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When it comes to deep water, the best
insurance you can buy for yourself is an ARB - Safari
Snorkel. The fastest way to do extensive damage to your
vehicle while crossing water is to hydro-lock the engine.
With ARB's snorkel kit you no longer have to wonder if the water
level is up to your air intake. You know exactly how close
the water is to your intake, because you can look out your
windshield and see it!
ARB sells snorkel
kits for many different types of vehicles. The kits are well
designed, and it shows in the final product. Sitting in the
drivers seat of my 88 4Runner, I cannot see any of the snorkel body
except the air scoop at the top of the windshield.
Installation
Let
me begin by saying, ARB does not have a snorkel kit for an 88
Toyota p/u V6, or an 88-89 4Runner V6. Now follow along
as we install ARB's snorkel on an 88 4Runner V6. (grinning
yet?)
My snorkel came from ARB with the
following label on it on the box. "Toyota 4Runner V6,
3VZE" That described my 88 4Runner perfectly. I
proceeded to install the kit and after drilling a couple of fist
size holes in my fender, was introduced to the harsh reality
that the kit I had in my hands was not going to fit my
4Runner. After contacting ARB and sorting through just what
had happened, I learned I was in possession of a kit for a 2nd
generation (1990-1995) 4Runner V6. I also learned that they
did not make a kit for a 1st generation 4Runner V6.
With the holes already in my fender, it was too
late to turn back... nothing left to do but MAKE a kit for my
truck. ARB was kind enough to send me the snorkel body
that was designed for my fender (but with a 4-cylinder
engine) and using some of the parts from each kit, I went
about creating a kit for my 4Runner.
This
is a typical reaction from ARB, and it should be applauded.
When something goes wrong, they fix it. ARB makes and sells
quality parts, and they stand behind their products. Mistakes
happen, but if you're dealing with ARB you can be sure they'll be
taken care of. ARB has made a note about this so first
generation body, V6 owners should not order these snorkels my
mistake. ARB does not plan to create a kit for these trucks,
but by ordering the individual pieces (listed on the parts list I
supply in this article) you can make a kit to fit your
vehicle.
Others who have installed ARB's
Safari Snorkels tell me that installation is straightforward, and
relatively easy. After seeing their kit, and exploded diagram
in the instructions, I would tend to believe it. In this
installation however, set the instructions aside. Refer to
them only for measurements such as drill bit size for the different
holes you will be drilling. After all, this is not a kit that
we're installing, its pieces we're trying to shape into a
kit. 
Pictured are the pieces from the V6 snorkel kit
(SS130HF). From this kit I used the plumbing from the V6
airbox, a bracket to hold it in place, and the hose clamps.
From the 4-cylinder kit (SS65HF) I used the snorkel body &
snorkel body mount.
CLICK HERE for a detailed parts list. The only non-ARB
part I used in this installation was an 18" section of 3" rubber
flex hose that I obtained from a local hose supplier.
The first step to installing your snorkel is to tape the
supplied template in place, and mark where you will be drilling
your holes. Due to trying to install the wrong kit on my
truck you'll notice I have way too many holes in it. When
correctly installed, only 3 small holes, and one large hole are
needed. 
The 4-cylinder snorkel body is designed with a
large snout to go through the fender and into the engine
compartment. Since we only want it to go into the fender, we
need to cut it short. Be careful as you cut it down, you want
it just short enough so that the 90-degree bend supplied with the
V6 kit fits snugly over it. With the snout cut short you'll
now be able to bolt the snorkel body in place. 
Once
you have the snorkel in place, mark the location for the upper
mount. Now remove the fender with the snorkel body still
mounted to it. You will need the snorkel on the fender so
that you can 'test fit' it to the truck to see where you will need
to remove sheet metal from the inner fender.
The fenders on this 4Runner are significantly narrower than
the fenders on the 2nd generation 4Runner. Because of this
you will need to do a significant amount of inner fender trimming
to be able to route the air hose along the inside of the
fender. 
The hole at the top of the wheel well arch allows
room for the 90 degree bend attached to the snorkel snout.
The lower hole is for the air box adapter duct from the V6 kit, so
that the air path may be routed into the fender. I recommend
you drill this hole 1-2" higher than you see it pictured
here. 
Here is the air box adapter duct set in place before final
assembly. In the second photo you can see the where the 90
degree bend enters the engine compartment before going back into
the fender.  
Once you have all the pieces installed, take
everything apart, and reinstall it. On this final
installation you will use silicone caulk at all the connections to
the air ducts to prevent water from getting into the intake when
submerged. This completes the installation, and assuming
you're waterproofed the rest of your vehicle already, you're ready
to go snorkeling! |
Contact InfoBack to the Toyota Section
ARB - USA
Air Locker Inc.
20 South Spokane Street
Seattle, Washington 98134
(206) 264-1669