Snorkel or No Snorkel?

[moshie]

Help me decide. Should I put a snorkel on my 5th Gen or not? I don't do many water crossings, but I have heard that they do help with cleaner air (can anyone attest to this)? Give me some pros and cons.

I asked on another site, but they said to do it for #OverlandPoints. I don't want to add anything on for aesthetics. Thanks in advance.

 

[AINOMOATACO]

You answered your own question

 

[moshie]

You answered your own question

Thanks, haha!

 

[mo_mo]

Help me decide. Should I put a snorkel on my 5th Gen or not? I don't do many water crossings, but I have heard that they do help with cleaner air (can anyone attest to this)? Give me some pros and cons.

I asked on another site, but they said to do it for #OverlandPoints. I don't want to add anything on for aesthetics. Thanks in advance.

Stock a 4Runner can run in water up to the top of the tires with minimal risk to ingesting water into the intake (pop your hood and the air filter box open and see where the intake draws air from the passenger side fender). When doing water crossings with a 4Runner, be sure to let your differentials/transmission/etc. cool by letting the vehicle idle a few minutes before entering the water. The water temperature can cause the oil/fluids of the systems to shrink due to thermal expansion/contraction (I was in the pool!), and there are one-way check valves that when submerged in water go closed. This can pull a slight vacuum on seals and can cause them to leak if there is too great of a deltaT.

Have you seen a dirt problem in your intake downstream of the air filter? If not, then you're good as is (hint, that's what air filters are for).

If you're doing water crossings 'hot' (desert sprints and then crashing into water crossings), then think about extending the 'one-way check valves' into high point 'breathers'.

If you're doing water crossings above the top of the tires, then think about a boat.

 

[TOYO74]

When is the last time you drove through water over your bumper, and would you consider driving through water that deep or deeper?

Deep water crossings bring all kinds of problems other than sucking water in the engine air intake. Are you willing to deal with things like soaked interior carpet, water mixed with diff oil (if you don't have breather tube extensions, electrical system problems, etc. ?

Snorkel installation is permanent--unless you replace the fender, you will have an open 4-6 inch hole in your fender if you decide to remove the snorkel.

To me they look like black PVC drain pipes with an elbow fitting at the top.

All negatives,but I can not think of a really useful purpose for most drivers.

 

[moshie]

Stock a 4Runner can run in water up to the top of the tires with minimal risk to ingesting water into the intake (pop your hood and the air filter box open and see where the intake draws air from the passenger side fender). When doing water crossings with a 4Runner, be sure to let your differentials/transmission/etc. cool by letting the vehicle idle a few minutes before entering the water. The water temperature can cause the oil/fluids of the systems to shrink due to thermal expansion/contraction (I was in the pool!), and there are one-way check valves that when submerged in water go closed. This can pull a slight vacuum on seals and can cause them to leak if there is too great of a deltaT.

Have you seen a dirt problem in your intake downstream of the air filter? If not, then you're good as is (hint, that's what air filters are for).

If you're doing water crossings 'hot' (desert sprints and then crashing into water crossings), then think about extending the 'one-way check valves' into high point 'breathers'.

If you're doing water crossings above the top of the tires, then think about a boat.

When is the last time you drove through water over your bumper, and would you consider driving through water that deep or deeper?

Deep water crossings bring all kinds of problems other than sucking water in the engine air intake. Are you willing to deal with things like soaked interior carpet, water mixed with diff oil (if you don't have breather tube extensions, electrical system problems, etc. ?

Snorkel installation is permanent--unless you replace the fender, you will have an open 4-6 inch hole in your fender if you decide to remove the snorkel.

To me they look like black PVC drain pipes with an elbow fitting at the top.

All negatives,but I can not think of a really useful purpose for most drivers.

So I am not doing any major water crossings, but like I said I have heard that they do help with colder air and better air intake. Other than that reason, I truly have no reason to get one. They are like the same price as the cold air intake. Just trying to make my 4Runner the best I can.

Someone told me they get better gas mileage but I don't believe that one..

I agree that they aren't pleasing to the eye.

 

[Off-choader]

stock is the way to go, provides plenty of clean air and costs nothing. There are no noticeable mpg or performance benefits to going with snorkel or cai unless your going hella deep in water.

 

[TOYO74]

I really doubt that the air coming in through a snorkel is significantly cooler than through the stock air intake. I have read claims (vendors) but have never seen any data to show that.

