Snorkel or Not to Snorkel

[MOAK]

Kind of a strong statement from a business owner. I personally wouldn't want to push away a possible sale.
With that said, I have been looking into them for quite a while. I take peoples opinions with a grain of salt and lean towards the benefits or lack of.
Here's what I found.

Positive points.
Pulls air a bit higher, giving a ram effect at highway speeds. The higher speed will also run cooler, cooler is better. (our 80's need all the H/P help they can get)
Most of the heavy dirt flows below, so your getting dust only.
Better water fording, I drive mostly desert and the few water crossings I have done, don't go too deep. If they did I would loose traction anyway.
"looks cool" (opinion based)
Can make vehicle easier to sell

Negative points
Have to cut fender (I cant get myself to do this)
Can make vehicle harder to sell
Some people will taunt you for having it.
Some people will ask you if you like it or not.
People will ask if it was hard to install.
People will comment that it didn't double their H/P. Therefore a waste of money.

Scott

Hey, 4x4 outpost is extraordinarily busy nearly year round. It is a high performance off-road shop specializing in Jeeps, and the occasional Toyota. It has been my lifelong experience that honest businessmen have the problem of being really busy. Honesty goes a lot further than making a quick sale.

 

[smritte]

Hey, 4x4 outpost is extraordinarily busy nearly year round. It is a high performance off-road shop specializing in Jeeps, and the occasional Toyota. It has been my lifelong experience that honest businessmen have the problem of being really busy. Honesty goes a lot further than making a quick sale.

No disrespect intended. As a former business owner I understand what busy is. My comment was only based on the waste of money comment. If I was asked I would have given the same I posted here. Its also possible he has been burned by installing parts that didn't hold up to what he paid for. We have all bought what was advertised as quality just to find out our version of quality was different.

Interesting that we both switched our 04 Rubicons for an 80 series.

Heh..yep
I bought my 04 because I was tired of the poor engineering in my older jeeps (quality again?). Forty years later, full circle back to what I started with. Toyota.

Scott

 

[MOAK]

No disrespect intended. As a former business owner I understand what busy is. My comment was only based on the waste of money comment. If I was asked I would have given the same I posted here. Its also possible he has been burned by installing parts that didn't hold up to what he paid for. We have all bought what was advertised as quality just to find out our version of quality was different.


Heh..yep
I bought my 04 because I was tired of the poor engineering in my older jeeps (quality again?). Forty years later, full circle back to what I started with. Toyota.

Scott

Interesting that our timeline with rigs is nearly identical. Here is my rig from early spring of 1977. I loved that 40. My ex-wife totaled it being stupid. I then went through a number of pick-up trucks, then began buying jeeps. I bought the 04 Rubicon thinking it was very much like a Landcruiser. I was wrong, bought my 80 5 years ago and sold the TJ. The very best vehicle choice I have made since my original purchase 42 years ago when I got the 40. PM me, I'm somewhat familiar with the southern regions of Ontario and have a good friend in Peterborough. Tis a small world indeed. This image is from 1977. 41 years ago.

 

[noah.wass]

I read through this post once and felt like there is a portion of a significant consideration missing. People tend to think that putting a snorkel on your rig allows you to go through deep water. While it does help, I feel like there are a lot of other considerations that need to be made in terms of prepping your vehicle for water crossings.

All vehicles are not the same but, for the most part, will have similar components.

There are a lot of good topics addressed in this post on Toyota-4Runner.org.

 

[Chadlyb]

Interesting that our timeline with rigs is nearly identical. Here is my rig from early spring of 1977. I loved that 40. My ex-wife totaled it being stupid. I then went through a number of pick-up trucks, then began buying jeeps. I bought the 04 Rubicon thinking it was very much like a Landcruiser. I was wrong, bought my 80 5 years ago and sold the TJ. The very best vehicle choice I have made since my original purchase 42 years ago when I got the 40. PM me, I'm somewhat familiar with the southern regions of Ontario and have a good friend in Peterborough. Tis a small world indeed. This image is from 1977. 41 years ago.



