snorkel and water proofing

[beardedforlife]

I know this has been talked about before.
So i am buying a snorkel kit off ebay this week.
-is their any known issues with buying a cheaper $80 snorkel kit off ebay?
-what is the install like (hooking it together inside the fender well)
-what other components need water proofing and how do you go about this?
-I havent seen any "in cabin snorkel" kits. Any thoughts on that style?
when I first got it home I washed it and sprayed the engine bay lightly with water while it was running and it created a miss. Only way I fixed it was by unplugging the battery. That made me worried. All sugestions welcomed

 

[beardedforlife]

And sorry, I havent figured out how to edit my poor grammer and typing errors. I really dont talk like I spell. Lol.

 

[gofast]

If you look at the bottom of your post, you will see an EDIT in a yellowish colour. Click it and you can edit your post.

I'm not sure about the EBAY units but I have installed three snorkels. They're pretty much the same but for reference I installed two Safari snorkels one on a 60 series, one on a 73 series and now an Ironman one on my LX. I noted a mpg savings on the 60 and 73 but they were diesel. Not really noticed anything different on the 80.

Use a center punch to mark the holes you need to drill. The punch will keep the drill bit from wandering. http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=center+punch

Drill pilot holes

Buy yourself a step bit - they are designed to work in sheet metal http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-91616.html

Also get the correct sized hole saw - your kit will give you the dimensions: http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=hole+saw

The kit should also have a template that you tape onto the fender. A good idea is to check it on the snorkel itself to see how accurate it is. Every single one that I installed, the template was slightly out. You might want one of these if you have to adjust a hole. http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-rotary-rasp-file-set-4476.html but pick one that is suitable for metal. The ones in the link are for wood but I couldn't find a good example. You get the idea I'm sure.

After you drill all your holes, spray some primer in a cup and use a q-tip or other small brush to paint it on the exposed metal. Deburr as well before you prime. Metal Primer is porous and will eventually allow rust, so do the same thing with a finish paint that you put over the primer.

You will make your life easier if you remove your antenna as it in the way for getting at the nuts for the snorkel. You can re-install the antenna after you finish the snorkel. Use some thread locker on the studs that stick out the snorkel. You may also want to remove your running light beside the headlight as you can reach up inside to access other nuts.


Have some RTV silicon handy and use a small amount on all hoses that connect the snorkel to your air box. Some air boxes have a clean out trap on the bottom and you'll find this facing the grill. Silicone it closed.

I've always used rivets on the A-Pillar. I've used RTV silicon around each of the holes I've drilled before installing the bracket just to make sure water doesn't get into the pillar.

There are better tools than ones at Habour Freight - just saying.

I've covered everything on the fender that I don't want damaged in several layers of masking tape just in case you slip with the drills. Don't force it - let the drill do the work. Firm easy pressure. The hole saw will wobble with too little pressure though.

Carpet removal for those times you go wading is optional

 

[NLXTACY]

The miss is likely from your spark plug tubes. Make sure the long. straight ends that go into the valve cover are actually flat against the valve cover. Just went thru this on a friend's LC. #3 had the boot "flap" hung up on another plug cable so water was looking in. Lazy prior workmanship.

 

[dirtyboots]

I

suggest

 

[NLXTACY]

jelly

 

[gofast]

suggest

Dirty Boots - Had to stop and check so I could say how you edit. You caught it before I finished my diatribe

 

[gofast]

Jelly's good though! It will help with the skin scraping you'll get on install

 

[B Point]

The ebay snorkels are fine. Sometimes the templates are a little sketchy in their accuracy. Everyone talks about the hole saw but I just used a sabre saw and I think you have more control with it. With a metal cutting blade it cuts like butter. Just tape a few layers of masking tape down. You'll need to be a bit of a contortionist to get the last nut on but it's not too bad as long you don't have huge arms.

 

[beardedforlife]

Great stuff. You guy guys hit on all my concerns. But what about any known waterproofing? I havent checked yet, anything I should know about the vent lines on the axles or the trans? Do I have to re route them? what about any electrical sensors being water sensitive?

