Snorkus Removal

[georryan]

Well I stepped out and looked at my car and thought..."what the heck...why not." So I pulled the wheel off and took out the snorkus. On immediate inspection I reved the engine and could immediately tell the difference in engine sound. You definately get more of a growl on the revving.

When I took it out and drove it I noticed it a little noisier but not too much. As far as power goes, I really didn't notice much. Maybe some more power on the high end but only because I was looking for it. It isn't very noticable. I thought the turbo would be noisier based on what I've heard, but it isn't that much noisier at all. I may change my mind with more driving, though. I haven't driven it all that much, just one test drive. For some reason my turbo was pretty loud before I took the snorkus out. Anyways, I'm happy with the mod. I'd advise it to most anyone unless you want to drive in water up to the top of the headlamps.

[Brat4by4]

Is that all you have to take off? Any chance someone has pics. This is one of those subjects that have never been clearly detailed. I guess you get it if you have done it. I've only looked at it from the top and can't tell what's going on.

[vrg3]

I haven't done the removal, but if you want to see more about what's going on, pop off your passenger side parking light and peek inside the fender.

[eastbaysubaru]

It really is pretty easy. Remove the passenger side wheel. Remove the fender liner. Look at the snorkus in the fender. Figure out how to remove it from the airbox (a few screws inside the engine compartment). Remove it from the airbox. Cut off the lower section, leaving the 90 degree elbow. Discard. Reattach the remaining elbow to the airbox from within the fender. Tadaa. You're done! Now go drive.

-Brian

[georryan]

There is only two screws holding the snorkus in there. The first on is between right there in the fender well on the engine side of the snorkus. The second one you'll find is actually right behind the airbox. Pull the airbox away slightly, unscrew the 10 mm nut that is holding the snorkus to the wall and it will slide out pretty easily. The snorkus is surprisingly big.

I haven't left any part of it back in there or cut it up at all. I want to be able to return it to stock if I want. The only thing is since I took it out there is a little bit of a gab between the airbox and the federwall so I guess a little hot engine air could get in.

You'll also notice that there is a rubber seal inside the airbox. I found a picture somewere that said if you take that off you'll gain an extra inch in the diameter hole of the airbox.


Brat: This is real easy. If you just start doing it, you'll see exactly what to do. Just remove the fender flap, there is like 5 or 6 screws holding it in. After that, it's pretty apperent.

-Ryan

[georryan]

Ok, after driving it around for a while I can say that it does make a difference. The turbo is louder like everyone has been saying, it isn't just people's imagination (unless it is also my imagination. hehe)

Also the car does feel like it pulls harder now. Now my car is mostly stock other than the GR-2 struts I have. The car doesn't tend to lose it's get go in the higher rpm's like it used to. It pulls and keeps pulling fairly smoothly all the way to redline. Now I don't think it pulls as hard as it would if I put in an msd dis-2 ignition, but it is noticable over stock.

I noticed that under the mrt site: http://www.mrtrally.com.au/shop/ when you click on engine compnents and look at the "PLENUM STL REPL SILNCR WRX 94-96+RS" it mentions that torque and throttle response on high end is improved.

I also got a newsletter from mrt in my email that had this caption:

If you feel inclined and want some power to upgrade your turbo or non turbo car then try this, the resonator inside the right hand wheel arch on your car not only reduces noise but it also sucks power from your car.
This modification will improve turbo car's more noticeably than non turbo cars, but is worth the effort!
Here are two pictures of the GC and GD Impreza Turbo Resonators so you know what to look for, you will need access to the inner wheel arch of your car. The factory airbox will then suck air from the whole inner guard, instead of through the complicated box as shown

It sounds like they are saying it will increase your power, if it does I'm curious how much it sapposedly does or what the combination of removing those two resinators will give you for horsepower and torque improvements.

Anyways, sorry for the long message. Any thoughts on what it would do on the charts or a dyno? 5 hp? 10 hp? I'd think 10 would be pretty steep, wouldn't you guys?

-Ryan

[legacy92ej22t]

I'd say 2-3 hp, that's just a guess though

[Guest]

WHOO! That means I've got 161 HP now in my little girl!. j/k

[georryan]

That was me.

[THAWA]

I tried this today, took the better part of two hours because some of the screws in the fender well were really messed up. I must say I like it, I like it a lot, moderate pressure results in the normal sound that I'm used to and anymore than that and shes growlin. I love this tone, very deep least up to 5k ish then it get a lil higher, like normal. At anyrate, I've nudged my sleeper and she getting ready to wake up

[georryan]

Hahaha. My next door neighbor up here in Washington has a 91 N/A and he has a 4" tip muffler on his car. I can hear him when he comes home or when he leaves. I have to say that it does sound pretty nice.

[THAWA]

Did it make your engine sound louder as well or are the turbo engines pretty loud as it is?

[georryan]

Turbo engines are pretty loud as it is. A bunch of people were walking from a class on campus here and one happened to be a friend of mine. I was driving real slow behind her and thought I'd honk my horn when I got close. She said it didn't really surprise her because she could tell it was my car from the engine noise. hehe

I think removing the snorkus did make it a little louder. It does get a louder induction noise, but general engine noise may have gotten a little louder also, I'm not sure.

The turbo definately got louder. Driving my friend around it tripped him out because he kept thinking he heard sirens. Happened to me the first few times driving it also.

[THAWA]

hahah, I want a turbo now

[mTk]

removing the snorkus/ adding a k&n cone filter was one of my very first mods. I loved hearing the engine more and there was an increase in top end power, how much... i dunno.

MK

[petridish38]

after a year or so of driving with the snorkus out, i put it back in for some reason...

I had a cheap flowmaster put in for $100 which included installation (wasn't looking for any performance increase, i just wanted a cheap new muffler since my stock one was rusting through). its kinda loud with the flowmaster, but it doesnt sound bad.

so one day i just decided to put the snorkus back in. for me, its easier to tell if the car gets any slower rather than any faster, so after putting it back in i couldnt really tell if the car was any slower (but i have an NA of course).

If you're looking for a little more aggressive tone, and maybe a slight increase in horsepower this is the mod for you.

i would definitely recommend that anyone at least try it since it is so easy to put back in. i might just take mine back out if i feel like it!

[Brat4by4]

I finally pulled my wheel and fender liner out and did this. Wow, I felt my car pushing me back in the seat again. I haven't felt that in a looong time. Eventually I am going to cut out the vents in the fog light covers and run a ram air tube up to the air box. It'll have a nice tall vertical section so water won't wanna run up it and I'll seal it against the airbox so hopefully it will pressurize at speed. That will be a true cold-air intake. Then the second resonator will be next.

[Legacy777]

My box has been all cut up for a while now......I hacked it a couple times....hehe