Snorkels

[Mike 69]

Hi, I have a 2005 mk triton petrol v6 does anyone know where I could buy a snorkel to fit my 4x4 as safari dose not make them for my model anymore ?
When I bought the vehicle it was fitted with a twin exhaust systerm would it be better to change it back to single exhast or leave it any advise would be appreciated .

 

[LockyerLad]

Can I ask a question?....what is your reason for wanting a snorkel?

 

[cam04]

Try 4wd systems.
the twin pipes are fine so long as you have the chrome downturn extensions in place along with the fox tail on the aerial lest the gods be angered with you….

 

[mikehzz]

If I hit an unexpected hole in a river crossing it can save my engine. Accidents like that do happen no matter how carefull you are. Out remote, your air filter stays cleaner on the dusty roads.

 

[cam04]

Can I ask a question?....what is your reason for wanting a snorkel?

The Mazda/Isuzu I have runs a type of cold air induction through a forward facing intake in the grille. It forces the air downwards first then back up so that theoretically it should drop any water out but being old school I took one look at it and decided that an extra $700 was money well spent in my case.

 

[LockyerLad]

Yes, Mitsubishi want $962 for a MR Triton snorkel, do I really need one?, I thought. This required some research....my conclusion is that generally they might well be a waste of money.
Consider first that most 'proper' 4x4's will allow a wading depth of >500mm with a standard air filter, that is quite deep, so while there might be situations where, as Mikehzz notes, an unexpected hole is hit. My experience however is that to walk that creek, shooing any crocs aside, would be the better thing to do, that 'unexpected hole' could in fact be 2 meters deep!.
I definitely agree that there is a place for a snorkel for sure, if creek crossings are, say to windscreen or so deep are something you will do regularly by all means fit one. Check also that your vehicles electrics can handle that depth, PCM's /ECU's hate water, where are yours, are your diff and tranny breathers also snorkeled?
To suggest the air through a snorkel is somehow cleaner defies logic....why would this be so?....I am assuming that it is thought that because the snorkel intake is at a higher altitude this means less dust...really?....the snorkel intake is what?....500-600mm above that of the standard air cleaner intake, dust doesn't go up there?
Other comments I have heard on the advantages of a snorkel; the forward facing intake forces more air into the engine. Funnily enough this can actually be correct, but only if you are driving something without a turbo. If you do have a turbo no matter how fast you go it's the turbo that determines the amount of air entering your engine. Whilst a deisel person I would think that most modern petrol engines also have restrictions on the amount of intake air.
Some will say the air entering the engine via a snorkel is cooler, I don't know where this comes from but I suspect many may think this is related to the thinking that standard air filters take air from the hot engine compartment. In fact very few modern fourbies actually take hot air from near the engine, a common place is via a forward facing intake, as Cam04 pointed out above, many others take air from the wheel well, behind the mudguard liner. And of course the snorkel is a wide black poly tube sitting in the blazing and perfect Queensland sun (if you too are so lucky), not so cool perhaps.
All the above is just what my research discovered and of course, I am always ready to hear other opinions.
Paul
Lockley Valley
Queensland.

 

[2luxes]

To suggest the air through a snorkel is somehow cleaner defies logic....why would this be so?....I am assuming that it is thought that because the snorkel intake is at a higher altitude this means less dust...really?....the snorkel intake is what?....500-600mm above that of the standard air cleaner intake, dust doesn't go up there

I put a snorkel on one of my cars twelve years ago. You would be surprised how much dust gets into it, even in suburban areas.

Dust often rises. The best conditions for a snorkel to collect a lot of dust is in a convoy on a road like to the Birdsville Track but convoys on mountain tracks with no wind is another good place.

I decided to put a Donaldson pre cleaner on top of my snorkel so I called in to Donaldson's head office at Wyong NSW to see what size I needed. I lived close to them back then but I'm about 600 ks away now.

They said the only pre cleaner they make for street use is for large trucks. The plastic bowl type that I wanted was for stationary engines only. If they are used on cars, the air has to change direction through 90 degrees to get up into them and street speeds are too fast to allow sufficient air to get into the engine.

I solved that problem by discarding the original forward facing intake on the snorkel and made a forward facing aluminium intake that sat on top of the snorkel with the pre cleaner on top of it.

The thing that I made looks like a "pea" whistle lying on its side. The air goes in through a square opening then curves around inside it then up through the angled vanes into the bottom of pre cleaner then down through the snorkle into the engine.

The cleaner is so effective that I very rarely have to clean the car's standard air cleaner.

 

[linuxfan66]

I put a snorkel on one of my cars twelve years ago. You would be surprised how much dust gets into it, even in suburban areas.

Dust often rises. The best conditions for a snorkel to collect a lot of dust is in a convoy on a road like to the Birdsville Track but convoys on mountain tracks with no wind is another good place.

I decided to put a Donaldson pre cleaner on top of my snorkel so I called in to Donaldson's head office at Wyong NSW to see what size I needed. I lived close to them back then but I'm about 600 ks away now.

