Take care of underhood heat and snorkel with one product?
08-05-2012, 06:36 PM
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Year: 1998
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Take care of underhood heat and snorkel with one product?
Living in Texas, with the wonderful weeks on end of 100-109 degree days we typically have each summer, I've spent a good bit of time reading the various threads regarding hood vents.
Some look really bad, others look pretty good. What they all have in common though is rain and mud getting down into them. I'm not afraid for my rig to get a dirty now and then, but I'm imagining having to drive for an hour or more in a torrential downpour with all of that water splashing around the various electrical connectors, as well as a sudden rain after parking letting cool water hit a hot manifold or block with the engine not running.
At the same time, the thought of having a "sometimes" snorkel is appealing to me. I don't want it there all the time, but If I'm going someplace where I may need to ford water, it would be nice to have.
So, I thought it might be possible to combine the two ideas.
Rather than hood vents, how about fender vents? The one on the passenger side would always have an open pathway through the inner fender to exhaust heat. The one on the driver's side could be open to exhaust heat as well, but would be designed to allow a configuration change to switch it to snorkel function. Have a way to hook up a tube from the front of the airbox to a connection in the inside of that driver's side vent.
On the outside of the vent, there are threaded holes that allow mounting a snorkel to the outside of the vents with a few screws. The snorkel would have a gasket that would seal tightly to the surface of the vent, and the upper portion of the snorkel could be supported with some kind of bracket on the A-pillar.
So in short, you'd have the vents in the fenders would that would still allow for the escape of hot air, but would be better for rain, and have one of those vents double as a mounting plate for a snorkel.
Obviously, this would have to be a one-off thing for the DIY crowd, or it would have to be custom made for the Cherokee world. However, since most SUV's and trucks that you would typically mount a snorkel on have similar construction and shape in terms of their front fenders. I can see some manufacturer being able to make this a more universal kit, or maybe a core snorkel kit with a choice of vent shapes.
Please forgive my Photoshop skills, but I took a pic of some vents that are designed for Land Rovers and morphed them onto my Cherokee. Perhaps a different shape/color (black) would be better, but you get the idea.
Just imagine the vent having a 1/2" wide or so border all around with threaded holes to mount the snorkel.
Some look really bad, others look pretty good. What they all have in common though is rain and mud getting down into them. I'm not afraid for my rig to get a dirty now and then, but I'm imagining having to drive for an hour or more in a torrential downpour with all of that water splashing around the various electrical connectors, as well as a sudden rain after parking letting cool water hit a hot manifold or block with the engine not running.
At the same time, the thought of having a "sometimes" snorkel is appealing to me. I don't want it there all the time, but If I'm going someplace where I may need to ford water, it would be nice to have.
So, I thought it might be possible to combine the two ideas.
Rather than hood vents, how about fender vents? The one on the passenger side would always have an open pathway through the inner fender to exhaust heat. The one on the driver's side could be open to exhaust heat as well, but would be designed to allow a configuration change to switch it to snorkel function. Have a way to hook up a tube from the front of the airbox to a connection in the inside of that driver's side vent.
On the outside of the vent, there are threaded holes that allow mounting a snorkel to the outside of the vents with a few screws. The snorkel would have a gasket that would seal tightly to the surface of the vent, and the upper portion of the snorkel could be supported with some kind of bracket on the A-pillar.
So in short, you'd have the vents in the fenders would that would still allow for the escape of hot air, but would be better for rain, and have one of those vents double as a mounting plate for a snorkel.
Obviously, this would have to be a one-off thing for the DIY crowd, or it would have to be custom made for the Cherokee world. However, since most SUV's and trucks that you would typically mount a snorkel on have similar construction and shape in terms of their front fenders. I can see some manufacturer being able to make this a more universal kit, or maybe a core snorkel kit with a choice of vent shapes.
Please forgive my Photoshop skills, but I took a pic of some vents that are designed for Land Rovers and morphed them onto my Cherokee. Perhaps a different shape/color (black) would be better, but you get the idea.
Just imagine the vent having a 1/2" wide or so border all around with threaded holes to mount the snorkel.
08-05-2012, 06:39 PM
#2
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Year: 1996
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Originally Posted by macgyver35
Living in Texas, with the wonderful weeks on end of 100-109 degree days we typically have each summer, I've spent a good bit of time reading the various threads regarding hood vents.
Some look really bad, others look pretty good. What they all have in common though is rain and mud getting down into them. I'm not afraid for my rig to get a dirty now and then, but I'm imagining having to drive for an hour or more in a torrential downpour with all of that water splashing around the various electrical connectors, as well as a sudden rain after parking letting cool water hit a hot manifold or block with the engine not running.