View attachment 75088

Great pic

 

[smritte]

Interesting that our timeline with rigs is nearly identical. Here is my rig from early spring of 1977. I loved that 40. My ex-wife totaled it being stupid. I then went through a number of pick-up trucks, then began buying jeeps. I bought the 04 Rubicon thinking it was very much like a Landcruiser. I was wrong, bought my 80 5 years ago and sold the TJ. The very best vehicle choice I have made since my original purchase 42 years ago when I got the 40. PM me, I'm somewhat familiar with the southern regions of Ontario and have a good friend in Peterborough. Tis a small world indeed. This image is from 1977. 41 years ago.

I wish I still had pictures of my early rigs. That time frame I was driving a 59 willys pu with a small block chevy and 32" true tracks. Next it was a 68 land cruiser around 1979. My daily driver then was a 77 datsun pu. My first toyota pu was the 86 4wd turbo. Loved that truck.

I decided to fix my location from CA to California. Im in So Cal not Canada. Lots of people make that mistake from my sig.

All vehicles are not the same but, for the most part, will have similar components.

Totally agree here. People need to understand that all vehicles are just similar, not the same. Especially when it comes to doing any mod's. In this thread it's snorkel's and some water fording. Big differences in how vehicles react to water/mud.

There are a lot of good topics addressed in this post on Toyota-4Runner.org.

I like what he did here. He spent a long time researching and writing that. Kind of a long read but, he hit pretty much all the points.

When I was growing up, we had a fairly large area to go play in. You had to cross two creek's (rocky and about 30ish feet across) to get to the reservoir. At the reservoir you had more water and mud. In high school and for a couple of years after, this was the place to go. Here is where I got to learn water and mud intrusion as well as different extraction techniques. Later we found salt water (Pismo Beach) and very high alkali, muddy, "dry lakes" out in the desert (think rust and corrosion). Those times were great for seeing a hundred plus people in rigs of all shapes, sizes, years and lifts get swamped and/or stuck in one way or the other.

The only thing that my current vehicle has that gives me issue's is how Toyota vented the distributor. When I've gotten it wet, all I needed to do is pull the cap and dry it out, then I'm good to go. I have an old school mod I use to do involving a vacuum hose and that will fix that. Just need to remember to do it.

Scott

 

[Boostpowered]

If your in texas during the 2 wet seasons and your out in middle of nowhere they can be really handy or when hurricanes hit or when the saharan dust clouds hit a couple times per year in the summer time. If your the type of person that dosent drive on dirt roads much or dont want to go in water deeper than you axles then there isnt really a need for it, but like everything else its better to have and not need than to need and not have. I used mine probably 5 times last weekend in oklahoma crossing rivers

 

[12C20]

Someone said it, sort of, but it's good to remember that a snorkel will only help the engine to breathe. It won't keep you from floating, won't help you retain traction, and won't keep you from sinking. Crossing water is a dangerous thing and can turn expensive or deadly in an instant.

There's no sense in being reckless or pretending to be indestructible. Know the depth of water you're entering, know the velocity of any current, and listen to that little voice in your head that we all ignore just before doing something stupid.

 

[BrockSamsonZR2]

Hey Graeman

No, Rachel and I picked up the 4Runner about 2 months ago and have just gotten through the base line. We are really just learning this vehicle, but I’ll look into that marine deck lid mod you mentioned. Thanks for the suggestion!

Most of my experience with snorkel/not to snorkel comes from off roading a decade ago with a 2000 Jeep XJ. Miss that rig :(

I used to have a 97 4Runner a long time ago. There was a website called "gadget online" and a quick google search... and it still shows up. This was the early 2000s so I don't know how relevant the website is now but the fact that its still up makes me think some people still reference it. It should have some airbox information with dyno results from making various changes to the airbox. Not sure if it had the deck plate mod but I did it back then and at the time it seemed to be a really inexpensive worth while modification.

Also looks like you are right near me! I am in Fairfax.

 

[SubeeBen]

I would love to add a snorkel to the Jku but I have a smittybilt rack & I don’t think it is possible with my configuration. If it is possible please advise.

 

[Boostpowered]

View attachment 77564 I would love to add a snorkel to the Jku but I have a smittybilt rack & I don’t think it is possible with my configuration. If it is possible please advise.

