BruceyWV Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Why do Arb snorkels put the air intake above the roofline? If you're THAT deep in water, are you really going to be worried about the engine? I was watching a Safelite worker install a new windshield today (mine cracked) and I noticed a huge opening in front of the windshield, above the firewall with a large opening, where the A/C sits. It seemed a cone filter would fit there easily. Why not put the air intake there? Its already well fed, and it seems like it would be plenty safe for water crossings, along with rain and weather. AND it doesent look too overdone. (sorry people with snorkels, just my opinion, and you know how that goes) I'll try to get some pics of what I'm thinking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88HatchMonster Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 When you're going through deep water, you'll often get a wave that comes up well over your hood and up the windshield. People put them up as high as possible just to be better safe than sorry. I think the location you're talking about could get dumped on pretty easily when that wave comes up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 In a good rain or snow storm you may start to fill that area with water? Is that area really much higher than the stock air intake height? Seems to me most snorkels are about looks and rarely if ever get used for the intended purpose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Also, any air intake under the hood gets sprayed with water when water hits the fan blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 I agree with the roofline snorkle being alittle overkill. I think if your THAT far under water, you have alittle more to worry about than your engine running... that, and your exhaust will already be 3' underwater... unless you keep your revs up real high the exhaust will kill the motor before the water in the intake does it. I have an idea im gonna bounce around for my snorkle. I'll have to worry about other things 1st (lift, tires, air tank) but soon you guys will see -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roundeye Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Some will surely disagree, but you do not need one that high in a Subaru, unless you have a completely water-proofed engine and run with no doors. Why? If you get in water above the hood, you will float, loose momentum and loose the all-important wake ahead of the vehicle and swamp the engine compartment. Fan will be flexed into the radiator destroying both of them and engine will take on water along with your accy's. There you will sit as water enters wheel bearings, transmission and everything else down low. As stated earlier, a wave can come over the hood even when entering some not-so-deep crossings. A well-engineered intake a couple of inches above the hood is plenty. The key is how you enter and drive in water. A slow entry and a slow speed is used to keep the wake just ahead of the front of the car. Too fast will push a wave over the hood, too slow will allow the engine compartment to get swamped (taking out fan, etc). My wagon has ingested water with the stock setupand even with the hose up in the back corner (passenger side), but since moving the intake a couple of inches above the hood, I have not had any problems. If you prefer to banzai into rivers, get a full roof snorkel. If you cross streams and hit deep mud holes, get it above the hood. They do look cool on the roof though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 arm boxer Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 "c'mon now... its a soob.. who dosent just go banzai into the water??? i dunno bout u, but i paid 100$ for mine..im gonna drive it like i paid 100$ for it.. :banana: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunslinger Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 "c'mon now... its a soob.. who dosent just go banzai into the water??? i dunno bout u, but i paid 100$ for mine..im gonna drive it like i paid 100$ for it.. :banana: LMAO...LMAO... sh*t. ditto on that one. ive had a couple that i got on auction for LESS than $100 aaaaannd... i DEFINENTLY drove em like i paid less than $100 for them. muaahahahahaha! isnt that what theyre for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceyWV Posted June 3, 2006 Author Share Posted June 3, 2006 It seems my idea has already been done, on a Jeep of course though. http://madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/JJcustomSnorkle/CustomSnorkle.htm No reported problems whatso ever. I just have this fear of water I guess, I hydrolocked my first car by driving through a puddle that was too deep. The stock air box on my wagon has it on top of the radiator drawing in air, scares me a little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 do brats float? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 I think Jibs got one of his brats to float. -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Also, any air intake under the hood gets sprayed with water when water hits the fan blades. that's just one reason to remove the mechanical fan, and turn the electric one off before going into any water that deep!! case in point! he was not moving very fast either. in fact, if he had been going any slower, he might not have drifted to the other side..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 that's just one reason to remove the mechanical fan, and turn the electric one off before going into any water that deep!! case in point! he was not moving very fast either. in fact, if he had been going any slower, he might not have drifted to the other side..... He was also floating towards the end there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qman Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Snorkels were designed for the Safari. They have been brought into the rest of off-roading from there. The original concept behind snorkels was to get the air intake to clean air. The dust and dirt from the Safari and deserts is why it is located above roof line. Not neccessarily because of water but like I said not the original reason for them any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastwgn286 Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 also used heavily in the australian outback for getting clean, dust-free air. looking at a Mack truck site for their road train semi truck and it has snorkels as standard, like ten feet in the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceyWV Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 it all makes sense now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezapar Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Somewhere I've got a pic or video of some landrover discoverys going thru some water deep enough that only about a foot of the roofline snorkel is visible. Hum Vees can go as deep as their snorkels, 6 feet I believe. My little brat never did die here, the exaust was plenty under water. I've kept ea81s running like that plenty of times. The disty on the ea81s is the big killer. Once it gets weet, you've only got a short time till it starts to stall. Subaru had a stock cover to keep water from hitting it as it flows thru the radiator. So with momentum, you can get thru some pretty deep water in a Soob. Although, I've never had use for a snorkel. (carb'ed) I copied good ol' Ralf and just started to cut out an old antifreeze bottle to cover the air cleaner on the weber. With the stock air cleaner, you can just put a red rag over the end. It's works as a water stopper *once*. Just rotate it and go on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobyclimbs Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 that's just one reason to remove the mechanical fan, and turn the electric one off before going into any water that deep!! case in point! he was not moving very fast either. in fact, if he had been going any slower, he might not have drifted to the other side..... Charlie in the outdoor factory dipping a SUB'aru "Up periscope!":burnout: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I guess your right Zap. Now that I think of it, ive never killed a subie with its exhaust under water either. Only once, but that was cause I had 5 or 6 holes drilled in my cat (thought it was clogged). I was with you guys on that trip you mentioned above. Fun Times A snorkel wouldnt have helped much here, but this was enough water to kill my wagon. Water line came up just under the fan, and with the fan spinning it kicked water all over my disty: Shortly thereafter I found a rubber disty cover from a Toyota 22R and modified it to fit the Subaru Cap. Then I used a length of fuel line, and a fuel filter attatched to the distributor cap vent. It worked out great -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phizinza Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I don't like the idea of having a snorkle breath from the cab... Do you know how much noise the intake makes?? On my dual carb'ed EA81 it's massive. And I bet everytime you hit the gas your ears would pop! As for the snorkle.. I am thinking it would be a good idea, last time I play'ed in the mud I got the whole top of my hood wet.. Not the outside, the INSIDE of it!.. MY air filter was dripping, but the only thing that stopped me in the water was the puddles in my disty cap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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