Fabricating a Custom Snorkel

Fabricating a Custom Snorkel

There is an actual purpose for installing a snorkel besides adding to the "panty throwing" ability of the Defender - which refers to the reaction of the female species when they see us Defender owners cruising the streets. A snorkel, or raised air intake, raises the air intake of the engine to prevent it from sucking in water when fording water obstacles, and can also prevent the engine from sucking in dirt and dust when driving in those conditions (with the proper pre-filter). Keep in mind, simply adding a snorkel will not allow you to all of a sudden start driving under water. There are a lot of other things that need to be sealed before attempting to go scuba diving in your Defender.

Most snorkel kits are pretty expensive, ranging from $350 to $600 depending on the style. I did not care for the looks or functionality of the current kits on the market, so I decided to build my own. Total cost in parts was just over $150, with half of that being the Safari Snorkel head. Then next most expensive item was the 3" aluminized exhaust tubing which ran $28 for each section. I will say that after building my snorkel, I now understand why they are so expensive. It took me 4 total hours to construct, and with my fabrication charge of $40 an hour, total cost would be $310, then add profit margin to everything... well you get the picture.

This is the ARB Safari Snorkel head. You can buy just this piece for most 4x4 shops. I paid $70.	\ With this type of head I was concerned about rain entering the snorkel. Take notice of the design, as rain enters the intake, it collects on the sides and runs out the drain slots.
Another gee whiz shot...	These are the 3" tubing sections I bought from a local racing shop. I chose to use full 3" pipe and weld the sections versus having a muffler shop draw-bend a single section. Draw-bending creates constrictions and crushes the bends of the tubes. I only needed one large section and one small section.
I cut the first small section and place it where I want it to enter the engine compartment.	Next is a section of the large bend tubing, tacked in place.
The chop saw leaves burrs and cuttoff dust inside the tube, make sure this all gets cleaned out before welding, you don't want that stuff in your air filter!	Next is the vertical section. I wanted it to be parallel with the rollcage tube. It gets tack welded in place.
I fabricate a small tab to secure the snorkel to the rollcage bolt.	And the final vertical section of tube, tacked in place.
So kewl! Definitely starting to look good...	The Safari Snorkel head fits perfect. I mounted the head so it sits about 2" below the highest point of the Defender - I'd hate to have it get snagged on a tree or some other urban obstacle.
Next up is making a panel to enclose the snorkel tube as it enters the fender. Here I used a needle-type finger gauge to figure out the proper radii. I always use a cardboard template and test fit.	And the test fit of the actual panel.
Here is the section of 3" intake finish welded and prepped for paint.	Now I need to make some adjustments to the stock air intake. I will cut off the horn and weld on the 3" elbow.
This is the intake after finish weld and paint.	...and the air intake installed.
I had a hard time deciding to install 3" dryer vent hose as it seemed cheesy, but this stuff is reinforced aluminum and is crush resistant. It came in an 8' section for $10 and seems pretty stout. So I will give it a shot, and if it fails I will source some rubber stuff from McMaster-Carr.	Each end gets a coat of silicon on the inside and secured with an aluminum hose clamp. Then the fitting gets some more silicon for good waterproofing.
Here is the snorkel installed. I used Rustoleum Hammerite black paint, which is one of my favorite paints to use because it leaves a rock hard rust-resistant surface. Plus it conceals imperfections.	Another view. Looks pretty good, and in my humble opinion better than any snorkel on the market for the Defender.
The snorkel is out of the straight on view of the driver, and just barely impairs vision when looking left.	The tab in conjunction with the fender plate keeps the snorkel held firmly in place.