Anything is possible, im guessing that with the pillar lights and that cage your front window no longer folds down. So you could get the river raider snorkel system by hauk offroad, or various other mfg. Or you can design your own from tubing and just get a snorkel head off ebay.

 

[Kilo Sierra]

I've been toying with getting a snorkel as well. My brother mentioned that my Nephew loves cars with snorkels so I'll probably get one just for him. :)

I had read that turning the ram air around could cause a negative effect on the intake and potentially cause damage. Anyone have any idea on this?

 

[Boostpowered]

I've been toying with getting a snorkel as well. My brother mentioned that my Nephew loves cars with snorkels so I'll probably get one just for him. :)

I had read that turning the ram air around could cause a negative effect on the intake and potentially cause damage. Anyone have any idea on this?

It will not cause any more damage than leaving an intake stock inside the fender well. Generally you dont turn the head around unless its a snowstorm or in thick brush that would hang on it. If its a concern just get a mushroom style head or the purolator type that you see on tractors.

 

[madcratebuilder]

It will not cause any more damage than leaving an intake stock inside the fender well. Generally you dont turn the head around unless its a snowstorm or in thick brush that would hang on it. If its a concern just get a mushroom style head or the purolator type that you see on tractors.

Most desert runners run with the intake to the rear and a prefilter.

 

[Cpol]

For starters I am impress with the craftsmanship ok4wheel did on the install. Was a little scared that’s why I had it installed by them. I feel the car sounds beefier. Better mpg, and it looks amazing. Thank GOD I didn’t get the trd version on the 2019. It rises too much and prevents the racking system to be installed. I love my version. Good luck.

 

[PatriotT4R]

I prefer to add a snorkel at a later date when I finish other upgrades. I like the idea of having a peace of mind knowing that if I ever encounter high water crossings in NC again I will be able to cross safely. I've looked at the very popular Safari Snorkel but to me the lines do not run well with the 5TH GEN 4Runner, besides I think the lower half of the snorkel takes up so much of the quarter panel. I found a different version TJM 2010+ 4RUNNER AIRTEC SNORKEL KIT & TJM SNORKEL AIR RAM WEDGE TAIL 450mm .... The snorkel conforms to the body much better and the Air Ram turns inward above the front windshield.
https://aidenjamescustoms.com/collections/tjm-4x4-equipped/products/tjm-airtec-snorkel-2010-toyota-4runner
https://www.prestigeoffroad.com.au/suspension-underbody/snorkels/snorkel-air-ram-wedge-tail-450mm.html

 

[Cpol]

Snorkel

 

[Jay61]

A long while ago I had seriously considered installing a snorkel, until I had multiple conversations with multiple folks that live and wheel all over the Colorado Plateau, specifically the Moab region. Out of 10 or 12 folks living in that region I couldn't find a single one the would recommend using a snorkel. Steve the owner of 4x4 Outpost put it quite succinctly, " they are a complete waste of money" his words, not mine. Don't get me wrong, I understand the benefits of a cold air intake, but my cruiser draws air from the outside as it is. I understand the cleaner air theories as well. Water crossings? Hey, if you're in over your hood, just maybe you shouldn't be there. Here in the lower 48 I just don't see the need. Heading to Alaska, the back way? Maybe. Land of Oz, definitely. But here in the lower 48? Begin your case, for or against !! :)

Not for nothing, but you do not need to be anywhere near over your hood to hydrolock your engine. I have seen many a vehicle hydrolocked from the wake pushed by their tires with the water not even coming over their tires. I live in the southeast and we get a lot of flooding from time to time (hurricanes and tropical storms are a part of life here). That is not why I have a snorkel though, I drive a lot of dusty roads, and my air filter stays rather clean....a lot cleaner than many of the people I ride with.

 

[oldmopars]

Thanks for all the info here. I am thinking of installing one on my 90 Suburban. I live in the desert in Washington (yes there is a desert here) and my road and driveway are both gravel. The dust is really bad here, water is never an issue, we get less than 9in per year. My air filter gets really dirty really fast.
I know with water crossings there is a lot more than how high the intake is. Many vehicles have electronics mounted even lower than the air intake, water crossing will destroy those, if not instantly, down the road.

 

[Specter]

Few need a ‘snorkel’, but lots of people could benefit from an ‘elevated air intake’.