Gen 1 K&N CAI to K&N Apollo and snorkel conversion

Apologies in advance for lack of pics during process...I was kind of in a hurry. But I know I'm not the only one with a K&N or other type of open CAI who was looking for a way to add a snorkel without returning to the stock airbox so here we go...

I had been wanting to put in a snorkel for a long time, but didn't for two reasons: first, cost and second, I had a K&N open CAI and couldn't think of an acceptable way to enclose it. Then inexpensive snorks started popping up on eBay, which got me motivated again. Started searching the Internet for canisters I could use to make an enclosure. Ran into this:

http://www.knfilters.com/universal/apollo.htm
Best price is on amazon. Bout a hundred bucks.

And it's on!

Decided to go with a poly snork out of Malaysia, designed for the navara. 180 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nissan-Navara-FRONTIER-D22-4x4-Snorkel-Kit-4WD-2001-Onwards-3-0Litre-I4-2-5Litre-/370679757818?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3ANissan&hash=item564e3c3bfa&vxp=mtr

Specs said snork not compatible with my X, but I figured the problem was the air box connection, which I was not going to use, so took a chance. Also figured the flex hose that came with the Apollo would be easily adapted to connect to the snork tubing.

Here's the kit:

The upside down question mark is the piece that connects to the stock airbox for a D22 navara. Probably won't work for our rigs (VG33s at least), and not used in this mod.

Snork and filter arrived same day. Sweet!

Install:
The template provided wasn't super helpful other than location of small holes relative to big hole (3 1/4 inch hole saw)

Positioned snorkel with a-pillar bracket and eye-balled location. Fortunately, bracket fit right up against screw in a-pillar, setting location:



First hiccup: a-pillar bracket installs with rivets. Had to go to autozone to get a rivet gun.

Next, to locate holes on fender, placed snork against fender (taped) and sharpied the inlet location. Then used hole saw to gently cut a bigger hole in the template, then taped it to the snorkel with the smaller holes aligned with snork. Then, placed snork and template against fender, taped template to fender and removed snork. Drilled through template



Made sure everything fit, then took off snork to paint exposed metal in holes. While paint drying, tackled intake.

Removed filter element from existing K&N and unplugged air temp sensor. Apollo inlet is smaller, same OD as connection on existing. A 3"-3" rubber adapter from autozone worked perfectly. Apollo has a threaded hole I used for the air temp sensor, but it's not a perfect fit. I used rtv to seal it, but I may revisit. Here is the new assembly, using the old K&N bracket, Maf sensor body, etc, and the Apollo:



Apollo with air temp sensor:



The other end of the Apollo connects to flex tube, but close to the inner fender and at an angle so I couldn't connect to the filter and make the turn into the fender at the existing hole, so used an air saw and hacked away to make it work. (Second hiccup - had to drive to buddy's shop to borrow air saw, which he had offered me earlier in the day when I was there, and told him I didn't need it...) After I made vertical cuts from existing holes, pulled metal down and rolled with vice grips, pliers and BFH to eliminate sharp edges under flex tube:



Note air temp sensor - this was before I sealed it with RTV, you can see how it's not a perfect fit.

(Edit: The position and angle of the Apollo assembly necessitated the cutting on the inner fender. I think if you do this snork with a stock air box, you might be able to run flex tube through the existing hole and make the connection)

From there, it was pretty easy. Put snork back on and tightened it up (Allen studs into snorkel need threadloc); attached included 3" formed rubber tube to snork inside of fender, rotated it down, fed flex tube from Apollo into it, rotate both back up together, secured there and at snork connection with hose clamps and, voila!

Snork to tube inside fender:

Note how pre-formed tube allows for right angle attachment in tight space. I didn't have to bang out more space like I've seem with some of the PVC DIYs

Rubber tube to flex tube inside fender:


Edit: As I look at this and think about it, I wonder whether I might need to add some additional sealant here to insure this connection is watertight, although I don't plan to sink Terra this deep, but you never know...I might just run some silicone around this one, since the flex tube is not a perfectly smooth surface. It is run in there a good 8-10 inches behind the hose clamp though.

Finished!











Total time: about five hours, including trips to lowes (hole saw) autozone (rivet gun and coupler) and buddy's shop for the air saw.

Dude! Terra looks f'in sick! Great work!


Sent from the Nighthog mobile command unit.

I really want one of these! Looks good Sean!

Thanks bras!

Looks great man.

Looks great man!

Thanks guys! Driving around it doesnt obstruct view in any way. Live this mod!


Sent from my brain using technology

Er, love. Stupid iphone keyboard


Sent from my brain using technology

Nice write up!

Edited OP to include pic of the bracket mount location, more pics of the finished product, some additional thoughts.

I like the fact the snork says NAVARA on it...makes Terra kind of exotic...:

That's a nice looking Snork you got there! Good write up, sir.

man your truck is sick! I just got my apollo filter yesterday, Im going to be attaching it to my diy snork... looks good man good job

Thanks Luke - how did the sound-proofing go? Post pics!

one more thing - i used some electrical tape around the canister top where it attaches to the flex tube...just felt like I could use the extra insurance on the seal...

Xado89 said:

That's a nice looking Snork you got there! Good write up, sir.

Click to expand...

Thank you sir!

You said it gave you less room to make the turn into the fender. If you didn't have the shield setup from your old CAI wouldn't it have more room? Like if someone with a stock airbox just put the Apollo in the place of the airbox.

I'm just asking because I plan on adding the Apollo at the first of the year.

Big_THanks said:

You said it gave you less room to make the turn into the fender. If you didn't have the shield setup from your old CAI wouldn't it have more room? Like if someone with a stock airbox just put the Apollo in the place of the airbox.

I'm just asking because I plan on adding the Apollo at the first of the year.

Click to expand...

Yes, I think that is likely the case, although I'm not sure because I don't remember how far the stock intake tube, maf sensor housing, etc., extends towards the fender. BUT, without the shield I have, which dictated position and angle, I would think you would have much more flexibility.

I was looking at doing this as well. My Navara snorkel has been shipped already and I was contemplating just sealing up the stock box and moving the air temp sensor or going the Apollo route. Being that the Apollo is a sealed unit already means just having a place to tap in the temp sensor, correct? I have already done the stock box CAI mod but I don't like the plastic plugs the way they sit in the holes.

Prime said:

I was looking at doing this as well. My Navara snorkel has been shipped already and I was contemplating just sealing up the stock box and moving the air temp sensor or going the Apollo route. Being that the Apollo is a sealed unit already means just having a place to tap in the temp sensor, correct? I have already done the stock box CAI mod but I don't like the plastic plugs the way they sit in the holes.

Click to expand...

Yes you just need to move the sensor to the back of the Apollo. But I ran the stock airbox as your not really going to see any performance increase from changing. All you will have is the one plug on the main intake line to the engine and you can add some silicone to it and its nice and tight and water proof. Then glue a PVC cap in the side hole and mount the sensor in that cap. It's way cheaper that way and just as effective.

there's already a hole for the temp sensor in the neck of the apollo. Not a perfect fit, but quite easily rectified. I do think there might be some marginal performance benefit to the inline cone filter as opposed to the stock box

After seeing yours in person and talking with you, I am so doing this.