Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods snorkles

At the time I rejetted,45 pilots,tbs needles,140 mains,I pulled the top snorkle out.Air screws out 31/2 turns.Question ...does it help to pull out the rubber inserts in the airbox to both carbs?Pros and cons?
I`m also somewhat surprised that after rejetting that the bub slash-cuts still crack and pop on decel.Do I need to go out more turns on the screws or larger pilots to stop the popping?
Ed

Hey Runner, do you have your AI removed? That cured the popping on mine... AS for the inner snorkles, I pulled mine out... There was a lot of discussion in the old days about this, and it must have proven benificial or I probably wouldn't have done it, altho I can't really say for sure. I think it ran stronger without them.

Oh yeah, AI definitely removed by previous owner. However I heard that if the "recommended"AI kit was not used,there could be something left undone.Heard that there needs to be some sort of pattern on the top of the AI head bolts,but mine are smooth I removed all tubing ,cans etc.that was left but nothing is capped except the caps on the carbs.
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Ed

The only other thing capped was a hole in the airbox... So if you have a small round hole in the front of the airbox, you need to cap it. I happened to wait untill they came out with the AI kit that included bolts with a union jack milled into the head, which looks cool, but functions the same as smooth bolts.

Hey Runner,
Removing the AI alone stopped the decel popping on my bike.
After reading a lot of post here and rejetting, adjusting mix, replacing jets and my TOR pipes with drilled SM pipes, I now have stock pilots, 4 turns out, TBS needles, snorkel out and short TORs back on. No decel popping and it pulls like a freight train.
Perfect setup for an 800cc bike. Runs smooth and wicked at the same time.
I am thinking about posting another question about snorkels? There is only one I've found. The only other rubbers to remove will bypass the filter altogether - That Ain't Right, Friends!!!
Someone please tell me where these other snorkels are!
Dennis

Skillet, if you take out the air filter, and reach in forward towards each carb are the two other rubber snorkles. They don't bypass the filter... they are in like a second chamber in the airbox. I've completely disected mine so I kinda know what it looks like inside:) Go fir it, see how it runs, you can always put em back...

Benny,

Do you get more intake noise after removing those other snorkels? I've removed my top snorkel last year but really didn't notice any increase in performance. After you took the other ones out, did you notice any positive improvements or any negatives such as in increased backfiring or as I asked, increased intake whine/howl?

Dwight

Skillet, They are not really snorkles as is the one on top of the air box. If you take the filter out and look inside toward the carbs,you`ll see the input openings that lead to the carbs.These openings are rubber and can be removed by hand.They are somewhat restrictive to max air flow because of their diameter.After reading what bennybmn posted,I took mine out today, Ran it through the gears and it seemed to run strong, so nothing lost and possibly some gained.Hard to tell exactly without a dyno.Bummer is,I still have the popping on decel.Pull the choke out just a tad and it stops and seems to run good.At least these problems keeps my mind active!
Ed

Runner you probably need to rejet too... O went up a a little on the mains when I did my airbox.

Hey Dwight, yeah I noticed more intake howl, but I kinda like it:) When you rip into the throttle it sounds like it's sucking real hard, kinda cool, but certainly nothing that will wake up the neighbors. What are you running for pipes? Might not even be able to hear it...

runner use a hole saw to drill out the bottom of your air filter and also the bottom of your air box this stopped my decel noise. Also cut between the two holes inside the air box. from the bottom of one hole to the other. this will let more air to the carbs. this is a no cost method of improving air flow. it worked great for me. trumptrash

With aftermarket pipes, you can gain a decent amount of free power if you pop out the snorkles. One member did a before/after dyno run and gained 5 HP. There is one big obvious one sticking down into the middle of the air filter. On the America and maybe some Speedmasters, there are 2 more between the air filter and the carbs.

When removing the AI system, you need to plug a pinky finger sized hole in the uper left of the air box and the vacuum fitting on the top of the left intake manifold. The flags on the removal kit you get from Newspeedmaster.com *DO* make a difference!

Dwight, just finally gave in and pulled out all the snorkels today (had pulled the main one, but was sceptical about the 2 inner ones, and hey, what is a submariner wihtout snorkels?!!), and a) the bike definitely feels stronger (SoP method), and the sound is sweet, when you crack the throttle past about 1/2 way, the tone goes very deep, the back end digs end, and Awaaaayyyyy you go. OK, maybe not the Freak, but plenty of get up and go by my tastes, & a very nice sound at WOT. What is funny, is that I took out the main throttle last weekend, and have been getting on it every chance, just to hear the sound, and see how it feels fully loaded up, and actually got 9 miles more this tankful than last. Hmmmm.... Curious to see what the next tank brings without the inner snorks. Had a carload of girls go by and give me the "woo woo" thing so I opened up the throttle, and was doing 95 before I knew it (funny what testosterone does huh?!), got to watch that.

Greg, Benny, et al,

Thanks guys! Next weekend I'll have a little project(well, other than the "Judie" projects, that is) lined up. One more question though: With more air going thru the carbs, do you guys think I'll have to rejet or can I increase the fuel delivery by just adjusting the mixture screws in order to quell any potential backfiring. And I sure don't want to blue my pipes by running it too lean.

"Submariner" Greg,
any problems with those little popping or blueing demons?

Oh, and one more question. Where any of those honeys....raven-haired beauties?

Dwight
(Bedouin, might also be interested in that last question)

Greybeard,

I've have my stock longs on it, BUT I've opened them up a bit by drilling through the first chamber in the front of then and also drilling four 1/2 holes into the back plate that holds the "pea-shooters" in place. So the additional flow from the opened-up airbox should flow pretty well, I'm guessin'. They also sound pretty good...just enough PUT-PUT-PUT to overtake that dreaded "sewing michine" cam chain sound without sounding like those dang LOUD "Sunday at the Rock Store, Look at ME(actually, HEAR ME) Harleys".

Dwight

Dwight, I did re-jet, I think that is the only way to really tap into the potential of the extra air.

Dwight, yep, a little popping, but I have my screws out to 3.25 turns (I adjusted it there before I removed the inner snorks, so may give it a 1/4 turn more), as having it at 3.25 and the main snork seemed to quiet it down quite a bit. No bluing issues whatsoever. I have Bubs and 130 mains, so airflow should be pretty decent.

And no, they were garden variety blondes, so nothing special. Had they been brunettes, I wouldn't have backed off of the throttle (well that and it was dark and in an area where I have seen the locals sitting "observing" traffic, and didn't feel like explaining a 90 in a 45mph Zone to the wifey!!!)