To snorkel or not to Snorkel?

[Thomas Fuller]

I thought I saw an article here about snorkles on the vehicles recently but can not seem to find it!!

Looking for pros and cons of snorkles for rigs, I am curious to know what else would be recommended for low water crossings and what not (worried about electrical connections under the hood)

It would more then likely be custom made for the truck as I can't find any made for this truck, 2011 Sierra 1500

 

[dblack]

Full disclosure... I snorkeled. And I like it, but having holes cut into a perfectly good truck made my skin crawl. lol

I'll narrow it down to a couple of reason why I made the decision.

1. Water: I cross water on occasion. Not usually very deep and as a rule I keep it below the bottom of the door, but I also have a friend of mine that while following a similar guideline, he dropped one tire into a little hole, the truck sucked in a mouthful of water, hydrolocked, and was toast. Pushed a rod through the side of the block. Oops. So I don't snorkel because I plan to cross water. Most times I don't even cross water, but I have been rained out in an area, the creek came onto the road, and I had to cross to get out. See photo below. This creek cost me a transmission a month later because I didn't move breather lines, and I didn't have the foresight to drain everything when I got home. But I digress.


Long story short, on my current truck I moved breathers (rear diff, the transfer case and front end were already very high on the firewall), I added a snorkel, and I took basic precautions. Having said that I did not go through every electrical connection with dielectric grease etc etc. Water is an insidious foe, and I'd keep it out of the cab at any cost. I'm fine up to say the bottom of the body. Past that I'd bet I wreck something for every inch higher I go... Probably.

2. Dust. Similar vein, the intake of my current truck is just inside the wheel well, and picks up a lot of dust. Moving the snorkel up gets me more fresh clean crisp air.

3. Sounds cool. That was a benefit I wasn't planning, but it's basically the same as a cold air intake sound. (Which makes sense considering it's a cold air intake. Just sayin').

Downsides...
1. I had to cut holes in a truck. lol. I may regret that someday.
2. People think you believe that you can drive through 6' deep water. I tell people I'm good til about mid windshield then see if they believe me.
3. I occasionally freeze mine over in winter storms. I might turn the head around to point backwards, but it's only happened twice and the truck didn't seem to care. I'm considering a swirler if I can find one.
4. I have to remove the snorkel to replace the windshield. Minor inconvenience.

Most of all, it's a look. People either love it or hate it. But nothing says I'm driving across the country like a snorkel does.

 

[DefendersEatJeeps]

I stumbled upon a concealed tank trap with my old JKRU. I ended up with the front end completely submerged in some water and the Jeep at about a 75 degree angle to the ground. I want to say the water JUST reached my air box...a couple of attempts to get out later, no luck. Ended up getting it towed out. Three weeks and $500 with a deductible later, new 3.6L Pentastar installed.

So, take what you want from my experience without a snorkel...I didn't even ford and needed a new engine.


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[Thomas Fuller]

Full disclosure... I snorkeled. And I like it, but having holes cut into a perfectly good truck made my skin crawl. lol

I'll narrow it down to a couple of reason why I made the decision.

1. Water: I cross water on occasion. Not usually very deep and as a rule I keep it below the bottom of the door, but I also have a friend of mine that while following a similar guideline, he dropped one tire into a little hole, the truck sucked in a mouthful of water, hydrolocked, and was toast. Pushed a rod through the side of the block. Oops. So I don't snorkel because I plan to cross water. Most times I don't even cross water, but I have been rained out in an area, the creek came onto the road, and I had to cross to get out. See photo below. This creek cost me a transmission a month later because I didn't move breather lines, and I didn't have the foresight to drain everything when I got home. But I digress.
View attachment 31882

Long story short, on my current truck I moved breathers (rear diff, the transfer case and front end were already very high on the firewall), I added a snorkel, and I took basic precautions. Having said that I did not go through every electrical connection with dielectric grease etc etc. Water is an insidious foe, and I'd keep it out of the cab at any cost. I'm fine up to say the bottom of the body. Past that I'd bet I wreck something for every inch higher I go... Probably.

