Installing A Snorkel On Your Car
If you are planning to set up an off road rig, you will probably consider installing a snorkel to it, as a snorkel is one of the most powerful weapons in the arsenal of an off-roader. This is a very simple must-have device in any off road vehicle and does exactly what the name says.
Snorkels are nothing but raised air intakes that allow the engine of your off road vehicle to breath underwater. However, there are a few things that novice off-roaders should keep in mind while buying and installing snorkels. Below are three things to note when planning to install a snorkel on your rig.
FIND RATED WADING DEPTH OF THE VEHICLE
Water entering the vehicle is not only damaging to the engine, but also to its mechanical, electrical, and electronic components. The rated wading depth of the vehicle takes into account these factors and the components that can be damaged in a water crossing. Wading depth also considers how well the cabin of the vehicle is sealed from water intrusion.
For instance, vehicles like Isuzu D-Max and Chevrolet Colorado have almost identical intake heights, but their rated wading depths are much different. The wading depth of Isuzu D-Max is 500 mm, whereas that of Chevrolet Colorado is 800 mm.
FIND SNORKEL SYSTEMS FOR YOUR VEHICLE
The simplest way to ensure a perfect fit snorkel for your off roader is to go for one that is made specifically for the model of vehicle that you drive. It is possible to have tailor-made snorkel for your vehicle, but it can be a costly and time-consuming process.
Besides, you may need to make changes to the internal air intake assembly of the vehicle to fit the custom-made snorkel. Most of the commercially available snorkels fit comfortably to the body of the vehicle and will be shipped with seals and gaskets to prevent any leaks.
DECIDE ON THE KIND OF SYSTEM
Usually, there are two types of heads available for the commercial snorkel systems. The commonly used one is the ram type, which uses a front-facing duct into which the air is rammed when the vehicle is moving forward. The high-speed flow of air will push any water and dirt to the back of the snorkel from where it is drained out through a water dump valve or through holes in the head. Ram type snorkels can be found in any 4X4 off road parts in your locality.
The second type is the vortex or cyclone type. In this type, tilted vanes provided inside the head of the snorkel will make the air entering it to swirl around. The centrifugal force provided by the swirling motion will push dirt, dust, and water out to the sides of the snorkel.