SS snorkel for GQ patrol

[BigGQWesty]

Ok. I'm looking at making a stainless snorkel for the GQ.. I have posted here as I have a few flaws in my plan and what to discuss them..

Flaw no.1. Size..

I do realize size does matter and this is my first hurdle.. I have a few 3' elbows in the shed but I'm wondering if there to small? I have been told 5' but that would be massive IMO...

What about 4'? Would need to source the lot but we have a scrap yard and the local paper mill is pulling Ss pipe out all the time..

Flaw no.2. Entry into bonnet

The preformed elbows are quite large in 3' and can only assume bigger again in 4'..

I don't want to remove to much body, but I don't want the snorkel hanging 100mm off the body..

I have thought about using a rubber 90 degree bend here as they are a lot tighter... But it's rubber... Sorta spoils the stainless look.. And I don't like hose clamps...

Flaw no.3. And the biggest one yet..

I want to bypass my pre cleaner and head for the top mount filter. Why?? Why not?? Less restrictions of air (only one filter), no bloody long pipe running down the entire 1/4 panel..

I want to try and completely seal it up so no water can enter the system under the bonnet.. But were will the rain drain to that comes threw the snorkel???

So throw up some thoughts.. I wanna get it right (mostly right anyway) the first time..

Cheers

[twisty]

I've been thinking about this for a while as well. You may have noticed I've recently aquired a plastic snorkel but I'm still undecided about fitting.

Flaw 1. 4" seems the ideal and with a bit of shopping around it's all easily available. I haven't seen a custom snorkel yet that follows the body line correctly. There is always a larger gap at the bottom of the windscreen pillar, yuk. I'm still thinking of making a pvc mockup but the final product would be stainless and fully welded (no plastic joiners used externally). I've got no idea on costs.

Flaw 2. I'm in a GU but I'm not sure why you couldn't fit a GQ the same (entry behind wheel, not in front) unless there is some obstruction behind the LH guard that prevents this. I don't much like the look of any snorkel that runs past the front wheel on the outside of the body. Agree about the rubber and clamps.

Flaw 3. Yeah ... why not. Perhaps the prefilter can be moved? Rain. I'll have my inlet facing back and down. I just can't see "ram" air being of benefit below 100kph and a Donaldson style may be the "ducks nuts" but they look like an undesired growth.

Still thinking.

[BigGQWesty]

Mine is a n/a 4.2.. So I'm thinking 4'..

I got some prices of new 316 4' gear..

$52 for a 90 degree elbow, $38 for the 45 elbow and $400 for a 6mtr 4' length...

So to do it new your looking at $600 project.. + freight..

I'm off to make some phone calls to the scrap yards...

[twisty]

It's also been suggested to me 3" ss exhaust pipe will work and is cheaper. And I don't think you'll need six metres of straight , maybe 1.5. So maybe $200 in SS? I'd also be using quality rubber inside the guard.

Inlet design is also a small problem for me with a custom snorkel. Some pics below.

Edited May 25, 2012 by twisty

[BigGQWesty]

I love the concept... Lol..

I was looking at it before and the Sam Ariel is in the way.. So I might yet flip the top filter around and run it down the drivers side pillar...

I'm not to keen on the bonnet entry...

Edited May 25, 2012 by BigGQWesty

[BigGQWesty]

Let the fun begin for $20...

[twisty]

what size?

[BigGQWesty]

A bit of 4' and s bit of 3'.. I'll make them and see how they look temporarily fitted to the vehicle before cutting panels..

I'm coming around to the bonnet entry idea though to...

[twisty]

Do it how you like. Bonnet entry sounds a bit difficult but if you want something a bit different ... why not. I'm tossing up between a chrome (SS) finish to match the bullbar, or powdercoat green (jade) to match duco. I've given myself two months to decide, so hurry up with yours.

[BigGQWesty]

Lol..

Hopefully mock up is done this week.. Got to shuffle some crap to get to the shed then I'm right..

Hope the neighbors don't mind the midnight oil burning.. Stone shed so it should be right...

If I can't get a nice even polish I'm going gloss black to match the car aswell..

Edited May 27, 2012 by BigGQWesty

[BigGQWesty]

I am really struggling to find a template to cut the bonnet with??

Any help guys ??

[SilverBullet]

Where bouts u located mate and which scrap yard did u use?

[twisty]

I am really struggling to find a template to cut the bonnet with??

