Nissan's inability to properly seal and install a snorkel

[merchant]

Is there any other ways to test the seal of the snorkel that are mechanically noob friendly? I had my snorkel installed predeliver so its a bit concerning if its not going to do its job on the first crossing.

Also when it destroyed the shopping bag where did the pieces of it end up? In the airbox or not destroyed to that degree??

I don't know of any other way. The plastic bag is a good way. The worst that can happen is your engine will stall through lack of air.

Any mechanics out there care to comment???

 

[navarian]

I used one of these because i have them for work Kneeling board with foam inlay, Concreters Tool - NEW (eBay item 290548907451 end time 23-Apr-11 21:37:55 AEST) : Home just removed the hat and put it foam side down on the tube.Stalled the engine after about 5 seconds.But i knew it would because i gave the guy that fitted it a hand(now a member of these forums)and we sealed every nook and crannie with copious amounts of sikaflex.
I wouldn't have trusted it to anyone else.
A workmate i went away with last weekend had a snorkel fitted to his brand new d22 not by nissan because when he asked them if it would be fully sealed they said no,it's a cold air intake,it doesn't need to be fully sealed...WTF.....
So he took it to a independant 4x4 workshop and asked them to do it.
It will be fully sealed they said.FAIL.
When he got to my place last friday we did the knee board test and it failed,motor kept chugging along no problem.
He's not happy and is taking it back next week.
Always test after being fitted is the moral of this story,we planned to do river crossings and it could have proved very costly.

 

[fzrr]

Ok so i tried the plastic bag and it ripped a slit in it from the vacuum pressure. But I then took the hat off the snorkel and placed my map book flat across the opening.

It sealed well and sucked the book on tight but it didn't even come close to stalling the engine. I can hear it sucking in air from somewhere down near the airbox.

So i guess the question is if I ring Nissan are they just going to tell me its a cold air intake? Will an independent 4wd shop do a trustworthy job?

 

[fzrr]

Well I took mine back to Nissan today and they fitted a brand new snorkel. Doesn't sound like they've used any sealant though but I'll give it 24hours or so for it to dry if they have then test it out.

If not does anyone know a good place in Brisbane to take it to get sealed properly?

 

[ST-R]

I don't know how you could get a complete 100% seal on a new YD25 D22 due to the foam sealed intake pipes. The foam seal is quite thick around fairly poorly moulded tudes and fittings. Silastic would help but i beleve some weepage could occur.

Any comments?

Regards
Greg

 

[Navvic]

Sikaflex is your friend

 

[fzrr]

So I took it back into Nissan yesterday and they replaced the outer snorkel but doesn't look like they've touched anything inside the engine bay. Took the head off and sealed the hole and its still sucking in air from the joint on the inside left of the engine bay.

Surprise surprise...

So is there just the two joints to sikaflex in order to seal the whole system? Each end of the pipe that connects from the front left corner to the airbox?

 

[Bill Parks]

I must say my dealer did a fantastic job on my snorkel.
I can not complain about the mechanics but thier service and other departments leave a bit to be desired.
As the mechanic advised me, I tested the snorkel 2 days after it was installed and stalled the engine straight away.
Most of my hunting, fishing, camping trips etc involve water crossings.
Heck up here in Cairns, FNQ during the wet season some drives to work involve water crossings...
Bill

 

[merchant]

I must say my dealer did a fantastic job on my snorkel.
I can not complain about the mechanics but thier service and other departments leave a bit to be desired.
As the mechanic advised me, I tested the snorkel 2 days after it was installed and stalled the engine straight away.
Most of my hunting, fishing, camping trips etc involve water crossings.
Heck up here in Cairns, FNQ during the wet season some drives to work involve water crossings...
Bill

Bill

How did you test it???

 

[MAD D40]

Matt, twas a good day sat by the way.
I had my air filter like a kitchen sponge as I told you already I did forget to mention if you have MAF sensor like the D40 has clean it with electronic cleaner or MAF cleaner.
makes a world of difference.

 

[fzrr]

Got the D22 booked in for Wed morning with Nissan again. Round 2!!

 

[goldyz]

Gents I've got exactly the same issue with my D40. Snorkel was fitted from new by Nissan, I tested it a few weeks later to realise that it isn't sealed at all. I spoke to local Nissan dealer and they advised that it isn't designed to raise the fording depth of the vehicle, just get cleaner air from the roofline, what a croc of shit.

This was all last year, I'm off to the Cape in June so I'm rectifying the gaps myself, I now know that I should have got a Safari installed.

Cheers

 

[raywise]

I spoke to local Nissan dealer and they advised that it isn't designed to raise the fording depth of the vehicle, just get cleaner air from the roofline, what a croc of shit.
Cheers

And people wonder why a lot of dealership employees are just paid monkeys, with no idea about the products/services they sell.

 

[fzrr]

Gents I've got exactly the same issue with my D40. Snorkel was fitted from new by Nissan, I tested it a few weeks later to realise that it isn't sealed at all. I spoke to local Nissan dealer and they advised that it isn't designed to raise the fording depth of the vehicle, just get cleaner air from the roofline, what a croc of shit.

This was all last year, I'm off to the Cape in June so I'm rectifying the gaps myself, I now know that I should have got a Safari installed.

Cheers

I just got the same spiel from Nissan today. They had a second look at the snorkel and said it can't be sealed any more then it is. Its not designed for submarining the vehicle they said.

So why call it a snorkel then...

 

[NavaraD22]

I checked out another D22 without the snorkel fitted and it seems the air cleaner box is that part that isnt sealed. The snorkel appears to clip onto the air box tube within the front guard. So it may not be the fault of the snorkel itself, but the air cleaner box which already exists on the ute.

At some point I'm going to remove the foam that protrudes from the air box fitting and seal with sikaflex or whatever its called.

 

[fzrr]

I'm going to attempt this on the weekend.

So for the guys that have installed the snorkel themselves did you remove the foam seals completely and use sikaflex instead?

 

[hjmcmanus]

Just checked my snorkel (already hydraulicked one D40 - total loss/insurance replacement - long story!) and it's not sealed properly as the plastic bag trick did nothing but change the engine pitch slightly. Picked the vehicle up last night, so looks like I'm going to have to have words with the dealer!

Not bloody happy!

H.

 

[mitch92]

I'll have to have a look when mine arrives to see if they seal it properly.

Mitch

 

[MAD D40]

With the D40 the main problem is a 2 piece plastic horse shoe shaped piece of tubing that is exits then reenters the airbox. That is where you need to seal up most as it lets torrents of water through its gaps being a snap together unit.
Also the bolt you can see in the middle of the airbox leakes too you It is not a necessity and can be removed and its hole sealed off.
That will get you out of most trouble my air box used to leak going through 6 inches of water now the filter remains mostly dry. I am trying to find a complete new airbox to retro fit.
Has anyone tried a Hilux air box too see if they fit??? the round ones?

 

[fzrr]

Has anyone managed to successfully seal one on a 2010 STR? I gave it a go on the weekend with copious amounts of sikaflex and failed.

Did you just remove the gap foam on each of the joints and sikaflex around each joint?