Diff (and other) Breather Extensions (1 Viewer)

[linuxgod]

I ordered the Dobinson snorkel yesterday... @crikeymike convinced me to pull the trigger when he said they only had one left and the next batch wouldn't be in until summer.

Thinking when I do the snorkel I should extend any breather tubes at the same time. Anyone know how many need to be extended? Front? Rear? Transfer case? Transmission? What else am I missing? Anyone happen to know where they're all located, or do I just need to crawl around and try to find them? You guys who have done this use the ARB kit or just buy some tubing and extend what was already there?

Thanks

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

I may be outnumber for saying this, but while a snorkel does protect the air intake from water ingestion. What it really does better is help with sand.

So even with putting water to just the stock inlet point or even to just over the hood, you are still not protecting against water for the HVAC inlet (have fun with water coming in on the cabin fan assembly), the electrical and changing systems, as well as the various plethora of other holes throughout the truck that will let water in and damage the interior electronics.

So even with an air intake snorkel, I still wouldn't put water to the top of the front wheel arch. So with that your front diff, transfer case, and transmission are already extended to battery height, which is higher than your alternator, a device that I find another crossing pint if I'm going that deep.

The rear axle is already extended to frame crossmember, so that could be sent up a little high, but I don't worry about it because...

The breathers are there to let pressure built from heat out, so when you hit cold water with hot drivetrain components, they cool and therefore suck in air to compensate. The plus of Toyota rear diff breathers is they have a ball spring design that lets air out, but doesn't let air in, so in theory it doesn't suck in water anyway.

Long story, I know, but I just don't see the need to extend things that are already good, and that even with a snorkel and extended breathers, you will still damage a 200 when putting water up to the windshield.

 

[TonyP]

I remember reading a thread in the 200 section where a dude was trying to track down water intrusion during water crossing. Turns out the A/C drain was sucking in water and puking water on his carpet.

Also, just because water is up to the hood doesn't exactly mean it's that high in the engine bay. The bow wake keeps the bay moderately protected. That is until you stop the vehicle, then you're hosed.

Either way, like Taco said, there are more concerns to be addressed beyond breathers and snorkels.

 

[Markuson]

Christo talked me out of diff breathers, even though I'll be doing a snorkel soon. I'm mainly doing it for cleaner air through long dusty desert roads, and doubt I'll be doing water crossings deep enough to require diff breathers after talking with him. Also, I suspect that if I was forced to do a deep crossing, I'd likely want to do a fluid replacement soon after anyway.

 

[linuxgod]

Truth is I don't expect to ever be in water that deep, it's really just cheap insurance. Water in my carpet would suck. A burned out alternator would suck more. The cost of all new synthetic fluids, bearing repacks, etc would suck too. But $30 in tubing plus an hour or two extending it feels like an easy way to ensure that *if* I ever misjudge a situation I might save myself some future pain.

So now that everyone's said not to bother, do any of you guys who have done it have any advice?

 

[TonyP]

I wasn't saying don't bother, I plan extending diff breathers too, just that there are a few other items to address in addition.

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Truth is I don't expect to ever be in water that deep, it's really just cheap insurance. Water in my carpet would suck. A burned out alternator would suck more. The cost of all new synthetic fluids, bearing repacks, etc would suck too. But $30 in tubing plus an hour or two extending it feels like an easy way to ensure that *if* I ever misjudge a situation I might save myself some future pain.

So now that everyone's said not to bother, do any of you guys who have done it have any advice?

I figured you were doing that for an insurance policy, sorry for that opinion of mine.

So how I extended the rear would be to take the stock rear diff breather hose, pull it out and buy a same diameter but about six feet long. Then I would put the new longer hose back on the diff housing, connect the hose to the stock hanger piece up on the crossmember (that way you keep the droop necessary for axle drop) then run the extra to the frame rail and up toward the full neck. Get the hose to as high up the fill neck as you can, cut hose and reattach the original brother fitting.

Now you would have to put water up higher than fender to get to your rear diff. I still would worry about the front diff, transmission, and transfer case breathers.

 

[Chrisleduc1]

I wasn't saying don't bother, I plan extending diff breathers too, just that there are a few other items to address in addition.

Sorry to resurrect this, but I’m curious to know if you’ve written (or will write) on what all you would do (or have done)? I’m in the PNW and with all the snow this year, I suspect I’ll come across a lot of water this summer. I’d like to idiot proof the rig as much as possible. An ounce of prevention....

 

[TonyP]

Sorry to resurrect this, but I’m curious to know if you’ve written (or will write) on what all you would do (or have done)? I’m in the PNW and with all the snow this year, I suspect I’ll come across a lot of water this summer. I’d like to idiot proof the rig as much as possible. An ounce of prevention....

Admittedly, I've learned and changed my views on a lot over the past three years, as anyone should. Good chance anything I've said previously may be nonsense.

That said, are you asking if you should install breathers?

 

[Chrisleduc1]

That said, are you asking if you should install breathers?

Sounds like maybe only raising the rear is really necessary? I don’t “anticipate” going above the wheel wells, but then again... I was curious about what else could/should be prepped, or on hand, for a crossing that’s at full tire (or slightly higher) height?

 

[Cruisin911]

When I did my snorkel, I also did the diff breather kit from ARB. Its all pretty self explanatory and very easy to do. I mounted the valve intake assembly on the firewall right below the cowling.

 

[linuxgod]

I've yet to get around to doing mine. I split my wrenching/fiddling time between the 200 and my travel trailer.

 

[dwai]

kind of a noob question, but how many of those breathers do u need to extend? I'm assuming it's just the rear diff and the xfer case? Assuming the transmission and front diff already have breathers that go up into the engine bay (not sure how high tho).

 

[Fisher23]

4: rear diff, transfer case, trans, front diff. There are several kits available that relocate them up in the engine bay.

 

[VooDoo2]

Some pic's of all the breathers. its a LOT easier to drop the dump pipe to fit em

4: rear diff, transfer case, trans, front diff. There are several kits available that relocate them up in the engine bay.

There are 6

2 Diff's
1 Transfer
2 Gearbox
1 Starter motor breather

 

[VooDoo2]

The rest

 

[Fisher23]

Thanks for posting that.

 

[dwai]

Good info. Thanks man!

 

[dwai]

Called slee today. They recommended doing front and rear with a ARB breather kit. They mentioned that the xfer and trans r mounted pretty high up and it's almost impossible to get water in them. So I just grabbed a kit. Will install it when I do the snorkel.

 

[Fisher23]

I know from experience water crossing that protecting the start motor would be first on my list, and I'm thank full VooDoo pointed that out above.