Different approach to a snorkel

I have an extra intake hose you can have to experiment with and cut up, see if it will work for you, and still be able to use your original if you abort. It will cost you $5 for my time and you would need to send me a prepaid shipping label. Let me know if interested, I will send my zip code and box dimensions/weight.

 

I recently did the mod, I like it more than if I had a snorkel, because of the room in the engine it frees up (at least with my 05 TRD sport). I think that unless you are going to cross water way above your windshield line, this is a better location than a huge dorky thing sticking off the side of the truck that will still suck in any dirt that is in the air... and for which I've never seen any real data indicating improved performance due to the ram air effect. The cowl mod is a naturally shielded location. I have not been able to tell any performance difference from my AFE cold air intake to this mod. But I can tell a huge difference in noise, the new one is WAY quieter under all circumstances than the AFE. I also cannot identify any reduced volume of air conditioned air either. Besides, if you have AC on max, wouldn't you have it on recirculate anyway? In Phx I do... I did put up a metal shield between the intake and the fresh air inlet. All in all, I give it an A+. I like the mod itself, but more so for the things I was able to fit under the hood (triple battery, ARB twin, manifold/locker solenoids, fuse box w/ circuit breaker, spod, winch wiring is ready to go, and still room for the supercharger and coolant tank and oil catch can). It is also extremely east to get to my filter now, even more easy than stock. And I din't block anything that I need to get access to for service.

I found a spectre intake boot on Amazon, it has a bellows in it to allow for movement and deflection. Turns out someone must have returned it, it was a warehouse deal that was supposedly cosmetically damaged... but when I got it for $8 (normally $30 or $40 something IIRC), it was brand new and came with the nice band clamps. Add a $12 piece of aluminum from a local metal supply store and I'm done for around $20. I didn't use a hole saw, the hole that needs to be cut isn't round anyway because of the angle of the tube and the angle of the firewall. I used an air powered body saw (meant for sheet metal) and it cut like butter. Harder to mock it all up and mark a line than it was to cut. I had to re-cut several times opening the hole larger in certain areas to account for the oval-ness that was needed, and to provide room for the lengthwise sliced rubber fuel line hose that I put on the firewall metal prior to sliding the tube in. It worked a treat and was cheap. BTW, while driving, my IAT is usually 2 to 3 degrees warmer than ambient air. Which is almost identical to the AFE in terms of temp. Could be better if I had used a plastic tube or wrapped the aluminum one in some insulation. But 2 degrees above ambient is GOOD, no matter who you are. Some heating will always happen. Don't know how it was stock, I din't have a scanguage back then.

 

@racebug68 well done looks very clean

 

I appreciate it; I’ll have to find some time to play around with it and I’ll keep you in mind to see if you happen to have it still if I get to that point.

 

Anyone in San Diego area ever do this and wanna help me out? Lol

 

Well, if you come up to the OC, I'm the guy who first did this and put this thread together.........



Though really, this is easy stuff. The hard part is working up the courage to cut your cowl. I've heard one can find bottled courage to help with that, though, even comes in cans.

 

Can confirm.

 

Apologies in advance for the blurry phone pic lol. I ran a 4" sceptre flexible intake hose for mine, and it came with the two couplers for the ends that I used to attach to the air box and put through the cowl hole. I'll probably look into something more secure for the cowl part, but it's survived Mojave Road and other wheeling now so I'm not rushing. Honestly,the noise increase is minimal. I only notice it when I'm accelerating hard with no music on, but I only ride with no music on to listen to the noise it makes cuz it sounds cool lol. It's barely louder than my MT/Rs when wide open tho. At cruising speed it's silent, and I don't feel like it's ever competed for air with this mod, but I don't use it enough to be certain.

I also feel like throttle response has improved, and with that my auto tranny with stock gears on 35s doesn't drop to 3rd or 2nd any time I need to accelerate. it seems to be able to more accurately place itself RPM-wise within its current gear or the proper gear...if that makes sense.

Overall: 100% happy with this mod

$40 Spectre Performance 9751 Black 4" Air Duct Hose

Link to 4" sceptre flexible intake hose

 

Did you take my advice and add tequila when drilling?

 

Indeed. It helped lol

 

It always does

 

Tequila is life

 

double like.
+5

 

Anyone work this up for a 3rd gen yet?

 

Cut hole in cowl, run tube, done. Do it.

 

don't throw out your stock box if you live in a smog state like CA. may need it for inspection. I haven't yet but I heard of one guy that did.

 

CA got rid of the "visual" inspection for most newer vehicles, and since this mod doesn't remove the stock airbox/filter, and just replaces the duct forward of that unit I wouldn't think it'd need a CARB number (but nothing would entirely surprise me with over-reaching regulations in this state anymore).

The last few smog checks I've had to get (I have another car that's a 2004 and my taco is a 2010, so one or the other needs to get checked every year now) they've pretty much just plugged in a scanner to the OBD port and charged me $40. I know they've mostly eliminated the dyno-testing requirement and even the tailpipe measurement for anything in MY 2000 or newer.

 

No they didn't get rid of the visual inspection! They got rid of the sniffer test.
They plug into the OBD port and check visually that no intake or exhaust mods (after cats they don't care) have been done

 

I would use a smooth hose. This one looks like it will cause more turbulence and right before the MAF sensor so you probably leave some ponies on the table.

And part of why this mod adds noise is that you are bypassing the factory resonator that's sits inside the fender above the wheel well

 

Good info, thanks! I think for now I'll just add more stickers to compensate for the HP loss

Lol jk, will definitely rebuild with smooth at some point