Any help guys ??

yeah ... go through the guard, Told ya the bonnet idea was trouble.

[SilverBullet]

Patroldocta?

[BigGQWesty]

I'm in mount gambier, but the scarp yard is in Millicent.. There demolishing a lot of stuff at the local KCA plant so lots of SS tube..

I'm liking the Patroldocta style.. But I doubt they would just hand over there template.. It's the reason you buy there product ain't it???

Will mock up a bit threw the week..

[twisty]

Patroldocta?

Nup ... don't like them, sorry. Same as Millweld, not square, straight or alligned properly. Stands out like dogs balls ... yuk. And I like the bonnet entry even less now.

[BigGQWesty]

Nup ... don't like them, sorry. Same as Millweld, not square, straight or alligned properly. Stands out like dogs balls ... yuk. And I like the bonnet entry even less now.

Lol... Bonnet entry is easiest to get it hugging the body..

I'm going to have to elongate the entry hole to get it to hug the 1/4 pannel..

I might have to order a few 1/4 pannels... Lol (kidding.. Will be using timber mockup bits...)

[Glort]

If you don't have enough pipe to do it all in 4" I would put the 3" at the engine end and the 4" at the other.

I think this would cause the least restrictio especially where the most bends will be and by putting the smaller diameter near the engine, You may give the air some speed into the airbox and into the engine.

As for rain if you use a scoop, I really wouldn't worry. Any water that gets into the intake will hit the airfilter and be dispersed probably into vapor before it travels into the engine. I have water injection on my truck and run 300Ml a minute. A mate miscalculated when setting up his WI and ended up running 2 LITRES/ min into his 2.5L Diesel. It spluttered and coughed but it didn't hurt it. There is no way you are going to get that much rain in there and I doubt you'd even notice 500Ml going through that way which is still more than I could ever see you getting.

I have been looking at a WI system for my Turbo Diesel and am going to have the spray onto the air filter. I have read this does no damage and on the old filter I have been testing with a water drip and a centrifugal fan sucking through it, I can attest to that fact.

[BigGQWesty]

Well that puts me at ease.. Cheers..

Forward with the completely sealed system...

[SilverBullet]

I wouldn't have thought they would hand it over to you, but if you could find someone who has fitted one themselves You might be able to score one off them. if your going throu the guard I'd cut a circle hole where u want it to enter then trim it back bit by bit until ur happy with it

[BigGQWesty]

Yer that's the plan SB.

And I found a few install threads on other forums and sent a pm to them. See what it turns up..

Cheers

[BigGQWesty]

Double up..

Edited May 27, 2012 by BigGQWesty

[twisty]

Thanks Glort. So the forward facing inlet design on plastic snorkels really doesn't have much benefit. Time for some "out of the box" thinking.

[BigGQWesty]

What are you thinking???

[Glort]

Thanks Glort. So the forward facing inlet design on plastic snorkels really doesn't have much benefit. Time for some "out of the box" thinking.

I have been looking into this and there is some good info on the net.

Surprisingly, the air pressure at 100Kph is under 1/4 PSI. I would have thought it was heaps more but apparently not. The best practical design goal you could hope for would be to have a zero air pressure at the airbox rather than a negative one. With a snorkel, I doubt that is possible.

Scoops on their own are pretty ineffective. They need the assistance of being located in a high pressure area on the vehicle. Typically these are the front air dam on cars that have them and at the base of the windscreen. For a snorkel, the best location would probably be with the scoop facing towards the windscreen ( IE, 90o to the front) and 3/4 the way up to catch the spill coming off the windscreen.

If you put the scoop in the middle of the windscreen at it's top edge along the roof line, you may actually get the air being pulled out of the intake as the air shoots over th top and causes a low pressure area from the roof.

IF a person really wanted to reduce the inlet pressure drop, one way would be to use a visor on the top of the windscreen and seal it to the rood and take the snorkel pickup from there. That would give a good high pressure pickup point. I have seen rally cars with this that vent the air back to the engine ( Mid engine cars) .

With regard to snorkel scops I have also read of peo0ple facing them backwayrd and saying they work better. At speed this is highly unlikley.

Anything in an airstream will typically have a high pressure area at the front side and a low to negative pressure at the rear due to the airflow being disturbed and creating eddy currents that try to fill the void.

It is possible to get some useful pressure off a snorkel head but probably not going to be the shape that has the look most people want on their trucks.