Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Why the hell does a van this big need a snorkel? Who wasted the money to buy and install it?


This is a San Diego California work van, and it simply doesn't make any sense to expect that it's ever going to see enough water to get the running boards wet

17 comments:

  1. Snorkles are for dusty roads.

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    1. I've lived in a lot of dusty areas.... and lived in San Diego for 20 years now. I've even covered the Baja races, and the sand dune events,.... and I've never heard of a snorkel needed due to dust. You gotta be pulling my leg

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    2. I stand corrected... Morticia backs you up on the dusty road fact... I still find that it makes no damn sense at all... That's what the air filter is for, because dust clouds from vehicles where I grew up with dirt roads were so dusty, that driving over them made a cloud you could drive a bus into... and make it disappear. No snorkel will beat a 20 foot wide and tall dust cloud. Anyway, you were right, I stand corrected. Sorry about that

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  2. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter C 4x4? maybe ,
    It looks too factory

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    1. 4X4 SNORKEL for the Mercedes Sprinter 2006 - 2013 All Engines

      Safari Part Number: SS96HF
      ss96hf snorkel mercedes sprinter

      OVERVIEW
      FEATURES
      PARTS
      DOWNLOADS
      Safari Snorkel
      The SS96HF Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 Snorkel is designed to deliver a huge volume of the coolest and cleanest air possible into the stock air cleaner assembly of 2006 - 2013 All engines.

      With the huge air flow demands of each engine in the 2006 - 2013 Mercedes Sprinter, Safari took the decision to design a snorkel system that raised the air intake to prevent ingesting harmful elements to the vehicles air cleaner.

      Huge air flow is but one aspect of the ultimate in snorkel Mercedes Sprinter design. The Safari snorkel air ram is designed to perform two very important roles. The most obvious is to funnel cool clean air into the snorkel body - but just as importantly, the Safari air ram acts as a highly efficient water separator to remove rain water from the incoming air stream - thus ensuring safe engine operation through even the most torrential tropical storm

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    2. and it rarely rains in San Diego. I'm guessing this was bought used, for a good discount, as there isn't much call for 4x4 Mercedes vans with water snorkels in San Diego

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    3. Why does anyone buy AWD/4x4 SUV/CUV/pickups in San Diego? But every day they sell them...

      A good discount on a Merc Sprinter? ha ha ha

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  3. I would guess the owner probably has to drive into some pretty crazy shit doing whatever their line of work or choice of leisure may be. Hell, they may have even hydro-locked their last van and decided not to risk it. The snorkel is $555 through sports-mobile, while not cheap it at least offers some piece of mind (and looks cool in my opinion). The above comment about dusty roads is true too. We had a Suburban that would eat through filters when we lived in rural Colorado.

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    1. it's a mobile bumper repair business he runs with all his gear in the van, in San Diego, with dealerships. So... he drives the van from dealership to dealership

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  4. Maybe a poser snorkel? Doesn't look quite right.

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  5. My buddy was just shopping for a new van and looked at the Merc Sprinters. All kinds of expensive options like the 4-WD mentioned. I suppose in some parts of the world the snorkel would be a good idea. And in the US, I got an option you ain't got, nyeah nyeah.

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    1. gotta be. I mean, if this was used to launch jet skis or boats, that's one thing. But this is a mobile bumper repair business he runs with all his gear in the van, in San Diego, with dealerships. So... he drives the van from dealership to dealership

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  6. It the Deutsche Marine 60th anniversary signature edition. (Actually its a Sprinter Safari 4x4 that is often converted into an off road RV, the snorkel is a legit option, but as you said one cannot image the circumstances where it could be put to use.)

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  7. Pretty standard in the Australian bush but silly in San Diego. And yes in Australia they are to get above the dust cloud on a dirt road. They are on all the semi truck road trains too. There is a reason they call it the dry continent.

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    1. How small are those dust clouds? But anyway, thanks for the note, I now stand corrected on the snorkel dust cloud adapter. But isn't that just changing where the dust gets to the air filter from? Not preventing the dust cloud from clogging the filter though

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  8. I've always thought that also, those dust clouds are pretty high, but I guess it might be a bit cleaner than down low,even more so if you are closely following someone on a dirt road( which is pretty stupid but I see it all the time). I live on a dirt road in Florida and you might be shocked at how many drivers tailgate so closely in a dust cloud so thick that you must hardly be able to see! By the way your site is my all time go to site, visit it every day . Keep up the excellent work and Thank You!!

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    1. wow... that's a heck of a nice compliment... I KNEW I should have charged for admission! lol

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