One thing the snorkel has going for it is the simplicity.  That is
appealing.   And on top of the cowl  it should see clean air.
But I
have been on one dirt strip or another since I started flying.
Some
of
them, especially in Calif, were extremely dusty.  If you find
yourself
it that situation, then what?  Screw the engine?   I don't think
that
is practical at all.  Maybe one could rig it so that if needed,
air
could be switched to a filtered source similar to the way carb
heat
operates.   Jerry.

Just stuff  a K&N cone filter in the 3 inch opening and duct tape
it
in
place. You'll lose a bunch of power but you can still fly.
Air pressure will help hold it in.

That last idea is what Mooney does. Put a slide valve in the ram
air
scoop
and a tennis ball one way valve in a filtered hot air pipe feeding
one
end
of the plenum. Once the ram air valve is open the tennis ball one
way
valve will close.

Paul Lamar

Will you draw such a system?   Please.    Jerry

Here is a slightly better version.

BTW if the snorkel ices up this ball valve automatically opens up
providing heated air to the intake system.

Paul Lamar

There's a risk of RPM and relative manifold/ambient/ram air pressures
combining to rattle that ball back and forth.....just so long as you
avoid that setting.

Chris Cosman

Better not use a ball that has air in it, It might inflate at altitude
and jam in the pipe.   Jerry

Or punch a hole in it.

Paul Lamar
 
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