2025 deleted member
Well-known member
You heard every fact in your life at some point for a first time, are those all irrelevant as well?
The Snorkel's relevance to North American overlanding
- Thread starter Dalko43
- Start date
You heard every fact in your life at some point for a first time, are those all irrelevant as well?
southpier
Expedition Leader
so wait ... you do understand, or don't understand? the response is a bit confusing.
MOguy
Explorer
I think he is saying he isn't into the cool factor but it doesn't bother him if others are.
fordracing19
Observer
I do not have one on my 4th gen 4runner but worry about water in the intake since I had to cut the fender liner with my bumper install.
motoz
Adventurer
krick3tt
Adventurer
MOguy,
You got it. Not into the 'cool factor' and really don't see how one piece of kit on a vehicle either adds or subtracts to that vehicle. I am enormously pleased that I even have a vehicle that goes off road as easily as it goes down a highway. I have gone through Mogs and Pinzgauers and I thought those were cool but they had their limitations, as does the current Land Rover.
I think that a persons vehicle and the options is a choice and some are possibly working their way to their 'perfect' vehicle and although there are loyalties to one or another it is all good. Each person is deserving of a bit of applause for going for the 'one' that floats their boat.
Happy trails
You got it. Not into the 'cool factor' and really don't see how one piece of kit on a vehicle either adds or subtracts to that vehicle. I am enormously pleased that I even have a vehicle that goes off road as easily as it goes down a highway. I have gone through Mogs and Pinzgauers and I thought those were cool but they had their limitations, as does the current Land Rover.
I think that a persons vehicle and the options is a choice and some are possibly working their way to their 'perfect' vehicle and although there are loyalties to one or another it is all good. Each person is deserving of a bit of applause for going for the 'one' that floats their boat.
Happy trails
Betarocker
Adventurer
Most modern gasoline vehicles will fry the electronics if they encounter water depths of the video a few posts back. Older mechanical diesels not relying on complex circuit boards can run as long as they get air and the fuel doesn't get contaminated.
krick3tt
Adventurer
The computer for my vehicle is located under the passenger seat so fording extremely deep water is problematic whether I have a snorkel or not. wetting that computer is a total shutdown of the vehicle. I got the snorkel for the dust that I encounter on the trails here. Being in a convoy poses a whole different problem and following far enough back to avoid the dust often is not possible.
Computer location is (in my opinion) a possible design flaw since it can't readily be relocated.
Computer location is (in my opinion) a possible design flaw since it can't readily be relocated.
Ozrockrat
Expedition Leader
Having used snorkels on vehicles for many years I was actually very surprised when I came to the USA 20 years ago that not everyone had them (and at the lack of roof top tents 
).
So I will try to throw my perspective on why they are useful from a practice point of view.
Dust- the higher the intake the less dust. Laws of physics prevail. Dust is heavier than air so it falls to the ground. Therefore there will be less particles the further you get off the ground.
Temperature: the air is a lot cooler further off the ground. People go to a lot of trouble to install cold air intakes etc when the answer is just supply the air from a cooler spot to start with. This cooler air partially or completely offsets the next item.
Loss of power: yes there is more air flow restriction using a snorkel. This is especially so using a cyclonic head over a ram head. But if you follow this rabbit right down it’s hole we can get into the facts that you can flow a lot more air with no filter or a more open filter (K&N). Obviously this puts you more at risk of dusting an engine. You are the only one that can determine the the level of restriction you are prepared to bear with the downside being a reduction in power. Personally don’t drive on a dyno so pure peak power/performance figures are irrelevant. As long as it still flows enough and you are not trying to suck a marble through a water hose then things should be fine.
Water crossings: where I came from in Australia water crossing were not much of an issue 99% of the time so that was not why we had snorkels. But when it flooded out there the water covered everything for miles. We always tried to keep the water level below the top of the tires. But sometimes there are oops moments. So it really was a nice benefit but not a decision point.
Summary: if I could work out how to put one on my truck here in the USA I would. This is based on the cooler air and less dust (yes even the dust that lingers on paved roads). I hopefully will never get water anywhere near the air intake level the truck currently has otherwise my generator and all the outside cabinets will be full of water.
). So I will try to throw my perspective on why they are useful from a practice point of view.
Dust- the higher the intake the less dust. Laws of physics prevail. Dust is heavier than air so it falls to the ground. Therefore there will be less particles the further you get off the ground.
