Performing A Snorkelectomy on your SV650

So the term snorkelectomy intrigued you enough to take a peek.  The stock SV650 air filter has a snorkel built in to reduce noise -unfortunately as a side effect it also reduces air flow.  By removing the snorkel the filter allows air to flow more freely than aftermarket filters in the opinion many people.  I have seen results showing a major brand air filter being more restrictive than an unmodified sv filter.  My feeling is, and dyno tests (thanks to a guy names Jack Roe who ran something like 20 dyno runs) have now proven, that desnorkeling does improve air flow significantly and there is curently no better filter solution availible or at least proven on the market at this time -plus it does help find one or two more ponies if jetted properly.  (if things go wrong READ all of this page before contacting me, in fact, read all of the warnings and instructions on this page before making this modification)

If you find these pages helpful and I helped you save some $ please consider helping out a brother who is out of work at the moment

This should only be done after a full performance exhaust is installed -rejetting will be needed.  Slip on systems do not qualify. I could think of more fun things to do, but the power reward is well worth the effort.  The plastic is thick -almost 1/4" thick so this will take a while.  You will make a ton of little plastic bits.  Do not rush, if you ruin the filter you will have to buy a new one. Remove the air cleaner by removing the 4 screws that hold it in.  They remove easily in most cases. Cut out the snorkel.  Make sure you avoid going too far and cutting into the filter.  That would be bad.  If you look closely at the filter (see picture to the right) you can see where the filter ends and the snorkel begins -its a slight oval indentation.. I used a dremmel to cut it out.  They have some cutting attachments that can help.  Try using a rotozip bit, Ihave been told its the best.  I ended up using a small metal cutter -it was not the best thing to use.  I have also been told that a soldering iron can be used to melt out the section.  NOTE that the filter runs right next to the snorkel. Please note the third photo and how, even being super careful I just nicked the glue that holds the filter in place.  No harm, but it's that close.  You need to be real careful and cut as close to the snorkel as you can.  See the cut pattern I did on my filter and do not go farther out than you see. When done and you have cleaned millions of bits of plastic from your cloths, the floor and from inside the filter you're ready to reinstall.  The filter probably looks as ugly as mine, but this is not a beauty contest, its about squeezing out some extra ponies. Reinstall the 4 screws and put the tank down.  You're done! This job should take about an hour from start to finish. You will have to rejet the bike and I recommend you only do this if you have already installed a performance exhaust.  If your bike is already rejetted you will have to bump up your main by a few sizes up to 152.5 and you may want to consider drilling the Slide Lift Hole.. Problems?? So you did the mod and you DO NOT have a full performance system and your bike now runs bad between 5-7k rpm.  To fix the problem you can either use duct tape to cover 3/4 of the hole or order a new filter from your Suzuki  dealer.

DISCLAIMER: As always, it is the owners decision to modify his/her bike.  I submit this modification under a blanket policy that states that liability is solely that of the owners and no one elses.

If you have a running problem with your bike after attempting one or a combination of these procedures please recheck your settings.  These tips have been tested hundreds of times with complete success.

Back to the SV650 Page Go to the rejetting page Go to the air/fuel page adjustment page Go to the carb needles shimming page Go to the Drill Slide Hole Page

created 8/11/00 updated 01/28/04