They said the only pre cleaner they make for street use is for large trucks. The plastic bowl type that I wanted was for stationary engines only. If they are used on cars, the air has to change direction through 90 degrees to get up into them and street speeds are too fast to allow sufficient air to get into the engine.

I solved that problem by discarding the original forward facing intake on the snorkel and made a forward facing aluminium intake that sat on top of the snorkel with the pre cleaner on top of it.

The thing that I made looks like a "pea" whistle lying on its side. The air goes in through a square opening then curves around inside it then up through the angled vanes into the bottom of pre cleaner then down through the snorkle into the engine.

The cleaner is so effective that I very rarely have to clean the car's standard air cleaner.

how about cyclone snorkels?

 

[Albynsw]

@LockyerLad if you plan on going to the Vic high country or Cape York a snorkel is a good accessory to have, 500mm is only a puddle there
BTW 70 series fit a high air intake from factory for cooler cleaner air but it is not a snorkel

 

[LockyerLad]

I'd suggest that fitting an existing air filter upgrade, i.e. a K & N or Donaldson is a much cheaper and more effective alternative to fitting a snorkel and no need for a 100mm hole to be cut in the mudguard.
I have been to Cape York and even to Dingo Piss Creek. But don't take my word for any of this, its your money. This may be of interest;

Paul,
Lockley Valley
Queensland.

 

[a1bert]

Have fitted a snorkel, have had to use it only once through the flooded Wonagara (?) River coming out of Sheep Yard Flats. Either that or an extra 60k drive back through Race Course to Dargo
So if doing deep river crossings i would recommend them, other than that invest your money else where

 

[mikehzz]

It's not the dust from your car that you have to worry about especially when remote, it's the dust from the cars you travel with, or pass. Dust sinks back to the ground, and you can easily see when behind another car that you can see the top of that car but have more trouble seeing anything as you get down near the wheels. You're driving through their dust. The proof of it is inspecting air filters under both conditions over a few years. I don't think Cadogan is a regular at Dingo Piss Creek

 

[mikehzz]

Another factor is, you're in a group and you drive 100kms along a track and get to a crossing that's iffy. It may be all right or not. The option is play it safe and turn around which is a pain , or cross and wreck your car through pressure of not wanting to inconvenience the group members who are set up to cross. I find that with a snorkel, the decision is clearer. The crossings you don't want to make stand out like dog's balls to everyone.

 

[Albynsw]

I was quite happy to have had a snorkel last trip to Cape York

Would of been a shame to have to turn around and go home because I didn’t. I am fairly risk adverse and don’t go looking for trouble but like to think I have equipped my vehicle sufficiently to deal with what comes my way. For me in the scheme of things like a winch they are cheap insurance

If a snorkel only cost $100 instead of around $1000 I wonder if we would be having this discussion? Agree just the same if you don’t go near water you don’t need one.

 

[2luxes]

how about cyclone snorkels?

I just had a look at a cyclonic on Safaris web site. They are the same as Donaldson's pre cleaner. They would have the same problem of getting air up into them at high speeds. They would work at not much more than walking speeds on mountain tracks but not on very well on faster open dirt roads.

Prior to making this intake system, all my 4wd driving had been on my own. Soon after buying this car, I joined a 4wd club. The first trip was a nine day VHC trip with ten other cars in scorching January heat with no wind to blow the dust away from the tracks. I had to wash my air air cleaner element in creeks every second day.

Since then my wife and I have spent a lot of time on our own in the central deserts on both major unsealed roads and very remote desert tracks. You can't carry enough water to keep air cleaners clean in those conditions.

 

[discomatt]

i.e. a K & N

Only good for keeping rocks out of the intake, I wouldn't be using one in dusty conditions, do some research on the filtering capabilities and the size of particles they keep out or more to the point the size of particles they fail to keep out

 

[cam04]

I just had a look at a cyclonic on Safaris web site. They are the same as Donaldson's pre cleaner. They would have the same problem of getting air up into them at high speeds. They would work at not much more than walking speeds on mountain tracks but not on very well on faster open dirt roads.

Prior to making this intake system, all my 4wd driving had been on my own. Soon after buying this car, I joined a 4wd club. The first trip was a nine day VHC trip with ten other cars in scorching January heat with no wind to blow the dust away from the tracks. I had to wash my air air cleaner element in creeks every second day.

Since then my wife and I have spent a lot of time on our own in the central deserts on both major unsealed roads and very remote desert tracks. You can't carry enough water to keep air cleaners clean in those conditions.

Are you diesel or petrol? My last 167 v6 hilux I could wash the filter element but IIRC the 3.0 TD you couldn't?

 

[John U]

I was quite happy to have had a snorkel last trip to Cape York

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Would of been a shame to have to turn around and go home because I didn’t. I am fairly risk adverse and don’t go looking for trouble but like to think I have equipped my vehicle sufficiently to deal with what comes my way. For me in the scheme of things like a winch they are cheap insurance

If a snorkel only cost $100 instead of around $1000 I wonder if we would be having this discussion? Agree just the same if you don’t go near water you don’t need one.

It's good to be prepared.