 

[phillyd2]

Your truck will always tell you exactly which mods it requires and it’s not at all shy about how bluntly it tells you. That the question was asked as it was means that your truck doesn’t need it.

 

[moshie]

[MENTION=6163]phillyd2[/MENTION] [MENTION=148450]TOYO74[/MENTION] [MENTION=157561]Off-choader[/MENTION] [MENTION=112119]mo_mo[/MENTION] [MENTION=177269]AINOMOATACO[/MENTION]

Thank you all for your help! Much appreciated

 

[mteolus]

I just ran mine through 37 inches of water. My starter has been acting up since. I wouldn't put a snorkel on personally. It will get you through deep enough water without it but you will want to avoid deep water as much as you can anyway. Not worth it.

 

[bsa70]

I hate the looks of a snorkle but... sounds like you have a vaild reason to have one. If I were putting my baby through water and there was a slighest chance of sucking up water, I would have one.

 

[Whippersnapper02]

Do you want it: Get it
You don't want it: Don't get it.

:wacko:

 

[moshie]

I just ran mine through 37 inches of water. My starter has been acting up since. I wouldn't put a snorkel on personally. It will get you through deep enough water without it but you will want to avoid deep water as much as you can anyway. Not worth it.

Thanks! I'm definitely not going that deep into water. Hopefully

I hate the looks of a snorkle but... sounds like you have a vaild reason to have one. If I were putting my baby through water and there was a slighest chance of sucking up water, I would have one.

I'm hoping that the deepest I go is like up to the middle of my tire..already done that...

Do you want it: Get it
You don't want it: Don't get it.

:wacko:

I don't want one, but if there were actual reasons to have one (other than water crossings). I would get one.

 

[Whippersnapper02]

I don't want one, but if there were actual reasons to have one (other than water crossings). I would get one.

Originally intended to reduce dust inhalation by the engine. If your in an area that's very dusty then it will help because most dust stays fairly low to the ground. Even then most people do not run one and are just fine. I'd run one in our deserts though especially since I'm usually following someone faster.

The water capabilities were a secondary gain from adding a snorkel but the rest of the vehicle is not sealed so you can't go into submarine mode.

 

[GX4SEVEND]

Originally intended to reduce dust inhalation by the engine. If your in an area that's very dusty then it will help because most dust stays fairly low to the ground. Even then most people do not run one and are just fine. I'd run one in our deserts though especially since I'm usually following someone faster.



The water capabilities were a secondary gain from adding a snorkel but the rest of the vehicle is not sealed so you can't go into submarine mode.

Man thank you. I was wondering how everyone thinks it’s for water and was reading through all these comments.

It’s for cleaner colder air. Intake sits in the fender which can get dirty.

You need a snorkel as bad as people need an $800 switch system to turn on their $1k light bar they’ll use once a year because they’re “overlanders”. I bought one because I like the look and I wanted to.
Can I set it back to stock? Not easily but I can. But I’m not going to.


I guess I’m confused with this whole thread. OP you said you don’t want one and don’t like how they look so why even start the thread?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mrblah]

Toss a coin..heads says you buy a snorkel. Tails, says you don't.

Problem solved.

 

[Drobs]

I did 6 low water crossings last week visiting Hardy Arkansas - 3 there, 3 back.

I bought a snorkel off ebay 2 years ago for my 2006 Nissan Frontier. It's still out in my garage. I still have the Frontier but it's become a secondary vehicle.

Reasons for not putting on a snorkel:

It will make your vehicle stand out in a crowd. That can be detrimental as your speeding down the highway. Who's the cop going to remember? Sometimes it's best to be "gray man."

 

[bring_it_on]

Just do a quick breakdown of all the driving you do. How much off-road driving do you do or intend to do with the truck? How much of that is going to be in extreme dirt, sand, or behind a bunch of vehicles also racing down a dirt track at medium to high speed? How many water crossings do you intend on doing etc. etc. It is a $500-600 expense and a 4-5 hour install over a weekend but do it if you really need to do it. I don't think that you'll take a sizable hit in terms of resale value given folks who tend to buy T4R's are usually familiar with Snorkels etc but perhaps when you sit down and do the math you may run into other better investments to make...

Regardless, don't go in for something like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_UJZzPcMLQ

 

[phillyd2]

Snorkel or not, can we at least please agree to never ever call our trucks 'baby'?