DIY- Removing the Snorkel

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Werehusky

kkim, do you think if you drilled holes with a small spade bit on the sides of the snorkel that it would have the same effect as completely removing it?

I wouldn't think so, but if you think it would, try it and let us know how it feels.

btw, the snorkel can be reinstalled, so this mod is by no means permanent. what are your concerns about completely removing the snorkel?

[Werehusky]

No concerns really. I'm just the opposite of most of you guys and dont really want to make the ninjette any louder heh. Sorta weird I know, but I like the "quietness" of the ninja.

If I want to be loud I'll take my cbr out with a two bros racing exhaust .

[headshrink]

Originally Posted by Werehusky

No concerns really. I'm just the opposite of most of you guys and dont really want to make the ninjette any louder heh. Sorta weird I know, but I like the "quietness" of the ninja.

If I want to be loud I'll take my cbr out with a two bros racing exhaust .

Not weird at all.... A lot of people around here who want to change the sound of their bikes don't want to make it too loud either.

[kn250]

hey has any of you guys put the it on youtube i would like to hear how it sound like and how it ride.... by doing that does it make the bike goes and fast or add any horspower to it.... thanks

[00NissanNinja]

Originally Posted by kn250

hey has any of you guys put the it on youtube i would like to hear how it sound like and how it ride.... by doing that does it make the bike goes and fast or add any horspower to it.... thanks

Don't think anyone has, can I post up videos as an attachment(cause I could try to put a video up)? I don't have a youtube account nor do I care to get one.

[kkim]

I don't recommend pulling the snorkel unless you adjust your carb jetting/tuning.

[00NissanNinja]

Originally Posted by kkim

I don't recommend pulling the snorkel unless you adjust your carb jetting/tuning.

Are you telling me or the other guy? If me i have shimmed the needles and removed the snorkle, works great too. My snorkle let an ear plug in my airbox so it can definitely get lost lol

[maninder100]

Hi guys....just bought my 1st bike....2008 Black ninja n its fuel injected..
1st mod was bars
now looking to remove the snorkel but unsure of the results...
Any1 tried it before???
any comments???

Thanks

[headshrink]

Originally Posted by maninder100

Hi guys....just bought my 1st bike....2008 Black ninja n its fuel injected..
1st mod was bars
now looking to remove the snorkel but unsure of the results...
Any1 tried it before???
any comments???

Thanks

Is this from a bot?

Forgive me if I am wrong... in that case welcome to the forum. I believe the answers await you in this thread.

[maninder100]

what is a bot???
m in Melbourne Aus n all ninja's available here are carby but mine is an imported version from japan n happens to be fuel injected.
Thanks

[Order]

Since I've read a lot of opinions about removing the snorkel and I thought I'd share some recent dyno results I posted on my site. I had my 2008 Ninja 250R dynoed, keep in mind it was bone stock. We did a run (in black) first, then another with the snorkel removed (blue), the red run is with the TYGA full system.

As you can see at peak it gained 1.5HP! It smoothed out the power, and while it doesn't show it, the stock A/F was really rich from the factory. The snorkel evened out the A/F although it was still rich.

Detailed report: http://racingorder.com/2010/10/tyga-ninja-250r-race-exhaust-system-dyno-results/

[00NissanNinja]

Nice Order Dyno proven results that you'll get some extra ompf out of the bike.

[DaBlue1]

I did something a little different. My 2009 ran great from the beginning. Never had a problem starting, idling , flat spots or a problem with the the choke and I ride year round. I shimmed using 1 washer at first and removed the snorkel. The sound was great and acceleration improved, but the gapping hole concerned me because where I live, a lot of debris seems to find it's way into the airbox. I noticed the area where the snorkel sits really restricts airflow, looking from the opposite side. What I did was cut about an inch off the snorkel at it's current angle and reinstalled it. I can tell it is breathing better, acceleration is still nice. I just don't have the nice growl and the worry of larger debris getting in and it still has its' stock appearance.

[00NissanNinja]

Originally Posted by DaBlue1

I did something a little different. My 2009 ran great from the beginning. Never had a problem starting, idling , flat spots or a problem with the the choke and I ride year round. I shimmed using 1 washer at first and removed the snorkel. The sound was great and acceleration improved, but the gapping hole concerned me because where I live, a lot of debris seems to find it's way into the airbox. I noticed the area where the snorkel sits really restricts airflow, looking from the opposite side. What I did was cut about an inch off the snorkel at it's current angle and reinstalled it. I can tell it is breathing better, acceleration is still nice. I just don't have the nice growl and the worry of larger debris getting in and it still has its' stock appearance.

