That is for the drivers and passengers to breathe underwater when they drive the car down into the water; it is a survival kit for the idiots who think their car can swim. I am just kidding.
@Will M What if some genius would like to add a tiny gas engine into Tesla to generate electricity for charging the battery when the car is running low on electricity . That they may need to put a gas tank in the EV.
Ok so calling it a desert air intake is very accurate. Living in Dubai and out in the dunes every weekend i can tell you that the raised intake for heat doesn't do that much but keeping sand out of your air filter is totally brilliant. I used to clean out a small dune after every drive from my fj cruiser air box now with the TJM snorkel i clean only very fine dust out of the filter once a month if that. If you drive on sand and dusty roads do it.
@Rich Jones The whole point of snorkel is giving a supply of air to the engine. From water crossing perspective you still need it, because your splash of entering the water depends on the speed and angle you take, which without snorkel can lead to flooded engine since all factory intakes are located in lower position at the front. Which is the same for Dust or more important Mud which both can block that factory intake hole.
I disagree Tommy, I worked in West Texas for a year driving the oil field roads in my new at the time Tacoma. After 1 month, the air filter was plugged up with desert dirt and silt. I ordered the arb snorkel and installed it along with a pre filter. 22 months later the air filter still looks brand new. Following 18 wheelers was the worst but I think the majority of the dirt was lifted by the tires into the intake.
They need to quit that fake/non-functional hood scope while they’re at it, or do something crazy like make it actually functional. Reminds me of all those previous generations of Ford Mustangs with fake air scoops.
@@deandrej674 yep, and get cold air directly into the engine. I have an old 7.3l and a 6.0l powerstroke and they both now have vented hoods. Helped a ton when towing. The biggest difference was putting water methanol injection on the 7.3L as well as a mishimoto radiator and intercooler. Runs a lot better.
Who cares? It’s just a bit of exterior design to give it a different look. The Tacoma’s could easily be made functional. Hopefully they put the new tundra motor in it and make it functional from factory
snorkels on something like a tacoma or wrangler are really useful. i have been in offroading situations with a wrangler where water got deeper than expected and you are already committed to crossing. A lot of the wires and other components can take a short duration of water exposure and be fine , however your engine cannot . A cheap safari snorkel also saved that jeeps engine years ago when i was stuck in water near the front of the hood for 10 minutes, engine never shut off and was fine.
The benefit they add is that if you do have to cross deep water they take away the threat of hydrolocking your engine. Sure you might have other things go wrong but water in the engine isn’t one of them.
I get them on all my vehicles (4runner, FJ, and Tacoma) because they are cop deterrents, you never get pulled over when your rigged to just look like an overlander, if anything I just get the thumbs up. This allows me to have tinted windows, maybe go a little faster then normal, it just takes the attention away from infractions and puts it into checking out a fully rigged vehicle.
I just added a snorkel to my H1 - $8 from Home Depot for a 4" piping coupler is all it took. Actually I only put it on when the snow starts falling since the H1's intake likes to suck in snow around its mushroom cap.
Having splashed through a puddle that was deeper than expected in a 2005 Wrangler, I view raise air intakes as cheap insurance. Sure you may get some electrical issues but you're less likely to hydro-lock your engine. Also some designs allow you to mount a pre-filter which may help keep some of that dust and crud from clogging your typical paper filter.
@@simcha6414 where I live insurance would consider any car that had water that enters above floor board a write off. Rules vary all over the place though.
For me the snorkel is for emergency only. In a water crossing that you can't avoid and even if the diffs or the transmission gets some water, the engine doesn't shut off because of water inside the pistons.
Exactly. I've been in rivers where a snorkel would of saved my day big time. Don't ask this guy though as he clearly is too young to even have any life experiences to add to his bs opinion.
I've seen enough hydrolocked engines to not take this guys advice seriously. Id much rather deal with a fried coil than a hydrolocked engine. You kinda missed the biggest pro of running a snorkel
Good video Tommy! I purchased a « Snorkel » from Rugged Ridge for my 2019 JLUR and there is no cutting the hood. It is literally plug and play. It does look a lot nicer than the Mopar one and it is reversible should you decide to do so. I would not take my Jeep in the water higher and faster than what Jeep recommends, but I would not be without it simply to avoid hydrolock. You can get hydrolock in a foot of water if you drive fast in it. This is why the snorkel comes in handy. Toyota, calls it a desert air intake as this is « in my opinion » what their lawyers advised them to call it in order to avoid law suits. Keep up the good work! I watch your TFL videos from 🇨🇦 and I love them!
I hope that yours isn’t a Land Rover branded one as they only sell non waterproof Raised Air Intakes, you have to go aftermarket for something like a Safari Snorkel that adds waterproof gaskets at the wing and air box - one problem with pre 2020 Defenders is the battery box under the seat - 4 huge vent holes in the battery box floor help the cabin to fill more quickly than the under screen vent flaps and the door seals. Post 2020 Defender............ 82 ECU’s, it’s not worth the risk even if they are allegedly waterproofed to military requirements and can withstand 1 hour submerged, I wouldn’t want to put that claim to the test ever in my 2020 Defender!
