Need help on de-snorkel on 2003 Boxster
 

Hi there,

I have been reading and reading and have been amazed at all the cool things people have done to their cars, so I decided to go ahead and de-snorkel my 2003 Boxster today.

I downloaded a couple of instructions and after a few tries I got the air duct off. But to my surprise, it looked nothing like what I had expected. I took some pics - see below. Can someone help me understand what I am supposed to remove? I tried wiggling the plastic tube back and forth but it seems like it's connected in the back and I didn't want to break anything? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Lars

The plastic tube is the snorkel.
I tried pulling mine off for all I was worth and nothing.

Then I bent the tip from the front toward the back and it popped off as easy as could be.
The change in the intake sound was fantastic.

just pull hard. dont' worry. there shouldn't be any screws holding it on.

GOT IT! Thanks for the help. I pulled it off this morning and it really does change the sound above 3,500-4,000 RPMs dramatically. Unfortunately it's so cold right now that I can't enjoy the full effect with the roof on. But I can't wait until I can drive it with the top down in a couple of months...

Thanks guys - and thanks for a great forum. I have a long list of mods that I am about to make that I will share later along with some photos and questions along the way.

Thanks,
Lars

Sorry for this noobish question.... what does de-snorkelling do? If I plan to change my intake filters to K&N Free Flow ones someday, will this de-snorkling still work or would it be useless?

Thanks guys.

For this simple and FREE mod, de-snorkleling allows for a larger opening in the air cleaner assembly for the engine to breath through. The snorkel simply quiets the intake noise and in the process chokes down the air.

You want something that really opens your eyes? Look how restrictive the stock air box assembly is. The air makes four, 90 degree turns before it enters the intake tube.

You've got the 2003 facelift Boxster , it's has a modified air intake.
I don't know if desnorkeling is possible

Looks to me like he got it several months back ;)

and looks like the difference is that they covered up the intake area and put a mesh over the hole (something I planned to do for my car after de-snorkeling) held on by a single screw...still accessible to have it removed.

How's it sound now, anyways? I'm sure you've been running it around all summer top down every chance you can get, Tandrup.

Forgetting about the increased noise for a second. I don't believe I have read any verifiable information stating any performance benefit form removing the snorkel. Someone post up if they have such information please. However simply making changes to make the car louder is the same as guys turning over the cover to their air filters on carburated V8's. Many did it but it's pointless and noises up a wonderfully quiet car.

Wonderfully quiet=>oxymoron

5hp/3ft-lb
http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/9671-finally-dyno-charts-de-snorked-986s.html

I de-snorkeled my Boxster S a couple of years ago and I thought I got a slight decrease in mid range performance - so I replaced the snorkel (but removed the bottom cup piece) and the the torque curve came back to what it had been.
If you think about it, the snorkel mouth is sitting right next to the (cool) airflow behind the louvre entrance, so this may be a help compared to air being drawn from a hot hole outboard of the filter airbox when the snorkel is removed.
So mine is now re-snorkeled.

Thanks Blue. I read the entire thread and it's very interesting. That was in 2007. Has there been any four-year follow up to the testing? For some reason there continues to be speculation and disagreement on this mod. I will be happy to de-snoot the Box if it indeed improves performance by 5hp. That's no small free mod.