(Posted for Kevin the Slow)
Sorry for the delay but here it is. All you ever wanted to know about De-Snorking a 987 but were afraid to ask. These instructions will work for the 987 and the 987 S because the intake area is exactly the same on both models.
Tools Required: A grinding tool, saw, flathead screwdriver, Interior trim removal tool, plastic screening or other mesh, and a glue gun.
Step One- Removal of the Titanium Vent-Frame:
The plastic frame has no screws or clips attaching it to the intake frame. It is held in place with two small tabs at the top, two on the 2nd slat from the top, and one just on the fourth slat, directly above the bottom false vent opening.
To remove the Titanium Vent-Frame, reach into the top opening and grab upper edge and pull down. The two tabs at the top are about 1/16 of an inch long and go into corresponding notches of the black inside frame. While doing this, grasp the outer edge of the frame at the rear of the top and pull it downward and out to you. The top of the Vent frame should pull away from the opening.
Then, reach under the underside of the 2nd slat and pull the vent-frame down while continuing to pull outward on the top of the vent-frame. When the vent pulls away from the 2nd slat, grab the underside of the last slat and pull downward while pulling out the top of the frame. The frame will come free. It is made of a plastic that is slightly flexible so it will bend a bit without breaking or causing a wrinkle in the finish.
Thanks go to Tool Pants for these 2 pictures.
Step Two- Removal of the Inner Vent Frame:
Once the Titanium Frame is removed, there is a black plastic frame around the edge of the vent opening.
This is also mildly flexible and will bend without breaking. It is held in place with 4 black plastic pushpins, 1 at the very bottom, 2 along the front vertical of the frame, the part closest to the door, and 1 just below the top of the rear vertical.
I used a simple interior trim removal tool to lift the pins out of their holes in the metal rim of the intake, still attached to the plastic frame. Do them 1 at a time and remove each pin from the plastic frame as you pull it from the hole.
I later figured out a much simpler method. Looking at the pin, there is a plastic tab of the frame locking the frame to the pin. With a flathead screwdriver, pry up the tab and push the frame into the intake area, there is a lot of play with the rubber in there, and the frame will slide off of the pin. After sliding the frame off the pin, remove the pin from the metal frame of the intake before proceeding to the next pin. Be careful not to drop the pins in the intake area! There is a drain hole at the bottom that the pins could fall in. Removing the pins will leave the frame room to move as you remove each of the remaining pins.
Once the frame is off the pins and the pins have been removed, remove the frame from the intake area. There are no other pins or clips attaching it. You are now looking at the Restrictor Plate.
Step Three- Removal of the Restrictor plate:
This plate is held in place by the 4 tabs you see in the center of the plate.
There are no other attaching points and it actually stays in place with the small amount of tension put on it by the part behind it. Bend those tabs, don’t worry about breaking them because you won’t need them again, and wiggle the plate out of position and out of the intake.
Once the Restrictor Plate has been removed, there is a frame with the 4 tabs that held the plate in place, surrounding the Snorkel tube opening. Grab hold of the frame and gently wiggle it free, there is nothing holding it in place except the tension of the rubber around it. Keep this piece safe, as you will use it again.
Step Four- Removal of the Snorkel:
There are no clips, pins or screws holding it so just grab the end of it and wiggle it back and forth until it pops out.
Step Five- The Screen:
I never put screening in my 986, but the 987 vent openings are much wider. Therefore, I highly recommend that you install screen or mesh to the vent frame. I chose plastic screen over the aluminum type. Lowes has it in a charcoal color that blends well with the color of the Titanium Vent-Frame. I also chose to do an inner screen over the opening to the air box, the opening where the Snorkel was. It is very simple and seemed like a sensible thing to do.
The Inner Screen:
Take the frame that surrounded the Snorkel
and saw off the 4 posts. Grind down the remaining material with your grinder so you have a smooth surface.
Cut a piece of the screen large enough to cover the opening of the frame and leaving enough material to hold while working. Lay the frame facedown (the side where you just did that great job of grinding) and use a glue gun to attach the screen to the rear of the frame face. Keep adjusting the screen so that you get a nice tension on the screen face. Trim off the excess material.
Install this screened frame back into the intake area by pushing it in place until you feel it seat. No clips or screws are needed, it is held in firmly.
The Outer Screen:
The Titanium Vent-Frame has a small protrusion on the second slat that must be ground down even with the slat so that it doesn’t push out into the screen.
The Inner Vent-Frame has 2 cutouts at the top where the tabs for the Titanium Vent-Frame fit. Be careful to glue the screen around these openings so the tabs will still fit in.
Also, the center slat on this frame that has 2 cutouts for tabs. I did not glue the screen to this slat so that the screen wouldn’t tear if I needed to remove the vent later.
Cut a piece of screen large enough to cover the rear of the Vent-Frame, leaving enough for you to hold while working. Glue one section to the frame and let the glue set. Then, pulling the screen tight across the opening, glue the remainder of the screen. Trim off the excess.
Step Six- Reinstall the Inner Vent-Frame and the Titanium Vent Frame:
Place the Inner Vent-Frame into the intake so that it is actually in the intake beyond the metal rim. Place the 4 pushpins back into the holes in the metal rim.
You then guide the Inner Vent-Frame outward over each pin until they all lock in place with an audible click.
Position the Titanium Vent-Frame into position starting at the bottom and, working upward, push it into place.
You are now De-Snorked! Start your car and go for a drive.
KTS