snorkel question!
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,083
From: Boat Town USA MI
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 515
From: Syracuse, NY
If you this that it's ridiculous, then don't get it. You can't deny that it works. Everyone has an opinion, ours differ. I look at it as an insurance policy. I got it for protection but hope to never need it.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 515
From: Syracuse, NY
If you do use it, make sure you get video!!!!!! I don't mean to sound biased, it's just amazing what they charge for the kit! If I had tons of $$$, I guess I'd have one too.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 925
From: Home of the Hummer
The snorkel may 'work' - in so much as it raises where the air is taken in. But it isn't the air intake that limits the H3's water fording rating. Great, that guy may not have a dead engine, but there's a good chance he has muddy water floating around his diff (from the vent), an ABS light on (or in some cases, the whole dash lit up like a Christmas tree), and needs to replace the pad/carpet because it's full of swamp water and mold that smells like a dead body.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,083
From: Boat Town USA MI
The snorkel may 'work' - in so much as it raises where the air is taken in. But it isn't the air intake that limits the H3's water fording rating. Great, that guy may not have a dead engine, but there's a good chance he has muddy water floating around his diff (from the vent), an ABS light on (or in some cases, the whole dash lit up like a Christmas tree), and needs to replace the pad/carpet because it's full of swamp water and mold that smells like a dead body.
One of our wheeling friend had his TC Shift Actuator puke, and got a 150 mile flat bed ride home. The first thing the tech at the dealer asked, "how deep of water were you in and for how long?"
I would worry about what the water will do to the seals, electronics in the engine (TCM/PCM) and mixture with other fluids. I've been looking into extending my breathers, but haven't had the time to do it yet. I will only enter deep water if I have to, but a little extra insurance is worth it in my mind. To each his own.
I agree with those arguing for the emergency/insurance perspective. I pooh-poohed the idea of getting a snorkel for a long time, until a buddy of mine and I were on his property on a frequently used trail that had some flooding. He didn't have an H3, it was a GMC sierra Z71(newer model, not sure of the year), but the air intake is almost identical to the H3 setup, airbox goes to the right front fender, and it's higher than an H3. The water only came to the bottom of his tailgate but it still managed to hydro-lock the engine. Probably forded a little to fast and forced a lot of water into the wheel well. A 400 dollar snorkel would have saved him 5000 dollars for a new engine. Really the snorkel is to prevent you from stalling in deep water and truly ruining your vehicle. I think of it as an investment against my own poor judgement should I underestimate the depth of a puddle or crossing.
