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Equipping the Overland Vehicle Vehicle accessories - Making your home away from home comfortable, safe and reliable.
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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  #1  
Old 1 Nov 2007
Alexlebrit's Avatar
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Snorkels - Good thing, bad thing?

I've been reading about snorkels and am still not certain if they're a good thing or a bad thing for overlanding. As about half the route's on the road and the other half will only have the occasional river crossing, perhaps I don't need one, but then again it's better to have and not need than to need and not have.

And of course the next tricky bit is that there's no snorkel for a Fiat Panda, so of course I'd have to make/mod one. Anyone done this and have any tips for what to and what not to do?

You've got to admit though, it's doesn't look half bad.

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Old 1 Nov 2007
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Air = Breathe, Water = Drink

Alex,

I have snorkles on both my LR Discovery and Toyota Land Cruiser ute. I was surprised when I looked at both closely they had loose/non-airtight connections somewhere along the pipe between the upper inlet and the air cleaner. This would allow entry of water even if the level was down around the bonnet.

You can check this, while running the engine at idle, close off the intake at the upper end, if the engine stalls there is obviously no other way for the air to enter the air cleaner, then the seals are tight. I needed to dismantle the intake pipes and seal them both with sylicon.

Use of the snorple is not just for water entry, air from a higher level from the road tends to be less dusty also.

Making your own snorkle from scratch may be a challenge, a modified one from another car may be easier.

Cheers. Chris
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Old 2 Nov 2007
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Don't think snorkel, think 50mm pipe from existing intake to roof. Try visiting a scrap yard for bits - ford fiestas have a handy plastic bit that starts off round, goes flat, then round again turning through 90 degrees ( hard to explain but basically the lower section in your picture) then a piece of tube with a bend and a cyclone filter on top - that should look the biz on the ferry.
If you want a top like the one in your pic ( though pointing back to stop the rain going in) mercedes sell them for about £10
Food for thought
Chris
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Old 2 Nov 2007
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Damn Silver I was just getting into Cambodia Field Repair mode then and you killed me stone dead Like the man says do a bodge job by using some pipe on the air inlet, and also why not fit some hose to the exhaust to stop it pulling through the rear if you screw up.
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Old 2 Nov 2007
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If the door seals are good you could have a submarine in no time
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Old 2 Nov 2007
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You could put on MONSTER TRUCK wheels then you don't have to worry about the snorkel, as you will be 20 feet in the air.

Get Q to make you an inflatable raft that comes out Bond style to cross the rivers.

Or my favorite fit a jet engine to the back of it, and then jump it over the rivers (Evil Knievel style), might get you to your destination quicker as well.
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