Snorkel to reduce frequenc?

Hi all,
 
was wondering if fitting a snorkel might help to reduce the frequency I change my air filter   .
 
Currently I'm changing it ca every 10000km and it appears to be full of dust which I think may be increasing my fuel consumption = more $$. At $80 a shot it's a bit pricey   . There are no aftermarket equivalents that I have been able to find.
 
How often do most people change their air filters?
 
Has anyone who has fitted a snorkel noticed a difference to either fuel consumption, frequency of air filter changes or engine performance?
 
Any problems arising from fitting a snorkel from the ECU point of view??
 
My engine is a 1KZ-TE.
 
Werner

It sounds to me like your in a very dusty environment down there in South Australia Werner.
If that is the case, then air filter replacement every 10000Km is normal.
To answer your questions,

Yes, I noticed a small difference in fuel economy when I fitted a snorkel to my van.
I also noticed a LOT more induction noise and resonances whilst driving.
I found that the filter didn't need to be cleaned so much, though I still checked it every 5000Km.
The biggest improvement was the consistency of power, before the snorkel I would notice that the van wouldn't go as well, after the snorkel was fitted the hot days hardly worried it at all.
After market filters for the Hiaces are available, check eBay, its a great place for a bargain.
Get all your part numbers from ToyoDIY http://www.toyodiy.com/

Hi Jeff,
 
yes, South Australia is considerably drier than the Innisfail area, hence more airborne dust I suppose.
 
I remember when I installed a snorkel on my Toyota 4runner, the noise from the engine area was a lot louder as well and was starting to drive me nuts. I partially overcame the noise issue by installing an expansion box from a Mitsubishi something into the loop. Prob not possible in this case due to lack of space.
 
I'm having trouble finding the part number for the bracket which mounts onto the gutter as the Toyodiy site no longer has pictures for some reason   which is a bit annoying if you're trying to make sure you have the correct part number.
 
I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed the lack of pictures.
 
I have been able to source a snorkel, but unsure what part number to supply for the gutter bracket. Any idea??
 
regards,
 
Werner

oops, should have read your mmessage first, Jeff. Thanks for the info.

Is there a follow up info for the snorkel gutter bracket/mounting hardware needed? This will help others in the future that are looking to add the snorkel to their Hiace.

They don't make them any more... will have to be a custom job..
This guy is a good source for random help