Do I need a snorkel?

[YOLO110]

Hi Guys,

I am planning a 'loop' starting this year with my new 110 and am wondering if I actually do need a snorkel?

I am not intending to go up to Cape York or forming any deep rivers! I am aware that there are also advantages when it comes to dust as well.

It seems to almost be a standard thing to fit a snorkel, looking at most of the 4WD's on the road! But my question is fitting one almost 'essential' for the big drive?

Many thanks,

Pete :)

[austastar]

Hi,
it does get the air intake up out of the road dust.
It does foul the mirror with the driver's door fully open.
A pity it wasn't on the left side, but I'm happy with mine.
Cheers

Typed with bananas

[rangieman]

The easy answer is it is cheap insurance compared to a new engine.
You never know when you will need one ;)

[landy]

The simple answer is no. You don't need one. After all, if that creek looks too swollen you wouldn't attempt to drive it would you? Regardless of one fitted or not.
But at ~$400 for a Safari kit. It's bloody cheap insurance. ;)

Personally, I'd fit one.

[PAT303]

Vehicles in general do not like being driven under water,as much as we knock LR engineers they do get some things right and one thing they got right was the original air intake position,I hate water and only fitted RAI to get the intake above the dust,Safari snorkels are **** by the way,after having one on my Tdi I wouldn't fit one to my mower. Pat

[isuzurover]

Hi Guys,

I am planning a 'loop' starting this year with my new 110 and am wondering if I actually do need a snorkel?

I am not intending to go up to Cape York or forming any deep rivers! I am aware that there are also advantages when it comes to dust as well.

It seems to almost be a standard thing to fit a snorkel, looking at most of the 4WD's on the road! But my question is fitting one almost 'essential' for the big drive?

Many thanks,

Pete :)

I have driven from Cairns south and around to the NT border mostly offroad or on dirt roads without a snorkel (i.e. the complete lap apart from cairns to the western border of NT).

[Loubrey]

Vehicles in general do not like being driven under water,as much as we knock LR engineers they do get some things right and one thing they got right was the original air intake position,I hate water and only fitted RAI to get the intake above the dust,Safari snorkels are **** by the way,after having one on my Tdi I wouldn't fit one to my mower. Pat

Agree with Pat and Isuzurover that its not really a "must have" item to do a long trip.

I personally like the added insurance of having one and while I avoid water if at all possible, the air filter condition with and without (especially traveling in convoy) is pretty spectacular. Minding that it needs sealing with something like a Nugget kit and I would only buy the Mantec unit...

Cheers,

Lou

[YOLO110]

Thanks for all the replies guys...

I agree with the 'insurance' angle... and yes, I would be fitting the Mantec unit.

Any additional comments would be appreciated of course!

Cheers,

Pete :>)

[AndyG]

Apart from being jealous of your trip, :)

What other mods/accessories do you have planned?
I will post up mine when I get back to Oz but so far my favorites are peace of mind, TPMS and TM4 temp warning, and maybe the cruise control as 2.2 liters of fury can get away on you :p

[JDNSW]

I have driven Landrovers over large parts of Australia for almost sixty years without one, and can only think of one occasion (in 1963) when a snorkel would have been a real advantage (And have never been silly enough to do that again!). (flooded creek)

For anyone with a modicum of common sense the only use of a snorkel is to raise the intake above the worst of the dust, resulting in less frequent aircleaner service. Even then it is not much of an advantage if you avoid travelling in close convoy.

John

[alanw]

Agree with John - but with the addition that a snorkel with a centrifugal pre cleaner on top will remove a lot of crud before it hits the aircleaner element. Just raising the air intake does not reduce the crud much at all.


Never cease to be amazed when pre-cleaners are not fitted to a snorkel.


alanw

[PAT303]

Travelling in convoy with a Safari RAI will fill the filter with more crap than not having one at all,Mantec have the best designed RAI in my experience. Pat

[Bushie]

Travelling in convoy with a Safari RAI will fill the filter with more crap than not having one at all,Mantec have the best designed RAI in my experience. Pat

I take it the Safari have an inbuilt dust producer for that to work.