2. Dust. Similar vein, the intake of my current truck is just inside the wheel well, and picks up a lot of dust. Moving the snorkel up gets me more fresh clean crisp air.

3. Sounds cool. That was a benefit I wasn't planning, but it's basically the same as a cold air intake sound. (Which makes sense considering it's a cold air intake. Just sayin').

Downsides...
1. I had to cut holes in a truck. lol. I may regret that someday.
2. People think you believe that you can drive through 6' deep water. I tell people I'm good til about mid windshield then see if they believe me.
3. I occasionally freeze mine over in winter storms. I might turn the head around to point backwards, but it's only happened twice and the truck didn't seem to care. I'm considering a swirler if I can find one.
4. I have to remove the snorkel to replace the windshield. Minor inconvenience.

Most of all, it's a look. People either love it or hate it. But nothing says I'm driving across the country like a snorkel does.

Le boom that was perfect :)
Thanks!!

I am not likely to be going in anything over the bottom of my doors (got up to the bottom a couple weeks ago In a little "puddle" I found) but I liked the option of doing so if 100% required. The posted picture is even deeper then I would likely trust myself to tackle.

The cutting of a nice pretty clean fender does make me feel unhappy with myself, but, fenders can be replaced if needed I guess.

I'm still somewhat stuck on how to fab one for the truck, doubtful I will find anything from another vehicle that matches up ok, how is it secured to your vehicle? The verticle portion atleast

 

[Thomas Fuller]

I stumbled upon a concealed tank trap with my old JKRU. I ended up with the front end completely submerged in some water and the Jeep at about a 75 degree angle to the ground. I want to say the water JUST reached my air box...a couple of attempts to get out later, no luck. Ended up getting it towed out. Three weeks and $500 with a deductible later, new 3.6L Pentastar installed.

So, take what you want from my experience without a snorkel...I didn't even ford and needed a new engine.


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Rough, I suppose the good news behind such a experience is the new vehicle... Hmmmm.

Definitely pushing towards adding a snorkel now haha

 

[dblack]

I agree. If one isn't made for the truck it may be tough to find one that matches the lines. Having said that I'm sure someone has done it. Start googling and see what shows up. I've seen videos of people find a close snorkel, heat up the curve and adjust it to fit...

Mine is bolted to the fenders and the a pillar. Just remove the interior of the a pillar, drill a hole, and bolt it.

 

[OffroadTreks]

Do you want to be cool?

 

[Thomas Fuller]

Do you want to be cool?

Yes please :) haha

 

[Thomas Fuller]

I agree. If one isn't made for the truck it may be tough to find one that matches the lines. Having said that I'm sure someone has done it. Start googling and see what shows up. I've seen videos of people find a close snorkel, heat up the curve and adjust it to fit...

Mine is bolted to the fenders and the a pillar. Just remove the interior of the a pillar, drill a hole, and bolt it.

Ahhhh drilling the pillar too, that's gonna hurt. I was thinking of using kydex and molding it around steel pipe to get the shape, but I have never dealt with kydex

 

[Kevin108]

I lost an engine in my 87 Silverado back in 2003. The water wasn't even over the door sills, but it waked up the broad, flat front of the truck and took out my 200,000+ mile 350. No hard feelings at that point, and insurance paid me good money to purchase and install a new engine myself. Since then, snorkels.

My next rig was a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. The conventional snorkel was a pain in the ass because sandwiched in inside the fender was - no, not Oreo filling - but the windshield wiper fluid reservoir. If you've ever looked under the hood on an XJ with a 4.0, space is at a real premium, making relocation more of a chore than I wanted to endure. I opted for modifying the stock air box and installing a cowl snorkel, which was a $19 universal tube from the local auto parts store and a $6 tube of high quality construction sealant from my window manufacturer.