@@timoliver8940 my one is the actual military one, rather than the land rover branded one. It came with gaskets, plus I siliconed all the joints in the air intake system. Not bothered about water coming in as if it didn't you run the risk of the defender starting to float and lose traction. In the army we used to leave the tailgate open and open the doors to let the water come in if we were deep wading to stop the possibility of floating
@@zuegma666 I have a standard production TDi300 90 as my off-road toy, I learned the hard way about raised diff breathers! In June I took delivery of a new 110 First Edition - deepest wade so far fit that was recently in local flooding, the Terrain Response Wade setting was tested to 60cm depth - the guy following me in a BMW X7 turned around to find an alternative route!
Vehicles commonly ingest water into the engine without damaging the electronics. A splash/stream of water in the exact wrong place can ruin an engine without touching the electronics. A snorkel can be worth having if only for those few seconds, once, in the life of a vehicle. When I was a tech at a Jeep dealer I saw water ingestion 3 times with no electronic damage. I saw a Lexus GX drive through a stream too fast, which forced water into the engine, without damaging the electronics. In all cases a snorkel would have likely saved these engines.
or do the cheap & nasty way: wrap a tarp around the nose (fix at the hood hinge on top and near the control arm at bottom). works really well, everything is kept dry that way ...
3rd gen Tacoma have the air intake from the passenger side inner fender cavity. If you remove the plastic inner fender for larger tires, a snorkle is used to keep mud and water out of the airbox
Also want to add you see "snorkels" on lots of farm and construction equipment with pre-cleaners on top. They do work and aren't just for show. Most people in the US will never see that kind of dust though. Thats probably why snorkels have a bad reputation from mostly people who don't work in dusty environments.
For a company like Toyota that is so afraid of getting sued for every little thing, I was surprised they did this. I mean, they don't even have driver-side grab handles because some hipster somewhere might have too large a noggin and sue for hitting it with their head. How they got this past legal is beyond me.
Guy's you need a quick lesson in off-roading. A snorkel, not just a raised air intake, can provide 3 benefits. 1. Increased performance: With a ram air intake, air is forced into the intake rather that from a more restricted wheel well 2. Increased wading depth: Increases ability for water crossings 3. Cleaner air: raises the air intake above dust and other road debris. Writing this because a lot of people in the comments have no clue
Literally everyone in the comments. My truck would get bogged from dusty roads alone. Had to keep dusting the air filter every trip. That alone is worth the snorkel. Side benefits to me was better performance and not having to shit myself everytime the water level gets over the wheels. So many don't wheel and talk a load of trash. Bottom line is opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one. Oh well.
Superb explanations and variety here for people to grasp this concept. Tommy, you killed it here for this content. This is exactly why I would NEVER waste my money and down time on the modern/new vehicles outfitting them with an air/intake. Too much tech. in them to go wrong long before you worry about where the engine is getting air from. Always goes back to .. you want to heavily modify something. .you need to go back in time and buy old school rigs and build up from there.
actually i specifically went with a TRD offroad because it didnt have the fake scoop and it didnt have the dumb looking snorkel. Cost Toyota 10k extra from me, they should skip the stupid shit and stick to basics.
I see more TRD Pro Toyota trucks on the road than off road. Here in Alaska, majority of the vehicle that I saw off-road are Jeeps and other domestic trucks.
I have several trucks that take air in from the inner fender. When driving down dusty roads, there is no clean air in the wheel well where the inlet is. Therefore, it's advantageous to use a snorkel.
no way, it must be separated from inside of wheel well , like in mine it's above wheel well inside and it has another metal wall to separate it from engine bay, it has indirect openings so no mud or water can't bounce there... that is why is not recommended to use aftermarket intake boxes which have inlet tubes just pointing down to road
@@tallll70 Sure, but a lot of dust still gets in there We did a test and found a major difference in the amount of sand in die air-filter (snorkel vs no-snorkel) Some of the area,s in Namibia 🇳🇦 the dust is so fine, it gets in everywhere...
looking good is more important than functionality. i put a snorkel on my k5 blazer. i got a boost in performance and mpg but i suspect it was from removing the restrictive factory ducting. the most important thing is it looks like something mad max would drive
Me and my buddy both have first GEN Tacoma‘s, and we were going on some trails one day and he went through a 1 to 2 foot deep puddle, well below the airbox, but still managed to fully soak his air filter. We had to pull over and the truck would not start if the filter was in there because it was so clogged with water. Eventually had to end up limping back to an O’Reilly‘s with no air filter. That’s why I plan on getting a snorkel.
We saw 20+ degree AIT difference on the same platform and the same conditions. Air filter also gets less dirt and debris depending on what attachments you have.
The snorkel is just one part . If you are serious off roader . All your breathers get extended, electronics get sealed. We have done this for years. Off-roaders are great at repairing broken trucks. Most of these are just mall crawlers anyway. Let them have they’re snorkel only conversion.
I sent my ‘94 Toyota truck fording through a river. Water reached the window sills but did not leak in. With the factory air box. If I lost traction and spent too long there, I’d have been stuffed. But I didn’t and I wasn’t. Yes, it had an EFI computer under the bench seat!
Transmission and transfer case also have breathing tubes. There is a video showing a Land Cruiser Prado wading normal height water and got its transmission ruined because water got in.
