Holes in Air Cleaner Box ('99 3.4 4x4)?

I'm going to be installing a snorkel because I drive a lot on dusty desert roads and want a cleaner air supply. I just took the air cleaner box out ('99 3.4 4x4) to give it a good cleaning and noticed three holes that appear to there on purpose. See the three arrows on picture taken with box upside down on bench.

I'm wondering what these holes are for. Maybe they are drain holes? They are on the unfiltered/dirty side of the air filter.

Thoughts?

 

They're drain holes for any moisture accumulation. They err you on the safe side from water feeding in through the intake or a leaky seal getting liquid into the engine.

I'm going to do my snorkel soon. And as far as I see it you'll be glad they're there. Unless your submarining. Then someone else might chime in.

 

As long there on the dirty side I wouldn't worry. Draining water or moisture makes since. If your completly submerged those holes would be useless.

 

Mr. Fish, did you wind up making this change on your Taco? Wonder if we should do that too. We do lots of driving on those dusty desert roads too........

 

Yes, I did the install. My mechanic had showed me that fine dust was getting beyond the air filter. Nothing good comes from that.

You could ask some of your favorite mechanic friends what they think. From my reading of the forums, the consensus seems to be that your engine will definitely breath cleaner but you have to like the look (I do) and not mind spending the money (I don't).

Another thing I've learned to do after dusty trips is to thoroughly power wash under the truck 2x. This is especially important after visiting dry lake beds and their alkali silt. After a day or two of drying, I shoot fluid film inside the frame. Pretty loving, eh?

 

Wow, thanks for the tips!! So you just blast your pressure washer everywhere under the truck? Anywhere to be careful of?

 

I use the pressure washer wand at the self serve car wash down the street. I don't know what the settings are but there is nothing that I am careful of aside from hitting it from every angle multiple times. Just underneath, not the engine bay from above. I hand wash the rest.

 

+1 on leaving the holes

during heavy rain that snorkel will have water get in it and you want those holes to give it somewhere to go "other" then into your engine

 

Agreed on the holes.

BTW Jen, I didn't mean to give the impression that my mechanic recommended a snorkel; he recommended taking an extra air filter on my desert trips. But, since I like taking things to the next level, I snorkeled my rig.

Now people ask me: How deep can you go? It's something of a conversation starter.