kappy

Just installed an AEM cold air intake on my car. Today was teh first day it rained, and it only rained on and off, very lightly. After it stopped, I went under the hood to check out everything, and then I looked at teh cavity where the air filter was. It was filled with water. On both sides of the car, the splash guards trap water in them. Since the filter basically sits in the splash guard, water from teh road collecting in the guard will build up and submerge enough of the filter to make it suck up water. Tomorrow I plan on taking out the second pipe of my CAI, adn just using teh first one as kind of a RAM air system. I know itl be less performance gain, but at least I wont kill my engine.

SpecR_EK

How does the splashguard fill with water? it's not a totally enclosed area so I really can't see how it would accumulate water. The filter on mine usually gets damp but it doesn't get submergred.

Phantom

Light rain doesn't kill engines with cold air intakes, whoever told you this is full of it.


[Modified by Phantom, 10:44 PM 6/24/2001]

DragII

phantom is right...you need go through 8-12inches of rain, and suck in a HUGE amount of water to hydrolock it...it won't happen from just a little water coming in.

CivicSiRacer

There is humidity in the air it's when your engine gulps up a nice cup of water into the engine. Water doesn't combust and seizes your engine. That part of your wheel well is not totally enclosed - so there is no way for water to accumilate.

raene

I totally disagree... water might not be combustible but it doesn't sit in the engine. Sucking in a little at a time for prolonged periods won't hurt it (aside from raising compression). It's just like using water jetting to cool an intake charge - the exact same principle.

I understand completely how water could pool in the splashguards. On my car it's NOT completely enclosed; look down from the top and you can see onto them. Thus, not enclosed. They're like plastic dishes, vaguely bowl-shaped, and water could easily accumulate on them.

Although you'd think that if you got any serious amount of water trapped on top of them they'd just bow down and dump the water out from the weight.

An easier solution might just be poking a few small holes in your splashguards. It won't defeat the general purpose of the splashguard, and it'll allow the water pooling on top to drain out.

DragII

you pretty much have to submerge your filter, and floor it IMO to cause damage

shogokocoupe

ALSO YOU KNOW THAT A LITTLE WATER IS SOMETIMES GOOD FOR THE ENGINE. IT CLEANS OUT MOST PARTS OF THE ENGINE AND WON'T DO ANY DAMAGE. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ARE RIGHT BECAUSE YOU DO NEED ALLOT OF WATER TO KILL YOUR ENGINE AND ALSO IT DOES STATE ON THE AEM INTAKE PIPE ABOUT THE WATER DEPTH.

Racing rice

Word of advice!

Dont take you inner fender out with the CAI you will suck up water if its raining hard out. As for the collecting water thing I dont think you have much to worry about Ive had mine on for about 2 years and havent had 1 problem out of it. I still have my inner fenders in. My friend's inner fender fell out of his integra and it cost him a motor!

H22CIVIC

I've had a CAI intake on for 2 1/2 years with no inner fenders and no problems ever. I honestly dont know how people blow there motors from CAI's and water!!!

Leejen

I think some of these guys live in the rainforests of the Amazon.
Here in Phoenix it does not rain, but rather it "spits" in 10 min. intervals.
Then for about a month during "monsoon" season, it rains pretty hard after
4 PM and lets up by morning. The rest of the year it is just plain HOT.
Going on 4 years with my cold air intake and no problems.
I even drive in the "rain" here. I just avoid large puddles that sometimes
are on the shoulder- especially since that is the side where the filter is.

HoNdA-CiViC-SiR

Do yourself a favour. And maybe this wont work, but I'm think it will. Go to your local performance store and ask them if they carry the 'new' AEM "bypass valves". It is a new aparatus AEM recently came out with that is easy to install, which restricts water from entering your intake, and then f**king up your engine. I'm thinking this will do you a favor. It's a peave of plastic/rubber, but it does the job. It's also cheap. GO AND GET IT, to avoid future engine problems. Because once water enters your engine, IT'S DEAD!

Leejen

Was that really directed toward me? Or the kid what made this thread?
I have already posted that I have no problems in the near 4 years with
my cold air intake. I have it down, brutha.

CivicSiRacer

I've had my CAI on two cars for 4 years now. I guess people aren't paying attention to the road infront of them. You have to run through a huge puddle to get hydrolock.

Leejen

Word