Did they say why they were doing away with it? Is there some kind of defect? Will we be able to acquire pieces for the intake if we lose the top or it’s stolen? I just got a 2020 pro with a desert air intake in the army green. The fact that they did away with it is concerning, although it does make the vehicle all the more rare and unique.
really good piece of information Tommy, I was just thinking about putting on a snorkel on my 2016 4runner trail, but decided against it due to the humongous hole in my fender, I don't really go through water, it was more for the dusty logging roads I go to when overlandding. Decided on putting in a k&n air filter and an incab one, too.
Agree, but keep my series 80 Landcruiser for those over the hood experiences. Still need to check oils after fording. Would not put my new 4 x 4 in anything above knee.
I have been amazed by people that actually think it is a snorkel. Some will argue in circles and show they never want to learn anything. Nice explanation Tommy, but no flannel shirt today?
This is the first video i have seen from this person. I am surprised how confidently he presents this material while at the same time showing very little understanding of the subject. He could have done a bit of research at least. i can't imagine watching any of his other videos if i was looking for useful information after seeing this.
Yes big dust clouds the intake location won't matter but if you are offroading and the dust is staying by grill because of your speed then yes you will be getting cleaner air. So as with most mods it would depend on what your application will ultimately be in the end.
Toyota with the 4Runner for sure has the air intake in the wheel well. Now I put those offroad tires on to move more dirt and I don't want to throw that into my air intake.
This is the trouble with TFL not having a 4Runner in their paddock. We put snorkels on 4Runners because Toyota, in their infinite wisdom, put the factory air intake in the passenger side wheel well. (I assume they did the same to Tacomas, but it's been a few years since I've owned one.) Moving the air intake OUT OF THE @$&# WHEEL WELL wasn't just for looks. Seriously.
I installed one in my Tacoma because I'm from Florida and there's a lot of water crossings where I off road, that means a lot of "accidental" splashes of water and mud
Any water higher than the alternator puts any vehicle at risk of immediate electrical failure, and submersing an alternator in water definitely reduces its life by contaminating bearings and electrical components with water and anything being carried by water. That's especially bad for Toyotas since they put the alternators low on the belt line, and not as bad for Jeep since the alternators are up at the level of the air intake. Glad someone is busting the myth on what snorkels are for ...
Have a 54 jeep that has the deep water fording on it snorkel for the air and a exhaust pipe extension the plug wires on the 4cyl had pipe treads to seal and the fuel pumped air to distributer cap to keep water out
I bought a 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD pro this truck comes with the option to have a desert air intake on it straight from the factory but I didn’t take it I didn’t see the point of it. Instead I went with the TRD pro cold air intake system . Now they say it adds an extra 9 or 10 horse power, i’m not sure I believe that I mostly got it because of the reusable filters where you can wash them and blow them out oiled them up and reuse them again and again. I put ARB differential breeders front and back. Didn’t see the point in the intake at all it’s extra money and extra weight with no real benefits.
10:03 yeah, you do get a benefit moving from there to there as shown in this old video with the landcruiser driving through bulldust ua-cam.com/video/1zJ69bqS-80/v-deo.html at 50 seconds into the video.
Its about keeping the air intake higher than the dust and sand your own vehicle kicks up in the desert. You will find you don't have to dump the sand out of your air filter as frequently if you do a bit of research before making videos.
Exactly, when churning up dust on dirt roads there was a huge difference from when my Landcruisers intake was in the fender area vs up high. It was well worth doing, granted I'm glad Toyota dropped it because it makes my snorkel even that much rarer. Remember these reviews are done by guys who leave street tires on some offroad models when they do comparison tests, take what they say with a grain of salt.
@@beer3029 I'm aware they are amateurs more concerned about outputing more content over quality. I understand their situation of not putting the same tires on every vehicle they get due to costs and only having vehicles for a short time and not owning a lot of the vehicles they touch and I agree they shouldn't pass those videos off as being remotely valid tests. They even had an FJ Cruiser represent "cars" in a test they did when it's clearly an SUV. These guys are merely entertainment with occasional useful info.
On the new Defender 2020, the air intake is facing the back and not the from which must have advantages for dust as it is isn’t forward facing. But I agree for most people it just looks cool. But for others it probably does keep dust out of the air filter.
Ever see 4wd 24/7 they got a 2019 and now a 2020 and lots of other brands of vehicles that go over their hoods. They don’t have issues , I’m sure they waterproof the important components.
Love the info in your vids and how you lay it out. This channel has become my favorite since I started shopping for an FJ Cruiser a few months ago. The FJ I think I'll be buying has a snorkel installed and I was curious of the actual benefits. Good to know it is mainly cosmetic, though I agree it does look cool.
My HMMWV in iraq had a pre cleaner on it, I found that I had to empty the pre cleaner once a week, when it came time for services my air filter was always way way cleaner than my wingman who didn't have an elevated intake with a pre cleaner, so I added one to my 4runner and so far living here in the deserts of west texas southern New mexico its proven to collect dust and dirt
Most vehicles will start to float and loose traction before reaching their wading depth. Be prepared to remove floor bungs to let water in and be sat in water if you want to go through deep water. Would never do it with newer 4 x 4, but ok with my series 80 Landcruiser.
My 1995 Integra had a snorkel - The Iceman intake which flooded my engine back in 2003. It was definitely "hipster" and "cool" back then. Kind of like excessively, hooking up a Wrangler, today, which is not cool.
