm.... the military call them 'brownouts'....below lifted from the internet....

In just the first year of the war in Iraq, brownout mishaps cost the Army three fatalities, 29 non-fatal injuries, and $60 million in equipment damage, notes the Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate. One Army Chinook was destroyed and 16 soldiers were injured in Afghanistan when the CH-47D set a landing gear in an irrigation ditch.

 driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland - lancara
Ditto in Kuwait - gave a nice sand-blasted finish to the front bumper, and recommended oil changes were every 1000 miles; otherwise an engine was a write-off in a year or so
 driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland - bathtub tom
How would the sand contaminate the oil? Most modern vehicles have what is effectively a sealed system.
 driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland - Armel Coussine
Sandblasting can affect paint or chrome on a car that has been in the desert at the wrong time. But grains of sand big enough for example to sting your face are only carried by a very high wind indeed. What 'sandstorms' usually consist of is fine dust. That can penetrate anywhere, clog air filters, coat your face and your scalp under your hair. Desert children suffer constantly from eye infections.

That fine dust would I imagine be sucked into engines with the inlet charge and stick to the oil on the cylinder walls turning it slowly to grinding paste. I know for example that infantry weapons - automatic rifles - are used absolutely dry in desert areas. If they are lubricated grinding paste forms instantly and they quickly wear themselves out.
 driving in a sandstorm - in Scotland - henry k
>>What 'sandstorms' usually consist of is fine dust. That can penetrate anywhere,
>>
I have experienced these dust storms in Saudi.
We were playing cards one night in our hotel room and we thought we could smell smoke.
We opened the door and the corridor was full with a dust cloud.
We could only see dim street lights from our window. Traffic was halted as was the airport.

All the cars we had there had an oil change etc every month.

Standard instructions were to wear glasses or sun glasses when outside.
The dust really does get everywhere and it is the consistency of talc.
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