 

[wearsabrowncoat]

Another way to edit post if using the smart phone app is to click and hold over your original post. Some options then pop up like edit and delete.

Most folks extend the diff breather lines. Check FAQ. I can't remember who it was but the most professional looking install plugged the extended lines into the air box. He also found a way to add some extended metal tubes to the distributor vent holes to make it more waterproof without totally sealing it up.

I haven't heard of any problematic electrical connectors but if you want to go overboard some dielectric grease could be added.

Start working the search function.

 

[skhochay]

I know this has been talked about before.
So i am buying a snorkel kit off ebay this week.
-is their any known issues with buying a cheaper $80 snorkel kit off ebay?
-what is the install like (hooking it together inside the fender well)
-what other components need water proofing and how do you go about this?
-I havent seen any "in cabin snorkel" kits. Any thoughts on that style?
when I first got it home I washed it and sprayed the engine bay lightly with water while it was running and it created a miss. Only way I fixed it was by unplugging the battery. That made me worried. All sugestions welcomed

there see video

 

[BILT4ME]

Liberal amounts of dielectric grease on the O2 sensor plugs as well as any other plugs in and under the engine compartment.

There are two seals on the distributor cap. One comes with the cap and another is called a "packing kit" or something like that. Then do the mod listed above to relocate the vent hole on the cap.

You can re-route diff lines to the air intake box or up to the firewall just under the hood with fuel filters and elbows and inside the fuel door or jack area for the rear.

Do a search for "best snorkel" and you will get a number of threads on brands and types and installation.

What make/model/year do you have? I missed it.

 

[beardedforlife]

thank you built4me. I have a 96 LC-80. And great video link skhochay.

 

[inkpot]

The miss is likely from your spark plug tubes. Make sure the long. straight ends that go into the valve cover are actually flat against the valve cover. Just went thru this on a friend's LC. #3 had the boot "flap" hung up on another plug cable so water was looking in. Lazy prior workmanship.

Another place to watch is the dizzy. It has 3 holes in the base. The one at the top just loves to grab water and put it inside I'd the cap. The water accumulates at the lowest point in the cap, which is at the #6 terminal, so it likes to fowl out for a while until the engine heat makes it evaporate. This may also pop a PO 306 code, showing misfire on #6. I have plugged that top hole and the dizzy is much more water resistant than before. I have tried several times at the car wash to fowl #6 by hosing the dizzy hard and long with the high pressure sprayer , but so far I have not been able to fowl it out yet. I will keep an eye on the inside of the dizzy to watch for any condensation/corrosion. John

 

[pjskinner]

As a result of this thread I bit the bullet and bought an eBay dorkel. I purchased it for a whopping $80 total, and to my surprise i was able to pick it up will call a whopping 4.5 miles away. I am not sure when I will be able to install it, but it looks hella solid and well put together. I'll post up pictures when it is done. Cheers!

 

[TacticalAnt]

Adding my experience on installing an ebay/amazon snorkel. After evaluating the cost of a new hole saw ($40-60), then hitting up my neighbor who had one but it was extremely dull. I decided to use my jigsaw. This is the way to go, Im telling you!. After much research, I determined the included template was not to be trusted, so I proceeded cautiously. Locating where you think the hole should be, tape off the area with blue tape and draw the minimum size hole to be cut out. If anything, plan the first opening further back than forward then you expect, If its off, the body of the snorkel will cover it. If you go to far forward you will run the risk of exposed hole (That is what I did, but was able to hide with some black silicone sealant). Drill a 3/8 starter hole and proceed slowly with jigsaw and metal cutting blade. Check your fit, if it needs to be fudged in any direction, make small adjustments checking fit periodically. The Jigsaw makes a finer finished cut than the hole saw, and you have more flexibility.

 

[97CruiserJoe]

Just finished my install. Fairly easy but you need skinny arms to get all the nuts started. I used a conduit hole punch to cut the 3" hole much easier than holesaw or jigsaw.
Take away from the install is that the screw holes are off on the template. I installed the srews on the dorkle and used them to mark where to drill the holes.