Desnorkeling for 2004 and beyond?

[hjkim550]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the board as you can see. I am new to Boxster ownership as well. Your site has been informative, helpful and fun to read.

I have a few questions... I just took ownership of a 2004 Boxster S Silver Anniversary edition. I been reading your various mods on the forum. I just spent 30 mins trying to desnorkle my Boxster (very simple initial step). I was able to remove the grill and the tabs without a problem. I then encountered a flush fitting rubber boot and a mesh netting that I could not remove. The rubber boot had 3 tabs that were easily pulled out but it seemed to be cemented to the opening of the intake.

I removed the wire mesh netting but could not see a snorkle. I knew that the snorkle should be a black plastic piece with a lip or a cup on the bottom.

Two possibilities: 1. previous owner already desnorkled. (unlikely, he prided himself in keeping things stock.... babied his porsche, no autocrossing... etc) 2. Boxsters 2004 and beyond does not have the snorkle? or a different shaped snorkle?

Your experience will be much appreciated. thanks

Hyung

[Rick V]

Ok I'm a newbie here so I am going to put on my flame suit here and open my mouth. I can see that desnorkling the Boxster is a popular mod here. I would never do mine. You are not getting anymore air into the engine, and the air you are getting is now hot, being brought in from the engine bay. These cars are already suffering from not tnough octain, why would anybody, want to compound that with hot air? Cold air=denser air=more hp. If anybody has acces to a dyno, you will see. All this mod does is make a new sound, and increase the use of the knock sensors.
Sorry but I just had to say something.
Flame away.

[Burg Boxster]

Rick V-

Good thing you zipped up that flame suit. Hope you put the helmet on too j/k

You are correct that de-snorking does make a different sound. Does it also increase airflow? I'm sure a little. However, you are wrong in saying de-snorking brings in engine compartment hot air.

De-snorking does nothing but remove the sound muffler from the intake box. The air itself is still coming from the same place - outside the car - not from w/in the engine compartment. Now, if you remove your OEM box to add a K&N intake, then yes you will be bringing in hot engine compartment air unless you build a new sealed box to encase it w/ a lead to the side intake.


hjkim550-
Welcome! Sorry I do not know the intimate details of the '04 550S but it sounds like previous owner already desnorked as the screen/mesh netting and contact cement is what some owners do to give them piece of mind nothing big will get sucked in w/out the snorkle in place. Also could be that w/ all the extra HP from the 3.2, Porsche decided not to snork ya in the first place. That being said, if you got the collar, tabs and grill off, the snork is just inside there and easy to remove. If it ain't there, then you're already done .

Here's a link to a good DIY w/ pictures:
De-Snork Instructions

post #3 has a picture of the snorkle once it's been removed.

[1JB]

"Desnorkeling" is an utter and complete waste of time from everything I have read hear and at other sites including dyno read outs that can't be duplicated by those who claim gains in horsepower.

[Lil bastard]

No performance + on de-snorkeling whatever, just an improvement in Intake sound, especially when the VarioCam kicks in.

It's only a Sound Abatement device installed by Porsche to meet anticipated and ever stringent existing noise regulations overseas, specifically Switzerland.

No downside to removing it. No performance drop, and it's totally reversible. Reports of decreased fuel mileage and other things have at best been anecdotal, and claimed by only a miniscule number of owners, but rebuffed by many, many, more who have made this mod.

As mentioned, the Airbox totally isolates the intake air from any Engine Bay heat.

[Bob Z.]

I have read that mileage decreases when the snorkle is removed (on just 987s?) so some have said to remove just the plate...not sure who to believe and if I ever get my car I may just leave it alone!

[hjkim550]

Originally Posted by Rick V

Ok I'm a newbie here so I am going to put on my flame suit here and open my mouth. I can see that desnorkling the Boxster is a popular mod here. I would never do mine. You are not getting anymore air into the engine, and the air you are getting is now hot, being brought in from the engine bay. These cars are already suffering from not tnough octain, why would anybody, want to compound that with hot air? Cold air=denser air=more hp. If anybody has acces to a dyno, you will see. All this mod does is make a new sound, and increase the use of the knock sensors.
Sorry but I just had to say something.
Flame away.

Hey Rick,

You are correct. Desnorkling is a popular topic. The one that I found most informative and entertaining was the hot debate between MNBoxster and Bisimoto. The thread was titled "Finally: Dyno charts of desnorkled 986S". Bisimoto races extensively and actually has his own dyno. To date he has about 21 runs of his 2001 986S with the snorkle on and off. He found a small increase in HP with the snorkle off. MNBoxster and Bisimoto has a very extensive and informed debate regarding the actual performance testing and the effects of intake and so forth.

You are incorrect in stating that desnorkling will bring hot air into the intake. All the Boxsters have a sealed intake and desnorkling will not affect this. I am not convinced that desnorkling will improve intake or improve performance. However, from Bisimoto's experiments... I do believe that desnorkling will not hurt performance either.

To go back to the original question. I was interested in desnorkling just for the sound improvement. This will be first in a long line (hopefully) of modifications to my Boxster. Again... does anyone know if my 2004 Boxster S has a snorkle or not?

Thanks

I semi desnorkeled, took the "cup like" end tip off the snorkel to improve airway obstruction. Growing up, I worked on a lot of different vehicle brands in my dad's repair center. Almost all of them had a similar tube feeding the air cleaner, I don't know for sure but maybe it creates an acceleration of the air current, otherwise it would have not been so omnipresent. Anyway, with that in mind I semi de snorkeled, agree with everyone no HP increase but more sound, still cold air as previously mentioned.

[hjkim550]

Originally Posted by Burg Boxster

hjkim550-
Welcome! Sorry I do not know the intimate details of the '04 550S but it sounds like previous owner already desnorked as the screen/mesh netting and contact cement is what some owners do to give them piece of mind nothing big will get sucked in w/out the snorkle in place. Also could be that w/ all the extra HP from the 3.2, Porsche decided not to snork ya in the first place. That being said, if you got the collar, tabs and grill off, the snork is just inside there and easy to remove. If it ain't there, then you're already done .

Here's a link to a good DIY w/ pictures:
De-Snork Instructions

post #3 has a picture of the snorkle once it's been removed.

Thanks Burg Boxster,

I appreciate the info and the welcome. I looked at your site and the pictures are different from mine. My intake has a rubber boot that smoothly inserts into the intake and flush to the grill opening. There appears to be a black funnel behind the mesh but appears to be very short without the lip or restriction? I might just take your advice and tease out the mesh and have a pull at the plastic piece.

Thanks again

OK, was torn on posting this because of all the chrome haters on this site BUT..If you really want increased airflow, forget the cone filter, go with the black chromed out vents, it's clear they will reduce surface friction across the vent and add up to 12HP, dyno results to follow..