Good idea

I just took the whole thing off without a care since the snorkel sucked in things that I accidentally forgot in my trunk like earplugs or bolts.

[TenaciousD]

I just did the de-snork procedure. I had previously shimmed the carbs to cure that awful low-rpm bogging I had. I think I had gone a little too far, though, and put 3 shims on each needle, so I think that de-snorking will bring the A/F back in line. Just revving it up here in the garage the bike is quite a bit louder, but it's a good loud. Before, the bike was a little too "sewing machine" sounding for my tastes. Now it sounds like a proper motorcycle. :thumbs:

I actually had a bit of a hard time getting the snorkel out. It fought me pretty hard, but in the end I prevailed and extracted the rubbery thing from its home. Thanks Kkim for posting the DIY.

[EtienneDP]

How will this mod affect the FI models?

[JMcDonald]

My bike would not break 90mph until I removed the snorkel, then peak top speed went from 88 to 95mph, actual. Shimming helped a little in the midrange, but I didn't get really notable gains in low-end and throttle response until I started messing with the mixture screws on the carb.

[indr]

Originally Posted by JMcDonald

My bike would not break 90mph until I removed the snorkel, then peak top speed went from 88 to 95mph, actual. Shimming helped a little in the midrange, but I didn't get really notable gains in low-end and throttle response until I started messing with the mixture screws on the carb.

Does adjusting the mixture screws (pilot) help with starting in cold weather?

[headshrink]

Originally Posted by indrish

Does adjusting the mixture screws (pilot) help with starting in cold weather?

It always did for me, but I wouldn't do it for that reason alone.

[JMcDonald]

Yeah it made a difference to me also, but the throttle response was far more valuable!
Posted via Mobile Device

[indr]

Right now because of the cold temps, I'm having troubles getting the bike in running condition upon start up.

I'll press the ignition. It'll crank. The bike will start. Run for 1-3 seconds. And shutdown.

I'll do this about 4-6 times before it starts up and doesn't immediately shut down. This is will the full choke applied BTW.

I'm hoping working with the idle screws would fix this or one of these days i'll be stranded at work at 3 in the morning.

[JMcDonald]

Ooh yeah, if you havent messed with them at all then it will help for sure!
Posted via Mobile Device

[menno]

Originally Posted by EtienneDP

How will this mod affect the FI models?

im wondering the same...
currently have a leo vince slip on and a powercommander.
my plans are to buy the rest of the leo vince pipes so i have a full system and i will get a jfc air filter from sportisi and perhaps remove the snorkel aswell.
then bring it to my dealer and let him put a good fuel map in
wonder what the results will be :P

[Live2ride]

I was considering shimming my needles (hopefully tomorrow afternoon since I'm off work) and came across this DIY many times over the past 7 months or so that I've been browsing these forums. I got my ninjette a couple weeks ago and tonight I decided to remove my snorkel. It took maybe 10 minutes and it was 10 minutes well spent because this gives one more reason for people to ask "Is that a 600?!?" . I couldn't believe the difference in sound when I first started it up, it no longer sounds like a moped in the lower rpm range and throttle response seemed to be improved for the 5 minutes I rode the bike (still somewhat cold / stock exhaust). It even seemed to take away a little of that jitterness in lower gears. The bike sounds great and you can really tell that new rumbling growl is there, it sounded like a whole new bike. I'm going out now (midnight ) to ride it a little more and decide if I want to ride it to school like that tomorrow, I'm hoping it's not too lean but I'll find out.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Live2ride

I'm hoping it's not too lean but I'll find out.

it will be. you'll have a stutter in higher gears at lower revs when on the highway. the real reward with this mod is that it allows the engine to breathe easier at high rpms (9k-redline).

[Live2ride]

Yea, that was the best sounding but worst ride yet . The whole rev range up to 9k barely pulled at all and 9k-redline wasn't much better. I put the snorkel back in for my commute tomorrow...well sorta, I couldn't get the entire snorkel back in because of limited space to push it but I'm sure it will work for now. Hopefully I'll shim the needles tomorrow and have a brand new bike to play with.