With my FJ, I just used the conventional snorkel. I considered doing another cowl snorkel, but decided with it that I'd rather throw a hole in an easily-replaceable fender rather than above the firewall. I usually don't like the look of the big fender-and-A-pillar tumor, but clearly I am not going for aesthetics or aerodynamics with this build. Aeaeaeaeaeae.

 

[Thomas Fuller]

Presumably in that engine bay photo the section going towards the cab is pulling from, the rain gutter? Or is it connected to a snorkle after?
Engine bay esthetics are not an issue for me, and the bay in these trucks are so spacious you could fit a second engine in them...what a waste of space!!

Wonder if I can make one off of an FJ fit?

 

[Kevin108]

Presumably in that engine bay photo the section going towards the cab is pulling from, the rain gutter?

On the Jeep Cherokee, the cowl area, where the intake tube breathes from, sits about 10" higher than the stock Jeep Cherokee intake, which is behind the driver side headlight. Snorkeling from there also has the advantage of moving the intake back, well away from the nose, which is what plunges in first whenever you find a hole. The whole area is open, as it is where the HVAC system takes in air as well. I placed it as high up as possible so the cowl would have fill with almost 1" of water before it ever began to intrude into the hose. The way the area is designed, that's essentially impossible. This was a great setup I ran for nearly the whole time I had the XJ.

The view inside the cowl area.

Where the cowl snorkel is breathing from.

 

[Kevin108]

It would more then likely be custom made for the truck as I can't find any made for this truck, 2011 Sierra 1500

I think the pics are from newer rigs, but both sites list models for a 2011 Silverado. They're the same truck still, right?

http://www.rocky-road.com/airflow-snorkel.html
http://airflowamerica.com/?p=303

 

[Thomas Fuller]

I think the pics are from newer rigs, but both sites list models for a 2011 Silverado. They're the same truck still, right?

http://www.rocky-road.com/airflow-snorkel.html
http://airflowamerica.com/?p=303

I think I saw this once upon a time but they were for the diesels, don't know why it didn't click that the exterior snorkle part should be the same!!

Thanks!

 

[That Bram]

...which is what plunges in first whenever you find a hole.

Exactly. And you just never know when you'll find that hole, driving upstream, into spring runoff...

(cropped from original video screencap to protect the innocent... ok, here's the video: . And here's the same crossing that morning - with a minor detour... )

How I didn't suck a gallon or two up, I'll never know.

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[OffroadTreks]

Never been a fan of the "running all the way down your fender snorkel" - glad Ram has a great option.

 

[DMill556]

I decided to go with a snorkel just for the added protection from the occasional water crossing but mostly for clean air. But I also increased a couple of miles per gallon in fuel economy which I wasn't expecting, my Jeep doesn't compare to a Prius but every little bit help haha. The good thing with the Jeep JKs is it's a hole in the hood so if it had to be removed then I just swap the hood, that's a little easier than a quarter panel.

 

[Jeff Graham]

I thought I saw an article here about snorkles on the vehicles recently but can not seem to find it!!

Looking for pros and cons of snorkles for rigs, I am curious to know what else would be recommended for low water crossings and what not (worried about electrical connections under the hood)

It would more then likely be custom made for the truck as I can't find any made for this truck, 2011 Sierra 1500

This is a Thread on Snorkels, moved to boot camp. Hopefully it's useful:

https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/water-crossing-snorkels-and-preparation.8773/

 

[Thomas Fuller]

I decided to go with a snorkel just for the added protection from the occasional water crossing but mostly for clean air. But I also increased a couple of miles per gallon in fuel economy which I wasn't expecting, my Jeep doesn't compare to a Prius but every little bit help haha. The good thing with the Jeep JKs is it's a hole in the hood so if it had to be removed then I just swap the hood, that's a little easier than a quarter panel.View attachment 32136View attachment 32135 View attachment 32137

Is it mounted entirely to the hood, as in can you open the hood no problem? Or is it mounted to the pillar and has a flexible joint?

 

[DMill556]

It's mounted to the A pillar and two factory holes on top or the quarter panel inside the engine bay, the hood closes over top of it.