Airflow and Dorkel question

[tat2matt]

First I'm not a huge fan of the dorkel but alas I may be a good candidate. I have dual batteries and a TBI 2f with headers. The heat the headers generate make the engine compartment a source for "hot" air. I have the air intake facing passenger and extended to the fender side of the battery. Because of the restrictions of the air cleaner and the TBI that's my best choice.
NOW if I were to go dorkel would I be gaining enough cold clean air to make a difference? Suggestions welcome.

 

[ntsqd]

If you have already ducted the intake air to some point out of the hot air and preferably through the core support, then a Dorkel (you should trademark that!) isn't going to do much better in terms of hot/cold air. It might gain you a little to convert to the FJ-62 air filter assembly (use the washable/cleanable FJ-80 filter element in it) and duct the filtered air over to the TBI unit. That would move the whole filtration assembly to the "cold" side of the engine and result in less heat soak into the filter housing (no pics, so I'm assuming that you have some sort of filter housing sitting on the TBI).

 

[tat2matt]

Cold air intake is ducted to the passenger side of the battery. I'll work on the picture maybe it will help others see what I'm working with. The air filter housing is from a gm truck. I wasn't happy with the way any of the Toyota ones I had fit over the gm tbi so I went with a stock for the year tbi aircleaner. I looked at a k and n cone filter but it seems that all it breathes is engine compartment air. Does the dorkel "ram" air at all? I understand the principal but wondered about its "ramming" effect and if it also increases performance. Like there is a "performance" increase in a tractor motor.

 

[inkpot]

Cold air intake is ducted to the passenger side of the battery. I'll work on the picture maybe it will help others see what I'm working with. The air filter housing is from a gm truck. I wasn't happy with the way any of the Toyota ones I had fit over the gm tbi so I went with a stock for the year tbi aircleaner. I looked at a k and n cone filter but it seems that all it breathes is engine compartment air. Does the dorkel "ram" air at all? I understand the principal but wondered about its "ramming" effect and if it also increases performance. Like there is a "performance" increase in a tractor motor.

Snorkels have no ram effect until you get up to around 600 MPH.

 

[lehiguy]

I would be willing to bet that the Dorkel is a net loser for power. You want the most direct route to the throttle body with as few bends and turns as possible. The stock intake on a 2F is effective at cleaning air... and restricting its flow with the ridiculous number of U-turns and hairpin corners for the incoming air to negociate. No wonder the stock engine is rated at only 125 HP. Adding restrictions in order to obtain marginally cooler air is going in the wrong direction especially in light of the fact that you have a "wet" manifold with atomized fuel suspended in the air. You need to keep a certain amount of heat there or you will suffer fuel drop out. Your intake is cooler overall now that you have removed the exhaust manifold from beneath it. Your best bet is to avoid the Dorkel, just go for the least restrictive, most direct route to the TB and above all, filter the air well.

 

[ntsqd]

The FJ-62 filter assembly sits on the passenger fender liner with a hose between it and the 3FE's throttle body. No reason that you couldn't use one and duct the filtered air over to the TBI unit.

This one is an OZ 3F with what appears to be a dual-fuel propane mixer in the hose:

Pic of how the top of the TBI unit can be handled:

 

[tat2matt]

These are older photos from the mock up stage. You can see the way the gm tbi directs the air intake. The cap style doesn't fit all the way down over the tbi to form a good seat.

 

[TS888]

http://www.bdhprojects.com/Bernie/Tonka/FJ62_04enginebay_3F.jpg

Pic of how the top of the TBI unit can be handled:

I've been looking for a reasonably priced plenum option; every one like the above I can find is about $100!

 

[tat2matt]

I tried the ( thank you for the term) "plenum" option but with the GM tbi It didn't fit all the way down to the collar and left a gap.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

trademark this too!!

Snorkels have no ram effect until you get up to around 600 MPH.

LOL!!!

 

[YotaJosh]

I've been looking for a reasonably priced plenum option; every one like the above I can find is about $100!

Hit up your local junkyard, look for an early Dodge Durango with the 5.2 V8 (other models like Dakotas might work too), and find the stock plenum. With some minor Dremeling inside, it will fit perfectly and clear the injector pods.

 

[ntsqd]

Can also make one from big truck muffler tube, some thick sheet metal, and a welder.