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why no snorkels?

wormgod

wormgod

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I have been searching for the past week just to discover that no one makes a snorkel for older Chevy trucks.


what?!

you would think that they would sell. if even just for the coolness factor:D. everyone wants a Burb like the one in Dante's Peak.

almost makes me want to spend a few grand on a molding setup and start pumping some out. do any of y'all have any ideas on what I can user on my 1984 with the 6.2l diesel? I guess I could go with a nice ghetto PVC setup. :)
 
Or be even cooler and go with Sch 80 pvc, that way its the nice dark gray:pimp:
 
Rootbreaker has one. I believe it's an ARB brand snorkle for an FJ80 Land Cruiser.
 
As long as it is easily removeable, I would buy one. Oh and not to expensive, not very invasive, or require much metal cutting...at least in obvious places.
 
In my opinion Snorkles are dumb for three reasons.

1. The long tunnel can limit airflow into the engine.
2. In any situation where you may actually need one the water is so high you risk loosing your ride. When the waters that high it literally starts to float and the slightest current and POOF down the stream she goes. I guess you could use one in a pond but what would be the point.
3. I agree, they look kinda dumb.
 
i figure if im in deep enough water to were i need a snorkel.... im going to have ALOT more problems than a snorkel is gonna prevent
 
4X4HIGH said:
Personally, I think they're gay anyways. :D
Click to expand...

they are really just an extension of your dong anyway :D You know, big truck, big long tube on the front....makes the ladies :whistle:


lol, I really don't care. Snorkel away. But Rootbreaker has that FJ one done up nice. I'd try to copy that.:waytogo:
 
Yeah, a typical full size with a 4 inch lift and 35s the carb or tbi is very high.

My rule of thumb is,

When the beer cans start floating, the sheet is too deep
 
It also doesn't matter how high you get the air intake if the exhaust is under water and you don't CAREFULLY keep the engine running you will be replacing an engine because when the engine dies IF you try to restart the engine IT WILL hydro lock the engine and cause severe damage.
 
In Australia,where snorkels are so popular,the purpose is to get cooler cleaner air where dryness (dusty) is the issue,not water. The length of tube doesn't restrict air. Any air entering the tubing has no where to go but be forced to the air cleaner. It would restrict less and deliver more than the factory fresh air intake,which would benefit the 6.2. I've never seen one made for GMs,either. I don't feel the need to put one on my truck,but that's not what you asked. Good luck on your quest. It's not such a bad idea.
 
There is one made that fits with some minor changes, there's a handful of guys on alaska4x4network that would know which one.

They make sense if they're appropriate for the terrain you use. A lot of the moose hunters up here have them because moose tend to hang out in the same places as glaciers and beavers. There's a lot more to the setup than just a snorkel of course. If you cross a lot of glacial terrain though, it is very smart insurance. It only takes a small amount of water in the intake to drown the engine, and glacial rivers can go from 2 feet to 5 feet within inches horizontally, and those channels can change hourly. It's very cheap insurance for your engine that may be running at high rpms and throw a rod if it were to ingest water. Everything else is field repairable (or if you're smart, you've made it ready for fording also), but totaling an engine 3 days back in Eureka is going to ruin your hunt and leave you with no moose for the winter, not to mention potentially starting an emergency situation where you're stranded.

The hydrolocking through the exhaust thing is totally possible, but I have never had it happen to me or anyone I wheel with, and we spend a lot of time in really deep water. I think the exhaust usually would trap a bubble in there unless you shut it off while you were descending at a steep enough angle that the back of your manifold was higher than your heads, which doesn't seem very likely. Really, where is all that exhaust gas going to go? I really doubt the likelihood of the backpressure killing the engine...the cold water can make the engine run like crap so that it needs high idle though, but I've never had the backpressure do anything even with small ATV engines in water over their handlebars. Hell, I've shut my Big Bear off many times with the muffler underwater and it started just fine, still under water.
 
I see that sh*t on larger trailered boats on occasion... someone loads it, forgets to drain the mufflers, trailer gets on a grade, all the water flows back upstream that was laying in the mufflers and fills the cylinders..

just a sidenote..... cam profiles on EFI motors are MUCH more prone to aid in reversion.. cam profiles on a carbed motor are generally trying to push water out all the time.. EFI's, if there's water ANYWHERE near the exhaust valve, it will be much more likely to draw the water in when running...

it's part of my daily life... most boat motors generally have water flowing into the exhaust within a foot or 2 of the heads... and that's a brand new, or properly working exhaust.... failing exhaust elbows and gaskets are the #1 killer of boats.. I probably repower 6 boats a yr due to water injestion... and see various amounts of rusty valves and spark plugs on a daily basis...

snorkels are what they are... if it's applicable and WELL DONE, I think they're fine... rigged with cr@p ya had laying around the house? not a fan...
 
It can save your life, havent you seen the scene with the suburban in Dante's Peak? :D

 
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i never personnally liked the look.but if i was doing it,id plumb it into the interior of the truck with a air box so it wasnt able to get snagged on trees oor rocks on the trail.arb is the only decent looking one ive seen.maybe kand n could make you somethin custom.just dont cobble it together because at some point if its not sealed completely with quality parts it is pretty much worthless.
 
i wanted to run a snorkel for a long time, Ive decided against it once my doors came off, it would be about useless because everything else would get wet. and my exhaust cuts out right under the cab.,

on a side not ive done my fair share of river crossings mostly in the blazer i just junked, water over the hood and a strong current, if you plan right you dont need a snorkel to cross water.

the natural movement of water around the front of the vehicle will keep the water out of the engine bay as long as you dont speed up or go to slow than your fine. theres an article in one of the four wheeling mags about this but at the moment i cant remember
 
I think if they're done neat and clean and it looks right for the vehicle it's on it look just fine. Quality parts? I'd lean towards quality engineering, where I've seen some 'high quality' diy pvc'ing. Looked a little goofey, but they definitly did their job. I agree the airbox to firewall/glovebox would be nice for like was said, trees snagging it, but boy it can be loud.

I don't want a snorkel, but my buddies and I always have the problem with a lot of water splashing in the engine compartment, enough to soak filters. Usually we stop periodically if we've been playing in water, and check them, the factory air box helps tremendeously, especially if you have the factory snorkel going to the grill. And we always clown on the guys who go with us running the chromie open air filters. Kinda like what's on my Jimmy now :thumb:
 
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