Temperature: the air is a lot cooler further off the ground. People go to a lot of trouble to install cold air intakes etc when the answer is just supply the air from a cooler spot to start with. This cooler air partially or completely offsets the next item.
Loss of power: yes there is more air flow restriction using a snorkel. This is especially so using a cyclonic head over a ram head. But if you follow this rabbit right down it’s hole we can get into the facts that you can flow a lot more air with no filter or a more open filter (K&N). Obviously this puts you more at risk of dusting an engine. You are the only one that can determine the the level of restriction you are prepared to bear with the downside being a reduction in power. Personally don’t drive on a dyno so pure peak power/performance figures are irrelevant. As long as it still flows enough and you are not trying to suck a marble through a water hose then things should be fine.
Water crossings: where I came from in Australia water crossing were not much of an issue 99% of the time so that was not why we had snorkels. But when it flooded out there the water covered everything for miles. We always tried to keep the water level below the top of the tires. But sometimes there are oops moments. So it really was a nice benefit but not a decision point.
Summary: if I could work out how to put one on my truck here in the USA I would. This is based on the cooler air and less dust (yes even the dust that lingers on paved roads). I hopefully will never get water anywhere near the air intake level the truck currently has otherwise my generator and all the outside cabinets will be full of water.
southpier
Expedition Leader
as I watched that I wondered: wouldn't cold water coming into contact with a hot engine block invoke its own damage?
ExplorerTom
Explorer
Prior to my snorkel, my filter would have significant dust accumulated after a couple day wheeling trips- maybe 30 miles total on dirt. I think most of the dust sucked in was churned up by my own front right tire.
After the snorkel, the filter stays SIGNIFICANTLY cleaner. Kokopelli Trail, Rim Rocker- both are over 100 miles each on dirt. The filter looks like a typical street filter.
I didn't do it for water. Out west, if you're in water that deep it's probably also running very fast (spring run off) or in the middle of a lake. Either of which, you shouldn't be driving in anyway.
After the snorkel, the filter stays SIGNIFICANTLY cleaner. Kokopelli Trail, Rim Rocker- both are over 100 miles each on dirt. The filter looks like a typical street filter.
I didn't do it for water. Out west, if you're in water that deep it's probably also running very fast (spring run off) or in the middle of a lake. Either of which, you shouldn't be driving in anyway.
MOguy
Explorer
I had a 4fh gen and it air intake is pretty vulnerable to water problems.
But you're going to have a filter, regardless of which setup you use. The question is: if you leave the air intake box stock, will there be enough dust clogging up the filter that you'll have to change out the filter sooner than if you'd use raised air intake?
For most overlanders doing a few weekend trips, if that, per month, I'd argue no. Maybe there are exceptions to some people who are constantly driving dirt roads out west, but if I were a weekend warrior in Maryland, I don't think I'd be seeing enough dust to warrant a snorkel.
I think most modern air intake systems are well designed and I don't see an aftermarket snorkel providing a noticeable difference in air temperature versus a factory design, especially compared to the more advanced factory units that can modify the intake route depending on the air quality. A raised air intake is, at most, 4-5 ft higher than a stock intake; I don't see that 4-5 ft height advantage allowing for much, if any, difference in intake air temp's.
Okay, but the filters being equal, a raised air intake creates more inefficiencies versus a factory intake system. I don't know how much of a difference can be noticed by the butt dyno, but the OEM provided HP/Torque and towing ratings because of how certain systems, to include the air intake, were designed. It might be a difference that is barely noticeable, but it is something people should be aware of before purchasing an aftermarket intake.
I understand the theory behind raised air intakes and water crossings. I think the reality for most modern vehicles is that hood-high water levels will be frying their electronics, so a flooded engine will be the least of their worries.
^This.
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goatherder
no trepidation
Well, I plan to go to Overland Expo next year. And everybody knows that a REAL expo rig will have a snorkel. I want to be taken seriously. So I am in the market for a snorkel for my short bus camper.
I'm thinking an inflatable model, that attaches with magnets. That way, when the show's over, I can just pull it off the truck and deflate it, and store it in the box with the inflatable pool, palm tree and flamingos.
I'm thinking an inflatable model, that attaches with magnets. That way, when the show's over, I can just pull it off the truck and deflate it, and store it in the box with the inflatable pool, palm tree and flamingos.