Not sure if this belongs here, but I was talking to a buddy of mine about getting a CAI, and being the paranoid freak that I am, what the possibility of hydrolocking was (even though we've had like...NO water here in California for last two years).

He then mentioned a "flower pot" mod, to protect the intake from getting water in. Has anyone ever heard of this or done it with their TLs? I did a quick google search, and the best I could come up with was this:

Solve Your 300ZX Stumble and Hesitation Problem!

 

That link lists it as a fix for erratic mass air readings because of the cold air intake. Our cars do not have a MAF or mass airflow sensor as they are speed density based ecus and use MAP instead. I don't see how that would prevent water from being sucked in really, but it looks as though it would just prevent the filter from being fully effective.

 

All he is referring to is sticking the intake filter into an enclosure. Imagine sticking it in a flower pot to protect it from water.

Lots of intakes come with a box to fit the filter in. You can buy one from a company or make one yourself.

 

You know the stock intake is actually a pretty good designed unit with plenty of protection built in as well as cold air intake as well. Some don't realize it but the stock box actually is almost like a ram air/cold air setup all in one.
So with an aftermarket kit you will probably be sucking in hotter air, dirtier air, and risk taking in water, not to mention IMO the annoying V6 intake sound.
Just my opinion and even if there are gains they are too minimal to feel.

 

^^

Lol, what on earth are you talking about? How is an aftermarket CAI going to suck in "dirtier" air in the same environment? Or "hotter" air? And the stock air box is absolutely nothing like ram air, nor is any commercially available aftermarket TL CAI.

 

Always have to explain shit to you ..... What I was referring to regarding "dirtier" air was the filtering capabilities of the stock unit and filter compared to aftermarket. I can assure you those aftermarket K&N type cone or panel filters do not filter as well as OEM. There is plenty of data on the web to back that up from actual lab tests. Is the difference minimal? probably, would it have a negative effect on engine longevity? I dunno maybe, maybe not.
IMO any intake system that is pulling air in from either the engine bay or behind the wheel well which also connects to the engine bay is going to be a higher temperature compared to air pulled in directly from in front of the vehicle. An engine bay and outside are not the same environment! I just went outside and took pictures because apparently you think im a fuckin idiot. The stock air box assembly does infact have a scoop on my Type S that pulls air in from the honey comb opening next to the fog light. Since this is from an opening in the front bumper, at speed this can be considered a "ram air" type setup. Atleast it kind of reminds me of the old school Pontiac "ram-air" setups. Besides that, the reliability of the stock unit would far surpass that of a metal tube connected to some cone filter 1ft above the ground.

oooooo look at this a air scoop going right into the factory air box

 

^^

You do realize that this air scoop doesn't go directly into the air box right?

All it does is redirect air upwards towards the piping of the stock air box. There's an air gap between the scoop and the piping. Then, at the top of the piping, near the battery, there's another air gap in the piping (at low speeds / low throttle, the stock intake is likely pulling some air from the hot engine bay), then the piping goes back down, makes a few U turns and goes back up (finally) to the air box.

An aftermarket CAI like the AEM one pulls air from the same scoop next to the fog light, except it goes straight into the TB after that.

OEM CAI:

 

Yeah I'm familiar with the system as I have had it completely removed from a different TL I had. Yeah it's obviously not a sealed system, but the concept of it is good. All I'm trying to say is that it seems to be a well designed setup.

 

I'm 99% certain the hydrolock rumor was started by people looking for an excuse to run a short ram intake. You'd have to drive through at least a half a foot of water to even get close to the filter of a CAI.

The people who do hydrolock there system and whine about it are idiots, it's a TL, not a Jeep with a snorkel.

 

I have a piston/connecting rod combo from a hydro locked engine sitting on my desk, lol.

But CrazyEights is right. You have to be semi stupid to hydrolock your engine.

Don't mash the throttle when going through a puddle. Even better, just avoid puddles where possible. The filter can get wet- that's no big deal. It can't get completely submerged/ encased in water, because the CAI tube acts as a straw, going right into the engine.

Poke a hole in the side of a straw and see how much fluid you can suck up. Likely none or very very little. I bet less than 1% of people with A CAI have hydro locked their engine.

 

If you see standing water just avoid it like the plague. I've driven the a thunderstorm with the intake exposed with no problems. Just don't drive hard in the rain and don't hit the puddles.

I have sucked water into my engine in the past. Not enough to hydro lock but I lost a lot of power and a ton of white smoke billows out the back.
I drove thru an intersection with a dip during a storm. A passing 18-wheeler hit the puddle in the dip and threw a huge wave of water over my car. Then my check engine light started blinking.