Snorkel Wars

[articulate]

Snorkel - HUH! - What is it good for? (it's hard typing music)


This weekend, Wil was justifying a snorkel to his lovely wife over the campfire. And this turned into a fun topic for everyone, and I thought it might be fun here.

Once upon a time I penned the following and Aaron reminded me of it. Here it is:

The Quintet of Reasons to have a Snorkel on your Vehicle (abridged):

1. Cleaner air
2. Cooler air
3. More air
4. Dry air
5. It looks really cool

Scott promptly corrected me and summed it all up: "It's for the safety of your family." As if that was that. (and when HE speaks, that usually IS that)

So...thoughts, additions, detractions, jokes, tales, other abridged lists?

[goodtimes]

Of all the snorkle topics, I'm finally going to respond to one.

Now, most of you that know me, know I don't coat things in sugar. I tell it like I see it, or I just keep my mouth shut. Usually the former.

So, without further delay.....here is a re-creation of a conversation I once had with a mall cruiser in 4 wheel parts out in LA....

"Why don't you put a snorkle on your jeep"

Me: "because they are for mall cruisers"

Him: "but they will save your engine if you are ever in deep water"

Me: "probably not, no one ever does all the other stuff needed to take advantage of the snorkle, and they suffer just as much damage with it as without it".

Him: "no way, I'd never go 'wheeling without one. You never know when you will cross a stream that is deeper than your airbox."

Me: "proper speed will give you a bow wave that will keep water out of your engine compartment. I have had bow waves higher than my hood, and never had a problem with sucking water into my engine."

Him: "But if you would have gotton stuck, you would have sucked water into your engine".

Me: "Yea, but even with a snorkle, if you don't extend your exhaust higher than water line, you will have water run into the engine via the exhaust system as soon as your engine shuts off....and it will shut off, because no one properly seals the electronics package before playing submarine. Not to mention destroying your radiator with the fan because as soon as that water rushes into the engine compartment your fan becomes a propeller and proceeds to deflect and eat the radiator."

Him: "You just gotta know how fast to drive through the water, and you'll be fine"

Me: "Is there an echo in the showroom?"



IMO, if you don't do the whole thing (seal the electronics, install an electric fan w/cut-off switch, raise the exhaust, extend the gearbox vents, and seal whatever else you don't want to get wet), a snorkle is of little value. Sure, they catch attention (and in some cases this is what you want), but 99.99 x 10^152 times, they are just like chrome...there for the show and that's it.

I'll leave now before I get hit in the head with a snorkle.....

[Boston Mangler]

IMO, if you don't do the whole thing (seal the electronics, install an electric fan w/cut-off switch, raise the exhaust, extend the gearbox vents, and seal whatever else you don't want to get wet), a snorkle is of little value. Sure, they catch attention (and in some cases this is what you want), but 99.99 x 10^152 times, they are just like chrome...there for the show and that's it.

Well Said! Mirrors my thoughts exactly!

[DaktariEd]

Reasonable thoughts of course.

But the Aussies (and others) make a very good point for snorkel use to draw cleaner air. (See Australian 4WD Monthly).

The Camino del Diablo Trail is a good example...some really powdery dust in places there. A snorkel would be an advantage, no?

Ed

[jeffryscott]

I put my snorkel on for one primary reason: with the body lift on my little truck, I exposed the intake (or at least feared I did) by having to trim the plastic fender liner below the intake (passenger side, inner fender).

I wasn't as worried about a water crossing as I was about the way the streets in Tucson flood during the monsoon. I was afraid of dropping into a hole where there was no bow wave or generally approved way of crossing and sucking water up.

I figured it was better insurance to have, than not to. Because I have the type of job I do, when it rains, I often have to be out when everybody else is told to stay in.

The Suzuki is pretty good from the factory: breather lines are up high in the engine compartment for the front and high in the inside, electronics are also high inside (alternator is a little low) but with any bow waves, I'm sure it is safe. The snorkel provides peace of mind for the reasons given above. Plust it looks cool.

Jeff

[Ursidae69]

Reasonable thoughts of course.

But the Aussies (and others) make a very good point for snorkel use to draw cleaner air. (See Australian 4WD Monthly).

