This one is definitely more “robust” then the cheap plastic AEM.
It's made of chrome plated METAL with a wire mesh and internal foam filter.

I’ll have the Shop-Vac, plastic pipe, duck tape and a bucket of water to see how this thing works.
I figured my AEM valve has been on this car for nearly 2-years and my 2001 for another 2-years and I was worrying about it failing.

Instead of getting another AEM I figured I would give this thing a try.
More pics and report to follow.

Shawn S

 

I thought this one looked pretty badboy myself.

Kinda like a mini K&N filter

 

both of those look very cool

 

None of these look like they function anyway close to the way the Aem did. Correct me if I am wrong. When the lowe filter is not submerged the bypass valve was closed (no air flow from the bypass filter). When the lower filter is completely submerged the preassure created from the lack of air flow would force the bypass valve to open allowing the engine to breathe.

 

looking at the first one, i'd be afraid to put that on my car. the concern is the foam material that is inside of the "bypass valve" can get old and brittle and may disintegrate and be sucked into the engine.

 

None of these look like they function anyway close to the way the Aem did. Correct me if I am wrong. When the lowe filter is not submerged the bypass valve was closed (no air flow from the bypass filter). When the lower filter is completely submerged the preassure created from the lack of air flow would force the bypass valve to open allowing the engine to breathe.

 

The AEM has flaps that normally restrict airflow from engine compartment. The flaps only open when the filter is completely submerged.

 

I think it'll work fine. air will enter at the point of least resistance... the traditional filter. If that filter becomes submerged, it is no longer the point of least resistance and air will enter through that thing.

 

yes, they will allow air in at all times, but at least it's filtered, and it will still prevent hydrolock for the same reason the aem would. If the bottom filter's submerged, the top one will do all the breathing.

 

Shawn... I though EricL and others said in an OLD thread, that this wasn't a bypass valve per se...

The instructions above define its use as a much different application versus the AEM product. Better construction or not... I dunno man...

 

it will still prevent hydrolock,which is the whole point of the aem bypass, different design or not.

 

i dont have a bypass, u dont need to worry about gettin into 3 feet of water, plus it takes away power from the cai

 

Unless the bypass valve is closed in normal operation it will be sucking in hot air from near the engine compartment. That is not what you want! The bypass should only open when the main intake sucks up h2o.

Plus, on a regular aem cai or icebox the intake charge is slightly pressurized at highway speeds. That doesn't seem possible with the "inline air filter."

 

I can't remember who said this (i'm thinking Eric L) but there was evidence that the aem bypass valve opened up far too easily and would suck in hot air quite offen, and with that, it's not filtered.

 

I see what you guys are saying about the new bypass ALWAYS letting in some air.
I thought this was discussed to death the last time we talked about it.
The flaps in the AEM are open whenever there is hard acceleration, so it’s not much different then the RTEC valve.

Anyway………

I did some unplanned running around today and I Zaino’d the wife’s RAV4 so I didn’t have time to install this sucker.
I did however do some tests to see if it functions as an actual bypass valve if the filter end becomes submerged in water.

While I’m not sure how closely the suction of a 30-gallon Shop-Vac duplicates an engine, it seemed to work just fine.

When the end of the pipe is open, I can’t feel much air being drawn through the RTEC.
When submerged in the water, there is NONE drawn up through the pipe.

Next weekend I’m gonna pull everything apart and clean my K&N filter and install this thing and see how it works.

 

good idea testing it out.

 

nice test shawn..