I run one on my truck don't have to clean my air filter every run now instead of every outing I can go 2 to 3 months now before needing to clean my air filter shit works for me. Also car electronics aren't that sensitive or at least in my truck they aren't 2015 xterra. Got stuck in a river once water made it up to the dash not one module got damaged
Most Toyota’s who run larger tires or aftermarket front bumpers have to remove the plastic inner fender liner exposing the factory air intake directly to water, countless times I’ve seen hydro locked engines because of this. A snorkel is one of the best ways to prevent this from happening
As someone who has taken a 3rd gen Tacoma through multiple deep water crossings, without having water come into the cab, and having no issues with electronics shorting out… imma say this video is cap 😂
I wouldn't add a snorkel until I had already gotten diff breathers and a sealed alternator out of the way. If you're using it for desert I wouldn't add one at all, put that money towards tires or something
Toyota: We will remove the snorkel because the computer box is located under the seat and the vehicle will stall when the water reached it anyway. Ford/Ram/Chevy/Jeep: WRITE THAT DOWN! WRITE THAT DOWN! Let's put the computer box in the ceiling. like the snorkel did.
Got a source on that? On my car (3rd gen 4runner) they actually increase your gas mileage. And keeping your air filter cleaner by getting the cleaner air always helps your gas mileage.
Unless you have a Syklone type of prefilter, dust/leafs will go in. You need the complete kit to be effective. That’s what I did. Now I see a difference. As for the look, well, I have NOW a mushroom on my JKU🤷🏼♂️
The 1HZ is a great diesel engine, used in allot of Toyota models overseas. But it's a 30 year old engine now and very underpowered. Not even the 1VD would be a good option for the states. Diesels are just not popular and cost effective enough in the states for Toyota to even bother.
snorkel does not provide deep water travel but give some room to you. if you travel below air intake but even very short period time of water level increase; your engine may suck that water and kill itself. It happened to me. after a heavy rain, stuck at water puddle. A dump truck created wave than unluckily engine able to suck that water, enough to cause bend piston rods ruin the turbo etc, expensive repair bill.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm waiting for someone to put a snorkel on an electric vehicle....
That is for the drivers and passengers to breathe underwater when they drive the car down into the water; it is a survival kit for the idiots who think their car can swim. I am just kidding.
🤣
@Will M What if some genius would like to add a tiny gas engine into Tesla to generate electricity for charging the battery when the car is running low on electricity . That they may need to put a gas tank in the EV.
@@Gammaus like the i3?
You are not too far off. Tesla’s require an air intake to cool the batteries. The intake is below the “nose cone” on every model.
Ok so calling it a desert air intake is very accurate. Living in Dubai and out in the dunes every weekend i can tell you that the raised intake for heat doesn't do that much but keeping sand out of your air filter is totally brilliant. I used to clean out a small dune after every drive from my fj cruiser air box now with the TJM snorkel i clean only very fine dust out of the filter once a month if that. If you drive on sand and dusty roads do it.
@Rich Jones The whole point of snorkel is giving a supply of air to the engine. From water crossing perspective you still need it, because your splash of entering the water depends on the speed and angle you take, which without snorkel can lead to flooded engine since all factory intakes are located in lower position at the front. Which is the same for Dust or more important Mud which both can block that factory intake hole.
Absolutely 👍🏻
Works brilliant for fine dust/sand like in Namibia & Richtersveld
@@rynoopperman5010 really looking forward to travelling to the Namib in a year or two. 💪🚙😅
We drive through dust all the time out here in Nevada on trails. I've had a snorkel for almost 4 yrs now. Works great!
i have one on my gen 1 tacoma. for the dust and mud its totally worth it!
I disagree Tommy, I worked in West Texas for a year driving the oil field roads in my new at the time Tacoma. After 1 month, the air filter was plugged up with desert dirt and silt. I ordered the arb snorkel and installed it along with a pre filter. 22 months later the air filter still looks brand new. Following 18 wheelers was the worst but I think the majority of the dirt was lifted by the tires into the intake.
difference is that you are actually running pre filter whereas most people don't
They need to quit that fake/non-functional hood scope while they’re at it, or do something crazy like make it actually functional. Reminds me of all those previous generations of Ford Mustangs with fake air scoops.
At least Chevy makes their hood scoops functional on their duramax diesels.
@@richfarfugnuven6308 its a way to cool the turbos while driving
I honestly don’t really mind it. It looks amazing imo so it doesn’t really bother me.
@@deandrej674 yep, and get cold air directly into the engine. I have an old 7.3l and a 6.0l powerstroke and they both now have vented hoods. Helped a ton when towing. The biggest difference was putting water methanol injection on the 7.3L as well as a mishimoto radiator and intercooler. Runs a lot better.
Who cares? It’s just a bit of exterior design to give it a different look. The Tacoma’s could easily be made functional. Hopefully they put the new tundra motor in it and make it functional from factory
snorkels on something like a tacoma or wrangler are really useful. i have been in offroading situations with a wrangler where water got deeper than expected and you are already committed to crossing. A lot of the wires and other components can take a short duration of water exposure and be fine , however your engine cannot . A cheap safari snorkel also saved that jeeps engine years ago when i was stuck in water near the front of the hood for 10 minutes, engine never shut off and was fine.
The benefit they add is that if you do have to cross deep water they take away the threat of hydrolocking your engine. Sure you might have other things go wrong but water in the engine isn’t one of them.
