Cowl induction snorkel

If a smog shop won't pass you because of a snorkel then you need to go to another shop. The snorkel is just an extension of your air intake, it has no effect on emissions. Anything after the MAF sensor is what they pay attention to and where you need CARB certified parts.

 

As long as the MAF sensor is still there in it's stock location and isn't messed with then it shouldn't matter, only reason I can think of why some smog shops might be saying this is because they don't know any better and are trying to cover their ass. It's a big fine from the state if they get caught passing someone that should have failed, and I highly doubt they know exactly what is/isn't allowed when it comes to modifications on every vehicle. To some of them it's probably just safer to say 'that's not legal' if its not OEM.

 

Would someone explain the purpose of a snorkel. I missed the boat on this upgrade.

 

Extends your air intake higher up which is good for a number of reasons - cleaner air on dusty trails, less likely to take in water if you're crossing water deeper than the tires or hitting smaller water crossings with speed, and you get much cooler air from way outside the engine bay/wheel well area. Cooler air = lower intake air temps and better performance

 

Theoretically this is correct.
In practice smog shops are very, very leery of anything modified. CARB has a very extensive undercover operation that exists purely to trip up smog techs and the penalties can be harsh, up to and including jail time.

My truck (with a TRD intake and a snorkel) passed without issue a few weeks ago.

 

I'm hoping mine does, I just added a snorkel last year. I'm going to go back to the same shop that I went to last time, they were pretty impressed with my truck (supercharger and all) because it had all the right CARB stickers and whatnot. Hopefully the snorkel is no big deal. Also chopped my exhaust at the rear axle which I hear shouldn't be a problem (since it's after the cats) but we'll see.

 

Exhaust on mine is chopped too (high clearance rear bumper). No problem (stock exhaust, lopped off right after the rear axle, all cats and factory muffler intact.)

 

Hope you don't mind me sharing this info with other Toyota folks
Question, what size hole did you cut for the 3" intake tubing? I see most used a 4" and then a 4" tubing but plan to go your route,

 

Not at all! This is an open forum for the free exchange of ideas. I cut a 3-1/4" hole, so the rubber hose used as a grommet had room. Using a 4" tube is not a good idea, because it locates the bottom of the tube too close to the bottom of the gutter. You need a 3" tube mounted high in the gutter. If you read around, there are a few people who have complained of some water getting into intake with this mod. I'd make a substantial bet that those people have 4" intake tubes, or tubes that enter the cowl area too low.

 

Thanks man! I’m on the fence on ordering intake parts or chopping up the stock tubing and making use of it.

Bobby

 

The parts are cheap, and just easier.

 

True I have been looking at this place and plan to order parts. https://www.intakehoses.com/ total is like $50 maybe I should look at Amazon,lol.

Maybe we can do a community hole saw swap for folks installing these?

 

Parts ordered thanks for the advise @badger Wishbone Runner, James talked me into doing this a long time ago just never did it haha.


Bobby

 

So I just found this.

I don't see a lot of airflow into the cowl area on my truck. Are there hidden area that allow inflow of air?

 

Posted in the other thread, but will add here too

Completed this today.

Total cost <$20


3.5” hole saw
3”x12” aluminum tube
1’ 1/4” fuel hose
Two hose clamps
https://www.ebay.com/itm/6061-ALUMI...76x72x300MM-/323824301563?txnId=2097354700011


https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-quot-to-...-Hose-Black-/253398798593?txnId=2502638402015

 

Read the first post

 

It draws from both wheel wells at the ends plus slotted vents in the cowl cover. Available cross sectional area is much greater than the duct.

 

Did this today. I saw in the other thread someone used a hole saw set from Harbor Freight. His truck must have been made of warm butter, mine barely got scratched with the HF junk.

I cut about 1/4" of the elbow off the 4" end, all lined up better that way. about 1.5" off the AL tube also. I used an old license plate to cover the cabin air intake, angled from the glass to the inlet.

quick test drive shows no issues

 

The Harbor Freight hole saw kit is junk...at least for doing a snorkel on our trucks. I bought that kit and all it did was scrape the paint off my fender (I installed a regular snorkel)...wouldn't even cut into the metal. Went out and bought a Milwaukee hole saw from Home Depot and it cut a perfect hole out in 2 seconds.

 

how you guys liking this snorkel? Any problems or anything?