the very first day, very first, i got it and installed it; it rained. hard too. i installed it in the afternoon, that night, i leave from my girlfriend's house and my car was parked outside for a long time. i go start the car (still raining) and everything sounds fine. the freeway is about a mile from her house. well i gun it on the on ramp and all of a sudden the car stutters and misfires. sure enough the check engine lights comes on. the next day i take apart the intake. what do i find? water in the tube.

so this post points out that why dont people just drain it before they leave. ok, yes. let's get in our cars. turn the steering wheel all the way to the left so i can "easily" reach the duck bill. the get out, reach blindly in the dark, while its raining hard on me and somehow hold an umbrella (yea right!) trying to fill for the rubber bill. the pull it out. then, oh shit, blindly try to put it back it. yes next time it rains, go stand outside in the rain for 5 minutes then get in your car. yes, that night i should have been thinking that instead of running to the F**king car like every normal person instead of crawling under my car search blindly for it.

but, ever since that night, i have covered up the holes and diy umbrella that sucker. i never had a problem. i have been through so many intakes. all of them have their flaws!!! i currently have my aem v2 and kept it the longest, including the oem. i have driving through legendary storms. storms that has zero visibility, and forces to to pull over and praying to god you dont hit someone when you do. i have driven 9 damn hours in a F**king heavy rain. i was driving from little rock, arkansas to atlanta, georgia and the storm happened to be moving east with me. yes i drive slow too.

 

Get a FIPK or comptech ice box. I live in south Florida and would never put a CAI on my car. I've known several people who have hydrolocked their motors in the past.

 

I have an AEM v2 and live in Miami. I've had CAI's on every car I've owned for the past 10 years and I've never had a problem.

 

Ha....I just was driving in the rain with my Injen CAI.....no hydrolocking for me.

Seriously, mine was installed with minimal cuttng to plastics and all fender liners are in place. I also have the hydroguard cover on my filter.

I've driven through some pretty nasty rain and puddles, no ill effects.

 

I bought a fujita CAI as my first mod for the s2k and it's now been 2 years. I DD my s and have been thru alot of rain and have never once had a problem...i did try gunning the car in the rain a few times and had it start to stutter on me a bit, but I would let off the gas quickly and just let the car cost for a bit and no problems from there on...I did have the car die on me once when I stupidly took it thru a drive thru car wash, that was the last time I ever went thru those again..I got outta the car wash and gunned it and the car just died on me..I waited about 10 mins before I started the car back up and when I did she started right up.

Just gotta remember when it rains don't give the car too much gas and take it nice and slow...also always keep an eye out for those decieving puddles!

 

Yes there's a bypass valve, and yes it would help. Too bad it takes away all the power/throttle response you get from adding a CAI in the first place. I believe the general consensus is that it's not worth it.

 

The K&N FIPK makes power, sounds excellent, is cheap and easy to find, is CARB-approved, and doesn't hydrolock. I don't know why anyone would get anything else.

 

A properly installed CAI stands very little chance of hydrolocking. So there is really no reason not to consider using one. Mine has been through rainstorms, car washes, and occasional standing water that could not be easily avoided. The important part is "properly installed". Also need to have all the fender liners in place to keep water out, and plug the hole that can drip onto the filter.

An improperly installed CAI stands a much better chance of hydrolocking. The FIPK is indeed a safe bet, I just think most of the hydrolock issues are a result of poor installation.

 

thomsbrain's point, and one I agree with, is that with the choice between to different CAI systems, one with a chance of hydrolock and one with none, why even chance it - enough people here have stated that they've had hydrolock, even if others never had - why take the risk?

 

It really depends on the CAI and about of water on the road.

In 2005, I attended ALMS at Laguna Seca as part of Sport Compact Car Mag event. On one evening of the event, there was a gathering at a club for the event. It was pouring down rain in the Bay Area, I came around a corner and there was a deep puddle of water (over 12 inches deep). I had a custom made intake that went right down to the bottom of the front bumper of my civic. It shallowed quite a bit of water and the engine died.

As soon as it died, a cop came over and asked me what happened. After a few long cranks, a mega plumb of white smoke came out from the exhaust. I got lucky and there was no damage to the valves.