Yea I just hydrolocked my truck like 3 days ago
I get them on all my vehicles (4runner, FJ, and Tacoma) because they are cop deterrents, you never get pulled over when your rigged to just look like an overlander, if anything I just get the thumbs up. This allows me to have tinted windows, maybe go a little faster then normal, it just takes the attention away from infractions and puts it into checking out a fully rigged vehicle.
I just added a snorkel to my H1 - $8 from Home Depot for a 4" piping coupler is all it took. Actually I only put it on when the snow starts falling since the H1's intake likes to suck in snow around its mushroom cap.
Having splashed through a puddle that was deeper than expected in a 2005 Wrangler, I view raise air intakes as cheap insurance. Sure you may get some electrical issues but you're less likely to hydro-lock your engine. Also some designs allow you to mount a pre-filter which may help keep some of that dust and crud from clogging your typical paper filter.
Yeah I'd rather replace or dry out the electrical than replace my motor . Didn't think he would leave that part out
@@simcha6414 where I live insurance would consider any car that had water that enters above floor board a write off. Rules vary all over the place though.
For me the snorkel is for emergency only. In a water crossing that you can't avoid and even if the diffs or the transmission gets some water, the engine doesn't shut off because of water inside the pistons.
Exactly. I've been in rivers where a snorkel would of saved my day big time. Don't ask this guy though as he clearly is too young to even have any life experiences to add to his bs opinion.
I've seen enough hydrolocked engines to not take this guys advice seriously. Id much rather deal with a fried coil than a hydrolocked engine. You kinda missed the biggest pro of running a snorkel
damn, as a person who lives in west Texas where 90% of the time it's dust storms, and the other 10% we have floods, the snorkel is a great addition
Hipster shopping in a flood! Im dying over here!!!!!
Yet, Tommy himself has is a hipster. He will not buy a Tundra or Titan because it doesn't have "enough tech" in them. Lol
Good video Tommy! I purchased a « Snorkel » from Rugged Ridge for my 2019 JLUR and there is no cutting the hood. It is literally plug and play. It does look a lot nicer than the Mopar one and it is reversible should you decide to do so. I would not take my Jeep in the water higher and faster than what Jeep recommends, but I would not be without it simply to avoid hydrolock. You can get hydrolock in a foot of water if you drive fast in it. This is why the snorkel comes in handy. Toyota, calls it a desert air intake as this is « in my opinion » what their lawyers advised them to call it in order to avoid law suits. Keep up the good work! I watch your TFL videos from 🇨🇦 and I love them!
Now there's a fine, reasoned 🇨🇦 comment!
I hear the Moose chew on them during mating season tho-so there's that.
More business for aftermarket stores
And the competition between them will make it even better!! This is all good news!! Especially for folks that desire a cool looking snorkel.
And probably cost less than the dealership
Be careful not to buy knockoffs.
That’s why I love my diesel defender. I have had it through a river with the water halfway up the windscreen
Don't forget your wading plugs sir!!
Because timing belts ain't cheap!
@@Craig-wp3pz yep, always put them in when going off road
I hope that yours isn’t a Land Rover branded one as they only sell non waterproof Raised Air Intakes, you have to go aftermarket for something like a Safari Snorkel that adds waterproof gaskets at the wing and air box - one problem with pre 2020 Defenders is the battery box under the seat - 4 huge vent holes in the battery box floor help the cabin to fill more quickly than the under screen vent flaps and the door seals. Post 2020 Defender............ 82 ECU’s, it’s not worth the risk even if they are allegedly waterproofed to military requirements and can withstand 1 hour submerged, I wouldn’t want to put that claim to the test ever in my 2020 Defender!
@@timoliver8940 my one is the actual military one, rather than the land rover branded one. It came with gaskets, plus I siliconed all the joints in the air intake system. Not bothered about water coming in as if it didn't you run the risk of the defender starting to float and lose traction. In the army we used to leave the tailgate open and open the doors to let the water come in if we were deep wading to stop the possibility of floating
@@zuegma666 I have a standard production TDi300 90 as my off-road toy, I learned the hard way about raised diff breathers! In June I took delivery of a new 110 First Edition - deepest wade so far fit that was recently in local flooding, the Terrain Response Wade setting was tested to 60cm depth - the guy following me in a BMW X7 turned around to find an alternative route!
Vehicles commonly ingest water into the engine without damaging the electronics. A splash/stream of water in the exact wrong place can ruin an engine without touching the electronics. A snorkel can be worth having if only for those few seconds, once, in the life of a vehicle. When I was a tech at a Jeep dealer I saw water ingestion 3 times with no electronic damage. I saw a Lexus GX drive through a stream too fast, which forced water into the engine, without damaging the electronics. In all cases a snorkel would have likely saved these engines.
or do the cheap & nasty way: wrap a tarp around the nose (fix at the hood hinge on top and near the control arm at bottom).
works really well, everything is kept dry that way ...
Wonder why the majority of 4WDs in Australia have snorkels if they do not make much of a difference?
Look @0:10 and tell me again how the dust is the same at normal intake level and at the desert air intake level?
Lmao, true
3rd gen Tacoma have the air intake from the passenger side inner fender cavity. If you remove the plastic inner fender for larger tires, a snorkle is used to keep mud and water out of the airbox
TFL, Snorkel startup companies just got their big break.
