Shadow S2k you are partially right. The AEM, Injen, and Fujita style intakes are an absolute no no for a car that gets driven in anything other than light rain. I live in an area where we have a lot of flash floods, and everyone I know that has one of those intakes wants to get rid of it. In reality anything that lowers the point at which air is taken into your intake system increases your risk of inhaling water and destroying your engine. Although snorkels are not as bad as the intakes that take in air from the bottom of your bumper they still can take in water if you hit a puddle and water splashes up to the snorkel. I would rather play it safe and keep it under the hood like the OEM intake that way there is almost no risk of hydrolocking.

 

For sure you can play it safe, but there is absolutely no way a snorkel can hydro lock a car. The air is not being "sucked" up into the snorkel its being directed...the snorkel only directs air up into the intake filter/chamber. The design of a snorkel, the bends in it (water would have to travel straight up), even if water splashed into the snorkle would not get into your intake filter. Check the design of most snorkels...the bends and design in most would make almost getting water up there impossible. Its where the filter sits, and if it comes in direct contact with a large water source that cases hydro-lock in those situations.

You are safe with a snorkle unless of course you whole car is submerged in water, in which case the snorkel is the lease of your worries But you can always play it safe, that most certainly won't hurt

 

I recently switched to a fipk after using the stock airbox and a k&n drop in for a few years and for $220 shipped I'm more than pleased. A tune will make this part much more beneficial. Also some heatshields don't hurt as heatsoak will cause you to have a little bit of a throttle hesitation issue in the summer time.

 

If you dont plan to go FI any time soon, then its worth it. Just buy, dont think

 

Wrong. Always have a plan, especially if your staying all motor. Part selection is key to achieveing your desired powerband.

 

I also thought about this. I waited months to buy an intake because I didnt want to spend a lot of money for a useless item.
i finally decided on a used comptech icebox from another member on here for 220.
Installed it last week and the sound is just amazing. I am a very careful and laid back 19 year old but this intake makes me want to redline each shift!!
Who cares about power.... the sound is worth a few bucks IMO

 

OP...

A cold air intake is supposed to lower your intake air temps. I can tell you (I have an injen cai) that they do just that. The stock air box holds a lot of heat, for a long time once it gets hot. A cai will heat up in traffic, but will cool down much quicker once moving.

Sound or HP gains should be a secondary reason in considering a cai.

A cai won't hydrolock unless you do something stupid like submurge it with the motor running. I know injen has a hydroguard cover that covers the filter, and is water resistant. Not foolproof, but maybe a little added security. There is a lot of myth about cai's and hydrolocking, but if installed correctly.....not much of an issue.

Hope this helps.....I like mine and it does do what it was designed to do.

 

If you are tight on funds just shop around on the FS forums. There are plenty of good buys at good prices. The important thing is most people on teh board are enthusiats and keep their stuff in like-new condition and you will get a better price than if purchased new. Just my 0.02.

 

As other people said, it's worth it for the sound alone. The power gain isn't huge, but noticeable. The main thing I got out of it was throttle response. The mid range gains are decent too. I don't plan on going FI for another couple years so it's totally worth it for me in the mean time.

 

You're right but you left out the most important thing, resonance.