How to install a Snorkel - Hunty

[Hunty]

Hi Guyz
I finally decided to give my JK some cool clean air to breath so I jumped onto Ebay and bought the "direct4x4accessories" fed through the top of the bonnet edition - delivered for under $300 plus they gave me a free tactical police style led torch!

I was very nervous about cutting into my beautiful JK body to install this so I applied the old adage "measure twice & cut once" - even still I was $hitting myself when I began to drill.

The instructions that came were very good! so I will just add my 2cents and hopefully anybody who reads this will benefit a little bit from my stress LoL

I held the Snorkel in place against my Jeep just to see how it looked and to discover if my light bar would get in the way - and I soon realised not only it would get in the way but also my Mirror relocation brackets would also!

So the mirror relocation brackets are up for sale $50 and there yours - (just pm me).

I started early this morning and the bonnet was still a little wet - which was good because when I laid the supplied template on the bonnet it immediately stuck!

The instructions said to lay it (the template) 19mm from the indent made for the hood latch - but I (stupidly) did not trust this - so I went to great lengths to move the template around until I thought it was in the perfect position wasted about 30min doing this and after I had finally placed it where I thought it looked best - i measured it to see how far different I had it compared to the instructions and %uck me it was exactly 19mm from the latch LoL LoL.

I then got my pocket knife and traced out the template pushing just hard enough to scratch my Jeeps bonnet - see picture - I also centre punched the jeep for the hole saw!

Next I cut the holes - and yes people I know I used a wood hole saw D'oh! its all I had!

I went to bunnings and bought an angle grinder and very thin cutting disc - both on special cost less than $20 for both!

Tip 1 I removed the bonnet insulation so I could see what I was cutting into - it was quite easy - just carefully prise off the 3 stupid plastic christmas tree type fasteners.

TIP 2 when cutting with the angle grinder the steel of the bonnet will get very hot so I chose to cut with the garden hose running water onto the bonnet to keep it cool and prevent the paint from melting! - which I can assure you will if you don't keep it cool and then there will be tears LoL

I assembled the snorkel and attached all the mounting hardware - sealed it all with heaps of black silicon type stuff - also from bunnings

Lastly I riveted the supplied trim to the bonnet to finish off the job

Best of all - I have been driving around Sydney this morning for work and
I noticed on my scan gauge that the air temperature flowing into my engine was around 29 degrees C - the abient temp in Sydney at the time was 26C - which got me a barred up because I normally observe the air temp going into my engine any where from double the ambient to 86 - 90 degrees C !!!!!!!!!!!!

So if any of you have any smarts when it comes to the fuel efficiency of colder more dense air - I would certainly like to know if I can expect better performance and or better economy? now my engine is sucking down air thats at least 50C cooler

Lastly as you can see from the pix I need to make up 2 little black spacers for the windscreen pillar mount to keep the snorkel of my light bar - I just used 2 packets of washers this morning - so technically its still a work in progress!

Cheers Hunty
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[reyzor]

hey hunty... bang up job youve done.... jsut wondering though, did you paint the cut edge on your bonnet to stop rust? also is the silicon you used safe for sensors? ive heard that they can break down over time fouling any sensors down stream from them?

[Hunty]

Hi Reyzor
Thanx for the heads up on the sensor contamination - ill look into it when I get home tonight - re painting - havent painted the edge yet - just need to get some paint and ill do it tonight also
cheers Hunty

[glend]

Some people use Sikaflex 227 black polyurethane for snorkel bedding compound - also available from Bunnings but without the nasty silicon issues.

[Hunno]

Yer I used Sikaflex & plenty of it just to make sure.

[Dave]

Hunty, a beautiful job - I did not have the confidence to do mine, so I paid a lot more than you, then Glen helped pretty it up with the Sikaflex.

One question, what does EXtREM mean (LOL)?

Dave

[SteveC]

Hunty
The recommend sealant should be Mastic. When I installed my snorkel - that was what I was advised by the manufacturer. Also use Zinc based paint to stop the rust as a primer but can be used as the final paint and over that if you wish with the colour of the jeep itself if the zinc shows..
I understand the nerves - I had the same problem
BTW
WD40 is a good lube to use when cutting

[Hunty]

More evidence for thr Jeep Coroner - LoL - just a couple of shots of my awesome $10 bunnings tools

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