Snorkel - Another Do It Yourself

Thought I would share this build since a lot people question it. Living in SoCal a lot of people see no reason for it. Until they dip the front left corner of their XJ into a wet or muddy hole that 's deeper than they thought and the engine quits or worse case, hydro-locks. My XJ has seen a lot wet places outside of SoCal and across the country as well.

At first I considered the Airaid and Safari snorkels, but at nearly $400 to fit my 97 XJ it was not possible. Being on a limited fixed income the do it myself route became the only way to get it done. Besides I like tinkering and building my rigs myself.

I did a lot of online research to decide on what path to take and what components to use. You can see in the photos a mixture of parts like Rubber hose, PVC and ABS. I thought it turned out fairly well for a homemade version. The total cost including tax, $74.00 mostly from Lowe's Home Improvement.

I have run the stock paper filters up to this point as they could be tossed when they got wet or muddy, and changed out quickly on the trail. With the snorkel I installed a Spectre filter #883901. Same as a K&N but only $20.00 as Auto Zone. I'll still carry a paper one on the trail just in case or if someone else needs one.

I tried to document each step of the build with descriptions attached to each photo in my Photobucket album.

http://s892.photobucket.com/albums/ac124/Dirty_Jeeper/The Jeeps/XJ Snorkel DIY/

That looks great for a home made unit for sure! Great job on it and all the pic's you did along the way!!!! BTW I want the Bogger prints you have across the hood!!! Love them where did you get them?
Again Great Job!!!!!

LMAO Tazz! I earned the bogger tracks! Actually while doing some hard wheeling a few years ago I tore both stock motor mounts loose. The engine put several nice outward dents in the hood before I could get off the trail. So my low budget repair was to smooth it out as good as possible, then camo it with the track. The track is hand rattle canned.

I made a cardboard template of the track and sprayed it, them rubbed it out so it wasn't all uniform. Next step was to shoot various shades of gray, brown, tan and black, wiping each shot lightly to create the traction and skid looking marks. I like it better than just a decal of a track.

I'm always surprised that some people think it's even real! :shocked:

not too shabby

Around here I'd rip that off from a tree in 10 minutes. But that goes for any snorkel.
Tuck it in the cowl and you'll serve the same purpose and it keeps things clean looking.

DirtyJeeper said:

LMAO Tazz! I earned the bogger tracks! Actually while doing some hard wheeling a few years ago I tore both stock motor mounts loose. The engine put several nice outward dents in the hood before I could get off the trail. So my low budget repair was to smooth it out as good as possible, then camo it with the track. The track is hand rattle canned.

I made a cardboard template of the track and sprayed it, them rubbed it out so it wasn't all uniform. Next step was to shoot various shades of gray, brown, tan and black, wiping each shot lightly to create the traction and skid looking marks. I like it better than just a decal of a track.

I'm always surprised that some people think it's even real! :shocked:

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Well you did a great job on it!!! Dose kinda look real and the spinn marks look cool with it too forsure!!!

nice job good pics to

Thanks guys. I'm pretty happy with it all. I'm sure because I live in the Los Angeles area everyone says what the hell do you need that here for? Well some of us do venture away from home! :roflmao:It's also no Mal Crawler.

As for trees, well I've avoided them for the most part for many years. After measuring, the snorkel tube sticks out only one inch beyone my folded mirror. So if the concern is tearing it of on a tree I think the mirror will eat it too and probably some body panels. So tearing it off on a tree is the least of my worries.

I thought about an in cowl install but decided against it. A lot of water enters the cowl area just in driving or even when parked. I've seen installs with K&N type cone filters placed there. I see no way to keep them dry. If using the stock air box with a filter it and breathing from the cowl can still take in more water than even the factory opening in the air box. The cowl install does better if you should dip the front end into a wet hole though. So it's give and take any way you cut it.

I did make a weather cap for heavy rains and driving in wet weather. It does require stopping to install it, but it takes maybe 3 seconds to have it in place and forget about the wet weather. It's a big plus since the rig see's heavy rains like several inches per hour at times.

On a side note, I removed the grate cover on the intake end of the snorkel. I think it's to restrictive and reduced the air volume to the 3" tube by at least a third even though the grate was 4". I'm opening that up by removing the bars in it leaving only the ones that make a pattern like the cross hairs of a scope. Once that is done I plan on adding some quarter inch nylon mesh screen behind it.

To each his own! Just get out, wheel it and enjoy it.

Love that paint job. Looks great.

Are those Grabber AT2's on there? What size? And how do you like them (and compared to what other tires)? When I go up to 31's those are on my short list of options.

american_zero said:

Love that paint job. Looks great.

Are those Grabber AT2's on there? What size? And how do you like them (and compared to what other tires)? When I go up to 31's those are on my short list of options.

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Thanks...... Those are 31" Pro Comp All Terrains. Had 33" Pro Comp Mud Terrains on there up until a month ago. They went onto the TJ. Both types of Pro Comps have done very well in all areas. I also ran MTR's that did real well, but the price is a little hard for me to swallow these days, so I'll stay with the Pro Comps and go to 32 or 33's on the next set.

The XJ with the 33 Mud Terrains.

Nice jeep...... I guess everything really is prettier in California

Nice job, care to fly out to NJ and do mine?
My '91 has the washer bottle in the way so I could not put the hole in the fender where you did.

Only suggestion I can think of is to put stronger brackets on the window pillar.

Here in NJ, the Pine tree branches knock off mirrors and snorkles every weekend.

dennis461 said:

Nice job, care to fly out to NJ and do mine?
My '91 has the washer bottle in the way so I could not put the hole in the fender where you did.

Only suggestion I can think of is to put stronger brackets on the window pillar.

Here in NJ, the Pine tree branches knock off mirrors and snorkles every weekend.

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On my 97 the washer bottle is IN the fender, about 1/4 of an inch in front of the hole!

You could go into the fender in the same general area but stay just in side the fender. Pipe it forward towards the stock air box intake, then enter the engine compartment.

mine is almost the same, cept its made with 2" PVC. This is the best pic of it I have on my computer:



Im interested to see what you did with the airbox.... or did you ditch the stock box? I like the stock box because it gives you a little security in case a little mud or water does get into the snorkle.

I just siliconed all the holes up and siliconed a bit of rubber over the stock hole. It looks sealed enough, except for around where the snorkle enters the back of the box.

oh and could you post a close up of your windshield pillar mounts, if you get a chance?

Thanks

I did use the stock box. I pop riveted a piece of plastic in the factory intake hole, then sealed it (twice) with High Temp Permatex gasket material. I sealed the two factory drain holes as well. Then made a 3 inch hole in the rear of the air box for the snorkel to enter.

I'll try get some close ups of the mounts I made on the pillar. They are simple yet strong. Made from 1 1/2 inch aluminum angle stock.

Looks great for a home brew. At least you didn't use rain gutter like that one guy did.

I wasn't happy with the grate on the snorkel intake. I felt it was to restrictive, so I removed a lot of the ribs and ended up with this. I put a heavy mesh behind it for the smaller stuff. This project has added some performance to my rig. I was surprised it did. But it breaths really well now. More pics with the latest change here. http://s892.photobucket.com/albums/ac124/Dirty_Jeeper/The Jeeps/XJ Snorkel DIY/?start=40

I would say make a parts list and sell "kits"

looks good. Now I want to do one.