Martyn

[strangy]

I will always have a snorkel fitted to my vehicle if it is used as on off road machine.
The "cheap insurance" angle is the reason.
After a number of years in Arnhem Land with wet season and post wet season roads, a drop into a hole during a normally shallow crossing, etc. a snorkel makes the difference between an "oh dear" moment and an engine rebuild.

Ill let others discuss the merits of different brands.

[Loubrey]

"I take it the Safari have an inbuilt dust producer for that to work."


No... just a handy forward facing vacuum nozzle that sucks up all airborne dust thrown up by the vehicle in front if you...

Arguably the Safari probably seals better for using as un underwater breathing apparatus, but then both Pat and I said that we would rather avoid water than splash through it.

I've used Safari snorkels in the UK doing flood assistance and rescue with my 300Tdi wading up to 1200mm deep, but that sort of thing is pretty pointless with ECU's, TPS,'s as found in Pumas.

Cheers,

Lou

[rick130]

What no one has mentioned yet is that a snorkel knocks performance and fuel economy as it's a restriction to the intake air.

And yes, I have a Safari one on my Tdi as it came fitted when bought, but it is modified where it goes through the guard with an 80mm hose to the air cleaner, vs the standard Land Rover 52mm Pipe.

[PAT303]

Rick,I've never noticed any difference,my TDCi was 6 months old when I fitted a mantec,one vehicle that did was a mates Hilux but the pipe work for that thing was 12 feet long,stupidest thing I've ever seen. Pat

[rick130]

You'll need a pretty sensitive bum dyno most of the time Pat, but you'd see it pretty quickly on a rolling road.

[PAT303]

"I take it the Safari have an inbuilt dust producer for that to work."


No... just a handy forward facing vacuum nozzle that sucks up all airborne dust thrown up by the vehicle in front if you...

Arguably the Safari probably seals better for using as un underwater breathing apparatus, but then both Pat and I said that we would rather avoid water than splash through it.

I've used Safari snorkels in the UK doing flood assistance and rescue with my 300Tdi wading up to 1200mm deep, but that sort of thing is pretty pointless with ECU's, TPS,'s as found in Pumas.

Cheers,

Lou

It's funny reading replies on forums,it doesn't take long to find out who's talking from experience and who's talking through their arse :cool:,I used to turn the head around to keep the rubbish out,defeats the purpose of having the thing. Pat

[PAT303]

You'll need a pretty sensitive bum dyno most of the time Pat, but you'd see it pretty quickly on a rolling road.

It's a Defender Rick,a good head wind lowers the performance. :p. Pat

[frantic]

If you want a reason go through the defender pics. About post 784 RVR110 ( nice bloke) gave me a reason to always want a snorkel . There is what would be another close call around 840's. Basically the top of monkey gum has a series of bog holes that can vary from ankle deep to swallowing 6 inch lifted rice burners on 37 inch muddies. To add to the confusion they grade it occasionally so the puddle you ran through 6 months ago could be still a puddle or a deep bog. There are also ruts in certain places so a lead 4wd might take one line barely wetting their diff, but you drift off a bit and end up in the deep ruts.http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/49826-show-us-your-deefers-167.html
A running creek is a different matter to a still puddle on a track.

[Wicks89]

Do I need a snorkel?

This is a little like asking if you need a first aid kit for the trip. Every year thousands and thousands of people do the big lap and nothing goes wrong. You'll tell yourself "I'll just drive sensibly" "I'll be safe" "I avoid water".

And theres a 90% chance you will avoid it and you'll be fine. But it could be the difference between actually seeing gregory national park, or turning around 20km in because the river is flowing a bit and you could probably make it but you cant walk it because of the crocs. Or going for it and ruining everything.
Or skipping arnhem Land. Or skipping the reynolds river track in Litchfield national park. If you're planning on skipping these places anyway then you're missing some really good parts of the Territory.

Snorkels aren't just for idiots like me, they'll get you to the best parts of the country without having to worry.

Maybe try an APT tube one for a different look?