The Camino del Diablo Trail is a good example...some really powdery dust in places there. A snorkel would be an advantage, no?

Ed

I don't know if I buy that cleaner air argument. Some hard data needs to be collected. That would be a fun project.

[goodtimes]

I put my snorkel on for one primary reason: with the body lift on my little truck, I exposed the intake (or at least feared I did) by having to trim the plastic fender liner below the intake (passenger side, inner fender).

This may be a valid concern Jeff. I'm not sure how your intake is set up.

There are definately situations where having a snorkle would be beneficial. But rarely do people *actually* need them. There is probably a higher percentage of users on this board that need them, than there is in the general public....but every time I see one, I still think "Mall Cruiser".

[goodtimes]

I don't know if I buy that cleaner air argument. Some hard data needs to be collected. That would be a fun project.

This would be relatively easy to verify Chuck. We just need 2 vehicles [one with snorkle, one without] the same lift height, tire size and type, a decent lab scale, a pair of new OEM air filters, and a nice dusty road......

[Grim Reaper]

Of all the snorkle topics, I'm finally going to respond to one.

Now, most of you that know me, know I don't coat things in sugar. I tell it like I see it, or I just keep my mouth shut. Usually the former.

So, without further delay.....here is a re-creation of a conversation I once had with a mall cruiser in 4 wheel parts out in LA....

"Why don't you put a snorkle on your jeep"

Me: "because they are for mall cruisers"

Him: "but they will save your engine if you are ever in deep water"

Me: "probably not, no one ever does all the other stuff needed to take advantage of the snorkle, and they suffer just as much damage with it as without it".

Him: "no way, I'd never go 'wheeling without one. You never know when you will cross a stream that is deeper than your airbox."

Me: "proper speed will give you a bow wave that will keep water out of your engine compartment. I have had bow waves higher than my hood, and never had a problem with sucking water into my engine."

Him: "But if you would have gotton stuck, you would have sucked water into your engine".

Me: "Yea, but even with a snorkle, if you don't extend your exhaust higher than water line, you will have water run into the engine via the exhaust system as soon as your engine shuts off....and it will shut off, because no one properly seals the electronics package before playing submarine. Not to mention destroying your radiator with the fan because as soon as that water rushes into the engine compartment your fan becomes a propeller and proceeds to deflect and eat the radiator."

Him: "You just gotta know how fast to drive through the water, and you'll be fine"

Me: "Is there an echo in the showroom?"



IMO, if you don't do the whole thing (seal the electronics, install an electric fan w/cut-off switch, raise the exhaust, extend the gearbox vents, and seal whatever else you don't want to get wet), a snorkel is of little value. Sure, they catch attention (and in some cases this is what you want), but 99.99 x 10^152 times, they are just like chrome...there for the show and that's it.

I'll leave now before I get hit in the head with a snorkle.....

The whole irony here is a snorkels primary design is for Silt not water. It helps with water is the side benefit not the primary.

I have packed the air box full of silt in drought time to the point I have had to stop and buy a new air cleaner. A Snorkel would have helped with that by getting the air from a higher source that was not carrying as large of quantity of airborne silt.

[bigreen505]

I have packed the air box full of silt in drought time to the point I have had to stop and buy a new air cleaner. A Snorkel would have helped with that by getting the air from a higher source that was not carrying as large of quantity of airborne silt.

Well, I don't have any great stories like that, but I have had to vacuum 1/4" or sand and heavy dust out of my air filter box and that was after only about three days (maybe 10-15 miles at the absolute maximum in the sand), and I know the gunk would not have been there had the system not been pulling air from the wheel well. Even a K&N style cone filter would have been okay.

GT, for balance, I pulled my air filter when we got to the camp spot near Mt. Elbert and there was no accumulation in the air box to speak of, even after running Westin pass and the other road in a total dust fog. I guess the sand/dirt/silt that has a little mass to it is the problem, the dust that is totally airborne not so much.

With the water issue, my feeling is that if you are going to the trouble to install a snorkel, you might as well finish the job with the electrical stuff too. On the Pathfinders that meant putting the ECU in a tupperware container and cutting and siliconing holes for the wires.

Besides, all the cool kids have 'em.