It is probably a gimmick. Last night here in NJ we got some MAJOR rain. Like downpouring and flooding. I drove down to the beach at night and half the shore was underwater. Entire sidestreets were flooded so you couldn't even see the pavement.

I DON'T have the bypass on my AEM intake and my CLS did just fine!!! No problems what so ever. Now I am a total beleiver in the "you must have to drive your bumper underwater to cause hydrolock" theory. If driving through that last night didn't hydrolock me I am never going to be worried.

PLus I save the HP or 2 that the bypass loses.

So if you are dbating on it don't bother. Save the 35 bucks and buy some beer!

Just my 2 cents!

 

You are correct... the intake has to be submerged for hydro-lock to occur.

I'll still take my $35 piece of mind for my $6k+ engine. I won't feel the 1hp difference anyway..... plus, it does work and isn't just a gimmick....

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/ar...h01_0401.shtml

 

You are nuts. Somebody had a stock air box and hydrolocked the engine!!!! Unless the car is track-use only you need to have a bypass! Stop giving bad advice.

 

I live in jersey too and i felt much better last night driving with the bypass valve.....I think the $35 is worth the peace of mind.

 

Shawn S

 

Sorry to say this, but he wasn't the brightest person in the world, driving through such a large flow of water....

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...threadid=53465

Plus he tried to start it a few times after it stalled!

 

Yeah but why take the risk???? It's a $35 part that will ensure 8k engine!! Moronic not to do it.

 

what worries me the most about the test that SCC did was when they pulled the filter out of the water, still at WOT. What if the filter was not submerged, but rather splashed w/ a lot of water, this scenario would seem to more likely occur in real life.

And according to them, the water frothed up in their super long intake piping. But our CAI's are not as long. Wouldn't some of that frothed up water enter the Intake Manifold?

 

I would get the bypass for piece of mind...it's like having insurance...you may not needed it, but when you do you'll be glad you have it. Beside, I'd pay $35 any day to protect my $$$ engine.

With or without the bypass valve if I saw a big enough puddle I wouldn't risk going through it.

 

No, we'd be fine.. the water went so high up b/c of the long pipe... but it never made it past the by-pass.... that was the point. They just made the tube longer for the test. On a regular intake it would still come up a little... but not make it past the by-pass.....

 

It's bought, but it's not on. I also have driven through some VERY HEAVEY rain, & FLOODED streets in south FL. I haven't had a problem. Still don't know if I will use the bypass.

 

i don't drive thru deep puddles.

 

are you calling me a moron?

 

Don't have it, don't need it. Makes the intake look like shit, and the chances of hydro lock occuring are less than 1 in a billion.

Its just another way for AEM to make money. If the intake truly has to be submerged, then it will fuck your engine anyways if you're in water that deep!

 

Yah :P

It just makes sense to me But whatever

 

i wasn't advising against it. just sharing with the group.

 

I don't have one and drive in rain all the time.

 

The bypass will be closed when the water is frothing in there. It is made to open when there is a hydrolock condition. It can still close when there is water frothing around. I'm with chikai
... I think it would still be possible to get water into the intake.

 

 

Could I get the data to back that statement please?

Shawn S

 

Here we go again.

Most standing water will be on the right side of the car. Our CAIs are on the left. That's why it's not too much of a problem not having one. IMO.

Mine is an "X" CAI. So it came with one. But I do feel better driving in the rain with my FAKE induction (gutter guard in the roadlamp holes).

 

$30 can save you $8K!!!!!!!!

 

1. Mine is in the box... (And I’m careful about high water. It can be a very expensive trip without care around high water…)


2. The flaps open so easily, that it will pull in hot air in the engine compartment during WOT. (I put it up to my mouth, and a I could breath through the flaps with the greatest of ease with the other end closed -- the flaps open a bit too easy, in my opinion).


3. If you not concerned about losing the HP from turbulence and heat, just put the sucker on. A 3” silicon or rubber hose section can be fashioned to replace the bypass valve (for “power events”), but that's a hassle and there will still be a bit of turbulence (there are some design mods, to the AEM CAI, that could have made all of this moot [my opinion again])


The potential loss of HP with the car sitting right after a long idle on a hot day can be rather large. OTOH, if you’re moving along quickly, there probably isn't too much to worry about (the air will cool off pretty quickly -- I did some "messing" around to test some “theories” out...)

In the end -- it's a trade-off. If the polar ice caps melt, I'll be putting it on and/or trading up for another unit...

 

When did the intake suppose to look good?

I have a bypass valve on my AEM CAI and I think it "looks" good. Like people have been saying, it is for a peace of mind. I rather save $35 rather than paying for a new engine if god forbid anything happens.