ackkk it all sounds so easy, but i can't pull the #$%# thing off. i must be weak

 

Ok...seemed easy enough, so I gave it a shot.

Simply undue the 10mm bolt near the battery and give a slight squeeze and twist where the snorkle enters the airbox. Run the snorkle down towards the skid plate and it comes right out w/o having to remove/undue any other components. Took all of 5 minutes to do.

As i looked around the engine bay, I really could not imagine even a remote chance of the intake "hole" sucking up any rocks or debris....take a look around after you remove it, you will see what I mean.

I did an additional safety mod for a grand total of $2.33 as I had a slight concern of the large diameter intake. I dont know how necessary it is, but it is easy enough to remove, so no big loss of time or money.

Go to Home Depot and pick up the following in the plumbing section:

- 14* 3inch round grate (black) *40* "A"
- 2" black coupler

Play around with the pieces a bit and find a pair that fits VERY snug together. I went home and used a rubber mallet to mate the two pieces together. Note that one end has a flat nipple. Leave this end exposed (as in dont try to bang it into the grate, although I dont think you would be able to anyway). No need for pipe dope or anything as once together, they are NOT coming apart. This will leave about 1-1.5" exposed of the coupling. I wrapped some electrical tape around the exposed end EXACTLY twice. Try not to stretch it out too much. Insert into airbox opening where the snorkle once was. It is a snug fit, but can be removed/inserted by hand.

This moved the intake inlet about 2.5" away from the engine and provides some protection against sucking in any debris. I dont think it would compromise airflow very much, if at all.

On my way to work this morning I noticed more passing "pull" from the box at freeway speeds. No noticeable increase in noise, although when passing at speed, it did increase in the smallest amount. No CEL's, no noises.

Seems to be a worth mod as of now, but unless this increases my MPG's, I will go back to stock.

 

Pics?

 

Sorry...no cable to get 'em from the camera to the PC.

The black looks nice and bleds into the bay nicely IMO. I pulled the descriptions off the UPC label that came on the items. There was only one 3" black grate that was round, so it shouldnt be too hard. I just brought the snork into the store to match up the part sizes.

 

interesting. I play around with this whe it warms up a bit. Still too cold to mess with the car here.

 

As Heathen suggested, try squeezing and twisting it. I just kind of rocked it back and forth while I tugged on it. It should pop right off. I don't think there's anything on it you can break; it seems to be pretty bendable plastic, so just give it a yank.
You can do it!

 

Need to pick up a cable, Heathen...

 

Whos that funny lookin' guy holding the "pics" sign.....i swear Ive seen him around.....

F'n brilliant Tom!!


Ill see what I can do over the wknd and post what I got on Monday...if no one beats me to it!

 

Well, the box is 64.6 in high by 66.5 in wide = 4,295.9 in^2, or 29.83 ft^2.

So, if Cd = .35, that gets us

* 10.44 - Scion xB

but maybe we don't want to include the full height, since air flows under the vehicle. Since the stock ground clearance is 6 in, that gets us a height of 58.6 in, 3,896.9 in^2, or 27.06 ft^2, and

* 9.47 - Scion xB

(And yes, I left out the surface area of the mirrors and tires. I'm not in the mood right now to run out with a tape measure, though I've got to say I'm tempted...)

 

Heck, if he PMs me his address, I'll send him one myself!
I'm dying to see what he put together!

 

The frontal area of the xB is 24.61 square feet since as square as it looks it really isn't...


(Yeah, that's actually a bB...)

That gives a CdA of, uh, *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* about 8.6135.

That puts it with a little less drag than a 1990 Volvo 740 Turbo. Seems about right.

Tom

 

so i took some time today to check out my "snorkel" setup. Im considering a diff approach than just elimanating it. What if u ran a 2" flexible hose down in front of the wheel well then into a large grommet that wat exposed to the outside. like the ones people use to get more air to ther CAI. Opinions???

 

I was thinking of doing the same thing. Do you know where people are getting the grommets for the fog light cover or bumper? You'd probably need to put some sort of a screen in line to prevent rocks, large bugs, etc. from getting sucked up there.

 

well i know that places like autozone have Gaudi ones, but asfor what im lookin for i havent found it yet. i was thinkin that i would put in a screen too

 

just tore off the stock pipe and im goin to get some hose and a grommet thing tonight. well see how it goes.

 

I took out the snorkel and also added my K&N drop in filter i been meaning to put in for the longest time.

I have a manual, so I noticed a little bit more growl, (probably from the dropin) but also that my revs are going higher,... I usually shift at or before 3k, but now the usual time i shift has changed to 3.5k or higher... I'll let you'll know about the MPG though..

 

well i changed out the snorkel for some 3" piping thats guided in front of the right wheel well. also put in a port to bring in more air flow. decied not to hook the new snorkel directly up to the port because of all the salt dust on the roads. thats the last thing i need in my filter. i did see how ever that pep boys had a few colors of ribbed intake hose with clampable ends. If i ever decide to connect the two parts ill use that.

think i may change the chrome grommet when i find one i like better. cutting into my bumper was one of the most horrifying things ive ever done. pics

 

Is that vent pipe for a heater or something?
And holy huge grommet batman. What is that thing, man? A little big for my tastes. Is that what you were looking for? The ones I've seen on other cars are just a tiny bit larger than the hole you cut in the bumper.

 

WOW...that IS brave cutting into the bumper....I think when the weather warms up I will tinker around more with this snorkle idea...

 

Holy Gargantuan Apertures, Batman!
Please tell me I'm not responsible for you doing this!

Guys - the reason I took mine off was to eliminate the necessity of the engine sucking air through a restrictive inlet - unfortunately, I'm not too sure what you've got there is any less restrictive than the factory snorkle!
Please note how the inlet tubing on any CAI system is very smoooooth, and has as few bends as is practical (given the limited room in most engine bays). I honestly don't mean to rain on your parade, but I'm not quite sure how positively you're going to be affecting that incoming flow of air with all those ridges and elbows in the piping you've used there, whether its a cool outside charge or not!
Have you driven it yet? What's your initial impression of any change in power or responsiveness?