Also want to add you see "snorkels" on lots of farm and construction equipment with pre-cleaners on top. They do work and aren't just for show. Most people in the US will never see that kind of dust though. Thats probably why snorkels have a bad reputation from mostly people who don't work in dusty environments.
For a company like Toyota that is so afraid of getting sued for every little thing, I was surprised they did this.
I mean, they don't even have driver-side grab handles because some hipster somewhere might have too large a noggin and sue for hitting it with their head. How they got this past legal is beyond me.
Guy's you need a quick lesson in off-roading.
A snorkel, not just a raised air intake, can provide 3 benefits.
1. Increased performance: With a ram air intake, air is forced into the intake rather that from a more restricted wheel well
2. Increased wading depth: Increases ability for water crossings
3. Cleaner air: raises the air intake above dust and other road debris.
Writing this because a lot of people in the comments have no clue
Literally everyone in the comments. My truck would get bogged from dusty roads alone. Had to keep dusting the air filter every trip. That alone is worth the snorkel. Side benefits to me was better performance and not having to shit myself everytime the water level gets over the wheels.
So many don't wheel and talk a load of trash. Bottom line is opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one. Oh well.
You need more likes on this one. Don't know where everyone else here is getting their information lol
@@niall21 Apparently they're all off road experts. They may as well say no need for a winch too, until you need it of course.
Superb explanations and variety here for people to grasp this concept. Tommy, you killed it here for this content. This is exactly why I would NEVER waste my money and down time on the modern/new vehicles outfitting them with an air/intake. Too much tech. in them to go wrong long before you worry about where the engine is getting air from. Always goes back to .. you want to heavily modify something. .you need to go back in time and buy old school rigs and build up from there.
Snorkels SELL. They are a GREAT marketing gimmick! Damn the fuel economy, Horsepower, and Torque! ViVa La Snorkel! I like the way they Look! Weeeeee!
actually i specifically went with a TRD offroad because it didnt have the fake scoop and it didnt have the dumb looking snorkel. Cost Toyota 10k extra from me, they should skip the stupid shit and stick to basics.
No more posser snorkel? No worries, you still have the posser hood scoop.
Most ppl that buy the TRD Pros dont even go off road.
So Toyota doesn't care
Fact. I see more SR5s and Off-Roads than Pros on any trail
@@aarontamplin8961 Also the fact that they make about 100x more SR5s and ORs may be the reason too.
I see more TRD Pro Toyota trucks on the road than off road. Here in Alaska, majority of the vehicle that I saw off-road are Jeeps and other domestic trucks.
I have several trucks that take air in from the inner fender. When driving down dusty roads, there is no clean air in the wheel well where the inlet is. Therefore, it's advantageous to use a snorkel.
On the Toyota Hilux the air intake sits just above the right front wheel well, and thus a lot of dust that gets kicked up by the front wheel
no way, it must be separated from inside of wheel well , like in mine it's above wheel well inside and it has another metal wall to separate it from engine bay, it has indirect openings so no mud or water can't bounce there... that is why is not recommended to use aftermarket intake boxes which have inlet tubes just pointing down to road
@@tallll70
Sure, but a lot of dust still gets in there
We did a test and found a major difference in the amount of sand in die air-filter (snorkel vs no-snorkel)
Some of the area,s in Namibia 🇳🇦 the dust is so fine, it gets in everywhere...
looking good is more important than functionality. i put a snorkel on my k5 blazer. i got a boost in performance and mpg but i suspect it was from removing the restrictive factory ducting. the most important thing is it looks like something mad max would drive
I live, I die. I LIVE AGAIN!
I always wondered why the inlet to a snorkel didn’t face to the back. It would keep more water/dust from entering the airbox
Me and my buddy both have first GEN Tacoma‘s, and we were going on some trails one day and he went through a 1 to 2 foot deep puddle, well below the airbox, but still managed to fully soak his air filter. We had to pull over and the truck would not start if the filter was in there because it was so clogged with water. Eventually had to end up limping back to an O’Reilly‘s with no air filter. That’s why I plan on getting a snorkel.
Another concern, getting water into the fuel system via the evap system under the bed... been there, done that.
We saw 20+ degree AIT difference on the same platform and the same conditions. Air filter also gets less dirt and debris depending on what attachments you have.
So Tommy are you telling us that people only add snorkels for the visuals? What's next telling us that people buy Jeeps just to look cool? :)
Maybe he needs to cross a stream to get to the mall.
The snorkel is just one part . If you are serious off roader . All your breathers get extended, electronics get sealed. We have done this for years. Off-roaders are great at repairing broken trucks.
Most of these are just mall crawlers anyway. Let them have they’re snorkel only conversion.
Toyota recommends rotating the Desert Air Intake inlet 180 degrees when it's snowing to prevent it getting clogged.
Maybe if Toyota had made the thing available on more trims than just the TRD Pro, then maybe they’d have sold more of them... 🤨
i enjoy taking my modern day 4runner thru water crossings.
toyota is built strong 👍🏻 lol
The snorkel in my 2003 Dodge RAM 1500 HEMI has literally saved my engine more than three times from hydro locking. 🤷♂️
I sent my ‘94 Toyota truck fording through a river. Water reached the window sills but did not leak in. With the factory air box.
