Impreza Snorkus Mod
Discussion
Right, I've heard this mentioned a few times and have a vague idea what is meant by it. You hack off part of the airbox to get more air through your airfilter and liberate a couple more ponies. I've been playing with the idea of doing this to my scooby but wanted some proper advice (ScoobieWRX?) on how to go about it. My plan is to buy another airbox and keep the stock item, therefore being able to side-step any potential warranty issues. Have there been any issues with this mod, I've heard about problems with lean running, is this true? Thanks for any advice.
Another thing I was wondering, do any of the more technically minded want to start Wikis for various easy to do DIY mods?
Another thing I was wondering, do any of the more technically minded want to start Wikis for various easy to do DIY mods?
You don't have to worry about hacking anything off as such, there should be no damage to the original airbox. I did this on my 01 WRX a few years back, so don't remember exactly how its done but..
The air scoop from the front of the bonnet runs in to a hole in the drivers side wheel well. Inside there is the resonator (called a 'snorkus' by folk in the know). This resonator is just a big twisty bit of plastic. The resonator then joins up to another hole in the side of the wheel well which runs to the air filter.
You can pull the whole resonator bit out in about half an hour with a socket set and some screwdrivers. From memory you have to pull of the plastic wheel arch cover to get in there.
The net result is that the air filter will be drawing air from the wheel well, rather than the front scoop via the convaluted route through the resonator. Sounds great with the intake noise and you can hear the turbo spool up etc. I don't know about actual performance improvements though. It's not going to make any detrimental changes to the engine running at all - certainly won't make it run lean.
Some people have used ducting to connect the two holes in the wheel well up, so that air continues to be drawn from the front scoop, rather than the wheel well. I didn't bother doing this (and in fact removed the scoop too) and knew plenty of other people who didn't bother and had no problems with drawing air from the wheel well. The argument is that you can get dirt and water from the wheel well, but it seems pretty protected to me (and air still has to go up and around before it gets to the filter).
If you are particular keen, there are rubber covers (from lower model imprezza's I think) which can be used to cover up the holes which you will have left from the engine bay to the wheel well. I didn't worry about these either - they are purely cosmetic.
Short version - do it - it won't cause any problems, sounds great, and is easily reversible
The air scoop from the front of the bonnet runs in to a hole in the drivers side wheel well. Inside there is the resonator (called a 'snorkus' by folk in the know). This resonator is just a big twisty bit of plastic. The resonator then joins up to another hole in the side of the wheel well which runs to the air filter.
You can pull the whole resonator bit out in about half an hour with a socket set and some screwdrivers. From memory you have to pull of the plastic wheel arch cover to get in there.
The net result is that the air filter will be drawing air from the wheel well, rather than the front scoop via the convaluted route through the resonator. Sounds great with the intake noise and you can hear the turbo spool up etc. I don't know about actual performance improvements though. It's not going to make any detrimental changes to the engine running at all - certainly won't make it run lean.
Some people have used ducting to connect the two holes in the wheel well up, so that air continues to be drawn from the front scoop, rather than the wheel well. I didn't bother doing this (and in fact removed the scoop too) and knew plenty of other people who didn't bother and had no problems with drawing air from the wheel well. The argument is that you can get dirt and water from the wheel well, but it seems pretty protected to me (and air still has to go up and around before it gets to the filter).
If you are particular keen, there are rubber covers (from lower model imprezza's I think) which can be used to cover up the holes which you will have left from the engine bay to the wheel well. I didn't worry about these either - they are purely cosmetic.
Short version - do it - it won't cause any problems, sounds great, and is easily reversible
Edited by holloway_dave on Monday 20th August 13:10
Update to add
This is a good thread for instructions on how to pull it out
http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?s=...
This is the bit that comes out:
This is a good thread for instructions on how to pull it out
http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?s=...
This is the bit that comes out:
I've done the same mod to my RB5 and had no problems.
Not sure if it's made any improvements but it's easy enough to do and can be put back to standard with a 2nd hand 'snorkus'.
It seem's to make sense that it now pulls cooler air from the inner wing and not from above the rad so might lower inlet temps a little?
Not sure if it's made any improvements but it's easy enough to do and can be put back to standard with a 2nd hand 'snorkus'.
It seem's to make sense that it now pulls cooler air from the inner wing and not from above the rad so might lower inlet temps a little?
Thanks for the replies. Yes it's a newer scooby. I'm was going to buy a better panel filter than the OEM fitted and came across this Snorkus Mod, hence the question. I think the air-intake setup is the same, I'm going to have a look this weekend. Improved airflow and a nice bit of induction noise is what I'm after, and if it's easy to put back, all the better.
Hi Milner,
As far as the Snorkus mod is concerned all you are doing is chopping off the bulbous bit and turning it into a straight through pipe. When i did the mod i fibre-glassed the hole that was left in the tube after i chopped the resonator off, so in essence it is the same as having a pipe connect the airbox and the air scoop under the bonnet.
I didn't want to take air in from the inner wing bit simply because if you go through some large puddles or standing water at speed the inner wing may let in water or debris and you may end up sucking crap into the engine. It's not a bad thing when youre using aquamist kit but that is controlled and something different altogether.
The other option may be not to fibreglass the hole that's left in the tube you cut off the resonator, leave that sucking air in from the inner wing and still have the under bonnet air scoop delivering cool air from the front of the car thereby stopping the hot engine bay air getting into the inner wing, best of both worlds i think. I may just try that myself.
If you decide to not even bother having a Snorkus of any sort then you will have to somehow block the hole that's left next to the airbox as that will allow hot engine bay air into the inner wing.
Food for thought and good luck whatever you do
As far as the Snorkus mod is concerned all you are doing is chopping off the bulbous bit and turning it into a straight through pipe. When i did the mod i fibre-glassed the hole that was left in the tube after i chopped the resonator off, so in essence it is the same as having a pipe connect the airbox and the air scoop under the bonnet.
I didn't want to take air in from the inner wing bit simply because if you go through some large puddles or standing water at speed the inner wing may let in water or debris and you may end up sucking crap into the engine. It's not a bad thing when youre using aquamist kit but that is controlled and something different altogether.
The other option may be not to fibreglass the hole that's left in the tube you cut off the resonator, leave that sucking air in from the inner wing and still have the under bonnet air scoop delivering cool air from the front of the car thereby stopping the hot engine bay air getting into the inner wing, best of both worlds i think. I may just try that myself.
If you decide to not even bother having a Snorkus of any sort then you will have to somehow block the hole that's left next to the airbox as that will allow hot engine bay air into the inner wing.
Food for thought and good luck whatever you do
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