[Pyro]

Hey guys - Another Fuel-Injected rider interested in this

I'm at around 1700m (~5500ft) above sea level, and I know the Honda 250 riders had a similar tweak to get more air in and were quite satisfied with the results.

This will probably be the first mod I try

[Pyro]

Originally Posted by Order

Since I've read a lot of opinions about removing the snorkel and I thought I'd share some recent dyno results I posted on my site. I had my 2008 Ninja 250R dynoed, keep in mind it was bone stock. We did a run (in black) first, then another with the snorkel removed (blue), the red run is with the TYGA full system.

As you can see at peak it gained 1.5HP! It smoothed out the power, and while it doesn't show it, the stock A/F was really rich from the factory. The snorkel evened out the A/F although it was still rich.

Detailed report: http://racingorder.com/2010/10/tyga-ninja-250r-race-exhaust-system-dyno-results/

Around what altitude were you testing?

[Bo0stZomb13]

I pulled all of my rear apart, and when I removed my battery my snorkel was there to greet me. No clue how long it has been out. How bad is this actually for a stock bike. I dont even have shims on needles ( gas tank is full every time I deside to work on it).

[kkim]

not good... but I don't think enough to damage the bike. must run like crap, though, eh?

[Bo0stZomb13]

Originally Posted by kkim

not good... but I don't think enough to damage the bike. must run like crap, though, eh?

Yea, I could never figure out why it always wants to stall at take off till now. Below 5-6k rpms it falls on its face.

[kkim]

shim it.

[forbitel]

KKIM, have you tried both removing the snorkel and the K&N R-0990 mod? how do they compare in power output? I am currently working on a EFI conversion for my 250r, and since the EFI will take care of the proper A/F ratio i believe increasing the air flow with and intake mod will end up in a increased HP without having to worry about getting the jetting right. I will be taking the bike apart to remove the carbs and to install the EFI kit, so I was thinking that i might as well remove the Air Box while I'm there. But I have few questions, does anyone had any problems with the mods, filters getting dirty fast (or water ingress) since there is no snorkel or box?

[kkim]

I don't have a dyno to measure, but using the ole' butt dyno, I'd say the pods allow more top end power (revs easier to redline), while leaving the airbox in and removing the snorkel setup had a bit more low end torque. The most low end power is with the airbox and snorkel in place, but strangles the mid and top end power a bit.

it all depends what type of power curve you're after and what sacrifices you're willing to make.

if it were me doing the EFI, I'd do pods, put a full exhaust system on and tune the crap out of the EFI controller to achieve the fuel delivery map that produced the type of power curve I was looking for.

gl with your project.

hth

[HMB-ninja]

Hey all, it's been a very long time since i've posted but I just did this mod along with shiming the needles. It seems to have worked very well I did this with the carbs left on the bike and I feel like I need to tweek the fuel mixture screws now, but im having a little trouble getting the caps off. KKim, want to make a trip to Cali to help me fine tune?

[kkim]

how many shims did you use and what's your intake and exhaust setup?

[HMB-ninja]

KKim I used two washers on each needle and I have stock exhaust and intake minus the snorkel. I will be getting a K&N factory replacement filter though, no plans for exhaust just yet but probably getting same one you have in the future.

[kkim]

what issues are you having that make you feel you need to tweak the mixture screws?

[HMB-ninja]

Not too sure; I think it may have a slight stumble in low rpm around 3-4k but then I can really feel the smooth acceleration after that. Also I can feel a slight boble somewhere around 9-10k rpm at wot. OR I could just be paranoid?

Also I tried the throttle blip to see how the rpm needle came to rest and it came down slowly to 1500 rpm which is what I have it set to, but it did seem to hesitate for just a second just befor coming to rest, so somewhere between 1.6-2k rpm. However I believe it also did that before I did the shim. IIRC it also has never really stayed perfectly still at it's idle speed if I just let it sit idling in the driveway after a ride I can see the tach needle moving slightly up and down in an irregular pattern.

Any of this sound familiar? strange? normal?

[kkim]

you could add a third shim to see if it helps what sounds like a slightly lean condition and see how that affects the results.

also, you might want to try and sync the carbs to remedy the pulsing you see at idle.

I've heard the K&N filters don't seat/seal well in the stock airbox.