Thread: Disovery V8 Series 1 1997, homemade snorkel

There is a thread on here for Grays auction this week.
I believe all the gear from Prestige Land Rover is up for grabs.
There is a Safari snorkel in that lot from memory also, TRS have plenty on their shelfs but not sure at what prices. There was one on ebay a few weeks back but not sure how much.

Good luck anyway mate. Remember to measure twice and cut once.

Well after doing as much research as I could I went ahead and fitted it about a month ago and boy am I happy with the result. I bought all items off Ebay, all up cost me about $210. Its made from 90mm aluminium tube, silcon elbows and stainless steel clamps. I'll post more detailed photos later but, please feel free to message me if you're thinking of doing the same and I'll gladly share my lessons learnt and also provide measurements for hole positions etc. ( No one told me about the reinforcing rail behind the outer panel!!!) I much prefer the beafier look of the large diameter tube compared to the factory made piece of black plastic, but, as always I get most of my satisfaction of having built it myself rather than getting a shop to install it.
Oh and no matter what people say its NOT super critical you get the hole mm perfect, as theres a large amount of play in the elbows and positioning it on the window pillar - don't be afraid to cut into your beloved vehicle!

P.s since the photo was taken, I've replaced the rubber trim aroound the panel hole to close of that little gap you might notice.

The original posters snorkel, looks very much like what I will make... The one on the white disco, is good too, but I love things being symmetrical, and the angle of the tubing would annoy me...

The argument in this thread about origins of snorkels is a laugh... First snorkels where put on submarines, probably the issue of fresh air and being submerged. Secondly during war, they needed to wade thru rivers, thus installed snorkels to give vehicles greater depth.
In recent times they where applied to trucks, to get clean air away from the dust and road grime. Standard, the trucks are ok but once you head out onto gravel roads, a lot of the intake systems are not suitable. 4wd follow there own necessity and yes, probably a lot are just for show, but people like me that travel more on dirt its a pure need and alas today I had to be very careful crossing a river near home as the rain has made it about 2 ft deeper, luckily i drove on the high ground. So snorkels can be useful, and for many jobs..

Originally Posted by Wraithe

The original posters snorkel, looks very much like what I will make... The one on the white disco, is good too, but I love things being symmetrical, and the angle of the tubing would annoy me...

The argument in this thread about origins of snorkels is a laugh... First snorkels where put on submarines, probably the issue of fresh air and being submerged. Secondly during war, they needed to wade thru rivers, thus installed snorkels to give vehicles greater depth.
In recent times they where applied to trucks, to get clean air away from the dust and road grime. Standard, the trucks are ok but once you head out onto gravel roads, a lot of the intake systems are not suitable. 4wd follow there own necessity and yes, probably a lot are just for show, but people like me that travel more on dirt its a pure need and alas today I had to be very careful crossing a river near home as the rain has made it about 2 ft deeper, luckily i drove on the high ground. So snorkels can be useful, and for many jobs..

Indeed. Snorkel is a word of German origin. The concept was for a submarine ( Unterseebooten ) to run it's diesels while remaining virtually completely submerged, to charge it's batteries and to clean the air. To this day, that is still it's function.
Anyone worried about water in the electrics underbonnet should put an action cam under their bonnet and then go for a drive, on bitumen, in one of Queensland's 'showers'. Back in the days of Lucas distributors you would stop. I think we've moved on a little from then.

As for home made; surely a snorkel is just a pipe? Seal all the joints and you're hunky dory. I know, easy to say when aesthetics aren't a priority.

Originally Posted by johntins

Indeed. Snorkel is a word of German origin. The concept was for a submarine ( Unterseebooten ) to run it's diesels while remaining virtually completely submerged, to charge it's batteries and to clean the air. To this day, that is still it's function.
Anyone worried about water in the electrics underbonnet should put an action cam under their bonnet and then go for a drive, on bitumen, in one of Queensland's 'showers'. Back in the days of Lucas distributors you would stop. I think we've moved on a little from then.

As for home made; surely a snorkel is just a pipe? Seal all the joints and you're hunky dory. I know, easy to say when aesthetics aren't a priority.

The fact you can only stop the water entering the inlet, is probably the most important... As electrics, you can only do so much.. Even the trucks running today, dont stand a chance against what we had to put up with 20+ years ago... I've gone through 6 ft of water, fully loaded.. If the river was still up when I came out 3 days later, I would have had to wait...

Best example for me, about electrics, to run an engine, was the first T600 I seen on the Nullagine road, nearly wiped him out, stuck in a small creek with about 3 ft of water, in the middle of the road... Computer got wet... Towed him out, found blown fuse and then continued on my way...

My last truck had no battery for about a month, needed it for the car so took it out and forgot to get another... Ahhh the old Mack, I miss that old girl...

Originally Posted by Wraithe

My last truck had no battery for about a month, needed it for the car so took it out and forgot to get another... Ahhh the old Mack, I miss that old girl...

Air start?

Originally Posted by Aaron IIA

Air start?

Was waiting for someone to ask a dumb question but you picked it up..

Yes with manual start button, no electrics needed...

Use to try catch people out when starting in towns, one old lady came around the truck gave me a kiss and said she missed her husband and his air start Mack... Didnt even scare her, but made her day instead..

Actually the guys in Narrogin would remember when you had to drive down main street to go through from Wagin to Brookton... I went through one day with a load of skins, damn health department kicked up a stink, nearly as much as the skins did..(was not allowed through towns during daylight)...


Anyway this is getting off subject...

Question, 3 inch pipe should be fine on a V8 3.9l disco, for the snorkel?

Originally Posted by Wraithe

Best example for me, about electrics, to run an engine, was the first T600 I seen on the Nullagine road, nearly wiped him out, stuck in a small creek with about 3 ft of water, in the middle of the road... Computer got wet... Towed him out, found blown fuse and then continued on my way...

You can run into that problem on a D2...

But, you make a good point. Electronics are only as good as where they are mounted and how well they're sealed. I know that 6 feet of water would have stopped the Scania, but then it's air intake was below the windscreen so it wouldn't just be electronics..