Air Intake Idea (Snorkel, sort of)

[SuddenDeath]

Right, now this is a lot of speculation based on what i've learned crawling around inside, under, and through my Explorer during the countless little tweaks I've done to her. I've been reading up on snorkel builds and such, and one of the primary things that has been making me shy away from it is the 'permanentness' of the job. The hole in the fender, frankly, scares me.

So I was thinking one day, about the stock air intake. If I'm correct, the air intake goes from the throttle body to the MAF, then bolts onto the top half of the airbox. From the air box, it goes down another length of plastic 'conduit' and out to the grille of the truck in what is basically an air ram, to get air into the intake.

Here is my idea:

What if, instead of sealing the airbox and removing the air ram and cutting holes in the fender, why don't you use two lengths of rubber hose (because the 'air ram' part I'm talking about ends in two small square inlets), stretch them over the square inlets, clamp them down, and run them up the side of the truck to where a snorkel would normally sit. Go wheeling, when you're done, unclamp and your stock again.

The ultimate goal of this train of thought is to create a snorkel-like device without the invasivness of a true snorkel, but while giving the same protection against water-down-the-intake. What does everyone think of this? Worth a try, or just stupid? ::shrugs::

 

[boggs1227]

goto the junk yard and go buy another fender ( preferably the same color paint as your truck ) keep your good fender and take it off the truck and install the junk yard one and install a true snorkel set up ...that way the junk yard one is most likelly already scratched up and you got your original fender sleeping till the day you decide to re-install it for a oem set-up ( airbox wise)

 

[SuddenDeath]

That works, and I had been thinking of that, but I'm seriously talking about this concept. The "what if's" and the "could works?"

 

[Willard]

Are you talking about adding this to the front end of the intake (behind the headlight)? That's what I'm assuming because it's just one big square hole at the other end. I think you would need something to go over the whole square piece at that end, but I still am not sure that would work.

 

[SuddenDeath]

Yeah, I'm talking about the part behind/to the side of the headlight. My idea is simply put a piece of rubber hose over that end of it, clamp it down, run it out through the grille and run it up and over the hood and up the passenger side where a normal snorkel sits.

 

[Willard]

That would work better if you drilled a big hole in the plastic that covers over the end of the tube. Otherwise since the air is taken from the side it just seems like you would block off the holes.

Did any of that make sense? It's hard to explain.

 

[SuddenDeath]

Yeah, that made sense. I think I'll take a closer look at it tommorrow. I could be on to something, perhaps.

 

[jtb1689]

Are you planning to cut the end hole there by the headlight/grill because if memory serves me correctly it's held flush against the body with a screw (at least mine was). Not sure how easily a larger fitting will fit between the cut-out body and end of the intake. You may also want to make sure you seal off where that piping/tube meets the actual air box because, again if my memory serves me correctly, that is not an air/water tight seal. I also don't know anything about that thermostatic air cleaner butterfly system part down there on the piping between the box and headlight/grill but would that need some sealing up as well? Or the hose from the engine to that part? Just some thoughts (and the last 2 are questions due to my lack of knowledge )

 

[Willard]

No, none of those have a perfect seal, but I'm sure it's good enough. I've had lots and lots of water up there without any problems.

Edit: Unless of course that tube gets submerged, at which point you should start considering giving up anyways.