If I lost traction and spent too long there, I’d have been stuffed. But I didn’t and I wasn’t.
Yes, it had an EFI computer under the bench seat!
Transmission and transfer case also have breathing tubes. There is a video showing a Land Cruiser Prado wading normal height water and got its transmission ruined because water got in.
Cool segment I was thinking put snorkel to my 19 Tacoma TRD OFF ROAD looks cool. But concerned about cut the fender on it 🤔and I’m in NY
A snorkel will prevent you from going thru a modern automated car wash.
If you’re going through automated car washes, you’re doing your car a disservice.
Did they say why they were doing away with it? Is there some kind of defect? Will we be able to acquire pieces for the intake if we lose the top or it’s stolen? I just got a 2020 pro with a desert air intake in the army green. The fact that they did away with it is concerning, although it does make the vehicle all the more rare and unique.
really good piece of information Tommy, I was just thinking about putting on a snorkel on my 2016 4runner trail, but decided against it due to the humongous hole in my fender, I don't really go through water, it was more for the dusty logging roads I go to when overlandding. Decided on putting in a k&n air filter and an incab one, too.
Even if the only water you wade into is a boat launch, you need to properly vent your diff. Possibly your transfer case and transmission as well.
Agree, but keep my series 80 Landcruiser for those over the hood experiences. Still need to check oils after fording. Would not put my new 4 x 4 in anything above knee.
So wat do u want me to use when I’m in lakes, springs,deep puddles and mud???
I have been amazed by people that actually think it is a snorkel. Some will argue in circles and show they never want to learn anything. Nice explanation Tommy, but no flannel shirt today?
This is the first video i have seen from this person. I am surprised how confidently he presents this material while at the same time showing very little understanding of the subject. He could have done a bit of research at least. i can't imagine watching any of his other videos if i was looking for useful information after seeing this.
Guessing this is like your first tfl videos you've watched then because he's on tons of them. LOL
I think it’s great that you are doing this with your dad! I’m definitely a fan now!
Yes big dust clouds the intake location won't matter but if you are offroading and the dust is staying by grill because of your speed then yes you will be getting cleaner air. So as with most mods it would depend on what your application will ultimately be in the end.
Toyota with the 4Runner for sure has the air intake in the wheel well. Now I put those offroad tires on to move more dirt and I don't want to throw that into my air intake.
Thanks for the clarification for what a snorkel is for and that the car or pickup is not to go thru water lakes or rivers
This is the trouble with TFL not having a 4Runner in their paddock. We put snorkels on 4Runners because Toyota, in their infinite wisdom, put the factory air intake in the passenger side wheel well. (I assume they did the same to Tacomas, but it's been a few years since I've owned one.) Moving the air intake OUT OF THE @$&# WHEEL WELL wasn't just for looks. Seriously.
My guess is it has to do with company lawyers and the possible liability issues they dont want to deal with.
Snorks...they remind me of those WW2 Submarines every time I see them.. thanks Tommy ☺
I installed one in my Tacoma because I'm from Florida and there's a lot of water crossings where I off road, that means a lot of "accidental" splashes of water and mud
Asbestos clay is VERY old-school, once hairspray became available in the late '50s they switched to that.
Snorkels have pre-cleaner filters for the top of the tube that are wildly effective.
Any water higher than the alternator puts any vehicle at risk of immediate electrical failure, and submersing an alternator in water definitely reduces its life by contaminating bearings and electrical components with water and anything being carried by water. That's especially bad for Toyotas since they put the alternators low on the belt line, and not as bad for Jeep since the alternators are up at the level of the air intake. Glad someone is busting the myth on what snorkels are for ...
Have a 54 jeep that has the deep water fording on it snorkel for the air and a exhaust pipe extension the plug wires on the 4cyl had pipe treads to seal and the fuel pumped air to distributer cap to keep water out
I bought a 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD pro this truck comes with the option to have a desert air intake on it straight from the factory but I didn’t take it I didn’t see the point of it. Instead I went with the TRD pro cold air intake system . Now they say it adds an extra 9 or 10 horse power, i’m not sure I believe that I mostly got it because of the reusable filters where you can wash them and blow them out oiled them up and reuse them again and again. I put ARB differential breeders front and back. Didn’t see the point in the intake at all it’s extra money and extra weight with no real benefits.
10:03 yeah, you do get a benefit moving from there to there as shown in this old video with the landcruiser driving through bulldust ua-cam.com/video/1zJ69bqS-80/v-deo.html at 50 seconds into the video.
Hard to argue with that. There is almost always way less dust at the roof level. Driving through 5’ of water, bad idea.
Its about keeping the air intake higher than the dust and sand your own vehicle kicks up in the desert. You will find you don't have to dump the sand out of your air filter as frequently if you do a bit of research before making videos.
yep and the occasional oops water crossing that would of sucked in water prior to any electronics ever getting shut down.
Exactly, when churning up dust on dirt roads there was a huge difference from when my Landcruisers intake was in the fender area vs up high. It was well worth doing, granted I'm glad Toyota dropped it because it makes my snorkel even that much rarer. Remember these reviews are done by guys who leave street tires on some offroad models when they do comparison tests, take what they say with a grain of salt.