At the same time, the thought of having a "sometimes" snorkel is appealing to me. I don't want it there all the time, but If I'm going someplace where I may need to ford water, it would be nice to have.
So, I thought it might be possible to combine the two ideas.
Rather than hood vents, how about fender vents? The one on the passenger side would always have an open pathway through the inner fender to exhaust heat. The one on the driver's side could be open to exhaust heat as well, but would be designed to allow a configuration change to switch it to snorkel function. Have a way to hook up a tube from the front of the airbox to a connection in the inside of that driver's side vent.
On the outside of the vent, there are threaded holes that allow mounting a snorkel to the outside of the vents with a few screws. The snorkel would have a gasket that would seal tightly to the surface of the vent, and the upper portion of the snorkel could be supported with some kind of bracket on the A-pillar.
So in short, you'd have the vents in the fenders would that would still allow for the escape of hot air, but would be better for rain, and have one of those vents double as a mounting plate for a snorkel.
Obviously, this would have to be a one-off thing for the DIY crowd, or it would have to be custom made for the Cherokee world. However, since most SUV's and trucks that you would typically mount a snorkel on have similar construction and shape in terms of their front fenders. I can see some manufacturer being able to make this a more universal kit, or maybe a core snorkel kit with a choice of vent shapes.
Please forgive my Photoshop skills, but I took a pic of some vents that are designed for Land Rovers and morphed them onto my Cherokee. Perhaps a different shape/color (black) would be better, but you get the idea.
Just imagine the vent having a 1/2" wide or so border all around with threaded holes to mount the snorkel.
Some look really bad, others look pretty good. What they all have in common though is rain and mud getting down into them. I'm not afraid for my rig to get a dirty now and then, but I'm imagining having to drive for an hour or more in a torrential downpour with all of that water splashing around the various electrical connectors, as well as a sudden rain after parking letting cool water hit a hot manifold or block with the engine not running.
At the same time, the thought of having a "sometimes" snorkel is appealing to me. I don't want it there all the time, but If I'm going someplace where I may need to ford water, it would be nice to have.
So, I thought it might be possible to combine the two ideas.
Rather than hood vents, how about fender vents? The one on the passenger side would always have an open pathway through the inner fender to exhaust heat. The one on the driver's side could be open to exhaust heat as well, but would be designed to allow a configuration change to switch it to snorkel function. Have a way to hook up a tube from the front of the airbox to a connection in the inside of that driver's side vent.
On the outside of the vent, there are threaded holes that allow mounting a snorkel to the outside of the vents with a few screws. The snorkel would have a gasket that would seal tightly to the surface of the vent, and the upper portion of the snorkel could be supported with some kind of bracket on the A-pillar.
So in short, you'd have the vents in the fenders would that would still allow for the escape of hot air, but would be better for rain, and have one of those vents double as a mounting plate for a snorkel.
Obviously, this would have to be a one-off thing for the DIY crowd, or it would have to be custom made for the Cherokee world. However, since most SUV's and trucks that you would typically mount a snorkel on have similar construction and shape in terms of their front fenders. I can see some manufacturer being able to make this a more universal kit, or maybe a core snorkel kit with a choice of vent shapes.
Please forgive my Photoshop skills, but I took a pic of some vents that are designed for Land Rovers and morphed them onto my Cherokee. Perhaps a different shape/color (black) would be better, but you get the idea.
Just imagine the vent having a 1/2" wide or so border all around with threaded holes to mount the snorkel.
08-05-2012, 10:55 PM
#3
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I'm not sure I have the tools and fabrication skills to actually create something like this myself. It's easy to conceptualize something like this, but pulling it off in my garage without it looking half-assed may not be possible. I don't like doing anything to my XJ if the fit and finish doesn't look good. It's my DD and I have to haul clients around in it on occasion. Having a bubbafied vehicle doesn't instill confidence when you are trying to get an IT Services contract from a business owner 
That being said, I do think it would be a product that people would buy. It adds a little bit of customized styling while being functional on two fronts.
That being said, I do think it would be a product that people would buy. It adds a little bit of customized styling while being functional on two fronts.
08-05-2012, 11:58 PM
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Year: 1997
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that is a great idea!!! i wish i could think of things like that! im sure with alot of time and patience you could mock up a design! the only thing i noticed in your explination is the dual vents. if you are in need of the snorkel on the drivers side because of deep water then you have to remember that the passenger side vent will be open and exposed, there for dumping water into the engine bay if you are in deep stuff. mabye you could build a plate to block off the passenger side vent when you put the snorkel on
08-06-2012, 12:14 AM
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Year: 2 Door 1996
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Engine: 4.0 L H.O.
Sounds like a Real good idea .I might give it a try myself! Where is the best place for the holes inside and out?Should they vent toward the front or back on inside and out?Let me know!!! Is that the best place on your picture?
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