@@beer3029 I'm aware they are amateurs more concerned about outputing more content over quality. I understand their situation of not putting the same tires on every vehicle they get due to costs and only having vehicles for a short time and not owning a lot of the vehicles they touch and I agree they shouldn't pass those videos off as being remotely valid tests. They even had an FJ Cruiser represent "cars" in a test they did when it's clearly an SUV. These guys are merely entertainment with occasional useful info.
On the new Defender 2020, the air intake is facing the back and not the from which must have advantages for dust as it is isn’t forward facing. But I agree for most people it just looks cool. But for others it probably does keep dust out of the air filter.
Oh I wish this made a difference in my life. Nope. There’s that apathy kicking in.
Ever see 4wd 24/7 they got a 2019 and now a 2020 and lots of other brands of vehicles that go over their hoods. They don’t have issues , I’m sure they waterproof the important components.
Andre where is the tundra towing video ? You were supposed to release it yesterday, are you guys done with your testing
What am I going to do at the river crossing on my way to King Soopers! 😂
I like the design of the Rugged Ridge snorkel for the Jeep JL and JT. No cutting or drilling.
What about the ”water forging” Jeep says they do to the Wranglers for water crossing?
Love the info in your vids and how you lay it out. This channel has become my favorite since I started shopping for an FJ Cruiser a few months ago. The FJ I think I'll be buying has a snorkel installed and I was curious of the actual benefits. Good to know it is mainly cosmetic, though I agree it does look cool.
Really good video very informative makes a lot of sense
Love my Pro w/ DAI
My HMMWV in iraq had a pre cleaner on it, I found that I had to empty the pre cleaner once a week, when it came time for services my air filter was always way way cleaner than my wingman who didn't have an elevated intake with a pre cleaner, so I added one to my 4runner and so far living here in the deserts of west texas southern New mexico its proven to collect dust and dirt
Most vehicles will start to float and loose traction before reaching their wading depth. Be prepared to remove floor bungs to let water in and be sat in water if you want to go through deep water. Would never do it with newer 4 x 4, but ok with my series 80 Landcruiser.
My 1995 Integra had a snorkel - The Iceman intake which flooded my engine back in 2003. It was definitely "hipster" and "cool" back then. Kind of like excessively, hooking up a Wrangler, today, which is not cool.
Over seas you'll see a few of the tricked out (to what i can only guess is special ops) Hilux's with the safari snokels.
Ok, how well would a Tesla do if submerged? It doesn't need air and aren't things sealed?
this is so iconic it's iconic.
What are your thoughts on the pre-cleaner spin tops that people put on their raised intakes?
I run one on my truck don't have to clean my air filter every run now instead of every outing I can go 2 to 3 months now before needing to clean my air filter shit works for me. Also car electronics aren't that sensitive or at least in my truck they aren't 2015 xterra. Got stuck in a river once water made it up to the dash not one module got damaged
Great presentation, Tommy, very interesting and well presented.
So who is the DB that made the title of the vehicle... it’s not only for high water, in fact it’s primarily for cleaner air...
Two things most people have never used on their TRD PRO...
1. Snorkel 2. 4x4 lol
Most Toyota’s who run larger tires or aftermarket front bumpers have to remove the plastic inner fender liner exposing the factory air intake directly to water, countless times I’ve seen hydro locked engines because of this. A snorkel is one of the best ways to prevent this from happening
As someone who has taken a 3rd gen Tacoma through multiple deep water crossings, without having water come into the cab, and having no issues with electronics shorting out… imma say this video is cap 😂
I added the snorkel to prevent hydrolocking.
Learned new things. Thanks for your video.
I wouldn't add a snorkel until I had already gotten diff breathers and a sealed alternator out of the way. If you're using it for desert I wouldn't add one at all, put that money towards tires or something
Would I be able to do this with my 1973 Land Rover Series 3 88" Petrol?
Toyota: We will remove the snorkel because the computer box is located under the seat and the vehicle will stall when the water reached it anyway.
Ford/Ram/Chevy/Jeep: WRITE THAT DOWN! WRITE THAT DOWN! Let's put the computer box in the ceiling. like the snorkel did.
There's one thing they definitely do: worsen your MPG.
Got a source on that? On my car (3rd gen 4runner) they actually increase your gas mileage. And keeping your air filter cleaner by getting the cleaner air always helps your gas mileage.
@@niall21 The clean air offsets the worse aerodynamics?
@@imnotusingmyrealname4566 We're talking about trucks, not a hypermiler. The poorer aero won't make any real world difference.
Cheap insurance for preventing a hydrolocked engine. If you offroad in wet areas anyway.
Unless you have a Syklone type of prefilter, dust/leafs will go in. You need the complete kit to be effective. That’s what I did. Now I see a difference. As for the look, well, I have NOW a mushroom on my JKU🤷🏼♂️
That is why Toyota should bring 1HZ engine to America.
The 1HZ is a great diesel engine, used in allot of Toyota models overseas. But it's a 30 year old engine now and very underpowered. Not even the 1VD would be a good option for the states. Diesels are just not popular and cost effective enough in the states for Toyota to even bother.
snorkel does not provide deep water travel but give some room to you. if you travel below air intake but even very short period time of water level increase; your engine may suck that water and kill itself. It happened to me. after a heavy rain, stuck at water puddle. A dump truck created wave than unluckily engine able to suck that water, enough to cause bend piston rods ruin the turbo etc, expensive repair bill.